Nov 9, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) warms up before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Ravens' Lamar Jackson Held Back by Self-Set Standard

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Nov 10, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The Baltimore Ravens were expected to carve through this softer leg of their once-domineering schedule, but not every win will be a same crushing defeat. Their Week 9 performance against the Dolphins in Miami set a difficult standard to maintain, a 28-6 victory that finally backed up some of the hopes for how good the Ravens could look with Lamar Jackson back in attendance.

But not every win will be a wire-to-wire victory. His Ravens had to shake off some early errors in taking the Minnesota Vikings by storm this past weekend, and a 27-19 win that admittedly came down to the final minute won't look as impressive on paper as the previous game did.

The team's accomplishing their goal of stringing together wins, but even as the squad continues trying to iron themselves into shape, the high standards that Jackson and his group have set for themselves continue acting as both a blessing and a curse. For instance, the 2x MVP did all he needed to in handling the Vikings, yet anything short of overwhelming efficiency will still stick out for the all-time leader in passer rating.

Lamar Jackson's Week 10 Passer Rating Disappoints

Bleacher Report gave him a C grade in their quarterback grades following the Week 10 slate. He completed 17 of his 29 passing attempts and finished with a touchdown, no interceptions and 36 more yards on the ground.

"Lamar Jackson did enough to help the Baltimore Ravens win their third straight contest," Brent Sobleski wrote. "The Ravens emerged victorious primarily because of the Vikings' three turnovers, 13 penalties and terrible offensive performance on third down. Even so, Jackson now has a five-to-zero touchdown-to-interception ratio since returning to the lineup.

"Jackson is a superstar. He's capable of carrying the Ravens, which he's done at times. But this version of the team is evolving with each week. Right now, the two-time NFL MVP doesn't need to shoulder expectations, not when his defense is emerging after a poor start to the campaign."

Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Happily Receiving Help

It's true that the defense spurred the Ravens' third-quarter run, when they completed a 10-point swing in a matter of minutes thanks to a Marlon Humphrey interception and a forced fumble on a kickoff return. They certainly took some of the load off of Jackson's plate, and so did his pass-catchers' finally settling in to connect on his passes.

He, himself, took a bit to master the Vikings' defensive front, with their blitz-happy band of linebackers regularly disrupting any activity at scrimmage, but Jackson looked as effective as ever after the team started making better use of their first- and second-down play calls to take less pressure off of the quarterback to throw down the middle of the field on third-and-longs.

Still, this C grade stands as an indication of the impressive week-to-week standard he's set for himself, as well as what his high-pressure position commands at this point in the season.

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

More must-reads: