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When you’re staring down Lamar Jackson on the schedule, there’s no such thing as “too much preparation.” The Detroit Lions know this all too well as they gear up for their Week 3 showdown with the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football. Their solution? Bring in someone who knows Jackson better than most — former Raven Malik Cunningham.
But the question is: can anyone truly prepare you for Lamar Jackson?
A Familiar Face in Practice
Detroit announced the signing of Malik Cunningham to their practice squad just days before the matchup. If the name sounds familiar, it should. Cunningham once shared a quarterback room with Jackson back at Louisville in 2017. Since then, he’s bounced around the NFL as both a quarterback and wide receiver, including a recent stint on the Ravens’ practice squad.
On paper, Cunningham feels like the perfect scout-team stand-in. Like Jackson, he’s shifty, fast, and dangerous with the ball in his hands. Coaches will ask him to mimic Jackson’s movements in practice to give the defense a taste of what’s coming.
The Problem With Copying Lamar
Here’s the catch: nobody is Lamar Jackson. Cunningham has speed, sure, but Jackson’s passing ability separates him from the rest. After an MVP-caliber 2024 where he racked up 5,000 total yards and 45 touchdowns, Jackson has already piled on more than 500 yards and seven scores in just two games this season.
And if the Lions need a reminder of how ugly this can get, they only need to rewind to 2023 when Jackson torched them for 357 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and one more on the ground in a 38–6 rout.
That’s the kind of game that scars a defense.
A Bold Move or a Futile One?
Bringing in Cunningham could provide an “inside edge.” He’s spent time inside the Ravens’ system, knows their tendencies, and can give defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard a few useful nuggets. But let’s be real: simulating Lamar Jackson in practice doesn’t mean you can stop Lamar Jackson in primetime.
This game has all the makings of a clash of titans — Baltimore’s No. 1-ranked offense against Detroit’s top-three scoring attack. The Lions are doing everything in their power to avoid another blowout. But against Lamar, sometimes all the preparation in the world still isn’t enough.
Final Whistle
The Lions deserve credit for trying. Signing Cunningham shows just how seriously they’re taking this matchup. But history says one thing: you don’t stop Lamar Jackson, you just hope to survive him.
Come Monday night, we’ll see if Detroit’s copycat strategy gives them a fighting chance — or just another long night chasing shadows.