Lamar Jackson Has to Come Back for Playoffs and ‘Be Lamar’

Eisen emphasized that Jackson needs to play his best football if and when he does return for the Ravens to have a realistic shot at beating the AFC’s elite teams.

Jackson was an early MVP front-runner after throwing 10 touchdowns passes (to two interceptions) and rushing for 243 yards and two touchdowns in the first three games. Over his next nine games, Jackson had seven touchdown passes, five interceptions, no 100-yard rushing games and one rushing touchdown.

“They gotta get Lamar back being Lamar and making these defenses totally confused, head on a swivel, ‘who’s got it, where are they going with it?'” Eisen said. “And then somebody’s gotta make a play down the field.”

Unlike Eisen, Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski doesn’t believe Jackson’s return will solve the Ravens’ issues on offense.

“Even with Jackson in the lineup, the Ravens aren’t playing well enough to do any kind of damage in the postseason,” Sobleski wrote. “The franchise built its entire approach around Jackson, and rightfully so. Good organizations are tailored to their talent, especially behind center. Baltimore deserves credit for identifying a unique athlete and properly building around him.

“Yet the downfall is an approach that’s simply not working. An approach that’s not likely to get significantly better to challenge the AFC’s best in the short term, though the Ravens know their only hope is Jackson magic.”

Sobleski contended that the Ravens’ smash-mouth brand of offense is outdated.

“Baltimore’s approach is a throwback to days when dominant run games and hard-nosed defenses could dictate an entire contest. It’s harder than ever to do so now based on how the game has evolved,” Sobleski wrote. “The rules are geared toward offenses. Chunk plays have become a staple of creative play-callers looking to minimize reps and maximize effectiveness in numerous spread looks. In contrast, the Ravens want to bash their way…