It was a brutal night for Lamar Jackson, who was sacked seven times in a game for only the second time in his career, and the Baltimore Ravens quarterback knows exactly why the Detroit Lions had his number during a 38-30 defeat on Monday Night Football in Week 3.
Jackson credited the Lions with “doing stunts, and they had a spy. Sometimes the spy was grabbing my leg…they were dropping into coverage, [and] they had three safeties back there, and I’m not just going to throw a Hail-Mary ball,” per Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News.
Those words aren’t only a damning indictment of the Ravens’ inability to adjust protection in front of their franchise QB1. They’re also an acknowledgment the Lions had a superior plan for defending one of the premier playmakers in the NFL.
A plan informed by a former Ravens practice squad member with an intimate knowledge of Jackson’s thought process and playing style.
Lions Kept Lamar Jackson Guessing
The Lions were cute about how they set on Jackson. They kept eyes on the dual-threat dynamo, but also used delayed blitzes to force Jackson up into the teeth of the rush.
A painful example occurred early in the fourth quarter, when versatile edge defender Derrick Barnes got to Jackson on third down. What stood out about the play was how Lions inside linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) stood still behind the rush to spy Jackson, before blitzing downhill once the Ravens’ starter held onto the ball because of congested deep coverage.
Anzalone’s blitz had Jackson step up to escape, but right into Barnes, who was spot-dropping in underneath zone coverage.
This was a complex mix of moving parts to marry rush and coverage. A potent combination Jackson and Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken never deciphered.
They were fooled again later in the final period, when Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit’s star defensive end, engulfed Jackson. Once again, Anzalone took a backward step and set up camp to keep Jackson in his sights, before blitzing late.
The Lions showed a five-man line in front of Anzalone, and Hutchinson slanted inside on one of those many stunts Jackson saw all night.
Having so few answers for what the Lions did defensively made it pretty clear the Ravens were out-coached at M&T Bank Stadium. They lost the war before it was fought because the Lions did a better job in preparation, largely thanks to a familiar face to the Ravens.
Ravens Undone by Former Player
Anybody who doubted the impact of the Lions signing ex-Ravens wide receiver and sometime quarterback Malik Cunningham to simulate Jackson in practice, need only listen to Dan Campbell. The Lions’ head coach explained how invaluable it was to have Cunningham spill Jackson’s secrets.
Campbell told reporters, “On Wednesday, we had Malik run at quarterback, and he had a big day at practice. He had a big day. It opens your eyes a little bit. You coach it up; you tweak a couple things. ‘Shep’ [defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard] and those guys come out Thursday, and it’s better, but we’re still like, ‘Man, this guy’s running around, and we can’t get him contained.’ Then, by Friday, you’re pretty good,” per Ravens.com Editorial Director Ryan Mink.
Replicating Jackson’s level of athleticism is close to impossible, but Cunningham was also a mobile running and throwing sensation at Louisville, so the Lions chose their stand-in wisely.
What’s concerning for the Ravens is how Cunningham has given the rest of the league a template for stopping a two-time NFL MVP. Jackson wasn’t helped by running back Derrick Henry’s ongoing struggles, particularly with ball security, but a defense using spies and taking away the deep ball shouldn’t have caught the Ravens so off guard.
The onus is now on Monken and Jackson to come up with more nuanced answers to elementary problems.
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