Instant analysis from Ravens’ 31-25 overtime win over Indianapolis Colts on ‘Monday Night Football’

Here’s what the Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 31-25 overtime win over the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night at M&T Bank Stadium:

Jonas Shaffer, reporter: If Lamar Jackson doesn’t have a megadeal signed by the time he returns to M&T Bank Stadium, something’s gone horribly wrong in the Ravens’ front office. Just kidding. Kind of. His performance Monday night was the kind that gets you a blank check. Even without the Ravens’ running game working, and with their defense struggling, Jackson was enough.

Childs Walker, reporter: Another dazzling finish, another night of brilliance for the Lamar Jackson time capsule, another set of questions about where the Ravens are headed in the big picture.

Everything pointed toward a commanding Ravens performance on Monday night. They came in hot, they were facing a team that had been stripped bare by injuries and they’ve always dominated under the prime-time lights with John Harbaugh as coach. But the Colts knocked them on their heels from the start, winning the war along the line of scrimmage and keeping the Baltimore defense on a string.

The Ravens did not cover well, and they did not tackle well. They could not move the ball on the ground. Jackson staged a desperate rally with his arm, relying on his favorite targets, Mark Andrews and Marquise Brown. He threw for more than 400 yards when the Ravens needed every one.

Jackson the passer has been his team’s greatest weapon all season, which is not something his critics expected. As great as he was, we can’t overlook a puzzling defensive performance that left us with serious questions about the Ravens’ ability to hold up against decent quarterbacks, much less Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers, who will visit M&T Bank Stadium in six days.

C.J. Doon, editor: What more can you say about this team? Lamar Jackson recorded 504 total yards, including a career-high 442 passing yards, as the Ravens handed the Colts their first loss when leading by 16 points in the fourth quarter since they left Baltimore for Indianapolis in 1984. Jackson buried the narrative that he can’t lead a comeback, and the Ravens are 4-1 after yet another wild win. It’s only Week 5, and we’ve already seen a season’s worth of memories. Next week’s home game against the surging Los Angeles Chargers and star quarterback Justin Herbert should bring plenty more.

Tim Schwartz, editor: Might as well call him Lamar “Magic” Jackson if he keeps pulling the rabbit out of his helmet like this. Yes, he fumbled at the 1-yard line. But is there a player you’d rather have right now with the game on the line? He’s no longer a home run threat with his just legs with Marquise “Hollywood” Brown turning into one of the league’s best deep threats. Tight end Mark Andrews is the ideal safety net in the middle. Imagine if Baltimore had a running back they could count on? This defense is having some serious issues, but Jackson masks it all. The Ravens are 4-1; they’d be 1-4 without him.