Lamar Jackson, illusionist in pads, is healthy again. Prepare to be amazed

INDIANAPOLIS — There’s this appealing quality to Lamar Jackson, professional quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens and part-time Houdini. For instance, the illusionist in pads doesn’t seem to understand why the rest of us get so worked up whenever he pulls off the impossible.

Like Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, when Jackson faced third-and-16 and dropped back to locate a receiver. All he found was a collapsing pocket and what should’ve been a sure sack. But then, Jackson ducked low beneath two heavyweight defenders. They crashed into each other; he stayed on his feet and skittered away. Sixteen yards later, abracadabra, first down.

Moments like that leave us — the fans in purple who made this trip to downtown Indy, the men who have a front-row seat to this on the practice fields at Owings Mills, Md., any observer who understands the significance of the LJ Era — awestruck. But plays like that make Jackson all but yawn.

“Playing football,” Jackson offered as an explanation. “Just playing football. I believe I did it a few times throughout my career, but just playing football.”

He explained this to a room full of reporters, with his arms crossed, while still in his full jersey. Then he chuckled, as if baffled at the absurdity of the question: “How’d you do that?”

To him, it’s just playing football. But if Jackson keeps playing like he did Sunday, leading the Ravens to a 41-23 takedown of the overwhelmed Colts, he’s going to cost some people their jobs. Warning to defensive coordinators on the Ravens’ schedule: Lamar’s healthy again. His 324 yards through the air (the 11th 300-yard passing game of his career) and 40 additional yards on the ground prove it.

Even more, if he keeps playing like this, then Jackson is confidently strolling into the 2026 MVP conversation and asking everyone else: “Who’s coming in second?”

“He’s the best player in the league. He’s been one of the best players in the league for a long time,” running back Derrick Henry said. “That’s never (been a) doubt in my mind. I know what Lamar’s about. You all have seen it. He just keeps showing you.”

He’s back, so that means so are the Ravens. Jackson’s 2025 season was a regression caused by a long list of pain, another blown year in his Super Bowl contender window. He missed four games with several ailments — you name it, lower back, knee, toe, hamstring. He was knocked out of two others. Behind their battered leader, the Ravens finished 8-9 and a rookie kicker’s missed field goal ended things in the season finale. The Pittsburgh Steelers won the AFC North. The Ravens went home. Jackson, a two-time MVP and one of the best dual-threat QBs of all time, wobbled into the offseason with questions on whether he could be the same Lamar as he inched closer to 30.

It’s hard to imagine Jackson did not have a run of more than 14 yards after Week 4 of last season. On Sunday, however, he needed just six plays to put his first explosive run of the season on tape. In the opening quarter, Jackson rushed for the Ravens’ first touchdown, and later connected with Zay Flowers for a 54-yard score.

Among Jackson, Flowers picking apart the Colts’ secondary and Henry bullying anyone in blue for three rushing touchdowns, poor Lou Anarumo, the Colts’ defensive coordinator, could not get out of Week 1 without feeling his seat simmering.

On the Ravens’ sideline, however, there was peace in watching and knowing that Lamar Demeatrice Jackson is on Baltimore’s team.

“Gratitude!” veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell said, laughing. “There was that play where he got the first down in the red zone, third-and-16; he should have been sacked. It was just like, ‘What just happened? How did he get it in there and get the first down?’ It is like, ‘How many people can actually do that?’ Not many — not many. He might be one of the only ones.”

Even with Flowers (hamstring), his top receiver in street clothes before the end of the game, and rookie wideout Ja’Kobi Lane hiding his hand beneath his black jacket in the locker room due to a wrist injury, Jackson still gashed the Colts’ defense. On his first pass attempt of the fourth quarter, he unloaded a deep shot to old friend Chris Moore that beat the man-on-man coverage of former Pro Bowl cornerback Charvarius Ward. Moore played his first five seasons in Baltimore (2016-2020) and re-signed ahead of this season, so he wasn’t around during Jackson’s limited 2025. Upon his return, however, Moore said he found the same ol’ Lamar. Just better.

“My biggest thing, ever since I’ve been here (the first time) and ever since I’ve known Lamar, what I love about him the most, is the standard he holds himself to first,” Moore said. “And then it matriculates down to us as players. When your leader is holding himself to such high standards, you want to keep holding yourself to a high standard as well, to keep going with him, to stay with him.”

Jackson might say his standard is just “playing football,” which is just another Sunday for him, but he’s a marvel for the rest of us. So what does impress Jackson? Maybe it’s what happens when few people are watching.

After his postgame news conference, Jackson returned to his stall in the corner of the visitors locker room. About 15 feet away, there was an oversized rolling laundry bin where players would walk around reporters to drop off their dirty clothes. Not Jackson. He balled up what appeared to be a sock or some used athletic tape, and with the touch of a shooting guard, launched the item. Over a reporter’s head, no less, his shot softly landed in. When the reporter turned back to the quarterback, he just nodded and smirked at the achievement. Finally, Lamar Jackson had amazed himself.