Even though there’s still a tinge of defeat and maybe even a stale sense of inevitable outcome, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson seems almost certain to win his second MVP trophy tonight.
It’s not necessarily the trophy the Flock had in mind this year, and it’s most certainly not the one Jackson had his eyes on, but, still… MVP. It’s a big deal. And it is well-deserved.
According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Jackson merited this honor and put the “Valuable” in Most Valuable Player, even if his stats won’t likely go down in the league’s history books.
“This season, Jackson demonstrated once again why he is the league’s most crucial player to the success of his team,” Zrebiec said. “There isn’t a quarterback asked to do more for his team,” Hall of Fame quarterback and ESPN analyst Troy Aikman stated before to a Baltimore Ravens broadcast this past season.
Nelson Agholor, the receiver, expressed Zrebiec’s ideas.
It’s not his fault. According to Zrebiec’s article, veteran wide receiver Nelson Agholor of the Ravens stated, “It’s been about the result.” That is what he thinks about. In this league, a true MVP is someone who wants to see his team succeed through player execution, leadership, or statistics, whatever it takes. You wish for that.
Jackson was ranked first on Courtney Cronin’s list of the top five finalists for tonight’s MVP ceremony, which was published this morning on ESPN.
“Jackson led the Ravens and all quarterbacks in rushing despite his volume of runs diminishing this season, which undoubtedly had a positive effect on his durability (the quarterback started a career-high 16 games and only sat for the regular-season finale when Baltimore rested its starters),” wrote Cronin. “In his sixth season, he became one of the league’s most exciting quarterbacks with his passing sense, vision, and feel. His command and control of Baltimore’s offense reached new heights.”
It’s crucial to keep in mind that Jackson was working in his first season under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Although the offensive misfire in the AFC Championship Game still hurts, things should only get better as the two work together in the upcoming campaign.
Jackson seems to be winning this honor despite the handicap of having a new playcaller and system, and Cronin names the Dolphins game as his “MVP Moment.”
“Jackson probably secured the MVP award during the Ravens’ victory over Miami in Week 17 as he completed five touchdown passes, recorded a flawless passer rating, and assisted the team in securing the top spot in the AFC,” the author stated. “The 59 points that Jackson and Baltimore scored during his MVP campaign in 2019 are the only team records that the Ravens have less than 56 points from.”
Childs Walker of The Baltimore Sun wrote an intriguing article about the Ravens’ historical significance—or, more accurately, their notoriety.
Walker stated that the Ravens are the second-best team since 1981 not to win the Super Bowl, behind only the 2010 New England Patriots, according to Aaron Schatz, who developed defense-adjusted value over average, or DVOA, as a way to gauge team performance in comparison to the opposition.
According to Schatz, via Walker, “the best indicator of a championship team is big, dominating wins, and the Ravens had a series of big, dominating wins—but against good teams, not against bad teams.” They were also incredibly well-balanced, having strong rushing and passing skills as well as strong pass and run defense and strong special teams play. Few teams in history have finished in the top eight in all five categories.
Nestled between the 15-1 1998 Minnesota Vikings and the 12-2 1970 Vikings, Walker listed the Ravens as the fifth-best team to never win a Super Bowl.
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