Despite having already gained the NFL MVP award twice, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has not lived as much as these expectations in Playoff video games, as he has been unable to steer his crew to the Tremendous Bowl. Nevertheless, within the common season he continues to be a menace and a deadly weapon for the Ravens, due to his skill to be each QB and working again on the identical time.
That Lamar Jackson is the one the Dallas Cowboys must face this coming Sunday at AT&T Stadium to attempt to keep away from a 1-2 document and see their Playoff possibilities strongly compromised.
Because of this Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy made headlines on Wednesday as he mentioned the crew’s preparations for a pivotal Week 3 matchup in opposition to the Ravens. Coming off a troublesome 44-19 loss to the New Orleans Saints, the Cowboys have their backs in opposition to the wall. With the crew’s protection struggling and confidence low, McCarthy is aware of they’re in for a critical problem, particularly with reigning MVP Lamar Jackson main the Ravens.
Whereas the Cowboys are 1-1, the strain is on Baltimore to keep away from a dreaded 0-3 begin, which traditionally does not bode effectively for playoff possibilities. McCarthy, however, appears to be pulling out all of the stops to organize the Cowboys, even revealing what he calls a “secret weapon” to assist them put together for Jackson’s distinctive ability set.
Who’s McCarthy’s secret weapon?
Enter Trey Lance. Sure, the identical Trey Lance who threw 5 interceptions in his preseason finale. McCarthy has tapped him to simulate Jackson’s dynamic play in observe, giving the Cowboys protection an opportunity to get a really feel for what they will be up in opposition to on Sunday.
“He is dynamic, No. 1. We really feel actually good about what Trey can provide us there so far as working these scout crew reps,” McCarthy mentioned. He admitted that Lance will not be capable of completely imitate Jackson, however hopes his mobility will supply the protection some perception into what’s coming.
However let’s be honest-comparing Trey Lance to Lamar Jackson is a stretch. Jackson is likely one of the most electrifying gamers in NFL historical past, particularly as a dual-threat quarterback. Lance, whereas athletic, merely does not measure up. The numbers communicate for themselves: Jackson has already rushed for 167 yards in simply two video games this season, averaging 8.0 yards per carry. In the meantime, Lance has managed 235 dashing yards in his total profession, averaging 4.4 yards per carry.
It isn’t that McCarthy’s concept is totally misguided-it’s simply that nobody can really replicate Jackson’s mixture of pace, subject consciousness, and decision-making. As one commentator put it, “Evaluating Lance to Jackson is like getting ready for the PGA Tour after a profitable spherical of mini-golf.” It is simply not the identical.
So whereas McCarthy is hoping this technique will give the Cowboys an edge, nobody needs to be shocked if it falls flat on recreation day. We’ll see how effectively Trey Lance’s imitation of Lamar Jackson holds up on Sunday.