Lamar Jackson Week 4 grades: Near-perfect first half ends with injury

· Yahoo Sports

If there were one word to describe Lamar Jackson's first half against the Tennessee Titans, that word would probably be 'efficient.' The Baltimore Ravens quarterback looked comfortable from the opening drive, slicing through Tennessee's defense with accurate throws and smart decisions.

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He showed the type of poise that has become synonymous with his game. Whether targeting Zay Flowers downfield, connecting with Mark Andrews in the end zone, or taking what the defense offered underneath, Jackson consistently put Baltimore in favorable situations.

Unfortunately, what seemed like one of his most complete performances of the season came to an abrupt end. Jackson suffered an ankle injury on the final offensive snap of the first half and did not return, forcing the Ravens to finish the game without their most important player. Before exiting, however, Jackson had already done enough to put Baltimore in position to win. Here's how we graded his performance.

Lamar Jackson's best throw

Lamar Jackson's best throw was a 51-yard beauty to Zay Flowers. Give an honorable mention to the touchdown toss to Flowers as well, one where Jackson ripped a pass just beyond a defender's outstretched hand and into the hands of his receiver.

Lamar Jackson's Week 4 final report card

Accuracy and ball location: A

The aforementioned completions to Flowers alone are good enough to earn an A here. Still, he missed only five of 20 pass attempts and didn't do anything so wild it would justify lowering his grade.

Jackson was decisive, accurate, and consistently put the football where his receivers could make plays after the catch. Whether working the intermediate areas of the field or attacking downfield, he looked comfortable throughout the first half.

Vision and dissection: A

It doesn't get much better than Lamar Jackson when he has time to survey the field. He faced pressure on six of his 23 dropbacks, per Pro Football Focus. One pass was batted. He was sacked twice. Still, overall he was protected well in the pocket, and it shows.

PFF gave him an overall grade of 92.8. He posted a 144.2 passer rating and a 72.5 QBR while routinely identifying favorable matchups and delivering the football on time. Tennessee never seemed to find an answer for him before he exited the game.

The verdict: When Jackson is seeing the field this clearly, Baltimore's offense becomes extremely difficult to defend. He diagnosed what Tennessee was doing early and consistently made the correct read.

Intangibles and off-script plays: A

He wasn't forced out of the pocket much, but when he tucked and ran, he notched 20 yards on two carries. After a first-half performance like his, we'll grade him with an A.

What stands out most is how calm everything looked. Jackson never appeared rushed to the point that he was uncomfortable. He never forced the issue and never let the Titans speed up his internal clock. Even when the pocket wasn't perfect, he remained in control.

The verdict: The explosive scrambles weren't necessary this week because Jackson was carving Tennessee up from the pocket. That's a sign of a quarterback operating at a very high level.

Decision-making: A

So far this season, we've seen questionable decision-making by QB1 only once, at various points in the second game of the season. He's been solid since then, and his composure and poise in Week 4 helped Baltimore build a lead the Titans couldn't overcome.

Jackson protected the football, avoided unnecessary risks, and consistently took what the defense gave him. Sometimes the best decisions are the boring ones, and few moments let anyone question his thought process.

The verdict: Efficient, smart, and under control. That's exactly what the Ravens needed from their franchise quarterback. He has thrown only one interception this season, and none in either of Baltimore's two most recent games.

Leadership: A+

Here's one of those areas where we may see an A every week unless something catastrophic happens. Is there a better leader at quarterback? Do you see how this team responds to him?

Jackson's teammates feed off his confidence and energy. Even after he exited the game with an injury, Baltimore kept playing with the urgency and belief he helped establish in the first half.

Overall grade: A

Before the injury, this was shaping up to be one of Lamar Jackson's cleanest performances of the season. He completed 15 of 20 passes, threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns, added 20 rushing yards, and rarely looked uncomfortable. Tennessee struggled to pressure him consistently, and when given time, Jackson picked apart the defense with the efficiency Ravens fans have come to expect.

The ankle injury unfortunately changes the conversation. Instead of celebrating a dominant afternoon, Baltimore now waits for updates on its franchise quarterback's health.

Final analysis

Still, the film leaves little room for debate. Jackson played winning football before leaving the game. He was accurate, decisive, protected the football, and helped build the lead that carried Baltimore to victory. If the injury proves minor and he does indeed return early, Ravens fans will remember Week 4 as another reminder that when Lamar Jackson is healthy and operating at this level, few quarterbacks in football are better.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Lamar Jackson Week 4 grades: Near-perfect first half ends with injury

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