Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson makes his London debut this weekend
In her newest column, Sky Sports activities NFL’s Phoebe Schecter appears to be like at a number of the key storylines heading into the ultimate London sport of the season because the Tennessee Titans tackle the Baltimore Ravens at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…
Lamar magic
I believe all people is speaking concerning the dropped catches towards the Pittsburgh Steelers from final week. That is clearly one thing they are going to have been drilling in. Lamar Jackson is throwing higher than ever and Baltimore’s passing offense is best than ever earlier than, so there was an irony to all these drops.
He is nonetheless solely 26 years {old} so he is nonetheless go a lot development in him, and loads of it’s going to these receivers. If you’ve acquired this velocity of Zay Flowers, you continue to have the anchor in Mark Andrews, all of those athletes enable him to do what he does greatest.
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A take a look at Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s high performs from the 2023 season up to now.
We get to see him within the pocket, after which he nonetheless has the magic the place he’s working round, juking individuals within the open subject.
You may have Lamar Jackson, he’s going to be the definition of that ‘IT’ issue. When you’re trying on the two quarterbacks, Ryan Tannehill and Lamar Jackson, groups wrestle coming over right here and enjoying it doesn’t matter what, so Lamar might be going to should be the man that will get issues going. Whereas Tannehill would not actually supply that as a menace.
Ravens rankings by Weeks 1-5
| Offense | Protection | |
| Complete | thirteenth | 2nd |
| Passing | twenty sixth | third |
| Dashing | 4th | seventh |
| Scoring | 18th | third |
King Henry
Derrick Henry is constructed like a defensive finish so that you’re already taking a look at that measurement and stature. Think about attempting to deal with him.
One of the vital harmful issues about him is when he begins getting working, as soon as he hits that line and has area he is nearly unimaginable to carry down. I do know individuals love to speak about his stiff arms and what he can do however you want a couple of particular person to remove his legs as a result of he is so bodily and nonetheless capable of have this low centre of stability for such an enormous particular person on the transfer. This Ravens protection must work actually laborious to gradual him down.
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A take a look at the very best performs from Titans working again Derrick Henry from this season up to now.
Derrick Henry versus Roquan Smith is a key matchup as a result of he’s so harmful when he is out on the sector. The best way Smith goes to should fill in goes to be a key a part of success to his sport.
If we take a look at how individuals have sort of squashed or like Titans run particularly, it is sort of by suffocating them on the line and when you can cease both Derrick Henry behind the road of scrimmage or sort of getting his face, he would not have that bounce capacity like a few of these different little backs, simply slowing him down is so key.
Finally, it will be… can the Ravens cease the explosive performs? You take a look at final weekend and that one-two punch of Jaylen Warren and George Pickens giving them a troublesome time. This week, you have acquired Derrick Henry and DeAndre Hopkins. I am to see how they they handle that.
Titans rankings by Weeks 1-5
| Offense | Protection | |
| Complete | twenty fourth | sixteenth |
| Passing | twenty eighth | twenty third |
| Dashing | 18th | ninth |
| Scoring | twenty sixth | ninth |
OBJ and D-Hop
To have Odell Beckham Jr out right here, enjoying in a Ravens jersey and simply being right here means a lot to the followers.
When he was over right here with the Giants the children would swarm him. When you did not know a lot concerning the sport, all people knew that iconic one-handed seize by OBJ, the children had been attempting to emulate it.
I believe he is made lots of people fall in love with the game as a result of that is who they’re attempting to be. You may have the NFL Europe and older technology followers who’ve had the prospect to comply with the Miami Dolphins, the Chicago Bears, the Raiders after which the brand new wave coming by – and so many are OBJ followers completely.
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Odell Beckham Jr described his iconic catch towards the Cowboys in New York as each a blessing and a curse and explains his philosophy round not getting caught up in criticism.
On the opposite aspect there’s DeAndre Hopkins, who was into consideration for the Ravens this offseason earlier than they ultimately signed OBJ and Hopkins landed with the Titans. He is without doubt one of the hardest gamers they should cease on their crew Sunday.
If you take a look at his contested catches there are only a few individuals within the league that may match up with that. That is what makes them so harmful.
It was nice to listen to him within the offseason say ‘I wish to be a part of a crew that may make it to the Tremendous Bowl and have consistency’. Working with Coach Mike Vrabel, he’d been round him earlier than and I believe he needed that neighborhood too.
He provides such a harmful worth and that is the place the entire image comes collectively. You’ve got acquired Derrick Henry within the run sport and you need to respect that after which D-Hop whose contested catches are insane.
How far can Tannehill take the Titans?
It’s all the time a humorous one for me with Ryan Tannehill. He sort of manages the sport, he does the precise issues. However he’s by no means going to be the man that is going to get you to a Tremendous Bowl, not less than from my perspective.
