Lamar Jackson: Opposing defenses are 'calling out our plays'
Lamar Jackson thinks he has a pretty good idea why the Baltimore Ravens aren't replicating last season's success on offense.
The quarterback said that opposing defenses are keying in on the offense's tendencies.
"They're calling out our plays, stuff like that. They know what we're doing. So ... sometimes stuff won't go our way if they're beat us to the punch," Jackson told "The Rich Eisen Show."
Jackson added, "Yeah, they definitely do (call out our plays). Like 'run' and stuff like that, or 'Watch out for this, watch out for that.' Sometimes that's what's going on."
Baltimore finished with the NFL's second-ranked offense last season in terms of yardage but has slipped to 23rd this year.
"The passing just needs to step it up a lot," Jackson said, according to ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "Those guys need the ball in their hands. We have to call the right plays for them guys to get the ball in their hands. We should be fine on offense."
The 23-year-old was named MVP in 2019 after throwing a league-leading 36 passing touchdowns and accumulating 1,206 rushing yards. Jackson hasn't inflicted similar damage this time around, finishing with a passer rating under 90 in five of his eight games this season.
The 6-2 Ravens are scheduled to take on the New England Patriots in Week 10.