Offensive Play of the Week: Lamar Jackson TD vs Cincinnati Bengals

Holy wow, what a play by Lamar. The Ravens quarterback has placed himself firmly in the MVP race after a string of sensational performances; this week was no different, and this play was the pick of Jackson’s perfect day out. The play began just inside Bengal territory, with Jackson faking a handoff in the shotgun as he burst to the left. He then juked one defender before outrageously spinning and leaving three poor souls in the shadow realm. Jackson then showed off his relentless combination of evasiveness and speed to burst into the endzone for a dramatic 47-yard touchdown. I’m a sucker for a rushing quarterback touchdown, but this was something straight out of a video game. Michael Vick sends his regards (more on that below).

Defensive Play of the Week: Steven Parker INT vs Indianapolis Colts

I am being completely serious when I say that this is one of the craziest - and most impressive - interceptions I have seen in the NFL. With the ball on the Miami nine-yard line, Colts QB Brian Hoyer and threw it into the hands of tight end Eric Ebron to seemingly score the touchdown. The touchdown graphic even appeared on TV! However, Ebron’s catch was contested by Miami’s Steven Parker and as the two fell to the floor, it appeared as though the safety had snatched it from Ebron with one-hand. It was an insane play that helped kickstart the Dolphins’ belief in themselves as they upset the Colts on the road.

The ‘Drop the Mike’ Award: Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens)

Lamar Jackson appears to be the most effective dual-threat quarterback we have seen in the NFL since Michael Vick’s highlight-reel career. Vick is an icon in the league due to his amazing ability to evade defenders and make plays with his legs rather than his arm, but Jackson can sling it too. In 2019, Jackson currently sits at ninth amongst NFL quarterbacks in passer rating (minimum 200 attempts) and tenth in touchdowns thrown. Vick failed to match such stats until 2006 - his sixth season in the league - where he was tenth in touchdown passes. Vick never threw five touchdown passes in an NFL game in his career, whilst Jackson achieved such a feat in the opening game of 2019 - just his eighth career start.