Throughout Lamar Jackson’s early career, he’s earned non-stop comparisons to Michael Vick. But in Jackson’s second season with the Baltimore Ravens, he’s quickly surpassed Vick in a number of ways, including virtually.
Vick was on the field for Monday night’s win over the Los Angeles Rams, as an official EA Sports ratings adjustor. After seeing Jackson put up 95 rushing yards on just eight carries, it was apparently enough to boost his overall speed rating to 96, beating the adjustor himself.
To help commemorate the occasion, Nike and EA Sports created a pair of cleats for Vick to ceremoniously pass the torch.
From one Madden legend to the next. @Lj_era8 takes the crown as the fastest QB in Madden history!
📸 @thecheckdown
👟 @usnikefootball pic.twitter.com/qj97yw8OsW— Madden NFL 20 (@EAMaddenNFL) November 27, 2019
With five games remaining, Jackson needs just 164 rushing yards to top Vick’s single-season rushing record for quarterbacks. However, Jackson is on pace to put up 1,274 rushing yards, which would not just beat, but shatter, Vick’s 1,039-yard record.
At the same time, Jackson is currently proving his doubters wrong as a passer as well. He’s tied with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson for the most touchdown passes thrown this season, albeit on 53 fewer attempts for the league’s top TD% rate. Jackson is also tied for the third-highest passer rating thanks in part to his two perfect 158.3 passer rating games this season.
With his rushing prowess and efficient passing this season, Jackson is currently the frontrunner both for the MVP award and in Pro Bowl voting.
With Vick passing the torch to Jackson in multiple ways, it might be time to officially stop comparing the two. Jackson is a far more developed passer and dynamic rusher than even Vick’s best seasons, setting the tone for generations to come.
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