Lamar Jackson and the Ravens jumped out to an early 7-0 lead during Sunday’s NFL game against the Lions, in large part because of offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley’s vicious pancake block. It was straight out of a scene from ‘The Blind Side’ movie.
Baltimore had the ball on 4th-and-1 at the Detroit six-yard-line.
One yard moved the chains. Six yards put six points on the board.
John Harbaugh elected to go for it. He sent the offense back out onto the field instead of nstead of kicking the field goal.
Jackson took the snap amid some pre-snap motion, faked the handoff on the play-action, and rolled to his left. Meanwhile, Stanley threw a hard punch to the crashing defensive end and shuffled out into the flat.
Jackson had no issue picking up the first down. And with Stanley out in front to pave the way, he was able to scamper into the end zone.
Only one Lions defender stood between Jackson and the touchdown. Safety Kerby Joseph closed in to make the tackle. He might have regretted his decision.
Ravens offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley was ready to bury him.
Stanley, who stands 6-foot-6, 315 pounds, was chugging full speed ahead. The big Ravens tackle got his hands on Joseph and drove him into the next dimension.
One of the best scenes in ‘The Blind Side’ is when Michael Oher drives a defender out of the field of play and over the fence. He was called for excessive blocking.
Ronnie Stanley did his best impression — minus the penalty — with Joseph on Sunday. He carried him out of the back of the end zone before emphatically finishing him into the ground.
Jackson had already begun to celebrate the score before Stanley had finished his block.
Goodness gracious. Stanley made a fictional movie scene into reality!
An offense can only succeed to the extent that its offensive line allows. Give the Big Uglies some love!