The Giants’ reward for beating Aaron Rodgers is a go to from Lamar Jackson.
“It’s like going from playing Steph Curry to LeBron James,” Giants outdoors linebackers coach Drew Wilkins mentioned Friday.
The Giants (4-1) want to assume their familiarity with Jackson is to their benefit when the Ravens (3-2) arrive at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale and Wilkins each had been on the Ravens’ teaching employees, dealing with Jackson day by day in practices the previous 4 years.
That may imply they know assault him. Or it may imply they’re in for his or her first, bitter style of the actual factor.
“All those times we were going against him [in practice] and a guy said, ‘Oh, I got him,’ because you’ve got to stay away from the quarterback?” Martindale mentioned. “We’re going to find that out on Sunday, whether or not they got him.”
There is nobody else within the NFL like Jackson. He’s lightning quick. He’s slippery. He can throw the ball downfield. Every play could be a large play.
He received the MVP award in 2019, one yr after your entire league (together with the Ravens) handed on him within the high 31 picks of the 2018 NFL Draft’s first spherical.
This yr, he’s already over 1,000 yards passing. His 374 dashing yards rank tenth within the league amongst all gamers. And Giants coach Brian Daboll mentioned the large quantity that jumps out at him is Jackson’s profession wins and losses as a starter: 40-14-0.
“Look at his record, that’s first and foremost as a quarterback, I think,” Daboll mentioned. “He hasn’t had many losses. He knows how to win.”
Ravens defensive lineman Calais Campbell mentioned Baltimore remains to be working an identical system to Martindale’s underneath new DC Mike McDonald. So Campbell was enthusiastic about what firepower Jackson can unleash towards a well-recognized protection.
“I can’t wait to see what Lamar does,” Campbell mentioned. “In practice, we go against him a lot, and there are days when he dominates us, and there are days when we dominate. So I think he knows the defense very well, and I think that should, hopefully, give us some kind of advantage. We’ll see.”
Martindale’s Giants rank second within the NFL with a 40% blitz charge on dropbacks. One of Jackson’s weaknesses in earlier years was his efficiency towards the blitz. So the Giants hope their strain bursts Baltimore’s pipes.
This season, nonetheless, Jackson has been the NFL’s third-best quarterback when dealing with 5 or extra move rushers, throwing seven TDs and just one interception towards the blitz, based on NFL NextGen Stats.
Only the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes has a greater TD-to-INT ratio (9-0) towards strain.
A variety of present Giants gamers additionally fell sufferer to Jackson in a 27-13 street loss, when Baltimore bullied them off the ball for 249 dashing yards. So they’ve seen how harmful he’s for themselves.
“In my eyes, he’s the best quarterback in the league,” Giants security Julian Love mentioned. “It’s going to take all of us to account for him, and they have some serious weapons around him.”
Jackson, 25, admitted Martindale’s strain schemes are unpredictable.
“Ain’t no telling,” Jackson mentioned this week. “Coach ‘Wink’ is known for exotic blitzes and just doing his thing. Shoutout to Coach ‘Wink.’”
The Giants, for his or her half, usually are not intimidated though they respect Jackson’s expertise.
Daboll’s bunch is trying to develop into the primary Giants staff to get 4 wins in a five-game stretch since 2016. They’re searching for the franchise’s first three-game win streak since Weeks 9-13 of 2020.
Spirits are excessive in East Rutherford, N.J., getting back from London with a win.
“It’s great being able to walk in the building and there’s a different feeling,” particular groups coordinator Thomas McGaughey mentioned. “You don’t feel like there’s a dark cloud over your head every time you walk in.”
Baltimore is also with out injured high receiver Rashod Bateman. So tight finish Mark Andrews is his clear major weapon. And Jackson managed solely 19 factors and 232 yards on his personal in final week’s 2-point win over the Bengals.
That’s a bit much less daunting than Jackson’s 437 yards (318 passing, 119 dashing) and 4 complete TDs in Baltimore’s 42-38 Week 2 loss to the Dolphins.
Not that this Giants staff may ever underestimate Jackson. They know him too nicely, particularly Martindale and Wilkins, who noticed the Ravens quarterback flourish up shut.
“He took command so early in his time there,” Wilkins mentioned of Jackson’s impression in Baltimore. “He was drafted in 2018. My son was born in 2018. I imply, one of many first phrases he may say was ‘Lamar.’ He’s bought all of the motion figures, the bobbleheads and the jersey.
“He still loves Lamar,” Wilkins mentioned with a smile. “But he’s all in on the Giants.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com