OWINGS MILLS, Md. — When you are preparing for one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the game, a guy who can slip out of pressure and sling it for a big play on the regular, it helps to see a guy all season long as good, if not better at escaping the rush.
To be able to practice all season against a quarterback like Lamar Jackson helps against a guy like Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.
"Mahomes, he makes his hay off of making a play out of no play. Just going against Lamar, we are really just used to it," said Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens.
The Ravens defense has been trying to stop Jackson since OTA’s in May. Safety Kyle Hamilton and cornerback Marlon Humphrey think that experience will come in handy during Sunday's AFC championship game against Kansas City and Mahomes.
"I think seeing that look in practice, getting to plaster their defensive backs when the quarterback gets out of the pocket and stuff like that, is really helpful for us and we are going to be able to apply it this week," said Hamilton.
"It’s good to see that. I would say the biggest difference is ain’t nobody going to touch Lamar in practice," said Humphrey. "We have gotten some pretty good looks at it with Lamar. But, obviously it will be a little different with live bullets."
When that time arrives the pressure will be at an all-time high for Humphrey and a lot of these Ravens who are playing in their first conference title game. That includes Jackson.
Count Odell Beckham Jr. as one who thinks the moment won’t be too big for his quarterback.
"I don’t feel like Lamar feels pressure. Certain people encounter certain moments in their lives where they are like in their flow state - like it’s their time - I feel it is 8's time," said the Ravens wide receiver. "You can just see it in his eyes. You can feel it in his aura, his energy."
They hope to see it on the field come Sunday.
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
