Ravens HC John Harbaugh has a stern message for Lamar Jackson critics
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson's accuracy as a passer is the one area of his play that continues to be heavily critiqued. Jackson has managed to quiet such talk over the early stages of the 2023 campaign. Jackson boasts a 74.3 percent completion percentage this season, which ranks just behind Buffalo Bills passer Josh Allen […]
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson's accuracy as a passer is the one area of his play that continues to be heavily critiqued. Jackson has managed to quiet such talk over the early stages of the 2023 campaign.
Jackson boasts a 74.3 percent completion percentage this season, which ranks just behind Buffalo Bills passer Josh Allen (74.8 percent) for the top spot on this leaderboard. The two-time Pro Bowler has also been the most accurate quarterback on passes of 10-plus yards downfield; an astounding 67.9 percent of his such throws have been charted as accurate, as noted by Pro Football Focus.
The criticism surrounding Jackson’s sheer accuracy has always left Ravens head coach John Harbaugh in sheer disbelief. When asked during a press conference on Monday about the constant questions that many continue to have about Jackson’s accuracy on the field, Harbaugh took some time to once again come to the defense of the versatile quarterback.
"I'll say what I always said, 'Lamar [Jackson] is an accurate quarterback,'" Harbaugh said. "He always has been, to my eyes, and I'll just take the one throw to Mark [Andrews] for the touchdown in the corner of the end zone. That's as good a throw that you're ever going to see in a football game from a quarterback.
"So, his completion percentage speaks for itself. It speaks to all the guys — receivers, offensive line, everybody, but we've always believed in his ability to throw the ball for sure, and I do think that he is very determined to be the best he can be."
For Jackson, he has credited his weapons on offense for his early season success in the completion percentage department.
"[It's] just building chemistry," Jackson said ahead of Week 3. "That's the biggest thing. [It's] getting the ball out my hand [and] throwing to my guys, and my guys catching the ball. [Also], getting yards and protecting me from bad plays or anything like that, and I'm just trying to protect them as well."
Jackson and the Ravens are coming off of a statement 28-3 win over the Cleveland Browns, and they now are looking ahead to a rivalry showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5.
