Rod Woodson on How Lamar Jackson Can Regain His MVP Form
Lamar Jackson has not looked like himself the past several games and is coming off one of the roughest performances of his career in the Ravens' loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving.
Can Jackson get his mojo back as the Ravens head into the final five games of the season, beginning with a showdown for first place in the AFC North against the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday?
Former Ravens defensive back Rod Woodson, a WBAL color analyst for Ravens games, believes Jackson can regain his MVP form.
"Obviously, he can shake out of it," Woodson said on “Glenn Clark Radio.” "I think there's a version of that he can get to again, and I think [Offensive Coordinator] Todd Monken can help him, but I think he has to help himself by doing the little things right. Because at the end of the day, when you're not playing your best football, it's not the big things that are messing you up, it's the little bitty things that are messing you up.
"I think he needs to get back to the foundation of playing at the quarterback position. What does he need to do better, week in and week out, with his footwork, with his arm movement, but also what the defense is giving him? If it's giving him a 5-yarder, throw the 5-yarder. Don't try to look for a 15-20 yarder down the field and then take a sack."
Woodson said Jackson's competitive fire is not in question.
"I know when it's crunch time and there's critical drives or critical plays that have to happen, Lamar likes to be that guy," Woodson said. "So, I know that's in him still."
There Is a Huge Swing in Playoff Odds for Ravens, Steelers Based on Result of Sunday's Game
The winner of Sunday's Ravens-Steelers game won't be crowned AFC North champions, but their odds of making the playoffs will dramatically increase, while the loser's chances will significantly decrease, according to analytics models.
Next Gen Stats gives the Ravens (6-6) a 65% chance of making the playoffs. That number increases to 81% with a win and falls to 36% with a loss. The Steelers (6-6) are currently at 32%. A win puts them at 61%, a loss at 16%.
While the swing in the odds based on the game's outcome is substantial, it's entirely possible that the division champion won't be decided until the Ravens-Steelers game in Pittsburgh in the season finale.
As for the Bengals (4-8), who kept their playoff hopes alive by defeating the Ravens in quarterback Joe Burrow's return last week, they remain a long shot. They currently have 4% chance of making the playoffs, according to Next Gen Stats. A win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday only gets them to 8%, while a loss drops their chances to 1%.
Tyler Loop Has Been Ravens' 'Steadiest and Most Reliable Performer'
The Ravens entered the season with established players at nearly every position. Kicker was an exception.
While the team had high hopes for rookie Tyler Loop, a sixth-round pick who was the first kicker the Ravens ever drafted, it remained to be seen how he would handle the pressure and challenges of kicking in the NFL.
Loop has shown why the Ravens had such confidence in him.
"His play this year has also been superb," The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker wrote. "... The 24-year-old with the boyish grin has been Baltimore's steadiest and most reliable performer."
Loop has converted 22-of-24 field-goal attempts, including all 21 from inside 50 yards, and 29-of-30 extra-point kicks. His 91.7 field-goal percentage is tied for fourth with Dallas Cowboys All-Pro Brandon Aubrey.
Wacker noted that Loop had to make adjustments in his technique and preparation, going from kicking in college at Arizona to the NFL.
"For starters, NFL kicking balls are slightly larger in length and circumference than those used in college, so the sweet spot is different," Wacker wrote. "Loop's foot also met leather lower on the ball than it does now. His routine before a game also needed an overhaul.
"In college, Loop said, it wasn't consistent and required little thought. Now, on the Friday before a Sunday game he has the same script of kicks that he will execute during warmups inside the stadium on Sundays. That includes his taking five kicks with no steps, five with one step and five full kicks. Then he'll try eight field goals in one direction before taking eight in the other, usually maxing out at 60 or sometimes 65 yards depending on the location."
Long snapper Nick Moore has been impressed by Loop's progress this season.
"He's learned a ton," Moore said. "I think he's handling it very professionally and doing a really good job of trying to be consistent. In our job, that's the hardest thing, to go out and be able to replicate the same action every time you step on the field. He's honed up on the leans of the ball. He's getting much better at his ball contact. He's getting more down the field on his swing. He's being a lot more aggressive. It's a very confident stroke that he's got going on right now. He's come a long way since he got here."
838: Tyler Loop & Randy Brown Talk About Big Kicks in Cleveland, How Loop Became the Ravens' Guy, the Mechanics of Kicking, And More
Ravens rookie kicker Tyler Loop talks about dealing with the Cleveland wind, wanting a game-winning kick, how he landed in Baltimore, handling replacing Justin Tucker, and much more.
Three Ravens Players Are NFL's Best at Specific Skills
ESPN’s Matt Bowen identified the best player at specific skills. Three Ravens made the list:
Most sudden pass catcher/best change-of-direction: WR Zay Flowers
"Flowers has the lateral quickness to get loose after the catch. Plus, he is a rapid accelerator with the ball in his hands."
Fastest in-phase runner: CB Nate Wiggins
"Wiggins has the speed to open and match receivers vertically downfield, plus he can recover to get back in phase. He has three interceptions and five pass breakups this season."
Most coverage versatility: S Kyle Hamilton
"The league's most versatile defender, Hamilton has 239 snaps at outside linebacker, 206 at free safety, 163 in the slot and 27 at corner. He's a true matchup option who can make an impact at every spot."
