BALTIMORE -- Through two games, Lamar Jackson's involvement in the Baltimore Ravens' offense has emerged as something more than a gimmick meant to creep into the minds of opposing coaches.

Rather, the Ravens put Jackson onto the field for four snaps (not including penalized plays) in the first half of the season-opening win over Bills. Then they used him six times in a loss to the Bengals on Thursday night.

The first-round rookie quarterback with a scintillating set of skills has played 10 meaningful snaps with or in place of veteran starter Joe Flacco through two weeks of his NFL career. Jackson's lined up behind center, in the slot and out wide. He's thrown passes, served as a decoy and carried the ball.

He's been a true part of the Ravens' offense -- and his role has already drawn scrutiny from pundits skeptical of how gadget plays can work in the modern NFL.

So I charted how Baltimore has been using its unique playmaker and how effective the offense has been with Jackson in the game. If we eliminate the 25 snaps Jackson took at quarterback in Week 1 after Baltimore sat Flacco while holding a 40-point lead, we have 10 plays to evaluate with the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner on the field. Here's how the offense has fared with Jackson in the game:

Total:

With Jackson lined up at quarterback:

With Jackson lined up as a receiver:

Below, I've offered some takeaways from my time looking at how the Ravens used Jackson. And you can find the play-by-play breakdown at the bottom of this story.

Takeaways

-- The Ravens need to do a better job of disguising their plays with Jackson in the game. At first glance, the balance (six rushing attempts and four passes with Jackson on the field) seems fine, but consider this: Every time Jackson has entered the game as a receiver, he's come in motion, either to take a handoff or serve as a decoy. Every time he's lined up at quarterback, the Ravens have run the ball.

Baltimore doesn't want Jackson running routes downfield, but the play calls have to keep defenses guessing in some fashion. So far, when Jackson is out as a wide receiver, the Ravens either run the ball or have a long-developing pass play, and opponents can pick this up.

The best example came on Javorius Allen's carry for a 7-yard loss against the Bengals. Cincinnati didn't have a safety deep to help on Jackson's side of the field, because the defense figured he wouldn't run a route. Then when Allen took a toss and Jackson ran toward him for a reverse, Cincinnati snuffed it out, with four defenders crashing into the backfield to bust the play.

Jackson's presence is supposed to keep opponents off balance. Through two games, it's often done the opposite. If Jackson lines up out wide and runs a deep route downfield once or twice or if throws a pass from behind center, it could keep defenses from anticipating the Ravens' movements like the Bengals did on the toss to Allen.

-- Most analysts expected Jackson to be effective in the red zone, but the Ravens have been exceptional in that area without much help from the rookie out of Louisville. Baltimore has scored touchdowns on all 9 of its trips inside the 20-yard line this year, and Jackson hasn't found the end zone once. The Ravens have gained 6 combined yards (and zero first downs) on the four snaps Jackson has played in the red zone.

-- While Jackson's appearance on the field validates the Ravens' insistence that he would figure into the game plan this year, it's also clear Baltimore likes what his presence does to opposing defensive coordinators. Teams have to account for the possibility of Jackson appearing on the field in a variety of ways. And Ravens coach John Harbaugh hopes that if an opponent spends an extra hour studying Jackson in a given week, that means the team will be less prepared to defend Flacco.

It's difficult to judge how much that aspect of Jackson's presence benefits the Ravens. But Jackson hasn't been particularly effective through two games, so if Baltimore decides he's not bothering opposing coaches (or that his appearance in the first two weeks of the season has already given enough pause to defensive coordinators) the team might consider phasing Jackson out of the offense.

Overall, the Ravens have averaged 5.1 yards per play this season.

When Jackson is on the field with or in place of Flacco, that number dips to 3.4.

The Ravens have to ask themselves week in and week out whether the wrinkles in the playbook are worthwhile, and right now, the answer isn't clear.

Check out the blow-by-blow look at Jackson's snaps:

Against the Bills

1st quarter (10:36): First-and-5 at the Buffalo 15

Jackson's position: Enters as a quarterback (Flacco splits out wide)

Play action: Jackson fakes a handoff to Alex Collins and runs up the middle for no gain.

Play result: 0 yards

1st quarter (4:43): First-and-10 at the Buffalo 35

Jackson's position: Enters as a slot receiver to Flacco's right

Play action: Jackson comes in motion, moving right to left, and takes a pitch from Flacco on a sweep but then spins and sprints the other way back toward the right sideline. He throws an incompletion on the run to Willie Snead.

Play result: Incomplete pass (from Jackson)

1st quarter (1:44): First-and-goal at the Buffalo 8

Jackson's position: Enters as a receiver, split wide right

Play action: Jackson comes in motion and Flacco fakes a handoff to him. He then throws an incomplete pass to John Brown.

Play result: Incomplete pass (from Flacco)

2nd quarter (11:11): Second-and-10 at the Baltimore 30

Jackson's position: Enters as a slot receiver to Flacco's left

Play action: Jackson comes in motion and Flacco lets him pass through before handing off to Alex Collins, who runs off the right guard.

Play result: 5-yard gain

Total against the Bills: 4 snaps, 5 yards (1.2 yards per snap); 2 rushing attempts, 2 passes

Jackson's individual stats (not counting plays after Flacco left the game): 1 carry for zero yards; 0 of 1 passing

Against the Bengals

1st quarter (9:56): Second-and-8 at the Baltimore 31

Jackson's position: Enters as a receiver, split wide right

Play action: Jackson comes in motion, and Flacco fakes a handoff to him. Flacco then completes a pass across the middle to Michael Crabtree.

Play result: 16-yard pass completion (from Flacco)

1st quarter (9:03): Second-and-21 at the Baltimore 36

Jackson's position: Enters as quarterback

Play action: Jackson hands off to Alex Collins, who runs around the right tackle.

2nd quarter (11:15): Second-and-8 at the Baltimore 39

Jackson's position: Enters as a receiver, split wide right

Play action: Flacco tosses the ball to running back Javorius Allen, and Jackson tries to sweep around for a reserve, but the Bengals swarm Allen and bring him down first.

Play result: 7-yard loss

2nd quarter (9:19): First-and-10 at the Cincinnati 13

Jackson's position: Enters as quarterback

Play action: Jackson keeps the ball off of right tackle.

Play result: 5-yard gain

4th quarter (14:50): First-and-10 at the Baltimore 17

Jackson's position: Enters as slot receiver to Flacco's left

Play action: Jackson comes in motion, Flacco fakes a handoff to him and throws an incomplete pass to Nick Boyle.

Play result: Incomplete pass (from Flacco)

4th quarter (10:30): First-and-10 at the Cincinnati 17

Jackson's position: Enters as quarterback

Play action: Jackson keeps the ball off of right tackle.

Play result: 1-yard gain

Total against the Bengals: 6 snaps, 29 yards (4.83 yards per play); 4 rushing attempts, 2 passes

Jackson's individual stats: 2 carries for 6 yards; zero pass attempts

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