Lamar Jackson or Mark Andrews for the Ravens’ opener for the season

Huynh NguyenAugust 22, 2022
Lamar Jackson or Mark Andrews for the Ravens' opener for the season

The 2022 NFL season is fast approaching, with preseason already well underway for the Baltimore Ravens.

The organization will be looking to enjoy a better campaign than the one that they had last season, with the team ending up with an 8-9 record despite having been 7-3 at one stage of the year. Of course, we all know that the Ravens had suffered from a number of injuries from the start of the football season and right the way through, so there was an excuse per se for why the team failed to reach the playoffs.

However, there will be many that will feel that this year is another chance to challenge the Super Bowl, and with players like Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews set to be big stars again, fans in Maryland will certainly be interested in seeing what happens on the field.

Lamar Jackson or Mark Andrews: Who is going to be the biggest star in the season opener?

As mentioned, we are just weeks away from the start of the 2022 NFL regular season, with the Baltimore Ravens set to play the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, September 11 at 13:00 EST.

The Ravens have managed to keep their impressive consecutive win streak going throughout the preseason period, despite the fact that senior players including Jackson and Andrews were not involved on the gridiron for John Harbaugh’s side as he got to look at others on the depth chart, including quarterbacks Tyler Huntley, Anthony Brown, and Brett Hundley in their 23-10 win over the Tennessee Titans.

Whether the main men will have some involvement – as a full participants or just so they get some reps – in the remaining two preseason games against the Arizona Cardinals and the Washington Commanders, there is no doubt that they will be key men in the season opener against the Jets.

But, which player is going to be the biggest star on the day when they head to the MetLife Stadium?

Lamar Jackson

For many, the quarterback is likely to always be the star because they direct the traffic with their playmaking abilities. If they are able to pass the ball successfully, or even run the ball as well as possible, then the team will stand a better chance of winning compared to if they were having a poor day on the field.

Indeed, Jackson is a QB that offers the Ravens plenty in both departments, and this year could be even greater as he is a man on a mission to get paid. He enters the season in the final year of his rookie contract and without an agreement already on the table, the one-time NFL MVP could be looking to show everyone why he wants what he has allegedly demanded against the New York Jets.

Naturally, there will be many in Maryland that will be hoping for a big performance from their franchise QB, too, as they will want to see the team get off to a winning start, while also potentially taking advantage of the odds that have been made available to sports betting enthusiasts.

There are a number of available predictions from Caesars sportsbook Maryland that punters are able to consider if they are thinking about having a wager on the game when it takes place. As of writing, the Ravens are -240 and made heavy favorites to get the win on the Moneyline, as the Jets are +200.

Naturally, with Jackson playing well, fans would expect to be able to see their favorite team be able to achieve the win, but there might be others that may believe that another player could be the biggest star on the day…

Mark Andrews

For many, tight end Mark Andrews might be the man to watch in the upcoming game against the Jets, as he is the only player on the roster that is a proven pass catcher; especially since Maquis “Hollywood” Brown departed the franchise during a shock trade in the 2022 NFL Draft.

With this in mind, the tight end will likely be utilized by Jackson and the Ravens on a vast number of snaps played, while they look to get players including Rashod Bateman up to speed and in a position to be the No. 1 target when going through the air.

Andrews has plenty of sports experience and had a league-leading season last year after signing a new four-year contract worth $56 million which includes $37.6 million guaranteed. He led all tight ends in passing receptions as he recorded 107, while he also managed to achieve more receiving yards as he managed to record 1,361 on the season, thus highlighting his importance to the offense. In doing so, he also accomplished Ravens franchise records by achieving these statistics, too.

Perhaps more importantly, he also led the league in receiving touchdowns by any tight end, too, as he recorded nine in the 17 games that he played.

Therefore, we can see why so many believe Andrews could be the star player for the Ravens when they take on the Jets.

Final Thoughts

Clearly, there is no denying that both Jackson and Andrews are integral to the Ravens and their offense, therefore, it really would not be a surprise if both of them were to star in the season opener against the Jets when it takes place on September 11.

Jackson will need to play well in order to find Andrews when targeting him with the ball, as the tight end will not be able to be as productive as he would like if his leader is struggling in the pocket and at the line of scrimmage. Naturally, we should also expect to see Jackson come out like a man possessed and on a mission given the status of his future and the contract that he has been asking for to extend his time in Maryland.

Nonetheless, Baltimore Ravens fans will just want to see the whole team perform when they go to MetLife and begin the 2022 NFL season with a win.

Huynh NguyenAugust 22, 2022
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