As fans scramble to lock in their Sunday afternoon plans, the Raiders are hard at work. Lamar Jackson stands in the way. While he insists that the league still has yet to figure him out, the numbers may tell a different story.

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Stats

Jackson's record as a starter in his last two seasons impressively stands at 24-6. However, his numbers in 2020 took a telling downturn. His completions, attempts, pass yards, rushing yards, and passing touchdowns all decreased from 2019 to 2020,. Similarly. his interceptions and sacks taken rose. Despite Jackson's return to earth after an astronomically hot start, he still poses a massive threat. The word "quarterback" is key here, as Jackson can hurt teams with his arm and his legs.

Run Heavy

With Jackson, the Ravens play a different style of football. Baltimore's offensive style centers on the run, whether it be Jackson or a running back, then tend to pass when needed. For comparison, the Raiders could be viewed as a run-leaning, balanced team, and Derek Carr recorded 141 more pass attempts than Jackson in 2020. In this sense, the Raiders offense is fairly predictable, while Jackson possesses more of the ability to extend plays with his legs, turning a designed pass play into a quarterback keeper. The Ravens endured three running backs and signed three veterans.

Approach

Although passing tends to lead to bigger plays than runs, the best way to slow down the Ravens is to assume run and adjust for the pass, but that is obviously easier said than done. Committing to stop the run can be dangerous for deep throws down the field, so the Raiders' new and improved defensive line must come to play on every snap.

Defensive Gameplan

Penetration is going to be crucial if the Raiders want to finalize their first full-capacity home game with a win. Unfortunately, Jackson has an innate ability to make something out of nothing, meaning that any Raiders rusher cannot assume a one-track mentality. The main goal, getting to the ball carrier, remains the same, but having the wherewithal to watch Jackson's movement as he attempts to avoid the rush is just as critical. If the gameplan for rushers is to just get into the backfield, the Raiders are going to have a miserable time.

Final Thought              

Jackson may be throwing less each season, and concerns regarding his longevity in the league have already surfaced. As mentioned, the Ravens juggled their backfield due to injury. However, Jackson elevates their offense. Regardless, he is not going to have a "rush attempt limit" placed on him.  It is not the worst thing in the world for the Raiders' new defense to be immediately tested. Yet, it would be devastating to fail.