Aaron Rodgers' Advice to Lamar Jackson: 'Slide a Little Bit'
Lamar Jackson's legs might be feeling good, but Aaron Rodgers seems to think the Ravens quarterback should cut back on running the ball.
Jackson stole the show during Thursday night's Ravens-Packers preseason game when he scrambled out of the pocket and ran 18 yards before jumping over a Green Bay defender into the end zone. However, the touchdown was nullified by wide receiver Willie Snead's illegal block.
Rodgers praised Jackson after the Ravens' 26–13 win before offering some advice to the young star.
"I love watching you play, man," Rodgers told Jackson, per ESPN. "That was pretty spectacular."
Rodgers added: "Have a great season. Slide a little bit."
"I got you, baby," Jackson said while smiling and pointing at Rodgers.
In his postgame press conference, Jackson said he decided to run because the opportunity presented itself.
"Basically [it was] what the defense gave me," he said, per NBC Sports. "They gave me the opportunity to run, squeezing out the edges, gave me the middle lane. I just took advantage."
Last year, Jackson had a standout rookie season after taking over for an injured Joe Flacco and helping Baltimore capture its first NFC North title since 2012. He set the NFL's single-season record for rushing attempts by a quarterback with 147.
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti told season ticket holders in May to expect Jackson to run less this season, but head coach John Harbaugh didn't express any concern over his quarterback's decision on Thursday.
"What are you going to do? He's going to play," Harbaugh told reporters. "He's going to play football. We're not trying to run him. We're not running those plays. He's in the pocket, and he's staying in the pocket a lot. It's not like he's trying to run, but sometimes...what are you going to do? You can't hold him back forever."
