'Different' Lamar Jackson, Ravens offense on display during road win over AFC North rival Bengals

CINCINNATI -- Joe Burrow hopped off the field, favoring the right leg and the calf that's been hampering him since the second day of training camp. A compromised Burrow would have been the most consequential development here Sunday-- with longer-term implications than even the final result -- except for what had happened on the opposite sideline.

There, Lamar Jackson had settled into his new offense as part of the Ravens' 27-24 victory on Sunday over the rival Bengals. Last week, in a sleep-walk of a victory over the Texans, the offense, and a new collection of receivers, looked, in the words of receiver Odell Beckham, Jr., like "an undercooked appetizer." This week, the offense was at full boil, with Jackson looking comfortable standing in the pocket and surveying the field, an injury-riddled offensive line offering ample time (zero sacks and just one quarterback hurry allowed) and Jackson completing passes to seven different pass catchers. The best of the throws was a perfectly lofted 17-yard beauty that dropped over Nelson Agholor's left shoulder – and a trailing defender – for a fourth-quarter touchdown. It was the kind of throw that should be shown on a loop the next time a question about Jackson's ability as a passer flares up.

"He's different," Agholor said on Sunday after the game, with a broad smile and wide eyes. "Like, he's different. I've always watched him extend plays and move around, but I've also watched him survey the field. I don't know many quarterbacks that can go through a full progression as quickly as he does."

Agholor is part of a revamped receivers room that has given Jackson the best array of tools he has ever played with. But, like many teams that did not play their starters in the preseason, the