The Indianapolis Colts will face one of the NFL’s most difficult assignments in Week 1, but Lamar Jackson comes into Sunday’s matchup with something to prove after an uncharacteristic 2025 season.
"Lamar Jackson struggled with injuries all year, and he rarely looked like himself," CBS Sports’ Zachary Pereles wrote.
Jackson appeared in 13 games and produced career-low results in areas that have traditionally made him so tricky to contain.
Pereles pointed out that Jackson posted the highest sack rate of his career in 2025. The two-time NFL MVP also averaged only 26.8 rushing yards per game — less than half his career average.
Jackson finished with 349 rushing yards on 67 attempts across 13 games. His reduced impact on the ground could give Indianapolis
an avenue to victory if the Colts can generate pressure and prevent him from escaping the pocket -- two big unknowns for this team.
Indianapolis also enters the matchup healthier defensively. DeForest Buckner, Sauce Gardner, and Charvarius Ward are all back after injuries affected the unit last season, a factor CBS Sports mentioned.
Regardless, expecting Jackson’s 2025 struggles to continue would be dangerous, as Baltimore has installed a new offense under coordinator Declan Doyle, and a healthy Jackson is ready to go.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts have opportunity vs. Lamar Jackson after uncharacteristic season
