Lamar Jackson is 28 days younger than Bengals rookie quarterback and No. 1-overall pick Joe Burrow, but in a whole different world when it comes to experience.
At 23 years old, Jackson has already won the NFL's MVP award, piled up numerous league records and stacked 22 wins.
Last Sunday against Jacksonville, Burrow got his first NFL win and league record, becoming the first rookie to throw for 300-plus yards in three straight games. He's not at Jackson's level yet, but he's off to a strong start.
"That's pretty remarkable, to say the least," Harbaugh said of Burrow's record. "He looks good. Obviously, he did it in college, he was the top pick in the draft. There are high expectations and he's fulfilling them."
Sunday's game at M&T Bank Stadium will be the first of what will likely be many AFC North quarterback battles between Jackson and Burrow. Harbaugh said that's obviously not at the forefront of the Ravens' mind right now, but admitted he is a little intrigued to see Burrow for the first time.
But the buzz around Cincinnati is that Burrow isn't the typical rookie. After Burrow's win over the Jags, Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor, said "he's not a rookie. It doesn't feel like he's a rookie and he doesn't act like a rookie."
The LSU signal-caller lit up college football last year, coming out of nowhere to capture the Heisman Trophy and lead the Tigers to the national championship. After transferring from Ohio State, Burrow won the starting job as a junior but had an up-and-down season. He exploded as a senior, throwing for 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns to just six interceptions. It was perhaps the most prolific season ever for a college quarterback.
Jackson wasn't able to go to the Heisman Trophy presentation for Burrow last Dec. 14. Jackson was in Baltimore, a couple days removed from a five-touchdown performance and breaking Michael Vick's single-season quarterback rushing record against the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football.
Jackson said he's never met Burrow and they don't really have any relationship yet even though they're both Heisman winners.
"I like his game," Jackson said. "Obviously he broke records for passing yards in consecutive weeks. That's dope. But I don't wish him success against us. I want to win."
The Ravens will try to make Burrow look like a rookie Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore is 17-2 all-time against rookie quarterbacks at home. Last year, the Ravens picked up wins against the Arizona Cardinals' Kyler Murray and Pittsburgh Steelers' Devlin Hodges. No other team has more home wins against first-year quarterbacks since 1996, when the Ravens were born.
Ravens rookie linebacker Patrick Queen played with Burrow at LSU and has a similar career arch as players who didn't become starters until late in their college careers, then turned first-round NFL draft picks and immediate starters.
"It was a crazy relationship between us," Queen said. "Word got out that things got heated sometimes. That's just the competitor in both of us. We're still good friends to this day. Joe's a great guy, great competitor. Day 1 when he came in, he went to work against all of us [on defense]. I'm looking forward to this rematch."
