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Lamar Jackson saw Derrick Henry cut back and instinctively sprinted past him to help open up a running lane.
The two-time NFL MVP didn’t hesitate to become a lead blocker.
Jackson took on All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. before Henry was eventually pushed out of bounds following a 39-yard gain. In a game where the Baltimore Ravens quarterback threw five touchdown passes for the fifth time in his career and produced several more highlight plays, this one said the most about him.
“That’s unbelievable that somebody is a quarterback of his caliber to be that unselfish (and) to be blocking downfield (for) your teammate,” Henry said. “That’s the type of guy that could have a hell of a game and (doesn’t) even know his stats. All he knows (are) the guys he threw to and the guys who scored. The dude is just incredible. I said in an interview a few weeks ago; I think he’s the G.O.A.T., for sure.”
Jackson has seven fewer Super Bowl rings than Tom Brady but his leadership, unselfishness and competitive nature measure up to the greatest.
“He is just the ultimate competitor. There is no question about it,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “I don’t know if I’ve seen a better competitor than Lamar Jackson, and I’ve seen some competitors — some great competitors —but he is (at) that level with the greatest competitors I’ve ever seen. May be the greatest. We’ll see. It’s just amazing.”
The Ravens were leading the Buccaneers by 16 points with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter of a 41-31 victory on Monday night when Jackson decided he’d rather help Henry get more yards than get out of the way.
“I’m just trying to get him in the end zone, so it’s like, ‘I got you,’” Jackson said.
The Ravens (5-2) have come a long way since an 0-2 start. They won’t be satisfied with anything less than a Super Bowl after finishing with the best record in the NFL last year and losing the AFC championship game against Kansas City.
“I’m chasing something right now, so each and every game is going to be the same thing for me,” Jackson said. “I’m going to be the same person. Every game, I’m trying to win.”
Henry has been an excellent addition for Baltimore, helping the Ravens rush for an NFL-high 210.9 yards per game. He leads the league with 873 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns — eight rushing and two receiving.
Running backs are back
It’s not old-school, smashmouth football but running backs are having more success this season.
NFL teams are averaging a combined 246 rushing yards per game, the most through seven weeks since 1990. The average of 4.53 rushing yards per attempt this season is the highest through seven weeks since 1970.
But teams aren’t running more. They’re just running more effectively. Average attempts per game are up less than one carry from last season (27.2 from 26.8) while average yards rushing per team is up to 123 from 112.7.
Yet, running backs are making way less money than receivers.
Henry signed a two-year, $16 million deal with Baltimore in free agency. There are 37 wide receivers making more money per year than Henry. None has more touchdowns than Henry’s 10 (eight rushing, two receiving). None has more yards than Henry’s 935 (873 rushing, 62 receiving).
Super Bowl hangover
Forget about the 49ers becoming the fourth team to win a Super Bowl the year after losing it and first since the 2018 Patriots. San Francisco isn’t a lock for even making the playoffs at this point.
The 49ers have been decimated by injuries this season, leading to inconsistency that has them at 3-4. They’re only one game behind Seattle (4-3) in the NFC West and already beat the Seahawks. But San Francisco doesn’t look like a team capable of competing for a championship.
Christian McCaffrey remains sidelined. Brandon Aiyuk is out for the season. Deebo Samuel’s status is uncertain for this week and same for fellow receiver Jauan Jennings.
Missing several playmakers, Brock Purdy clearly tried to do too much and tossed three picks in a loss to Kansas City in a Super Bowl rematch.
The 49ers have a tough schedule coming up over the next six weeks. They’ll face Dallas (3-3) on “Sunday Night Football.” The Cowboys have their own struggles but are coming off a bye. San Francisco then plays five games against teams that currently have a winning record.
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