Lamar Jackson Is NOT A Fucking Running Back
This blog is going to read very much like a man yelling into a cloud about some semantics nobody else in the world cares about. Because that's exactly what it is. But I don't care. This bothers me every year. You know how sometimes you see something you know is wrong over and over again, and despite knowing how stupid & unimportant it is, for some reason it just eats at you every time? For me, that's people on the internet calling Lamar Jackson a running back. It's just objectively wrong. It's very stupid. Lamar Jackson is not a fucking running back. He is a quarterback. An extremely good one.
I'll cut right to the chase. If I showed you these two single-game stat lines of QB's with completely made up, random, fictional names. Tell me, assuming they both won their game by a touchdown over an equal opponent, who was the better quarterback?
Gunnar McCannon: 34-44, 302 YDS, 3 TD, 1 INT + 8 YDS RUSH
D'Montez Washington Jr.: 4-12, 120 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT + 210 YDS RUSH, 3 TD
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm joking with the names. I couldn't help it. I will not make this a race thing. As much as I would enjoy trolling with that. If I were doing that, I would have prefaced the title of this blog with, "Hey Racists!…" But I REFUSE to have race play a role in my very serious and important "Lamar Jackson is not a running back" argument. I will change the names.
Eduardo Contreras: 34-44, 302 YDS, 3 TD, 1 INT + 8 YDS RUSH
Alejandro Mendoza: 4-12, 120 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT + 210 YDS RUSH, 3 TD
(Keep in mind both quarterbacks are non-binary)
Now… tell me.. based on the stats… between Eduardo and Alejandro, who was the better quarterback that day? Anybody who says Eduardo is just objectively wrong. As a quarterback, Alejandro contributed an additional 30 yards & 1 TD. How a QB moves the ball downfield should have nothing to do with anything. All that matters is that the ball is moving.
I'm not even sure what point people who say, "Lamar Jackson is a Running Back" are trying to make. Are they saying the Ravens should draft a more traditional QB and put Lamar in the backfield? That would be the most criminal coaching decision in NFL history. Are they just saying he shouldn't considered a "Top QB" in the league when it comes to meaningless QB rankings online? Does seeing Lamar Jackson's name listed Top 5 in Steven Cheah's QB Rankings send people into a blind rage?
I'm pretty sure all they're really trying to say is that he's not a great passer. I wholeheartedly agree with that. He's not one of the better passers in the league. But he can still make throws. And for a QB, being able to run can be equally as important as being able to pass. Obviously Lamar Jackson isn't consistently threading needles. But he doesn't have to. The defense is so scared of his legs that he's basically playing against 10 men + 1 spy all game long. He can extend plays for so long that he gets way more open receivers to throw to. Doesn't that all play into being a great QB? He's still a good enough passer that defenses can't just bail on guarding his receivers entirely. His arm is good enough that he'll frequently be given opportunities to pull the ball down and scramble for 20 yards. Running is part of the quarterback position too.
It would be one thing if he was playing in a Navy style offense. If Lamar was legitimately in the Wing T formation every play, and only threw the ball 0-2 times per game, then I might say we need to redefine his position. But that's not at all what Lamar is doing. Not even close.
The more I type this the more I realize how fucking stupid it is I'm even making this argument. Can we all just agree to say Lamar Jackson is a shitty passer. I don't even agree with that, but I'll concede it. I suppose he's a "shitty passer" in comparison to the other top tier QB's in the league. But the man is really really fucking good. And he's a quarterback god damn it. Look, I can prove it.
If I were a defense attorney pleading my case, this PowerPoint screenshot would be all the evidence I need to have you laughed out of the courtroom.
In the end it comes down to winning (which Lamar has done 62 times in 87 NFL games from the QB position). And even though in last night's game, despite the fact Lamar Jackson accounted for 100+ more yards, the same number of TD's, and 1 less interception than Patrick Mahomes, Mahomes was still the better QB because he made the plays when he needed to. Mahomes won that game. Lamar lost it. But if on the Ravens final play, had Lamar Jackson scrambled 10 yards for a TD, and then went on to make the 2pt conversion and win… Lamar would have hands down been the better QB. At least for last night.
So in conclusion, for the 100th time, Lamar Jackson is a quarterback. One of the best in the NFL. That is true even though he's not a great passer. He's not a running back. Although he'd probably be very good at it.