Two Positive Takeaways From Lamar Jackson's Ugly Ravens Loss

There's always more nuance to an NFL player's performance than what gets remembered by the dramatic brand of internet reactions that get fossilized online, but Baltimorians and casual viewers were correct in pinning a fair amount of the blame for the Ravens' 32-14 Thanksgiving Day loss on Lamar Jackson.

However, he was far from alone in the defeat. His offensive line let him down yet again, repeatedly allowing incursions into the quarterback pocket they were sworn to protect, and his mistake-prone band of receivers didn't do their quarterback any favors in continually undercutting the big plays that Jackson set them up for.

But Jackson's still out there, potentially tagged with numerous micro-leg injuries that look to have physically hampered his play, and he coughed up a few ridiculous turnovers of his own in the defeat. Another pick tipped off of a defensive linemen, as well as a pair of fumbles, only further fueled the Bengals as they continued capitalizing off of the Ravens' errors before surging in the second half.

Locating the Silver Linings

Jackson felt the brunt of the internet's wrath for the remainder of the long weekend, but those who watched know that his performance wasn't quite as inaccurate as the box score may suggest. He flat-out missed on a few tosses, yes, yet there were a few plays to like about his approach.

For one, he scrambled with much more comfortability than he'd demonstrated in previous weeks, finding options on the run when his pocket caved in. One of Jackson's best attrbutes is his knack for extending plays, and his willingness to rely on his body inspires hope that he's not as physically shot as he's looked on occasion.

Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson — Nov 27, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) rushes in-between Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai (58) and safety Geno Stone (22) during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

That explosiveness has noticeably lacked in previous weeks, hampering the rest of the offense when Jackson passes upon tapping into the mobile element of his game. Removing pressure off of star running back Derrick Henry while opening up the opportunity to locate more receiving options on the move can also take the load off of the overtaxed defense, who continue doing all that they can to keep the Ravens in games while the scoring attack continues to sort itself out.

Building on a Veteran Connection

Jackson's increased mobility wasn't the only attribute of his otherwise-rocky performance that captured the eyes of evaluators. Despite getting burned by a few of his scoring targets, the quarterback displayed trust in a more reliable veteran.

"Every so often Jackson will leave clues that he trusts [DeAndre] Hopkins to win in ways that he has not trusted other Ravens wide receivers over his career," The Baltimore Banner's Jonas Shaffer wrote.

"On Thursday, that faith showed in the fourth quarter. Over Jackson's career, he has almost never had the kind of security-blanket outside wide receivers that the Bengals' Joe Burrow has enjoyed. And so he's almost never attempted the kind of throw that Burrow has specialized in: the back-shoulder fade. According to Sports Info Solutions, over his first seven years in Baltimore, Jackson went just 1-for-4 on back-shoulder fades, and 0-for-2 when targeting outside receivers."

Baltimore Ravens Wide Receiver DeAndre Hopkins — Nov 27, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) makes a catch against Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Dax Hill (23) during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

"In training camp, Jackson showed a willingness to look for Hopkins in contested-catch settings. But not until Thursday did he embrace a back-shoulder opportunity. With Bengals outside cornerback Daxton Hill's back turned to Jackson as Hopkins ran a vertical route down the left sideline, Jackson fired a pass to Hopkins, who paused his route and attacked the ball to secure a 15-yard catch."

Hopkins was one of the lone downfield playmakers to demonstrate any sort of ball security, with other routine targets such as Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely each bobbling game-flipping balls at varying points in the outing. Jackson still has to clean up some of his circus fumbles while using the 10-day break to focus on his health, but analysts like Shaffer will go a long way in reminding the public that the Ravens still have some hope to cling on to as the divisional race continues shrinking.

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