The Baltimore Ravens were sitting at 4-5, losers of three games in a row, and had division rival Cincinnati up next. Rumors were already starting to swirl about the security of head coach John Harbaugh as the Ravens were quickly looking at a lost season.
But then the Ravens plugged in rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson into the lineup, and they haven’t looked back since.
Sitting at a 5-1 record since taking over, Jackson has the Ravens in prime position to not only make the playoffs, but also win the division if they beat the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
This was something probably most people never saw coming, especially when you considered just how good of a team Pittsburgh has, but this is the reality, Baltimore controls their own destiny, and a large part of that is thanks to the youthfulness and play of their rookie quarterback, Lamar Jackson.
In six games started, Jackson has seven total touchdowns, and has played well in a tough, overtime loss to Kansas City, and then fired a 68-yard touchdown pass in prime time, on the road, in Los Angeles, as the Ravens knocked off the 11-3 Chargers.
Jackson’s play has not only invigorated the Ravens franchise, it’s honestly brought me back memories of another QB who seemed to give his franchise the “it” factor late in the season, that eventually carried into a Super Bowl appearance. His name? Colin Kaepernick.
Both QB’s have big arms and can do some major damage on the ground, but what separated them from the rest of the signal callers in the league, was that “it” factor they brought to the team late into the season. For the 49ers, it carried all the way to the Super Bowl, something Baltimore hopes will happen this year, as they ride a red hot rookie quarterback as far as he will take them.
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