Lamar Jackson sees a lot of GOATs (greatest of all time) in the NFL.
Last year, Jackson said Joe Flacco was a GOAT because he won a Super Bowl. After a preseason game earlier this year, Jackson greeted the Packers' Aaron Rodgers at midfield with, "What up, GOAT?" Before their Week 3 matchup, Jackson said third-year Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is “on his way” to being a GOAT.
So where does the Patriots' Tom Brady rank?
"Tom Brady is definitely the one at the top," Jackson said without hesitation Wednesday.
The GOAT of all GOATs?
"Definitely. He has six Super Bowls," Jackson said. "He's definitely the GOAT. Definitely."
After last Sunday's game, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. gave Brady a pair of goat-hair cleats to show his respect for the Patriots quarterback.
Don't expect Jackson to go that far, but he definitely admires the 42-year-old quarterback. Jackson has talked about wanting to accomplish what Brady has in the NFL.
"He's just so cool. In the pocket, he drops back, he looks so smooth," Jackson said. "It doesn't even look like he's dropping. It looks like he's really just standing there waiting for something to happen, just picking the defense apart."
It will be Jackson's first time on the same field as Brady, and it's certainly a matchup of the old and new guard in the NFL.
"I'm not going against Brady, because I'm not playing against him; the defense is," Jackson said. "But to win versus him would be pretty cool."
The Ravens couldn't have more respect for Brady as an organization. Head Coach John Harbaugh, 57, joked about the aching pain in his right knee from playing football in college.
"It's incredible. He's doing something that nobody has ever done," Harbaugh said. "Has another quarterback played at this stage? And then to play at the level he's playing at, it's obviously very admirable."
"You've seen his little documentary. He eats avocado ice cream. I mean, that's suffering for me," cornerback Jimmy Smith joked. "He takes care of his body so it's not surprising with how much they take care of quarterbacks in the league. You can play until you're 52."
Brandon Williams Is Key to Pressuring Brady
As Jackson alluded to, it sometimes looks like Brady gets into a rhythm where he's just sitting in the pocket picking defenses apart with his quick release, perfect timing and pinpoint accuracy. That's when Brady is at his best.
When he's at his worst, which isn't very often, is when he's not comfortable in the pocket. That's the case for any quarterback, but it's especially important when going against a quarterback like Brady who doesn't miss very often.
A key to making Brady feel pressure will be defensive tackle Brandon Williams, who flashed his inside pass rush versus Seattle. The Ravens will need more of that from Williams and fellow defensive tackle Michael Pierce this Sunday.
"He's kind of the head of the snake," Williams said. "In order to kill the snake, you've got to get the head. That's what we plan on doing. We've just got to push the pocket and play our style of football."
Jackson Thrilled to Have Willie Snead IV Back
The Ravens made a move this week, potentially for trade deadline salary-cap reasons, to keep continuity around Jackson moving forward by signing wide receiver Willie Snead IV to a one-year extension.
Count Jackson as one happy camper to see Snead stay in Baltimore longer.
"That's awesome. I was happy when I saw that. I told him I needed some off of that [contract]," Jackson said with a laugh.
"He works so hard. You can see it out here in practice. Each and every day, we're out here trying to grind. He turns it into a game. He's very competitive. We just need to get him the ball more."
Snead is third on the team in receptions (15), targets (22) and receiving yards (223). He has two touchdowns. Beyond what he's done as a pass-catcher, Snead has been an integral asset as a blocker both for Jackson and the running backs.
Jaylon Ferguson Appreciates Ravens' Trust
After a lot of chatter about the Ravens needing to add a pass rusher before the trade deadline, Baltimore didn't make a move.
The Ravens will move forward with Matthew Judon, Tyus Bowser and rookie third-round pick Jaylon Ferguson as their primary edge rushers, with Jihad Ward also playing a versatile role. Ferguson is coming off his best game yet in Seattle.
"I appreciated the Ravens showing confidence in me," the rookie said. "They trust what we got at home. It's good for me confidence-wise and it's going to be a really good week for me at practice."
Matt Skura Explains His Delay of Game in Seattle
One of the more memorable moments from the Ravens' win in Seattle before the bye was when Jackson flipped out after a delay of game penalty in the red-zone.
Jackson was calling for center Matt Skura to snap the ball, but Skura couldn't hear him amidst the noise. Jackson jumped up and down in frustration and spiked the ball into the turf. Two plays later, Jackson's frustration led him into the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown.
On Wednesday, Skura talked about what happened and the reaction from his quarterback, who quickly patted him on the helmet after spiking the ball.
"I didn't even realize (Lamar was going off)," Skura said. "I was looking to my left and to my right, even though it did look like my head was between my legs. I didn't realize Lamar was calling for the ball. Lamar was frustrated and had every right to be. I was frustrated."
