Colin Cowherd Claims Lamar Jackson 'Regressed,' Says Take the Under for Ravens' Win Total
Expectations for the 2026 Ravens are high. Their over/under win total of 11.5 is tied for the highest in the league with the Super Bowl favorite Los Angeles Rams, per DraftKings Sportsbook.
FOX Sports' Colin Cowherd, however, isn't as enthusiastic about the Ravens as the oddsmakers. He said he's taking the under.
"You know how hard it is to win 12 games in [the AFC North]?" Cowherd said on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.” "They've got a new head coach. The Ravens have a new offensive coordinator. They have a new defensive coordinator. And you and I all watched Lamar Jackson last year. He regressed. His rushing numbers went down to less than 30 yards a game. … They were 8-9 last year."
Cowherd went on to say that the Ravens have a difficult stretch between Weeks 7-14 that includes games against the Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Cowherd is correct in that winning 12 games is difficult, but the Ravens won 12 in 2024 and 13 in 2023. Injuries certainly played a part in the Ravens taking a step back last season.
Jackson, in particular, was banged up for a good portion of the season and missed four games. With injuries to his hamstring, knee, ankle, and toe, it's no surprise that Jackson ran less frequently and effectively.
Jackson still threw the ball well. His 103.8 rating was fourth in the league and the third-highest of his career. So saying Jackson regressed if off base.
"I know what he is as a thrower," Yahoo! Sports' Nate Tice said on “The Mina Kimes Show.” "So even if he's aging as a runner, and you can tell that he was banged up last year, he's still great."
By all accounts, Jackson is in a good place physically and mentally, and he is excited about the new coaching staff.
Why Mark Andrews Will Return to Form in Declan Doyle's Offense
Tight end Mark Andrews posted the fewest yards (422) of his eight-year career last season, but Ravens Wire’s Larry Brown Jr. believes the three-time Pro Bowler is poised to bounce back in new Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle's system.
"We've all heard the plan, including Doyle's desire to use more three-wide receiver sets and 11-personnel groups," Brown wrote. "If so, opposing defenses will be forced to adopt nickel and dime packages and account for the speed of the Ravens' skill players. Andrews is too big to be covered by defensive backs and too nifty to be inhibited by the average linebacker.
"Furthermore, defensive coordinators will have to pick their poison versus the Ravens in the passing game. If the opposing elite linebacker is assigned to work as a QB spy for quarterback Lamar Jackson, this will afford Andrews the opportunity to operate versus man coverage on intermediate routes in the passing game."
Doyle said recently that he's been impressed by what he's seen from Andrews on the practice field.
"He's a guy that's been in the league for quite some time, and he's still looking to refine his game," Doyle said. "So, that's something that you appreciate."
Three Players Who Helped Their Chances to Earn Roster Spot
There doesn't appear to be many open spots when projecting the Ravens' 53-man roster, but there were several players who helped their cases at minicamp.
Sports Illustrated’s Josh Reed identified six such players. Here's a look at three:
CB Robert Longerbeam
"After a torn patella tendon sustained in training camp caused the 2025 sixth-rounder out of Rutgers to miss his entire rookie season, he is fully recovered and has been making a strong impression on the Ravens' new coaching staff. That continued in minicamp, where he set the tone early on Day 2 with a nice pass breakup in 11-on-11 drills, where he read a pass on a comeback route to the sideline from quarterback Tyler Huntley.
"Coming into the league, Longerbeam projected best in the slot even though he played on the outside in college. While the Ravens have no shortage of nickel options between star safety Kyle Hamilton, fellow second-year pro Keyon Martin and fifth-round rookie Chandler Rivers, they are always a couple injuries away from being thin at corner."
QB Skylar Thompson
"After entering minicamp as somewhat of an afterthought, the fifth-year veteran had the most notable two-day performance of the Ravens' reserve signal-callers. His deep-ball accuracy was especially impressive as he dropped a dime down the field on each day where only his intended receiver could get it. The Ravens haven't carried three quarterbacks into a regular season since 2020, but Thompson likely has the edge over undrafted rookies Diego Pavia and Joe Fagnano heading into training camp."
DB Lardarius Webb Jr.
"The undrafted rookie and son of a franchise legend capped off a strong day in coverage by young defensive backs on Day 2 by coming up with a pass breakup during red zone drills that earned him adulation from the rest of the defense. While he still faces an uphill battle to make the roster with other nickels and safeties viewed as essential
Derrick Henry Remains Yards-After-Contact Beast
Pro Football Focus’ Daire Carragher looked at the top five active running backs in career yards after contact per carry. As expected, Derrick Henry high is on the list.
Henry's 3.7 yards after contact average is second only to the Miami Dolphins' De'Von Achane (3.8). However, Henry's sample size is much larger (10 seasons to Achane's three seasons).
"For sheer volume, nobody in NFL history has approached Derrick Henry. … His cumulative production exists in an entirely different universe," Carragher wrote. "Henry's 10,391 career yards after contact is a number that may stand for as long as the league itself. No other active player is within 4,000 yards of him.
"The Baltimore Ravens star also owns two of the greatest after-contact seasons ever. His 1,605 yards after contact in 2019 and 1,525 in 2020 remain the two best single-season totals of the PFF era. Henry also produced two more campaigns that rank among the top eight all time in 2022 and 2024."
Henry, 32, shows no signs of slowing down. Last season, he ranked third in yards after contact (3.6), ranking only behind Achane (4.1) and the Atlanta Falcons' Bijan Robinson (4.0).
