Last season, the Baltimore Ravens showcased one of the NFL's most formidable offenses, a performance that has set high expectations for the upcoming season. The team racked up the sixth-most yards and the fourth-most points in the league, underscoring their offensive prowess. Furthermore, the Ravens' efficiency was highlighted by their fourth-place ranking in FTN's DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) and their eighth-place tie in Tru Media's version of EPA (Expected Points Added) per play.
Lamar Jackson's Standout Season
Central to the Ravens' success was the outstanding performance of quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jackson earned the second MVP award of his career, a testament to his exceptional abilities on the field. In his 16 starts, Jackson led the Ravens to an impressive 13-3 record. He completed 67.2% of his passes, averaged 8.0 yards per attempt, and threw for 24 touchdowns against just 7 interceptions.
But Jackson's talents are not confined to his passing game. He also rushed 148 times for 821 yards and scored 5 touchdowns, demonstrating his dual-threat capability. As the Ravens look to the future, they plan to place even more responsibility on Jackson’s shoulders.
Expansion of Jackson's Role
Jackson is eager 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. According to Martin, giving Jackson more autonomy will enhance the Ravens' offensive dynamism.
Martin believes this will allow Jackson to thrive even more by keeping defenses on their toes. "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. The Ravens see room for improvement in drawing offsides penalties from opponents—a tactic they only managed to induce once last season.
Tweaks for Offensive Improvement
Martin aims to change that this season by having Jackson vary his cadence more often. "It's like that smart kid in the classroom, you can't allow them to get bored, right?" Martin said. "You have to constantly add things, tweaks, and responsibilities." This tactic is expected to keep defenses guessing and potentially draw more offsides penalties. "It has been a tool in the past, and we're just going to continue to take it to the next level," Martin said.
Moreover, Martin praised Jackson's ability to adapt, whether going non-verbal on the road or verbal at home. "Lamar is outstanding at it, whether we're going non-verbal on the road or whether we're going verbal at home," Martin said. "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 and 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 offensive approach and granting Jackson more control, the Ravens position themselves as strong AFC contenders. The team’s potential to breakthrough to the Super Bowl has never looked more promising. As Martin aptly put it, "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."
Ultimately, the Ravens’ hopes are pinned on Jackson leading the charge. The strategy is clear: leverage Jackson’s natural talent and intelligence to elevate the entire offense. If all goes according to plan, the Ravens may soon find themselves not just in contention but dominating the league.