Lamar Jackson Week 2 grades: A tough finish to frustrating Ravens outing

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The final image is the one everyone will remember. With the Baltimore Ravens trailing by seven points and driving for a potential game-tying score, Lamar Jackson threw a pass that never had a realistic chance of reaching a receiver. New Orleans Saints safety Julian Blackmon benefited. He effectively ended the game, sealing yet another disappointing Ravens home-opening loss.

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That moment deserves scrutiny because it mattered. It also shouldn't erase everything else Jackson did throughout the afternoon. He completed 21 of 31 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown while spreading the ball to seven different receivers.

He added 34 rushing yards and helped keep the offense functional despite playing without Zay Flowers and watching the Ravens score only three points after halftime. The ending was ugly. Much of the performance leading up to it was not, but again, all anyone will remember is the loss.

Lamar Jackson's best throws

How about this dime from Lamar Jackson? Four of Devontez Walker's first nine NFL receptions have resulted in touchdowns, and a nickname 'Touchdown Tez'. His lone snag in Week 2 didn't go for six, but it might have been the most beautiful of his career.

This was a nice pass. It was possibly a better catch... The result was 47 yards and a first down...

The throw showcased everything that makes Jackson so difficult to defend. He delivered the football with touch, anticipation, and placement while gallivanting his receiver to make a play downfield. The touchdown strike to Rashod Bateman was equally impressive. It takes on added significance because Rashod Bateman was on the receiving end.

Jackson dropped the football into the perfect window and allowed Bateman to finish the play. It was one of several examples of the quarterback and receiver showing strong chemistry throughout the afternoon. Bateman finished with seven catches for 88 yards and a touchdown, and Jackson repeatedly looked comfortable targeting him in key situations.

Several smaller moments also deserve recognition. Jackson consistently extended plays, avoided pressure, and created opportunities when protection began breaking down. Those off-script moments remain one of the most valuable parts of his game.

Lamar Jackson's worst throw

Well, we discussed this earlier, so it's no secret. Nine of Jackson's 31 pass attempts fell incomplete. One landed in the hands of a Saints defender.

There was no realistic chance at a completion. It ended Baltimore's comeback attempt and immediately became the game's defining play—afterward, questions centered on why the football ended up so far from any eligible receiver.

Was there a misunderstanding? Did Jackson anticipate a different route adjustment? Did the situation create a rushed decision? Rashod Bateman addressed that possibility after the game.

"No, [there] was no miscommunication at all. [I] ran the right route, looked up [and] the ball was what it was."

That answer eliminates one possible explanation. The reality may be much simpler. Great quarterbacks occasionally make poor throws, and this was one of the worst Jackson has made in recent memory. It arrived at the worst possible time and overshadowed an otherwise productive performance.

Jackson also narrowly avoided throwing a pick-six with 4:15 remaining in the fourth quarter and facing a second-and-ten. In contrast, in the red zone, a late throw to the right sideline was almost picked off by Quincy Riley, who read it all the way. Jackson was sacked on the next play, resulting in a fourth down and a successful 49-yard Tyler Loop field goal.

Lamar Jackson's Week 2 final report card

This is where the evaluation becomes difficult. If the Ravens complete the comeback, most of the conversation focuses on Jackson overcoming injuries at receiver and keeping Baltimore competitive despite a sluggish second half. Instead, the final interception became the lasting image. The film also shows missed opportunities to create explosive plays.

That does not mean everything before it should be ignored. Jackson threw several high-level passes, distributed the football effectively, created offense with his legs, and helped keep Baltimore in position to win.

The Ravens' loss was not solely the result of quarterback play. The offense managed only three second-half points, the defense struggled late, and opportunities slipped away throughout the fourth quarter. Still, quarterbacks are judged differently because they touch the football on every snap. Fair or not, the game-ending interception carries significant weight.

The performance contained far more good than bad. Unfortunately for Jackson and the Ravens, the bad happened on the play everyone will remember.

Accuracy and ball location: B+Vision and dissection: B+Intangibles and off-script plays: A+Decision-making:Leadership: AOverall grade: B+

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Lamar Jackson Week 2 grades: A tough finish to frustrating Ravens outing

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