After his Week 1 masterpiece against Miami, which included five touchdowns and a perfect passer rating, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson mocked the long-held notion that he is an NFL running back disguised as a quarterback. It’s been a hard stigma to shake for Jackson given his usage last year featured almost as many rushing attempts per game (9.2) as passing attempts (10.2). But two games into the season we have a vastly different narrative. Jackson has emerged as an early MVP candidate on the strength of his arm.

This week in the Ravens’ 23-17 win over Arizona, Jackson rushed for 122 yards on 13 carries, a spectacular stat line for a running back. Yet this game showcased Jackson’s maturation as a quarterback. Jackson again commanded the aerial attack, passing for 272 yards, two scores and no turnovers. His pocket awareness and ownership of the offense was on display throughout.

Jackson’s rushing onslaught came from his ability to scan the field, pinpoint defensive collapses on the edge and use the fastest man on the field to take advantage. But he also executed a crafty playbook that featured screens, misdirections and plenty of strikes. All told Sunday’s encore, while not perfect, was in many ways more impressive than last week. In showcasing his complete bag of tricks, Jackson further solidified himself as the Ravens’ maestro, and he deserves us all to harmonize from a mountaintop: LAMAR JACKSON IS A QUARTERBACK.

Exhale. That was a long time coming.

Jackson won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore at Louisville. Sure, he tallied a lot of yards with his feet but also displayed innate instincts as a passer and the type of field vision that is critical at the next level when everything is in double speed. Still, he was tabbed by scouts as a project, supremely talented but raw. As an aside, this type of “project” distinction is rarely used on white quarterbacks or any that fit the size and stature of a prototypical quarterback.

The Ravens moved up to nab Jackson with the 32nd pick in the 2018 draft, assuming he would study under the veteran Joe Flacco for a year or so. But Flacco , who has been on the decline since the Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2013, was benched. Last year’s conservative offensive coordinator, Marty Mornhinweg lacked an elaborate plan for Jackson, nor did he trust Jackson as a regular play action quarterback so the rookie ran and ran and ran some more. Paired with a top flight defense, the Ravens went on a winning streak until they fizzled in the first round of the playoffs.

Everything was different this offseason. Flacco was shipped to Denver, Mornhinweg was replaced as offensive coordinator by the far more dynamic Greg Roman and Jackson operated like the team’s leader. He led offseason throwing sessions with his receivers, which now included the speedy rookie sensation Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. He bulked up. He studied the new playbook. He showed up at training camp ready to execute a bold offense.

There were multiple moments in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals that showcased both Jackson’s ability and Roman’s trust in his quarterback. Moments that never would have been schemed last season. The first came in the first quarter when Jackson faked an end-around screen to Brown, dropped back and then hit a wide-open Mark Andrews for a 27-yard touchdown.

The other sealed the game. With 3:03 left and the Ravens up six facing 3rd and 11, Jackson dropped an absolute beauty of a rainbow in the waiting arms of Brown for 41-yards.

The runs were spectacular as well but they really stemmed from Jackson’s ability to recognize coverage at the line, such as another key moment in the final quarter on 3rd and 20 when he took off after seeing man-to-man. Few of the runs seemed by design.

The Ravens are now 2-0 in a division that so far isn’t quite powerful as many predicted. The Steelers and Bengals are 0-2, the Browns lost in Week 1. Of course there are more impressive accomplishments in this world then defeating the tanking Dolphins and the still getting to know each other Cardinals.

Jackson, for one, didn’t have his usual swagger when speaking to reporters about his performance after Sunday’s victory, the expectation for perfection seemingly set.

“I feel like it was all right. I could have been better. There’s a lot of passes I want back.”

Spoken like a true quarterback.

