Giants expect Lamar Jackson to be extra challenge this week
Lamar Jackson’s new play-caller commands the complete respect of the Giants’ locker room.
“Everyone always jokes: When your mom tells you to do something, you have to do it,” safety Dane Belton said. “He’s probably going to run the ball.”
Jackson — the Ravens’ dual-threat quarterback and two-time NFL MVP — is coming off a bye week spent stewing over not using his legs more in a loss to the Eagles.
It was his mother who pointed out that “there were lanes I should’ve took and ran,” Jackson revealed after the Dec. 1 game.
“My mama just … cussed me out, so I’m mad,” Jackson said, pounding a fist into an open hand. “We’re going to get after it. I ain’t going to lie. I can’t wait for this bye to be gone. We’ve got the Giants coming up. I’m just ready to go. … She’s right. I’m going to do my s–t.”
Consider it a warning issued to the Giants, who are 16-point home underdogs Sunday against the Ravens.
Jackson is at the controls of the NFL’s top-ranked total offense (422.5 yards per game) and No. 3 scoring offense (29.5 points per game).
He ranks No. 7 in passing yards (3,290) and No. 24 (but No. 1 among quarterbacks) in rushing yards (678).
“This guy is one of the best players — not just best quarterbacks — in the National Football League,” Giants head coach Brian Daboll said. “He’s dynamic in every facet of the game. If he’s not running it, then he’s throwing it. If he’s not throwing, he’s running. He can do it all. He is really a fun player to watch — just not when you’re getting ready to play him.”
Jackson represents a huge challenge any given week.
Now add in the extra motivation to be a good son.
“Mama’s word means something, so he’s definitely going to try to run the ball a little more than he did,” edge rusher Tomon Fox said. “If my mama told me to do something, I’m going to do it.”
It was only two years ago — though it feels like two lifetimes ago — when the Giants cracked the Jackson code and held him to 210 yards through the air, 77 on the ground and forced two takeaways in a 24-20 fourth-quarter comeback victory.
The Giants were the only NFC team to beat Jackson in his career until that pre-bye loss to the Eagles dropped his inter-conference record to 23-2.
But these hapless Giants hardly resemble those playoff-bound Giants (2-11).
Adoree’ Jackson, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Belton and Fox will be the only defensive players available Sunday who also played in the Oct. 16, 2022, game at MetLife Stadium.
Thibodeaux essentially sealed the win with a forced fumble on his first career sack.
Not to mention the biggest reason for success that day — defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who had matched up with Jackson in Ravens practices for the previous four seasons — is gone after an ugly divorce.
“I remember that game we got the ball — a few takeaways — and no matter what happened we just kept playing,” Belton said. “Every play we had relentless effort, tight coverage and swarmed the run. That helped.”
As good as the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts is on the “Tush Push” and as much of a bulldozer as the Bills’ Josh Allen is, Jackson’s escapability creates an embarrassment factor on missed tackles.
“If you’re going to one-on-one tackle with him, it’s going to be hard,” defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said. “You could have a good rush, and then he’s gone. He’s somewhere. He’s manipulating the pocket. He’s stepping up and he’s moving backwards. There’s a lot of these plays that are probably 10-plus seconds that are getting extended.”
The Giants list five defensive starters on the injury report — and that’s not counting the two (Dexter Lawrence and Tyler Nubin) who are out for the season.
It’s been the kind of season where cornerback Tre Hawkins ended the defense’s NFL-record 11-game interception drought and suffered a season-ending injury in the same game.
“The biggest thing this week for us is stopping the run — easier said than done,” rookie linebacker Darius Muasau said. “I’m pretty sure everyone saw what he said. When mom speaks, everybody listens. I’m pretty sure that’s a universal thing.”