I do not see him as including that magic. And naturally, it is laborious, proper? Since you take a look at Lamar Jackson coming in whose passing sport has elevated, he is a lot extra correct, after which he is acquired the specter of his legs, they appear to have a extra concrete crew.
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Dan Hanzus and Marc Sessler from the Across the NFL podcast preview the London sport between the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans.
I by no means actually noticed the love for Tannehill, however he does the job. He does simply sufficient to maintain the function however he is not that man. I assume it is nearly how individuals noticed Jared Goff earlier than going to the Detroit Lions. He isn’t doing something fallacious, however will he actually be the one that you simply wish to lean on?
You take a look at the tip of final 12 months and what number of accidents the Titans had and even this 12 months, like they’ve had a number of accidents, so it is not that easy. He is skilled however simply would not have that ‘IT’ issue for me.
Vrabel’s Titans all the time a hazard
Mike Vrabel is nice and he is accomplished a extremely good job. All of his gamers love enjoying for him, his coaches love working for him, he is created an excellent setting.
They’re very clear on what that commonplace is, after which defensively he is all the time accomplished a very nice job. His guys know their obligations they usually play laborious for him. He makes extra with much less within the sense of, there are a number of occasions the place he has not essentially had a number of expertise or star names however he nonetheless will get all people to go on the market and play laborious.
Even trying to the tip of final season once more, they had been actually struggling from an harm perspective and everybody each week was nonetheless enjoying laborious into the tip of the season. You may by no means depend out Vrabel’s Titans.
Lamar’s essential man
Mark Andrews is a large issue for this Ravens offense and Lamar Jackson’s favorite goal. He has all the time been the man when it comes to, like, a pleasant physique. To date this season he is acquired 20 receptions for 225 yards and three touchdowns – for a good finish who can also be a very good blocker.
He is acquired this actually nice really feel with Lamar and I believe that is what you need out of your tight finish, anyone with an enormous catch radius, regular arms. He will be the man that will get you yards, he is bodily and can hit you and get yards after the catch.
And with loads of these guys in Baltimore there is a sure aura concerning the place the place you come to beat anyone up, when you’re taking a look at that Ray Lewis period, that mentality remains to be within the constructing. Mark Andrews sort of helps to embody that in his enjoying sort.
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Odell Beckham Jr reveals his pleasure at having the ability to hyperlink up with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and says he is price all the cash on the earth.
The celebrities are on the town
There are such a lot of celebrity names enjoying on Sunday and I believe what individuals wish to see, proper? Proper? So many children have been impressed to play or be followers by Lamar Jackson and Odell Beckham Jr. If you do not know a lot about American Soccer individuals nonetheless know that iconic OBJ catch when he was with the Giants, and that is propelled him ahead in loads of methods. Maybe there’s loads of stress on him with that, too.
On the opposite aspect, you have got Derrick Henry and DeAndre Hopkins who’ve been round for years, and it was cool to listen to Across the NFL’s Gregg Rosenthal speak about how a lot he was excited to see Lamar Jackson play in particular person. The velocity, the decision-making, to see that every one in real-time is one thing followers ought to undoubtedly be excited for.
2023 expectations?
For me, I believe I would all the time look extra to the Ravens having the ability to make it additional on that Tremendous Bowl run simply because you have got an MVP participant in Lamar Jackson and a stout protection. So while you’re trying at the moment of 12 months, these are the keys that I might search for. I believe the Titans are nonetheless lacking a number of key items of their crew as a way to get them to that place, however Vrabel is such an excellent coach and he might carry them there. If the Ravens can clear up a number of the points that have gotten them in bother for the previous couple of weeks then they undoubtedly have a chance to make it far.
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Have a look again on the most memorable moments from the NFL London video games together with the Saint double-doink loss, Aaron Rodgers’ large reception, Landon Collins’ unbelievable pick-six and the Jags mascot bungee leaping.
The ultimate London sport of 2023
I believe we now have seen increasingly more of the identical color jerseys of the groups which are really enjoying this 12 months, so that you’re nearly getting extra of single fan bases. There’ll all the time be a number of totally different jerseys, however final week in Tottenham absolutely the noise of the stadium was unbelievable. I believe it was additionally nice to have the Jaguars right here for 2 weeks and there have been larger, higher between-game occasions.
The NFL Expertise at Battersea Energy Station was large and I believe it launched the game to so many new individuals as effectively, even simply individuals who occurred to be at Battersea sort of mooching about. There are such a lot of extra individuals getting concerned.
We additionally had the NFL Academy sport and a women’ Flag Soccer occasion at Tottenham; it simply seems like a full on celebration day by day of the week. There’s all the time one thing occurring and I believe it is all been Positive for the game. It is going to be unhappy when it is gone, these are the weeks we look ahead to a lot.
Watch the Baltimore Ravens towards the Tennessee Titans within the remaining NFL London sport of the season dwell on Sky Sports activities this Sunday, with protection starting at 1pm forward of kickoff at 2.30pm at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.