The Athletic's Mike Sando Says Only 'QB Snobs' Would Think Lamar Jackson Isn't Top Tier
Lamar Jackson finally made it into Tier 1 in The Athletic’s annual quarterback tiers, but there is a lingering question about the voting results.
How could four members of the panel of 50 NFL executives and coaches place the two-time MVP in Tier 2, especially with him coming off one of the best statistical seasons for a quarterback in history?
The Athletic's Mike Sando, who compiles the tier rankings, revealed why he thinks Jackson did not join the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow as a unanimous Tier 1 quarterback.
Sando noted that the Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen – who received 47 Tier 1 votes – also wasn't a unanimous choice.
"So what does Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson have in common? It's a little bit more reliance on their legs, and there are some QB snobs who really still put so much emphasis on the ability to pass when you have to throw the ball," Sando said on “Glenn Clark Radio.”
Regarding Jackson specifically, the handful of voters who dinged him for his passing ability are off base.
Last season, Jackson became the first quarterback in history to throw 40-plus touchdowns (41) and fewer than five interceptions (five). His 119.6 passer rating was the fourth-highest ever, and he is one of only four quarterbacks to have a passer rating of 113.3 or better in multiple seasons, joining Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees. Jackson is tied with Ben Roethlisberger for the most games (four) with a perfect 158.3 passer rating.
"What more is there to do for him except get a little deeper in the playoffs, which is hard to do in the AFC, last time I checked," Sando said.
Beyond all the individual stats, Jackson is a proven winner, as reflected by his 70-24 (.745) career record as a starter.
"To me, what was most impressive about Lamar Jackson last year and what was totally different than anything he's done before is that they were winning games with a bad defense and bad special teams," Sando said. "Now, they got better late in the year, but to me, that's a huge test for quarterbacks. I think it's really hard to do. It's rare."
Ravens Are NFL's Best Team Based on Analytics (and Eyes)
As Sando said, the Ravens' defense and special teams improved in the second half of the season. The defense, in particular, was arguably the best unit in the league during that span.
So, what do you get when you combine an elite offense with a dominant defense and solid special teams? The best team in the NFL, according to advanced metric DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average).
"[The Ravens] have been our No. 1 team in the regular season for two straight years," FTN analytics expert Aaron Schatz said on “Good Morning Football.” "They're very good and very balanced. A top five team in all three phases of the game. Lamar Jackson had one of the best passing seasons in NFL history last year. Not even with his rushing, just talking about drop back passing.
"So, our numbers love the Ravens, and one of these years they're going to get over the hump."
ESPN’s Football Power Index loves the Ravens, too. No team has a higher ceiling (13-4) or floor (8-9) this season than Baltimore, based on 20,000 simulations of the entire season performed by the ESPN Research team.
NFL Network's Brian Baldinger is also high on the Ravens. He based his opinion on his eyes rather than metrics.
"In my training camp tour, the best team I saw was Baltimore," Baldinger said.
Baldinger noted that the Ravens are loaded with "big names," but he again sang the praises of second-round rookie outside linebacker Mike Green.
"I just think that he's got a very bright future," Baldinger said. "Sometimes it takes a rookie defensive lineman a redshirt year to figure it out, but I'm not going to be surprised if he has success this year with his ability right now."
Two Ravens Undrafted Linebackers Among Highest-Graded Rookies From Preseason Week 1
Undrafted rookie linebackers Jay Higgins IV and Chandler Martin were among Pro Football Focus’ 10 highest-graded rookies from Week 1 of the preseason.
Higgins (88.1 grade) and Martin (86.7) were ranked seventh and eighth, respectively.
"Higgins finished as a top-10 linebacker overall in Week 1, putting forth a strong performance in coverage (85.2)," PFF's Lauren Gray wrote. "He was targeted twice, allowing both to be caught for a total of 10 yards. He batted a pass as a rusher and picked off an errant pass from Riley Leonard, who was hit on the throw. Higgins limited quarterbacks to a 47.9 NFL passer rating for the game.
"Joining Jay Higgins on this top-10 list is fellow Ravens linebacker Chandler Martin, who enjoyed an equally impressive night against the Colts, recording 70.0-plus grades in every defensive metric. Martin played 12 run-defense snaps, recording a tackle, an assist and a run stop. He rushed the passer five times and tallied a quarterback hit and a batted pass. He was also targeted twice in coverage, allowing one catch for eight yards."
With how much talent the Ravens have in the linebacker room, Higgins and Martin both face an uphill battle in gaining a spot on the 53-man roster.
