Last Season's Offensive Prowess
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. The Ravens' offensive efficiency was highlighted by their fourth-place ranking in FTN's DVOA, and they finished tied for eighth in Tru Media's version of EPA per play.
Lamar Jackson's Stellar Performance
Lamar Jackson 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. His performance was marked by an impressive completion rate of 67.2% of his passes, averaging 8.0 yards per attempt. Jackson threw for 24 touchdowns against just 7 interceptions, demonstrating his excellent decision-making. Additionally, Jackson rushed 148 times for 821 yards and 5 touchdowns, showcasing his dual-threat capability.
Increased Responsibility for Jackson
This season, 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. According to quarterbacks coach Tee Martin, expanding Jackson's role is a natural progression. Martin believes that giving Jackson more autonomy will enhance the Ravens' offensive dynamism.
Room for Improvement
The Ravens see room for improvement in drawing offsides penalties from opponents. Last season, the Ravens' offense only managed to induce an opponent offsides 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.
The Road to 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 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.
Quotes from the Team
"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.
"It's like that smart kid in the classroom, you can't allow them to get bored, right?" Martin said. "You have to constantly add things, tweaks and things of that nature and responsibilities," he added.
Martin also noted the effectiveness of varying the cadence, stating, "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 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."
Conclusion
The Baltimore Ravens are entrusting Lamar Jackson with more control over the offense, a move that could propel them to new heights. With Jackson's exceptional talent and the additional responsibilities he is taking on, the Ravens hope to secure their place as top contenders in the AFC and finally break through to the Super Bowl.