Ravens' Offensive Prowess and Lamar Jackson's Increasing Role
Last season, the Baltimore Ravens showcased one of the NFL's most formidable offenses. Led by star quarterback Lamar Jackson, the team racked up the sixth-most yards and the fourth-most points in the league. The Ravens' offensive efficiency was also highlighted by their fourth-place ranking in FTN's DVOA and a tied eighth-place finish in Tru Media's version of EPA per play.
Jackson’s Individual Achievements
Individually, Lamar Jackson had a standout season, earning the second MVP award of his career. In his 16 starts, Jackson led the Ravens to an impressive 13-3 record. His passing prowess was evident as he completed 67.2% of his passes, averaging 8.0 yards per attempt. Jackson threw for 24 touchdowns against just 7 interceptions. Additionally, his dual-threat capability was on full display as he rushed 148 times for 821 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Expanding Jackson’s Responsibilities
Looking toward the future, the Ravens are poised to place even more responsibility on Jackson’s shoulders. Jackson himself expressed a desire to take on more duties, particularly in audibling at the line of scrimmage. "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.
Quarterbacks coach Tee Martin supports this move, seeing it as a natural progression. "It's like that smart kid in the classroom, you can't allow them to get bored, right?" Martin said. "He's like that. You have to constantly add things, tweaks and things of that nature and responsibilities." Martin believes that giving Jackson more autonomy will enhance the Ravens' offensive dynamism. "It has been a tool in the past, and we're just going to continue to take it to the next level," Martin said. "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."
Varying the Offensive Cadence
One 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, giving the Ravens additional free plays and better positioning.
Consistent Contenders
For most of Jackson's career, the Ravens have been one of the league's top teams, consistently ranking near the top in offensive performance. Despite this success, they have yet to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. With Jackson's continued development and increased control over the offense, the Ravens hope to make that leap. Allowing Jackson more freedom at the line of scrimmage and making the offense even more dynamic could be the key to reaching the NFL's pinnacle.
Conclusion
As the Ravens look to build on a successful offensive season, much of their future success will hinge on Lamar Jackson’s ability to adapt and thrive with his expanded role. The combination of his individual talent and the increased responsibility could make the Baltimore Ravens an even more formidable opponent in the coming seasons. By tweaking their approach and giving Jackson more control, the Ravens are positioning themselves as strong contenders in the AFC, with hopes of finally breaking through to the Super Bowl.