Baltimore vs Arizona
Lamar Jackson Continues to Look Strong, Ravens Improve to 2-0 in Win over Arizona in Home Opener
The Baltimore Ravens jumped out to a big lead and held off a charge from the upstart Arizona Cardinals in a 23-17 win to remain undefeated in the young 2019 season.
After throwing five touchdowns in a 59-10 demolition at Miami last week, Lamar Jackson added two more TD tosses to go with his 272 passing yards and 120 rushing yards in the win. He is now 8-1 in the regular season as a starting quarterback in the NFL, and even though it's a small sample size, he appears poised to make a giant leap this season as a dual-threat quarterback.
"It's going to be a real conundrum for [opposing defenses to figure out if Jackson will throw or pass]," head coach Jim Harbaugh said in his news conference after the game. "Lamar is a football player. He has talents; he has abilities; he's out there playing the game…applying his football IQ."
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Jackson set the bar extremely high last week by achieving a perfect quarterback rating in the win over the Dolphins. The 2016 Heisman Trophy winner was 24-37 passing and was sacked twice but didn't turn the ball over. He also has seven passing touchdowns through two weeks this season after throwing six TD tosses in seven regular season games in 2018. Jackson, however, is striving for perfection each and every week.
"I feel it was alright; it could have been better," Jackson said of his performance following the game. "A lot of passes I want back. Some sacks I want back."
Arizona first-year head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who 2018 Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray on his team, said that Jackson looked pretty darn good with his team unable to contain him for most of the day.
"You all watched Lamar make great throws from the pocket," Kingsbury told reporters from the podium. "He can stand there and throw it and beat you that way, and he can beat you with his legs."
Arizona (0-1-1) came back in the fourth quarter to tie Detroit last week but couldn't complete the comeback this week. Murray, who was the No. 1 pick in April's draft, was 25-40 for 349 yards. He didn't throw a touchdown pass or an interception.
Jackson led the Ravens in rushing yards and carries as well with 16 (that counts two kneel-downs at the end of the game). Mark Ingram touched the ball 13 times for 47 yards. Tight end Mark Andrews and wide receiver Marquise Brown each caught eight balls—Andrews had 112 yards and a touchdown while Brown accounted for 86 yards. Hayden Hurst caught Jackson's other touchdown pass in his only reception of the game.
Andrews recorded his second 100-yard, one-touchdown performance in as many weeks, and the second-year quarterback and tight end are developing a good rapport.
"I tell Mark [Andrews] all the time, 'We're going to play some street ball' and that's what the case is," Jackson remarked. "His job is to get open, and I have to deliver the ball."
The Ravens defense sacked Murray three times and forced a fumble, but they were unable to faze the rookie enough to get him to turn the ball over.
Speaking of defense, Terrell Suggs returned to Baltimore after playing 16 years here, and the sold-out crowd at M&T Bank Stadium gave the franchise leader in sacks a warm reception prior to the game.
GAME RECAP
The Ravens started strong by forcing an Arizona punt to start the game, but they were stuck with bad field possession. No matter, despite starting from their own 6 yard line, Jackson took only seven plays and around four minutes of game clock to score, as the final 27 yards of the drive came on Andrews' touchdown reception to make it 7-0 Baltimore.
The Ravens' defense bent but didn't break, as Arizona twice marched inside the 5 yard line of Baltimore but failed to get a touchdown, instead having to settle for two Zane Gonzalez chip-shot field goals. Justin Tucker added a field goal of his own, and the score was 10-6 Baltimore midway through the second quarter.
The Ravens then created some separation on the scoreboard as Jackson mixed runs and passes as part of an 85-yard touchdown drive that ended with the TD pass to Hurst from one yard out. The teams entered the locker room at halftime with Baltimore on top 17-6.
After a three and out, Arizona again drove the ball down the field, but Baltimore's defense again stood tall when it needed to most. Murray threw incomplete twice to Larry Fitzgerald before settling for another Gonzalez field goal from 21 yards out.
The Ravens then took a page out of the Cardinals' book by driving the ball to the 1 yard line and taking just three points. But at this stage of the game, Baltimore ate up nine minutes with the drive and led 20-9 going into the fourth quarter.
Arizona finally broke through with a David Johnson touchdown run with the key play in the drive being a 54-yard deep pass from Murray to Fitzgerald. After a successful two-point conversion, it was 20-17.
Tucker connected on a 51-yard field goal to add a little breathing room at 23-17, which ended up being the final score, as Arizona wasn't able to threaten again. Ingram and Gus Edwards had some key runs in the final drive that iced the game.
UP NEXT
Baltimore returns to the site of Jackson's only regular-season loss next week when the 2-0 Ravens visit the 2-0 Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. The Ravens fell 27-24 in overtime last December. The Week 3 contest will be the Chiefs' home opener after they won handily at Jacksonville and Oakland to start the season. Reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes has thrown for a whopping 821 yards in those two wins.
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