MVP of the week

Against all odds, Chicago’s newest sports hero is a kicker. With one second on the clock, Eddy Pineiro hit a 53-yard field goal to punctuate the Bears’ 16-14 win over the Broncos in one of the strangest finishes you’ll see. To recap: The Broncos scored with 37 seconds left and could have kicked an extra point to tie. Instead new Broncos head coach Vic Fangio, who was the Bears defensive coordinator the past few seasons, opted to go for the win. One delay of game, a Bears penalty on the missed extra point and a successful two-point conversation later, the Broncos took a one-point lead. With 31 seconds left and aided by a questionable roughing the passer call on Bradley Chubb, the Bears were in field goal range and voila, Pineiro temporarily rid the franchise of its demons.

The Bears were devastated by Cody Parker’s 43-yd double doink miss in the NFC divisional round that ended the Bears last season. Head coach Matt Nagy let the storyline linger all summer. They team brought in kicking specialists and held weird kicking competitions with dozens of prospects forced to prove their worth from, of course, the 43-yard-line. Pineiro emerged and amid all the emphasis on kicking success has been stellar with a perfect 4-for-4 on the season. He was instrumental Sunday in a defensive battle where kicking was crucial, knocking two field goals 50-yards through the uprights. But the deeper impact is a Bears win that changes the trajectory of their season. For now.

Quote of the week

Bill Belichick on throwing when up by 37 points late: “We’re playing 60 minutes.”



Tom Brady on if he was surprised to still be in the game: “No. Last year (in Miami) it came down to 60 minutes of football. We were talking about 60 minutes of football and that’s what it took.” pic.twitter.com/fmCxvkjq8X — Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 15, 2019

Stay classy, New England. Both Bill Belichick and Tom Brady were hellbent on playing 60 minutes despite the sizable lead. Brady does have a strange history against Miami but this was a clear blowout.

Video of the week

This interception is CRAZY 😱 pic.twitter.com/mLzhKtcjtJ — The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) September 15, 2019

This Drew Brees interception that popped out of Jared Cook’s hands and eventually landed in the arms of Rams safety John Johnson led to an early Rams field goal. Los Angeles never relinquished the lead from there.

Stat of the week

Patrick Mahomes put up a spectacular 30/44 for 443 yards and four touchdowns in the Chiefs’ 28-10 win over Oakland. Oh, and Tyreek Hill was sidelined. Mahomes is now on pace for 56 touchdowns and 6,568 yards. Lord, he’s special.

Elsewhere around the league

• Antonio Brown made his Patriots debut and wasn’t exactly eased into the passing game as had been anticipated. He was the passing game. Brady went to Brown early and often. He only finished with 56 yards but did score and was Brady’s favorite target with eight attempts. Many believe Brown should not have suited up while the league investigates a civil suit filed last week accusing Brown of rape. (Did the Pats really need him against Miami?) The NFL is meeting with Brown’s accuser Monday.

• Expect NFL officiating to be under major fire this week after a bevy of miscues and controversies. As mentioned above, a quite questionable roughing the passer call on Bradley Chubb aided the Bears to victory. The Saints, who adore NFL officials, had a fumble recovery touchdown called back due to a premature whistle.

• Both Drew Brees (right hand) and Ben Roethlisberger (elbow) exited their respective games with injuries. We’ll learn more early in the week about the extent of each injury. Teddy Bridgewater is Brees’s backup and Mason Rudolph is Roethlisberger’s. Either of the starters missing time would be crushing to their teams. Pittsburgh’s may come with a side of drama as Roethlisberger publicly expressed frustration when the team drafted Rudolph last year.

Ben Roethlisberger was sidelined with an injury picked up during Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks. Photograph: Gene J Puskar/AP

• The San Francisco 49ers are now 2-0 after back-to-back road wins to open the season. The defensive front with the additions of Nick Bosa and Dee Ford looks especially deep and special. The last time the 49ers started 2-0 start was 2012. Jim Harbaugh was the head coach, Alex Smith was the starting quarterback and the 49ers advanced to the Super Bowl.

• The Saints signed Sean Payton to a contract extension that will keep him in New Orleans through 2024. Translation: Payton’s not going to Dallas any time soon, a rumor that pops up from time-to-time.