Last season, the Baltimore Ravens showcased one of the NFL's most formidable offenses.
### Offensive Prowess
The team 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. Additionally, the Ravens finished tied for eighth in Tru Media's version of EPA per play, underscoring their consistency and effectiveness on the field.
### Lamar Jackson's Standout Season
Lamar Jackson had an exceptional season last year. Earning the second MVP award of his career, Jackson proved to be a crucial asset for the Ravens. In his 16 starts, he led the team to an impressive 13-3 record. Jackson completed 67.2% of his passes, averaged 8.0 yards per attempt, and threw for 24 touchdowns against just 7 interceptions. His rushing ability was also on display, as he ran 148 times for 821 yards and 5 touchdowns.
### Increasing Responsibilities for Jackson
The Ravens are poised to place even more responsibility on Jackson's shoulders this upcoming season. Jackson himself has expressed a desire to take on more duties, particularly in audibling at the line of scrimmage. This push for greater autonomy is seen as a natural progression by quarterbacks coach Tee Martin, who believes that expanding Jackson's role will enhance the Ravens' offensive dynamism.
According to Martin, "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."
### Varying Cadence to Induce Offsides Penalties
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. "It has been a tool in the past, and we're just going to continue to take it to the next level," Martin said. This tactic is expected to keep defenses on their toes, potentially drawing more offsides penalties, thereby providing the Ravens an edge.
Martin further elaborated, "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."
### Aspiring 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 Ravens hope to finally break through to the Super Bowl, with these strategic adjustments playing a crucial role in their quest for the championship.
### Final Thoughts
With Lamar Jackson at the helm and a focused strategy on both expanding his role and enhancing team dynamism, the Baltimore Ravens are setting themselves up for an exciting and potentially historic season. A calculated blend of individual excellence and team-wide adaptability may just be the recipe for success that propels them to the ultimate NFL glory.