TAMPA, Fla. – Lamar Jackson, in line for his third NFL Most Valuable Player award, is now apparently a triple threat.

In addition to throwing five touchdown passes and rushing for 52 yards on Monday night, Jackson showed off his newest skill – blocking leads for Derrick Henry in the Baltimore Ravens’ 41-31 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With the Ravens ahead by 16 points (34-18) in the fourth quarter, Jackson saw Henry change direction and run upfield to push All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. out of the way and to achieve a lead of 39 yards.

“Lamar is the ultimate competitor,” Ravens tight end Mark Andrews said. “He puts everything on the line every game. (He is) just great and the best. He’s the MVP.”

For the first time this season, Jackson has catapulted himself into the betting favorite for NFL Most Valuable Player, according to ESPN BET. Jackson’s odds are now +275, putting him ahead of Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes (+475).

The 27-year-old Jackson would become the youngest three-time NFL MVP. He previously won in 2019 and last season.

But Jackson, the only two-time MVP not to reach a Super Bowl, had no interest in discussing his individual accomplishments after the game.

“I’m on the hunt for something right now,” Jackson said. “So for me every game will be the same. I try to win every game.”

Jackson took control of the game again and led the Ravens (5-2) to their fifth straight win. Trailing 10-0 in the first quarter, Jackson led Baltimore with six consecutive scoring drives, resulting in 34 unanswered points. During that run, Jackson threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rashod Bateman and then connected with Andrews for a 4-yard touchdown on fourth down.

By helping the Ravens score 27 or more points for the fifth straight game – the longest current streak in the NFL – Jackson continues to put himself in a different class. This was his third career game with five touchdown passes and at least 50 yards rushing. No other player in NFL history has played more than one game like this.

“It’s almost scary to see him get better at this point,” Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said. “He is simply unique. If I had to equate him to anyone when it comes to basketball, he would be like LeBron out there.”

While he has always been dangerous as a runner, Jackson continues to make progress in the passing game. He finished 17 of 22 for 281 yards and five touchdowns. According to ESPN Research, this was his fifth career game with as many or more touchdown passes as incompletions.

Through seven games, Jackson ranked fifth in passing yards (1,810), second in touchdown passes (15) and second in yards per attempt (9.1).

“He’s the best in the league,” Ravens defensive tackle Namdi Madubuike said. “If people don’t believe that, they won’t watch football. They just hate.”

Jackson doesn’t think he plays any differently in prime-time games, but he has raised his level of play in front of the national television audience. He now has 20 touchdown passes and no interceptions on Monday Night Football, which marks the longest streak of touchdown passes without an interception ever on Monday Night Football.

“He will certainly go down in Monday Night Football history,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said, “and he still has a lot to do.”