Last Season's Offensive Showcase
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. The Ravens' offensive efficiency was highlighted by their fourth-place ranking in FTN's DVOA and an eighth-place finish 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. In his 16 starts, Jackson led the Ravens to an impressive 13-3 record. His performance was marked by a 67.2% completion rate, averaging 8.0 yards per attempt. Jackson threw for 24 touchdowns against just 7 interceptions, and he showcased his dual-threat ability by rushing 148 times for 821 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Increased Responsibility for Jackson
The Ravens are poised to place even more responsibility on Jackson’s shoulders this season. Jackson himself is keen on taking on more duties, particularly in audibling at the line of scrimmage. Quarterbacks coach Tee Martin sees expanding Jackson's role as a natural progression, believing that giving Jackson more autonomy will enhance the Ravens' offensive dynamism. "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."
Room for Improvement
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. "We have a lot of different [cadences] that give us an advantage so that people don't know when we're snapping the ball and slowing them down a little bit," Martin said.
Super Bowl Aspirations
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. "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.
Conclusion
The Baltimore Ravens, led by the dynamic Lamar Jackson, are looking to build on their impressive offensive performance from last season. By giving Jackson more responsibilities at the line of scrimmage and improving tactical aspects like drawing offsides penalties, the Ravens aim to elevate their game even further. As they strive to break through to the Super Bowl, the team's success will largely depend on Jackson's ability to handle his expanded role. With their eyes set on the biggest prize, the Ravens are certainly a team to watch in the coming seasons.