Why isn't Lamar Jackson running more? Explaining Ravens star QB's lack of rushing production

After the Ravens slogged their way through a 23-16 win over the lowly Browns, there were two different perspectives on Baltimore's fourth consecutive win. One was that, after a 1-5 start, the Ravens are back to .500 and in the thick of the playoff race with everything to play for still ahead -- an honorable achievement, considering just how poorly the season started.

The other was why does the Ravens' offense still look like ... this? Baltimore managed just 23 points, and Lamar Jackson threw for just 193 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions.

He also took five sacks and ran just four times for 10 yards with two of those rushes being end-of-game kneel-downs. Jackson's two non-kneel rushes were tied for his second-fewest in his career as a starter, and his 10 total rushing yards were his fewest this season.

It wasn't all doom and gloom for Baltimore's offense. Derrick Henry ran for 103 yards, and Baltimore ran for 184 as a team. Cleveland's defense, it should be noted, is no pushover. But this game continued a troublesome trend. Jackson doesn't look himself, either through the air or on the ground.

Jackson has thrown for just 527 yards since returning from his hamstring injury, his fewest in a three-start span within a season since 2022. His 60 rushing yards since returning from injury are his fewest in a three-start span in his entire NFL career.

"I was happy with some of the runs yesterday," John Harbaugh said Monday. "He got out of the pocket a few times when we really needed him to and got us some yards and saved us a couple of times. ... I give him a lot of credit; he was under duress a few times where, in that kind of a game, he made some decisions, too, to protect the football, which was big.

"So, I thought he played a really smart game that way. We had some quarterback runs called; they took away the quarterback a number of times. They're not always going to let him run either, so it's week to week. Next thing you know, Lamar will break out and run for 100 yards. I'm sure defenses have to consider that as a possibility, and that's a good thing for us."

Jackson has developed into a tremendous passer, but his running ability is often what takes the offense from good to elite. That just hasn't been present this season.

In the six games that Jackson has started and completed, the Ravens are averaging 333.7 yards, which would be 14th in the NFL, and, crucially, are scoring a touchdown on just 52.2% of their drives in the red zone, which would be tied with the Jets for 23rd in the NFL. Last year, Baltimore was first in yards per game and third in red-zone-touchdown percentage.

Jackson's running have been one of the biggest missing pieces.

The numbers

Even before Jackson's injury, he wasn't rushing as often or as well as he had previously.

Jackson is 28 years old, but the idea that his rushing ability would just fall off a cliff cannot be chalked up to simple age.

Jackson's longest carry this season is 19 yards. He had eight carries longer than that just last season.

The injuries

Jackson's health has played a major role in his productivity. He missed three-plus games due to his hamstring strain, a notoriously tricky injury for anyone, much less a quarterback whose acceleration, speed and change of direction is second to none.

Jackson's injury was especially difficult. After the Ravens' 17-3 Week 6 loss to the Rams, Harbaugh was asked if Jackson would "for sure" be back after the upcoming bye week.

"I mean for sure? I'm saying so, but I don't know," Harbaugh responded. "That's how life is sometimes. You can't predict everything. It's still the future, but that's the hope."

Nearly two weeks later, the Friday before their Week 8 game against the Bears, the Ravens initially listed Jackson as a full participant in practice. Then they downgraded him to a "limited participant" and ruled him out, drawing ire from the NFL and, later, a $100,000 fine.

Jackson eventually returned for Week 9 against the Dolphins, a game that Baltimore won. Jackson ran five times for 14 yards, showing some rust but also burst on a 13-yard scramble.

Jackson, it should be noted, also missed a practice last week with a knee injury. He has been beaten up this season, and that has certainly played a role.

The surroundings

Scroll up to the first chart and you'll see key numbers on the final two lines that are limiting Jackson's success: He is struggling to even get going as a runner, much less rip off the big ones. His 1.9 yards per rush before contact are his fewest by more than half a yard. In fact, he is averaging 3.9 yards per rush after first contact, which would be a career best, showing he's not completely washed up as a runner.

Meanwhile, he is facing eight-man (loaded) boxes on 25.6% of his runs -- by far his highest rate as a starter. That figure had never been over 21.6% previously. Teams are really loading up to stop Jackson as a runner this season.

A pair of issues impacting this: First, Henry has not been as effective as in years past. His 4.9 yards per carry is an entire yard down from what it was last year. Henry, like Jackson, is facing a ton of loaded boxes; Henry's also slipped from 1.8 rushing yards over expected per attempt to 0.8, which is still a good number but not historically great like last year.

Second, the offensive line has taken a significant step back. Baltimore ranks 26th in pass blocking (which includes scrambles) and 10th in run blocking, according to Pro Football Focus. It was second and first in this respective categories last year. Jackson has been pressured on 43% of his dropbacks and sacked on 12% of his dropbacks, which are both career highs.

Jackson's own play

Jackson hasn't been good at managing pressure either. Baltimore's offensive line has regressed, but it's not one that should minimize Jackson to this extent. The issue has been Jackson.

Distinguishing who is at fault for a pressure can be difficult -- was it poor blocking, poor work by the wide receivers, poor scheme or poor quarterback play? -- but Pro Football Focus tries to do just that. This season, Jackson has had at least some responsibility in 30% of the pressures that he's faced -- the second-highest rate in the league, only behind rookie Jaxson Dart. Last season, Jackson's number was 19%.

Furthermore, when he does get pressured, he isn't escaping it like he has previously. Jackson is taking a sack 26% of the time that he is pressured, by far a career high -- and, in fact, the second-highest rate in the NFL, only ahead of another rookie, Cameron Ward.

For comparison's sake, Jackson took a pressure on just 11% of his pressured dropbacks last year. His inability to escape pressure situations is a big reason why his running numbers are down.

Jackson is "playing scared and hesitant," CBS Sports analyst and former NFL running back Damien Harris said after watching the Cleveland game.

"When I talk about him playing timid, he wasn't climbing the pocket today," Harris said. "He wasn't extending plays with his legs and letting his receivers uncover. We were sitting there asking each other 'Why?' There were lanes. There were opportunities for him to tuck and run. Is he still worried about the hamstring? Are there other things going on?

"I don't want to use this opportunity to bash Lamar. I just genuinely want to know what's going on."

As it turns out, it's been a combination of factors.

At some points, it looks like Jackson is trying to do too much while not actually doing enough to mitigate negative plays. Harbaugh's idea that Jackson could rush for 100 yards next game might prove prophetic. It might just be wishful thinking.

Either way, Baltimore and Jackson must find ways to get going again on the ground.

At 5-5, the Ravens need every advantage that they can get.