Baltimore Ravens Seek to Elevate Offensive Dynamics
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. Their offensive efficiency was highlighted by their fourth-place ranking in FTN's DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average). Additionally, the Ravens finished tied for eighth in Tru Media's version of EPA (Expected Points Added) per play.
Lamar Jackson's Standout Performance
Leading the charge was Lamar Jackson, who had a standout season last year, earning the second MVP award of his career. 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 7 interceptions. Moreover, Jackson rushed 148 times for 821 yards and 5 touchdowns.
New Responsibilities for Jackson
The Ravens are poised to place even more responsibility on Jackson’s shoulders this season. Jackson has expressed a desire to take on more duties, particularly in audibling at the line of scrimmage. This sentiment is echoed by quarterbacks coach Tee Martin, who sees expanding Jackson's role as a natural progression. Martin believes that giving Jackson more autonomy will enhance the Ravens' offensive dynamism.
One specific 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 just once. Martin aims to change that by having Jackson vary his cadence more often, a tactic expected to keep defenses on their toes and potentially draw more offsides penalties.
Martin's Insights and Quotes
Martin has shared valuable insights into how the team plans to develop Jackson's role. "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," Jackson said, via ESPN. Martin elaborates, "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.”
Martin emphasized the importance of maintaining unpredictability in their offensive tactics. "It has been a tool in the past, and we're just going to continue to take it to the next level. Lamar is outstanding at it, whether we're going non-verbal on the road or 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,” Martin said.
The Road to the Super Bowl
The Ravens are hopeful that these adjustments will help them 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 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.
Ultimately, the Ravens hope to finally break through to the Super Bowl, and their strategy of leveraging Jackson's leadership and versatility could be the key to achieving that long-awaited goal.