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          How Lamar Jackson's improbable TD powered Ravens past Bengals

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          • Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterOct 8, 2024, 10:00 AM
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              Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
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          OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Five years after producing that remarkable spin move against the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson delivered another unbelievable moment on the same field.

          Late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 41-38 overtime win in Cincinnati, Jackson added to his highlight reel with an improvised 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Isaiah Likely, showing his poise, power and toughness. It was the culmination of a marathon effort from Jackson in the second half, who was nearly unstoppable when he went 16-of-23 and led the Ravens to score on all four drives (three touchdown passes and one field goal).

          Jackson's fourth and final touchdown pass of the game closed Baltimore to within a field goal at 38-35, and it served as a reminder that he's still the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player. He turned what could have been a turnover or a sack into what may be the most impressive eight seconds of his 2024 season.

          "It was an incredible, fabulous play that'll go down in history," Harbaugh said. "We'll be watching that play for years to come on NFL Films."

          The second-and-goal play started off disastrously when Jackson dropped the shotgun snap and went to his knees to pick it up. He then rolled to his right where, instead of eluding Sam Hubbard, he stiff-armed the Bengals 265-pound defensive end to the ground. That bought Jackson an extra second to wave at Likely to move to the middle of the end zone. As Jackson neared the sideline, he leapt in the air to whip the pass across his body to Likely while linebacker Germaine Pratt's helmet was planted in his chest.

          Jackson threw for 348 yards as Baltimore (3-2) won its third straight game to pull into a tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers atop the AFC North.

          The Ravens' rallying cry -- "keep believing and keep fighting," Harbaugh said afterward -- was epitomized by Jackson's short touchdown pass with 5:24 left in regulation. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Jackson traveled 33.4 yards before making that throw, which is the most of any touchdown pass in 2024.

          "There's nobody in the world that moves like him," Hubbard said. "I chased him down. He's stiff-arming me in the face. Germaine is coming to hit him. He launches the ball across the field to somebody. How do you make that up?"

          The play was part Derrick Henry, part Ben Roethlisberger and all epic. To escape the pocket, Jackson had to shove away Hubbard with his left arm in a way that was reminiscent of Henry, who is in his first year with Baltimore.

          "He doesn't look as strong as he is," Hubbard said of Jackson. "He's one of the strongest."

          Then, Jackson extended the play like Roethlisberger -- a division rival who tormented Harbaugh for years -- by throwing the ball before taking a hit. No one has kept pass plays alive more frequently than Jackson. His six completions when he's had at least eight seconds to throw are the most in the league since Jackson was the last pick of the first round in the 2018 draft.

          According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the completion probability of Jackson's latest extended touchdown pass was 31.4%.

          "It really was incredible," Ravens tight end Mark Andrews said. "I went to [Jackson], and I said, 'I've never seen anybody throw anything like that in my entire life.' That's just the type of player he is. The play's never dead."

          The only Ravens player who didn't want to talk at length about this wild touchdown pass was Jackson. He was upset after the game about a fumble in overtime that nearly cost Baltimore the game. Not cracking a smile during his post-game press conference, Jackson was in no mood to rank where his latest great highlight ranked in his career.

          "It's cool," Jackson said. "I don't know. It's cool."

          This marked Jackson's second career game with at least 300 yards passing, four touchdown passes and 50 yards rushing. He's the only player to do this multiple times since the Super Bowl era began in 1966, according to ESPN Research.

          Asked if he is still amazed by what Jackson does on the field, Harbaugh threw his hands up and said, "I mean it speaks for itself. I never cease to be amazed but I'm always amazed. I just think so much of Lamar, and I think so much of his work ethic; and then just the way he plays the game -- it's unparalleled."

          Jackson's spin move in 2019 became the defining play of his first NFL MVP season. Could this latest highlight do the same?

          Before Sunday, Jackson's odds to win NFL MVP were 10-to-1, according to ESPN BET. Now, he's at +800, trailing only Patrick Mahomes (+360) and Josh Allen (+500).

          "That was like [a] third MVP level for Lamar," Henry said. "It was a one of a kind game ... he's the best player in the league; [he's] the G.O.A.T for a reason."