Mike Preston: Ravens QB Lamar Jackson remains a mystery as playoff hopes rest on his shoulders | COMMENTARY

Several months ago, Ravens backmost Lamar Jackson was a campaigner to go the NFL’s Most Valuable Player. Now, he’s go 1 of the league’s large mysteries.

The lone question remaining successful 2021 is if helium tin prevention the Ravens’ playoff hopes with 2 regular-season games remaining.

Unfortunately, nary 1 knows the answer. Entering Wednesday, the past clip the fourth-year backmost stepped connected the tract was erstwhile helium was being carted into the locker country during the archetypal fractional of a 24-22 nonaccomplishment to the Browns successful Cleveland connected Dec. 12. He disappeared arsenic accelerated arsenic helium did erstwhile being chased by Browns antiaircraft ends Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney.

We’ve heard a batch of speculation astir Jackson’s wounded during his absence. At archetypal it was a precocious ankle sprain, which became a debased ankle sprain a time later. Then it was a bony bruise that yet kept him disconnected the tract for 2 games. Mixed successful with each of these rumors astir viruses, his disappearance was starting to go a mystery.

But Jackson was backmost connected the signifier tract Wednesday. His information was limited, and manager John Harbaugh volition cognize much astir his availability for Sunday’s crippled against the Los Angeles Rams connected Thursday depending connected however good the ankle responds to practice.

The Ravens, though, request Jackson to enactment connected his Superman cape again. They’ve mislaid 4 consecutive and are presently extracurricular of the AFC playoff picture. The injuries person continued to mount, and their secondary is abysmal. The Rams (11-4) are 1 of the champion teams successful the NFL with 2 of the game’s apical walk rushers successful antiaircraft tackle Aaron Donald and extracurricular linebacker Von Miller.

After playing the Rams, the Ravens (8-7) adjacent retired the regular play with a sojourn from Pittsburgh successful what volition astir apt beryllium the past vocation crippled for Steelers backmost Ben Roethlisberger.

If determination is ever a clip for Superman to appear, the clip is now.

“I’m truly hopeful,” Harbaugh said of Jackson’s imaginable return. “I’m hopeful for each our quarterbacks, starting with Lamar. I truly privation to spot him retired determination connected Sunday. I cognize the fans bash and I cognize astir of all, Lamar does. He’s going to bash everything helium tin to beryllium retired there. You can’t marque a committedness due to the fact that we don’t cognize what time is going to bring.”

The Ravens request Jackson to play similar helium did successful the archetypal six games of the season, erstwhile helium completed 137 of 199 passes for 1,640 yards and 11 touchdowns. He besides rushed for 392 yards and was mentioned successful the aforesaid enactment with quarterbacks Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Josh Allen successful the MVP conversation.

But past Jackson started to falter. Many volition constituent to the Ravens’ 22-10 nonaccomplishment to Miami connected Nov. 11 arsenic the opening of his problems. On that Thursday night, helium completed 26 of 43 passes for 238 yards, rushed for 39 yards and was sacked 4 times. But Jackson’s accuracy problems began Oct. 24 successful a 41-17 nonaccomplishment to the Bengals, erstwhile helium completed 15 of 31 passes for 257 yards.

Cincinnati’s triumph showed that the Ravens’ violative enactment had problems matching up with much diversion antiaircraft fronts. Miami’s crippled program revealed Jackson’s struggles against unit and blitzes. Because the NFL is simply a copycat league, the Ravens person had to antagonistic both. In Jackson’s past commencement against Cleveland, helium was hesitant and looked uncomfortable successful the pocket.

Since then, the Ravens person modified their violative crippled plan. Both backup quarterbacks, Huntley and Josh Johnson, person played good and enactment immoderate beingness into the passing game. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman has stuck with short, harmless speedy passes.

Maybe it’s due to the fact that the Ravens gave Huntley and Johnson less options. Maybe it’s due to the fact that Jackson didn’t marque speedy decisions. One happening is certain: erstwhile you ticker Jackson play, sometimes helium isn’t acceptable to propulsion quickly.

That’s each portion of the intrigue of having Jackson instrumentality arsenic the starter due to the fact that helium wasn’t playing good earlier the injury. With immoderate starter retired for an extended play of time, determination is simply a definite magnitude of rust that accumulates that lone tin beryllium removed with playing time.

There are besides different factors involved. The Ravens conflict walk blocking nary substance who is playing quarterback, and this violative enactment won’t get immoderate better. It besides remains to beryllium seen however good Jackson tin chopped and marque defenders miss connected that ankle. When helium is successful the lineup, the Ravens person a moving crippled due to the fact that helium is the moving game.

He besides gives them that big-play quality by either breaking disconnected a agelong tally oregon throwing downfield.

“Obviously, getting No. 8 backmost is peculiar due to the fact that he’s a peculiar player,” choky extremity Mark Andrews said.

Before the injury, astir Ravens fans wanted Jackson to motion a semipermanent declaration due to the fact that his existent rookie woody expires aft the 2022 season. After watching Huntley and adjacent Johnson play, immoderate person changed their minds and privation the Ravens to marque Huntley the starter and put wealth successful different areas of the team.

That’s irrelevant astatine this point. With a defence that lacks a accordant walk unreserved and a apical cornerback, the Ravens request a apical playmaker connected offense, and that’s Jackson.

He mightiness not beryllium arsenic effectual arsenic helium was earlier successful the year, but fewer players are adjacent the extremity of the season. If helium plays well, it’s large for the Ravens, particularly if helium tin rescue their playoff hopes.

If not, the concern astir him becomes adjacent much puzzling.