Lamar Jackson is out of sorts.
Oddly enough, opposing teams can’t really pinpoint what’s going wrong for the Baltimore Ravens quarterback.
“(He just) doesn’t look the same,” said an NFL executive who was granted anonymity so he could speak openly.
It’s hardly ever one factor. Usually, it’s a few things going wrong at once, among which could be Jackson playing through a more serious injury than anyone realizes. The 28-year-old missed three games this season with a hamstring injury, but he has also missed recent practices due to ankle and toe ailments.
However, while it’s easy to focus on the injuries, the feeling is that there’s more to it, especially since Jackson has played through injuries at various points throughout his career.
Jackson returned from the hamstring absence to light up the then-reeling Dolphins in Week 9 by completing 18-of-23 passes for 204 yards and four touchdowns, but he has followed that up with five consecutive games with a sub-60 completion percentage for an average of 197.4 passing yards per game, 25.4 rushing yards per outing, two passing touchdowns, one rushing score, four interceptions and two lost fumbles. He also has been sacked 12 times during that stretch.
For a cold dose of reality, journeyman quarterback Taylor Heinicke posted eerily similar numbers during his five appearances with the Atlanta Falcons in 2023.
“He looks off with his timing,” a coach said.
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