It's true that Jackson's passing statistics (9-for-20, 143 yards, no touchdowns) against the Seahawks were unremarkable, but the fact that there were several dropped passes (including a touchdown) and Jackson was without his top deep threat, Marquise Brown, should not be ignored.

Nor should it be ignored that Jackson's passing stats, pedestrian as they may have been, were better than Wilson's in several respects. Jackson had a 69.4 passer rating, 7.2 yards per attempt and no interceptions; Wilson, considered by many to be the leading candidate for league MVP, had a 65.2 passer rating, 5.9 yards per attempt and one very costly interception.

Of course, the only numbers that truly matter are 30-16, the final score of the game. The bottom line is that Jackson, who is now 11-3 as a starter in the regular season, did what he needed to do to lead (in every sense of the word) the Ravens to a win over a 5-1 team in a hostile environment. If that meant rushing for 116 yards and a touchdown, so be it. He put the game on his back in the most critical moment on the fourth-down touchdown run.

"It should matter that the Ravens offense had one touchdown and three field goals [Sunday]. You don't win many games like that. But it doesn't, "Schultz wrote. "No matter what obstacle is put in front of this team, Jackson guides them through the disappointment and emerges victorious.

"It should matter that his biggest strength is running the football in a world where quarterback play is predicated upon being able to sling the rock successfully. But it doesn't. Defenses try as they may, but they cannot stop Lamar Jackson from beating them."