Lamar Jackson doesn't want to run 16 times every game like he did Thursday night in Kansas City, but if he has to lower the boom on somebody, he will.
Jackson shrugged off questions Wednesday about taking too much physical punishment in the season opener. Asked if running 16 times isn't sustainable, Jackson said "I don't know. I'm not trying to find out."
"We've got Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, those guys," Jackson said. "But I'm going to do whatever it takes to win. That type of game, sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do."
Despite reports that Jackson was too sore for Monday's bonus practice, he said he was "good" and just took a day off. He returned to the field Wednesday looking like his usual self.
"I felt great. I'm not going to lie to you," Jackson said. "At the end of the day, I'm a grown man too, just like those guys. I feel pretty good. I came out of the game pretty good. We're going to keep it going."
Jackson's 16 runs against the Chiefs were the most he's had in a game since 2021. Known for his deftness at avoiding big hits, Jackson took some shots in Kansas City.
He took a hit as he dove near the goal line on the Ravens' opening drive, then lowered his shoulder to knock Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson to the ground as he went out of bounds on a 7-yard run on third-and-10.
Jackson said that was just a case in showing his "competitive spirit."
"I'm just playing football," Jackson said. "I think I've got hit like that before going down the sideline and about to step out and somebody hit me. I'd rather hit you than you hit me."
The outside concern about Jackson taking too many hits is amplified by his lower weight. Jackson said he didn't know how much he weighs exactly now ("200-something"), and he liked how he felt during his first game being more trim.
Jackson averaged 7.6 yards per run on Thursday. His 122 rushing yards against the Chiefs were the most he's had in a game since the COVID 2020 season. Since becoming the Ravens' full-time starter, Jackson averaged a career-low 5.5 yards per carry last season.
Jackson said he wanted to improve on everything this offseason, and becoming a more dynamic runner was part of the plan. His ESPY-winning "best play" in last year's AFC Championship when he was tripped up from behind after catching his own pass contributed to his decision to drop weight.
While Head Coach John Harbaugh said Monday that the Ravens didn't bring Derrick Henry to Baltimore with the plan to give him 30+ carries per game, the weekly plan also isn't for Jackson to tote the ball more than Henry (13 carries).
The Ravens want to keep Henry fresh for the long-haul and want the same for Jackson. But when it comes to trying to win a game, they'll do what they have to do. This time in Kansas City, they just came up a toe short.
"I'm comfortable with a physical football team across the board – whatever it takes in a given situation to try to find a way to make a play and win the game," Harbaugh said when asked about Jackson's physicality.
"We don't live in that world of fine lines. We live in the world of competing, going out there and doing the best you can. There's no lines being drawn. The only lines that we have are the lines on the field – the sidelines, the goal line, the back end line. That was a big line that was really important in this game. Those other fine lines you're talking about, I'm not even aware of those."
