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The Baltimore Ravens seemingly have something special going for them this season. With dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson leading a unique offense that has been on fire, they sit at 7-2 with a hefty lead in the AFC North standings and a hold on the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoff race. It has legendary former Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis joking about suiting up again.
On Showtime’s “Inside The NFL,” Lewis jokingly said he told owner Steve Bisciotti he still has “two quarters left” in him and he could come back to play with Jackson this season.
Lewis especially praised Jackson and Baltimore’s offense for being able to stretch out drives when needed. Against the New England Patriots in Week 9, Jackson led back-to-back touchdown drives late in the game that took just under 18 minutes off the clock in a 37-20 victory. While Lewis had a Hall of Fame career with Baltimore, he never played on a team with an offense as capable as what the Ravens have right now.
“If you all are holding the ball for seven minutes on a drive, and then nine minutes on a drive, I’m like, ‘Man, I’ve never had that in my career,'” Lewis continued.
The Ravens lead the league in time of possession, holding the ball for 34:07 per game, and points per game (33.3), so Lewis has a solid point here. The offense being able to sustain drives has helped keep an inconsistent Baltimore defense stay fresh late in games. In previous years, we’ve seen the defense falter in the second half and give up leads. But by putting up enough points early and keeping the ball out of the hands of the opposing offense, Baltimore has coasted to huge victories in recent weeks.
While Lewis is joking about a return to the sport after retiring seven years ago, it highlights just how quickly Jackson has earned respect in the league. With his leadership and playmaking ability, Jackson has clearly won over not only his own teammates but has seen plenty of opposing players give him high praise. As chants continue to grow for Jackson to win the NFL’s MVP award this season, the Ravens will continue to see people jump on his bandwagon.
Jackson’s energy and the respect he’s earned could cause priority free agents to choose the Ravens over more money from lesser teams. That could pay dividends as general manager Eric DeCosta continues to build up a young but talented roster.