OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- On Sunday, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will be battling the deafening noise at U.S. Bank Stadium, a highly aggressive Minnesota Vikings defense and the memories of what many consider the worst game of his eight-year career.
It was on Nov. 11, 2021, when Jackson faced repeated all-out blitzes devised by then-Dolphins coach Brian Flores in a 22-10 loss in Miami, which remains tied for the fewest points in Jackson's 99 regular season starts. Now, when the Ravens play at the Vikings on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, Fox), Jackson can show how much he's improved against pressure when he lines up against a Flores' defense for the first time in four years.
"It definitely was a key game in the evolution of the offense, for sure," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "You have to be prepared for everything. Offensively, we have all the tools to do that. Lamar, he's been doing really well with that really for a long time now, but we're going to have to be on point."
Flores, who has gone from the Dolphins head coach (2019-2021) to becoming the defensive coordinator for the Vikings, didn't show any fear in going after Jackson in their last meeting. Jackson faced 24 defensive back blitzes from Miami, which are the most against any quarterback since 2015, according to ESPN Research.
Jackson finished 26-of-43 with 238 yards passing and one late touchdown pass to tight end Mark Andrews. But he only completed one pass for a first down against the 11 defensive back blitzes on third down.
"That was like way [back] in 2021," Jackson said this week. "We can't focus on that. We have to focus on everything, because we don't know. They might play a zone game. We just have to be prepared for everything."
Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum wasn't with the Ravens in 2021, but he remembers the impact of that loss to Miami in 2022 when he was a rookie.
"When I first got here, I think it was the year they ran the same pressure 40 times [in practice]," Linderbaum said. "And we spent that whole off season just trying to prepare for zero [blitz] answers. The first couple games [in 2022] we were really successful against it and we didn't see much of it."
Based on how Minnesota has played defensively this season, Jackson and the Ravens should be prepared for the Vikings to send five or more pass-rushers in passing situations.
Through eight games, the Vikings have blitzed on 40.6% of their defensive snaps, which is the second-highest rate in the NFL. Only the Atlanta Falcons have a higher blitz rate at 40.9%.
"[It's about] getting the ball out, our [offensive] line having great protection like they've been doing, and guys just getting open. That's all," Jackson said. "I just want to get a completion, stay on task [and] execute the down. That's pretty much how we just stay ahead of the sticks."
Jackson has become one of the league's best when it comes to succeeding against defensive pressure. Since the start of 2024, Jackson has the second-highest QBR (85.4) against the blitz, ranking only behind Jalen Hurts (84.5).
Over the last two seasons, Jackson has thrown 23 touchdowns and four interceptions against the blitz. His 1,969 yards passing against the blitz over that span ranks second in the NFL.
"Lamar has gotten better each and every year at seeing the game," Andrews said. "He sees the full picture of everything of what's going on and is able to get the ball out to the open guy, time after time, blitz after blitz. It's tough to blitz a guy like that because of how good he is with, obviously, his arm, but his feet, too."
The additional hurdle is the sellout crowd of 73,000 in Minneapolis. Before the ball is snapped, Jackson has to relay the plays to counter the Vikings' blitz when none of his teammates can hear him.
Harbaugh called U.S. Bank Stadium "one of the loudest placed you'd ever play."
"It's loud from the first play to the last play, and they have horns going off and everything else," Harbaugh said. "It's going to have to be a silent signal game on offense, for sure, and we're going to have to handle that pressure, because I think they use that to their advantage, to try to mess with your communication a little bit."
Harbaugh added, "We're going to have to be really intentional about that all week and do a great job with that. [We have to] make sure [we're], as much as we can be, on the same page, because if you're on the same page, and you do things right, you can hurt it, and you can get some big plays. We certainly have the weapons to do that, but you've got to get it done, too, and it's a challenge."