Sep 14, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) looks to make a pass during the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images Peter Casey-Imagn Images

One Number to Monitor During Ravens Star's MVP Case

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Sep 19, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Lamar Jackson is well on pace to post another case for the best season of his blooming NFL career, something he's made an annual practice of in recent years.

He'd already won an MVP by the time he entered the 2023 season, but needed a return to his peak form after a few less-impressive, shortened seasons. His 3,678 passing yards rang in as a new-high for him, and he also tacked on his standard 821 rushing yards in reminding the league as to why he's considered the most mobile dual threat quarterback ever.

That was good enough to win his second MVP trophy, but his follow-up campaign was more statistically friendly in every category. He only went 12-5 in 2024 compared to the 13-3 record he'd led in the season prior, but he capped off his first 4,000 yard throwing season with 41 touchdowns on only four interceptions, a 66.7% completion percentage on only 23 sacks, the fewest he'd taken in a season as the full-time starter since that first MVP year. Despite those marks, conference rival Josh Allen took home the award.

The Ravens quarterback is somehow to set even more records for himself in 2025, already making a strong case as the potential 3x MVP in going even deeper into his pocket-passing bag. He's completing 68.8% of his throws on a 12.5% touchdown percentage, and looks to continue solidifying his all-time 102.6 passer rating with another league-leading mark of 136.6. Jackson's got Baltimore averaging 40.5 points per game over these first eight quarters span.

Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

There's another more advanced figure to keep en eye on when measuring the quality of his passes on a per-throw basis, and that's adjusted yards gained per pass attempt. Again, he holds the NFL's best ever number in this category with 8.25, having notched 10.15 last season and 11.54 so far in 2025.

In a league in which more quarterbacks and offensive coordinators are settling for checkdowns and shorter pass attempts, Jackson's going for and completing bigger plays at a historic rate. He doesn't load up the box score with pass attempts, carefully leveraging his rushing threat to keep the defense guessing, but his strong arm, accuracy in avoiding picks and willingness to sling have him topping a league where the average AY/A is hovering around seven.

Jackson's ring-less fingers will continually stop plenty of fans from anointing Jackson as the best in the game, or at least one of the two or three best active NFL quarterbacks, but the numbers are all-in on his ascension from a run-first field general into one of the most surgical passers in the sport. The NFL threw him a bone last year when he fell short of the MVP with a First Team All-Pro finish, and he's already looking to come back even stronger in 2025 as the presumptive favorite.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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