Baltimore Ravens' Offense: Poised for a Breakthrough Season
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 further highlighted by their fourth-place ranking in FTN's DVOA and an eighth-place tie 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, Jackson's performance was nothing short of exceptional. In his 16 starts, he led the Ravens to an impressive 13-3 record, completing 67.2% of his passes and averaging 8.0 yards per attempt. Jackson threw for 24 touchdowns against just 7 interceptions. Additionally, he rushed 148 times for 821 yards and 5 touchdowns, showcasing his dual-threat capabilities.
The Ravens are poised to place even more responsibility on Jackson's shoulders this season. Jackson himself 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 seen as a natural progression. Martin believes that giving Jackson more autonomy will enhance the Ravens' offensive dynamism.
Strategic Adjustments: Varying Cadences
One specific area where the Ravens see room for improvement is 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.
"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 further elaborated, "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."
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."
Aiming for the Super Bowl
The Ravens hope to make the leap to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Their success largely 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 aim to build on their past successes and take the next step toward their Super Bowl aspirations. The offensive adjustments, coupled with Jackson's evolving role, could be the key to unlocking the team's full potential.
The Ravens' offense, with Jackson at the helm, promises to be one of the most exciting elements to watch this NFL season. Their journey to break through to the Super Bowl will undoubtedly be one of the most compelling storylines to follow.