Breaking Down Lamar Jackson’s Unreal 49-Yard TD pass to Rashod Bateman

The Ravens marched into Tampa Bay and took home a 41-31 victory. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson’s performance was pivotal, as he completed 17 of 22 passes for 281 yards and five touchdowns, marking one of the best outings of his career. But there was one moment from the game that stood out more than the rest.

His third touchdown pass of the day was a study in explosive arm power as threw a laser 49-yard TD to WR Rashod Bateman.

With just over seven minutes left on the clock. Jackson executed a play-action fake that drew the Buccaneers’ defense toward the line of scrimmage. As he rolled out to his right, he evaded pressure from Tampa Bay’s pass rush and threw the perfectly timed pass.

With Bateman streaking downfield, the ball traveled for approximately 58.3 yards in the air. Bateman caught the ball in stride, allowing him to jog into the end zone untouched. This play not only extended the Ravens’ lead to 27-10 but also exemplified Jackson’s ability to make deep throws.

Fans have been waiting for the chemistry between Jackson and Bateman to develop for over a year now. And it seems like it finally did with the explosive 49-yarder. Bateman recorded four receptions for a career-high 121 yards, averaging an impressive 30.73 yards per catch, along with one touchdown on four targets.

With Lamar’s impressive throwing performance in today’s game, fans were quick to jump to his defense against those who have criticized his passing game:

His performance has also cemented him for his third MVP, at least in the fans’ minds:

Surpassing the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Ben Roethlisberger, this performance put Jackson on top of the exclusive list of QBs with most games with 5 or more TDs in as many passes. This performance marks Jackson’s fourth career game in which he has thrown at least five passing touchdowns while completing five or fewer passes.