There is no shortage of stats that make Lamar Jackson look like one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Since entering the league, the former first-round pick has established himself as one of best dual-threat players in the league, and his presence has made the Ravens one of the most dangerous teams in football. That being said, these five metrics truly show how great he’s been.
The 5 Most Unbelievable Lamar Jackson Stats
0.165 EPA/Play
There is no single statistic capable of flawlessly evaluating quarterback play, but EPA/play probably comes the closest. At the end of the day, a quarterback’s job is to efficiently move the ball down the field, and that’s exactly what EPA/play measures.
Since entering the league, Lamar Jackson’s 0.165 EPA/play is the seventh-best mark in the league among players with at least 1,000 snaps, trailing only Patrick Mahomes, Drew Brees, Jimmy Garoppolo, Philip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers, and Tom Brady. Five of those guys will probably make the Hall of Fame, and the sixth (Garoppolo) spent the past five years playing in a quarterback-proof system.
Lamar Jackson’s impressive efficiency stats are even more insane when you look at what happens in clear passing situations. For a guy that critics say isn’t good at throwing the ball, he’s one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league when other teams know he’s dropping back to pass.
He’s top 5 in EPA in obvious passing situations despite being the ravens being 32nd in offensive spending and a scheme himself and 3 other Wrs called out pic.twitter.com/WFlPGfX5i5
— WayneVulcan (@WayneVulcan) April 12, 2023
6.1% Touchdown Rate
Lamar Jackson doesn’t throw the football as often as his peers, so his raw passing stats don’t match up to guys like Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert. However, a per-throw basis, he’s about as deadly as any of them.
Since 2018, Jackson has thrown a touchdown on 6.1% of his dropbacks, good for the fourth-best mark in the league. Just like with the EPA/play, he only trails three probable Hall of Famers in Drew Brees, Patrick Mahomes, and Russell Wilson, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone if Jackson surpasses Wilson in 2023.
Lamar Jackson had two ridiculous running throws in the same game vs the Commanders https://t.co/bjAA8jKwC9 pic.twitter.com/yUmWOu0pND
— Hustleberry Fin (@Mj_The3rdPick) May 15, 2023
4,437 Rushing Yards
Lamar Jackson is an effective thrower of the football, but the stats show that his rushing ability is what truly makes him dangerous. Over the past five seasons, the quarterback has recorded 4,437 rushing yards, easily the most amount players at his position.
Jackson managed to do this despite playing fewer games than most of his peers. The first-round pick began his career backing up Joe Flacco and has missed 10 games over the past two seasons. Despite this, he still has over 1,000 more rushing yards than the next closest quarterback (Josh Allen, 3,087).
Even if you want to look at this stat on a per-game basis, Lamar Jackson still reigns supreme. Jackson’s 63.4 rushing yards per game is best in the league, narrowly beating out Justin Fields (57.9).
73.8% Win Percentage In Starts
When Lamar Jackson plays, the Ravens win. Obviously, it takes more than one player to win a football game, but the quarterback is easily the most important player on the roster. You cannot consistently win without a good one, and Baltimore’s continued run of success is proof that Lamar Jackson deserves his pay day.
33.3% Win Percentage When Hurt
If Lamar Jackson was simply a cog in the machine, then the Ravens wouldn’t have one of the worst winning percentages in football when he can’t play. Since taking over the starting job, the Ravens are 4-8 when injuries prevent Jackson from suiting up.
It’s not like the backup quarterback is singlehandedly losing games, either. Tyler Huntley is a backup for a reason, but he’s been ok when put in control of the offense. This isn’t a Nathan Peterman situation – it just shows that this will only go as far as Lamar Jackson can bring them.
Main Photo: Tommy Gilligan – USA Today Sports
