He’s understanding, but Lamar Jackson must feel some frustration after seeing his wide receivers let so many catchable balls hit the ground for the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8. Those drops were a decisive factor in Jackson and Co. slipping to a shock 29-24 defeat to the Cleveland Browns.
Jackson saw both Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor fluff their lines on key third-down plays. Reporters asked the two-time NFL MVP if his wideouts told him there was a problem with the sun at Huntington Bank Field.
Apparent issues with the weather became a talking point after Bateman failed to reel in a deep pass late in the game. Jackson had thrown the ball from the shadow of the sideline, but Bateman couldn’t locate it in the sun-soaked deep middle.
As Ravens Vault co-host Sarah Ellison noted, Jackson revealed his receivers hadn’t let him know if they were having trouble with their vision: “No, they didn’t tell me that, but if they did, I would believe because the sun was glaring today.”
That’s a team-first response from Jackson and a credit to his leadership, but there’s no doubt his supporting cast left some big plays on the field in Cleveland.
Lamar Jackson Let Down by Receivers
Jackson did all he could to beat the Browns. He consistently eluded pressure, scrambled to move the pocket and extended plays to give his receivers more time to get open.
All of those things should have led to a spirit-breaking play against the Browns’ defense with less than 10 minutes remaining. Jackson again broke contain and hauled off an accurate vertical strike on 3rd-and-14 from his own 15-yard line.
Bateman had the Cleveland 35-yard line all to himself but somehow let the ball hit him in the face. The mistake prompted Mr Matthew CFB to ask “RASHOD BATEMAN… YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!!!!!!!!!!”
For his part, Bateman quickly gestured toward the skies. The implication was clear. Bateman had been fooled by the elements.
The 24-year-old confirmed as much when he told Double Take Sports CEO Carita Parks, “I saw the ball all the way up to the last minute, and then the ball went directly into the sun. I can’t do nothing about that.”
Bateman might be content to write this play off as a bad break he was powerless to avoid, but drops have been a problem in the past. He’s been guilty of 10 drops before this season, per Pro Football Reference, but the latest miscue stunts positive progress after Bateman was emerging as a league leader in a key area.
Unfortunately for the Ravens, Bateman wasn’t the only one of Jackson’s receivers who had trouble with his hands this week. Agholor let a third-down catch get away after the Ravens had moved into Browns’ territory following a “29-yard pass interference penalty,” according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
This isn’t the first time Jackson has had to respond to receivers dropping passes. The issue was also evident against another AFC North rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, in Week 5 last season.
Similar problems in Cleveland extended beyond Jackson and the offense.
Defensive Mistakes Plagued Ravens vs. Browns
The defense also found getting hands on the ball a challenge. Safeties Kyle Hamilton and Eddie Jackson both dropped what should have been sure interceptions.
Their mistakes gave Browns’ stand-in quarterback Jameis Winston a reprieve. He made the Ravens pay with a 38-yard touchdown pass to Cedric Tillman, despite Baltimore’s D’ being warned about Wintson’s arm strength.
An inability to secure the ball in two of three phases made this a game the Ravens simply let slip away. It’s a harsh but necessary reminder to Jackson and Co. to get the basic rights if they’re going to be true championship contenders.
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