Ravens' Lamar Jackson Winning Despite Not Great Play

That's an especially noteworthy issue for a talent like Jackson, who uses his legs to frighten opposing defenses better than arguably any quarterback ever. They know he's always a threat to take off from the pocket and steal yards downhill better than your average scrambler, a part of his game that he was noticeable leveraging considerably more often in the Ravens' first few games.

He's notched just 21 total rushing yards in his last pair of outings, and though this version of Jackson wasn't as likely to dash off on multiple designed runs per game as he was in his early-20s, his burst just isn't there right now. Jackson's 41.5 yards through the first month weren't anything otherworldly, but this version of the quarterback hasn't looked as capable of such a demanding physical workload.

Questions Beyond the Quarterback

Whatever's going in is also hurting his ability to figure out what he's doing while on the go, where he's historically flourished. He only has one passing touchdown to his name in the last three games, despite accruing 10 before exiting halfway through his Week 4 matchup.

Jackson, for the record, refuses to blame his potentially-ailing health for the Ravens' so-so offense as of late, instead insisting that it's merely a matter of execution.

There are plenty of other potential factors which may be contributing to his statistical slippage, starting with the poor protection he's getting behind his offensive line. That group's struggled to block for him all season, resulting in his taking 24 sacks through eight games after sustaining 23 in perfect attendance a year ago. Their inability to open the run game up for Derrick Henry also can't be helping matters, as there's another way in which Jackson can't intimidate a defense to the best of his abilities.

The Ravens' winning five straight is an impressive accomplishment, even if their strength of schedule took a favorable dip when they most needed a break. But if they have any hopes of making this run worthwhile, Jackson will need to start looking a lot healthier.