NFL Twitter was merciless evaluating Lamar Jackson’s performance throwing the ball as the Ravens battled the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football.
The game between the Ravens and the Chiefs set up a matchup between two of the most exciting quarterbacks in the NFL. The problem? Lamar Jackson’s arm didn’t come to play early in the outing.
Jackson tossed two interceptions to Tyrann Mathieu to put his team behind the eight-ball. The first was a pick-six. The second went into triple coverage.
It was the opposite of how the Ravens would have drawn up the night.
NFL Twitter took Lamar Jackson to task for his interceptions
NFL Twitter let Jackson have it.
Lamar Jackson with a DIME into triple coverage pic.twitter.com/UobK7KGi0N
— PFF (@PFF) September 20, 2021
Brown and Watkins watching Lamar Jackson throwing the ball to Tyrann Mathieu pic.twitter.com/ukmgHKxHKu
— Jimmy (@jimmy_koski) September 20, 2021
Does Lamar Jackson know that Tyrann Mathieu isn’t on his team?
— Eric Rosenthal (@ericsports) September 20, 2021
Lamar Jackson threw this ball… pic.twitter.com/XYIaxwgzRi
— TPS (@TotalProSports) September 20, 2021
It wasn’t just the decision-making that had people shaking their heads. Jackson just didn’t look accurate at times.
Lamar Jackson throwing the football pic.twitter.com/tAbGxO6nt9
— betJACK (@betJACK) September 20, 2021
I have a firm belief that Lamar Jackson has regressed as a pocket passer. Probably a hunch of mine, but overthrowing a wide open Marquise Brown by ten yards and FedEx-ing a pick-six to the Honey Badger might do it.
— Schlasser (@UrinatingTree) September 20, 2021
At least one comparison to another quarterback was utterly brutal.
The bad start wasn’t the end for Jackson and the Ravens. He led two scoring drives to tie the game at 14-14. Whether he does it with his arm or his legs, he’s fighting for a win, not for Twitter points.
The tough part is Jackson has struggled to get the better of the Chiefs in every meeting so far in his career. He’s 0-3 against that team and Patrick Mahomes. The pressure is on for Jackson to produce. If he doesn’t protect the ball, he won’t come close to getting rid of that zero in his record.