Baltimore Ravens: A Formidable Offensive Force
Last season, the Baltimore Ravens showcased one of the NFL's most formidable offenses. The team racked up the sixth-most yards and the fourth-most points in the league, emphasizing their status as an offensive powerhouse. Their efficiency was further highlighted by their fourth-place ranking in FTN's DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average).
The Ravens also achieved a commendable eighth-place tie in Tru Media's version of EPA (Expected Points Added) per play. The driving force behind this success was none other than Lamar Jackson, who had a standout season last year.
Lamar Jackson's Stellar Performance
Jackson, the Ravens' quarterback, earned the second MVP award of his career, a testament to his incredible performance on the field. In his 16 starts, Jackson led the Ravens to an impressive 13-3 record. He completed 67.2% of his passes, averaged 8.0 yards per attempt, and threw for 24 touchdowns against just seven interceptions.
Additionally, Jackson's dual-threat capability was evident as he rushed 148 times for 821 yards and five touchdowns. This combination of passing and rushing prowess made Jackson a constant threat to opposing defenses.
Expanding Jackson’s Role
Looking ahead, the Ravens are poised to place even more responsibility on Jackson’s shoulders. Jackson himself has expressed a desire to take on more duties, particularly in audibling at the line of scrimmage. Quarterbacks coach Tee Martin sees expanding Jackson's role as a natural progression, believing that giving Jackson more autonomy will enhance the Ravens' offensive dynamism.
Martin elaborated on this approach, stating, "From us watching film and getting into games, teams changing things up on us, we just want to add extra layers to all of our calls." This sentiment aligns with his belief in constantly challenging Jackson: "It's like that smart kid in the classroom, you can't allow them to get bored, right? You have to constantly add things, tweaks and things of that nature and responsibilities."
Improving Cadence and Drawing Offsides Penalties
One area where the Ravens see room for improvement is in drawing offsides penalties from opponents. Last season, the Ravens' offense managed to induce an opponent offsides only once. Martin aims to change that this season by having Jackson vary his cadence more often. This tactic is expected to keep defenses on their toes and potentially draw more offsides penalties.
Martin emphasized Jackson's proficiency in this aspect, saying, "Lamar is outstanding at it, whether we're going non-verbal on the road or whether we're going verbal at home. We have a lot of different ones that give us an advantage so that people don't know when we're snapping the ball and slowing them down a little bit."
Aiming for the Super Bowl
The Ravens hope to make the leap to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Their success hinges on Lamar Jackson’s ability to adapt and thrive with his expanded role. The combination of Jackson's individual talent and increased responsibility could indeed make the Ravens formidable in the coming seasons.
By tweaking their approach and giving Jackson more control, the Ravens position themselves as strong AFC contenders. They hope that with these strategic adjustments, they will finally break through to the Super Bowl.
The upcoming season will test the Ravens' mettle and Lamar Jackson's capability to elevate his game even further. If Jackson can successfully shoulder the increased responsibilities and the team can capitalize on these improvements, the Ravens could very well be on their way to NFL glory.