Should Lamar start once Flacco gets healthy?

[QuothDaRaven]

The beauty of it is that it sounds like there is going to be one more game for us to evaluate LJ against Oakland.

Hypothetical scenario #1 - LJ balls out as MM unveils a tweaked and upgraded version of last week’s offense and LJ accounts for 400 plus total yards and 3-4 TDs. Ravens win comfortably, have another 200 plus rushing yards and the offense appears to be clicking with several long drives. Result: it becomes very hard to bench LJ for Flacco given this scenario. It would be like trying to turn a butterfly back into a caterpillar. It’s too late, the metamorphosis took place, and the offense is something different now, something beautiful. LJ starts.

Hypothetical scenario #2 - LJ puts up numbers essentially almost identical to last week. Roughly 80-100 yards rushing and 100-175 yards passing, maybe 1-2 TDs and 1-2 turnovers. We win, but there isn’t marked improvement. Result: I think the case for Flacco is stronger here, LJ gets benched but the LJ plays become a staple of our offense including long drives when they’re working.

Hypothetical scenario #3 - LJ stinks up the joint. He appears overwhelmed and the offense sputters with multiple turnovers as the Raiders sell out to stop the run and LJ can’t pass. Unlikely as this scenario is, the result is easy to predict. Result: Flacco is firmly entrenched as the starter the rest of the year and the LJ plays remain a minor wrinkle in our offense.

So in my mind, 2 out of 3 scenarios favor Flacco’s resumption of the starting QB role.


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[Gjennings85]

Yes keep him in there! He is 1-0 now as a starter.

[blueridgemtnman]

Yes, sirrrrr.

Dump cap. Get picks if you can. Turn the page.

Great song. Maybe the Ravens can adopt it as their new theme song.

[Gjennings85]

Great song. Maybe the Ravens can adopt it as their new theme song.

Hey Blue Happy Thanksgiving buddy!

[Jam31]

Personally, I'm going to go with Flacco because he provides a better chance to open up the passing game.

What are your thoughts?

Two things. 1) Joe is certainly more developed as a passer than Lamar but 2) I believe Lamar gives us a better chance to "open up the passing game" precisely because he invigorates the run game. While Joe right now is a better pocket passer, the context that, we can't run the ball with him greatly limits whatever effectiveness he could offer. In the second half of last season, Joe was good because his back got better but also because Collins provided a #1 to Joe's #2. That's the 1-2 punch Joe presented with Ray Rice for the first 6 years. But now, Collins, or the line, or whatever aren't producing. So what I see with Joe at QB is an extremely limited one dimensional offense and our receivers, line, and QB, are not dynamic enough to pose a threat within this one dimension.

Lamar, on the other hand, is like Ray Rice and Joe rolled up into one. I think much remains to be seen in the Oakland game before Coach makes a final decision. But I sure think it's Lamar's time to shine. I think he's easily the starter going into OTA's this offseason and he also provides us the best chance to win now because he makes our offense unpredictable. Of course, he's gotta develop as a passer but from TC to last week, from 1st quarter to 4th quarter, dude looks like a sponge.

Lastly, while everyone criticizes those 27 carries, I think its important to the league now because that is on tape. That's not a bad thing. If that's the baseline offense, now the more passing concepts you develop off the run game, only makes Lamar more dangerous and presents much, much more of a headache to defenses than Joe dropping back 50 times with no running threat whatsoever. I feel like Joe is a victim of circumstance but like BC says, and I agree, he's had his time. He's proven in the past three years to be Bortles-esque. I hate saying that but the bottom 5 rating for three years is impossible to ignore. Unless Lamar stinks it up against Oakland, which is still possible, I'd say it's Lamar's time to shine now.

[RavenIsh]

Dump cap. Get picks if you can. Turn the page.

"Let go of the past. Kill it if you have to."

[FearTheRaven]

Joe starts but give me plenty of plays for Lamar.

[arnie_uk]

Should or will or entirely different question

[Real Fan Dan]

Why would you even consider the notion? Flacco isn't going to lead you anywhere we were 4-5 this year with him as the starter and near the bottom of the league in every meaningful passer category if Lamar beats Oakland then the notion shouldn't even be considered if he loses the notion still should not be considered.

The Flacco era is over accept it and move on people

Just because you kicked a FG last Sunday and you can throw a ball thru the uprights on your knees doesn't mean you should put the kielbasa on anybody else's notions. Just sayin'

[Real Fan Dan]

I have to agree with GOTA - until we are mathematically eliminated - have to go with the vet QB. If he's ineffective, bring in the rookie.

[bmorecareful]

The run game was inarguably better last Sunday. How much of that was Lamar Jackson and how much of that was the OL having its best game of the season (check Filmstudy's writeup that just posted) AND Gus Edwards emerging as the feature back? Not to mention Cincinnati's defense being in disarray and missing 2 of their top 3 LBs?

If the argument is that they should keep playing Lamar primarily because he and he alone makes the run game better, I'm not convinced of that. I think the run game still has plenty of space to be much better down the stretch with a healthy OL and an invigorated Gus Edwards regardless of who's at QB. Of course LJ himself is good for some rushing yards on his own.

[organizedchaos21]

The run game was inarguably better last Sunday. How much of that was Lamar Jackson and how much of that was the OL having its best game of the season (check Filmstudy's writeup that just posted) AND Gus Edwards emerging as the feature back? Not to mention Cincinnati's defense being in disarray and missing 2 of their top 3 LBs?

How much of it was The Lamar Effect? You tell me.