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. Moreover, the Ravens finished tied for eighth in Tru Media's version of EPA per play.
Lamar Jackson’s Standout Season
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 stellar, completing 67.2% of his passes and averaging 8.0 yards per attempt. Jackson threw for 24 touchdowns against just 7 interceptions. Additionally, he demonstrated his dual-threat capability by rushing 148 times for 821 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Expanding Jackson’s Role
The Ravens are poised to place even more responsibility on Jackson’s shoulders this season. 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. Martin believes that giving Jackson more autonomy will enhance the Ravens' offensive dynamism.
Improving Offensive Dynamics
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.
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 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. The team hopes to finally break through to the Super Bowl.
Quotes from the Experts
Jackson is clear about the intention behind these changes, stating via ESPN, "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." Martin elaborates on Jackson's evolving role, "It's like that smart kid in the classroom, you can't allow them to get bored, right?" He continues, "You have to constantly add things, tweaks and things of that nature and responsibilities."
Martin also highlights the effectiveness of Jackson’s communication at the line, "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."
In summary, the Ravens are gearing up for a potentially historic season, with Lamar Jackson at the forefront. By continuing to refine their offensive strategies and placing more trust in Jackson's abilities, the Ravens hope to cement themselves as a powerhouse in the NFL and make a serious run for the Super Bowl.