OTL: Jackson and Jones Meet as AFC Foes for the First Time

Two Shocking 2025 Performances

Daniel Jones and Lamar Jackson both enter 2026 following injury-plagued seasons a year ago. Jones saw a career resurgence before an Achilles tear derailed his 2025 campaign. Before the injury, the eighth-year quarterback was on pace for a career-high in passing yards and touchdowns, while also setting career-bests in yards per attempt (8.1) and completion percentage (68.0). Entering Week 8, Jones was 6th in MVP odds at +1500. He was pushing the ball downfield, protecting the ball well, and looked like a completely different quarterback we became used to with the Giants.

Jackson, however, never quite found himself in those MVP discussions. An early-season hamstring injury – followed by an abundance of others – slowed the 2x MVP down pretty early. The Ravens offense just never got in a groove after his Week 4 injury, looking like a mess on the offensive line and the passing game.

Jackson faced some serious pressure from opposing defenses, finishing 1st in blitz rate faced (37.9), as everyone witnessed “Action Jackson” become mortal.

Jackson’s Keys to Success

It’s crazy to think I’ve been following Jackson for over 10 years now, and 2026 might be the most excited I am for a season of his. It’s a fresh start as a whole for the 2x MVP, who will take the field Sunday for his first NFL game without John Harbaugh. Jesse Minter and new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle have spoken highly of their franchise quarterback, who’s been around the building throughout the offseason.

With a new coach and new system, where can Jackson find success in the early parts of the season?

Communication w/Offensive Line

Not only will Jackson experience a new coaching staff, but he’ll do so with a new center in Jovaughn Gwyn, who was announced as the starter on Monday. Communication between Jackson and his offensive line will be something worth watching. There are no expectations for this offense to come out and drop 50 points right off the bat, but you hope to see an offense that’s on the same page. Doyle’s system implements a lot of under center work, something Jackson hasn’t experienced much since youth football (though when under center, his numbers in the NFL are phenomenal). If the communication and connection aren’t jelling between Jackson and the line, Sunday could bring some headaches.

Win the Red Zone

During the 2024 regular season, the Baltimore Ravens finished with the league’s highest red zone touchdown percentage (73.9%), according to Team Rankings. In 2025, they witnessed a drastic decline, finishing with the 27th-best red zone offense at 47.4%. It’s an aspect of the offense that allowed them to dominate in 2024 under Todd Monken, and now, under Doyle and a revamped offensive line, all signs point to a return to that production. The question marks surrounding the Ravens kicking game are obvious, so avoiding those potentially worrisome situations is key to getting off to a 1-0 start to the season.

Jones’ Keys to Success

Jones returns to the field for the first time since his Achilles tear in December. It’s a remarkable return for Jones, who has continued to defeat the odds these last few seasons. After a rocky tenure with the Giants, the former 6th overall pick won the starting job in Indianapolis in 2025 and witnessed a resurgence in his career that not many expected. Jones is looking to repeat his production from last year, but with Michael Pittman Jr. now in Pittsburgh and Alec Pierce returning from ankle surgery, I wouldn’t expect the veteran to come out slinging early. The Colts can spoil the start of the Minter era, and they can even do it without leaning on Jones right away.

Lean on Jonathan Taylor

Jonathan Taylor is coming off his second-straight 1,400+ rushing-yard season, racking up 1,585 yards, 20 total touchdowns, and a career-high 68 missed tackles forced. The seventh-year back is going to be a key piece of the Colts offense early in the season, while his teammates work themselves back to game speed. Taylor’s backup is 7th-round pick Seth McGowan, who was selected in this past April’s draft and finished with just 65 yards in the preseason. Jones didn’t take a single snap during the preseason and will have Trey Hendrickson coming in hot off the first snap. Utilizing the talents and freshness of Taylor will allow the Colts to get Jones in manageable situations. Taylor had just three games with 25 or more carries last year. With an expectation for Jones to come out with some rust, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Taylor carry the ball 30+ times on Sunday.

Utilize Quick Passing Game

The focus for the Ravens defense has to be their pass rush, and signing a guy like Hendrickson, you’d have to imagine the front office expects production early. Baltimore will look to get after Jones from the jump, so using weapons like Josh Downs and Tyler Warren will be important for the Colts’ passing game. The Colts offensive line struggled with pressure in 2025, as Jones finished 7th in the NFL in pressure rate (37.8), but also finished with the 4th-highest blitz rate faced (34.0%). Warren will be the main focus in the quick passing game. Jones and Warren combined for 699 yards and 4 TDs in 13 games last season, and the 2025 first-round pick is looking to build on that during his sophomore campaign. There’s a lot of hype and excitement surrounding Baltimore’s defense entering Week 1, but Jones will have the chance to spoil that excitement in just a few days.

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Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2026/09/10/out-to-lunch/otl-jackson-and-jones-meet-as-afc-foes-for-the-first-time/