The San Francisco 49ers managed to do something few teams the Baltimore Ravens have faced this season have done well, make quarterback Lamar Jackson look relatively human.
At least through the air, as the Niners held the likely 2019 NFL MVP to just 101 yards passing on a 14-of-23 mark with a touchdown. Jackson tossed five touchdowns in the Ravens' 45-6 beatdown of the Los Angeles Rams the week prior.
Ultimately, San Francisco lost in Baltimore 20-17 on a last-second field goal by Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, falling to 10-2 in the process. And while Jackson didn't exactly beat the 49ers thoroughly through the air, he was more than a menace on the ground, picking up 101 yards on 16 carries for an average of 6.3 yards per rush, plus a touchdown.
Considering Jackson was averaging 7.1 yards per rush entering the contest, perhaps that's a minor win for the Niners, too.
"He's a good decision maker," cornerback Richard Sherman told the media of Jackson after the game. "He knows his angles, he knows his leverage. He knows when to get down, and he knows when to stay up. He knows when to cut back. He knows when to bounce outside. He knows when to keep it.
"He doesn't take more than what the defense will give him. He doesn't waste time taking shots or looking down the field when it's not there. He'll check it down and take what the defense gives him."
As a whole, San Francisco struggled to contain Baltimore's run game, giving up a total of 178 yards on the ground. Yet the Niners were able to gash the Ravens defense on the ground, too, picking up 174 yards this way with an average of 6.0 yards per carry. Running back Raheem Mostert, who was an offensive star for the 49ers, managed 146 of those yards with a touchdown.
Still, Jackson's prowess was something the 49ers felt.
"It was cool, we played a good game," Sherman continued.
Peter Panacy has been writing about the 49ers since 2011 for outlets like Bleacher Report, Niner Noise, 49ers Webzone, and is occasionally heard as a guest on San Francisco's 95.7 FM The Game and the Niners' flagship station, KNBR 680. Feel free to follow him, or direct any inquiries to his Twitter account.
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