The Baltimore Ravens' Offensive Success Last Season
Last season, the Baltimore Ravens showcased one of the NFL's most formidable offenses. They racked up the sixth-most yards and the fourth-most points in the league. This offensive efficiency was highlighted by their fourth-place ranking in FTN's DVOA and a tie for eighth place in Tru Media's version of EPA per play.
Lamar Jackson’s Standout 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 passing was notably efficient, with Jackson completing 67.2% of his throws and averaging 8.0 yards per attempt. He threw for 24 touchdowns against just 7 interceptions. Furthermore, Jackson's dual-threat capability was on full display as he rushed 148 times for 821 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Expanding Jackson's Role
As the new season approaches, 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. This move is seen as a natural progression by Quarterbacks Coach Tee Martin, who believes that giving Jackson more autonomy will enhance the Ravens' offensive dynamism.
Martin sees room for improvement in drawing offsides penalties from opponents. Last season, the Ravens' offense only managed to induce an opponent offsides once. Martin intends 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.
Quotes from the Ravens' Camp
"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 also emphasized the importance of keeping Jackson engaged: "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 said.
He continued, "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."
The Path to the Super Bowl
The Ravens hope to make the leap to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Their success will hinge on Lamar Jackson’s ability to adapt and thrive with his expanded role. Combining Jackson's individual talent with the increased responsibility could make the Ravens a formidable opponent in the coming seasons.
By tweaking their approach and giving Jackson more control, the Ravens position themselves as strong AFC contenders. With aspirations to finally break through and reach the Super Bowl, the team has laid a strong foundation for success. All eyes will be on Jackson and the Ravens as they begin their quest for championship glory.