[Baltimore Sun] What Tom Brady said about the Ravens, including his nickname for Lamar Jackson
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Tom Brady is back. You might have heard?
The seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback is now an analyst for Fox Sports, providing color commentary during “America’s Game of the Week” broadcasts on Sunday afternoons alongside play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt.
Sunday’s matchup between the Ravens and Dallas Cowboys was Brady’s third game in the booth after an up-and-down start to his new career. For fans who might have missed the game or just want to hear more from the former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers star, here’s a sample of what he had to say about Baltimore and quarterback Lamar Jackson during the Ravens’ thrilling 28-25 win in Arlington, Texas:
On the Ravens’ reputation
Before the game: “One thing they are, they’re still very physical. That will never change. That’s the hallmark of this organization. They need to tighten a few things up in their coverage schemes, get on the pass catchers a little bit tighter and challenge some of Dallas’ efficiency in the pass game.”
During the game: “You don’t think Ray Lewis and Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs are watching all these games? When you show up to that practice facility, there’s an aura. There’s an aura about this organization. You know they’re tough. You don’t have to worry about that with this club.”
After the game: “This game to me was all about Baltimore’s toughness. They’re a tough organization, they have a tough head coach, they have battle-tested guys. You’ve got to bring it for four quarters to beat a team like that.”
On Lamar Jackson
“I love Lamar. I’ve loved everything he’s done since he’s come into the league. He’s so productive. What I think he needs to do is continue to spread the wealth. He’s got a lot of other playmakers out there at all the skill positions. [Derrick] Henry’s a good back next to him, good tight ends, good receivers. Let’s get everyone involved. See everyone get some production, make it easier on Lamar.”
“He’s most dangerous and most efficient outside the pocket. If [the Cowboys] can keep him in the pocket, he’s still good, but just less dangerous there.”
On his nickname for Jackson
“He’s like superhuman. I call him ‘The Eraser.’ He just erases things that come up when you see bad football. That [broken play] would be a negative play for almost every other quarterback and he turns it into another rushing first down. It’s awesome.”
On Jackson facing the blitz
“Some of the things that have challenged the Ravens in critical situations, for example, is when the defense sends a lot of pressure. Kansas City did that last year in the AFC championship game. They did it early in the season this year. They said, ‘OK, Lamar, when you see this max blitz — and you’re the MVP of the league, and you’re phenomenal, but these are areas where we need you to improve a little bit. Now you’re gonna have more command at the line of scrimmage to make some protection checks and then cut the blitz. And that’s where I really see his evolution going to the next level.”
Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady raved about Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson during Sunday’s TV broadcast on Fox. (Julio Cortez/AP)
On the Ravens’ talent on offense
“It’s so hard to be aggressive on defense when you don’t know what you’re defending. Are you defending the run or are you defending the pass? Are you defending the scramble, are you defending Henry, Jackson, [Justice] Hill has made plays. [Isaiah] Likely, [Zay] Flowers, they’re throwing some slip screens out there. There’s a lot of weapons.”
On the Ravens’ offensive line
“Keep [running] left over [left tackle Ronnie] Stanley. There’s a little bit more continuity over there. The right side of the line is where they’ve struggled. Now of course they struggled against Chris Jones in the opening week, Maxx Crosby in the second week. So much of this game, when you’re 0-2 you’re thinking, ‘We’ve got go behind our best guys.’”
On Derrick Henry
“He is normally a downhill back, and so many of the offenses that he’s been around focus on his skill set. He comes to an offense that’s really focused on Lamar’s skill set. But he’s looked pretty good thus far.”
“In my view, toughness in the NFL is can you run the ball and can you stop the run. I think that permeates the entire locker room. This week for the Ravens, what you’re seeing with Derrick Henry, it’s just all these body blows downhill. The offensive line is resetting the line of scrimmage into Dallas’ defense.”
On safety Kyle Hamilton
“Another guy I’ve loved studying film this week of is Kyle Hamilton. I played against him [when he was a] rookie. How he’s emerged in this defense … when they get him down near the line of scrimmage, he’s got that elite burst. He’s such a presence down there. Yeah, he’s listed as a safety, but get him close to the line of scrimmage and he makes plays. That’s very rare to find.”
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On the Ravens’ defense
“There’s nothing more you love as a quarterback than easy soft zone throws. Keeps you in rhythm all day. The defenses that challenge you every single pass play, you don’t love playing against those every single weekend.”
“It’s such a prideful defense. You see being 0-2. … They take it to heart. They don’t want to be last in anything in Baltimore. Certainly not in physicality.”
On Dallas’ comeback attempt and the Ravens’ win
“When you’re in that moment, you just think, ‘How do I chip away, how do I chip away?’ And [the Cowboys] actually came alive on offense. One thing about this game, we said how can they find production outside of CeeDee Lamb, and a lot of guys from Dallas stepped up. It was just too much Baltimore offense. Derrick Henry went off, and Lamar did what he does. When those guys are doing their thing, man, it’s hard for any defense to slow down. There was a lot of defensive frustration for the Cowboys, and that’s kind of expected with the way Baltimore’s offense played today.”
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