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, solidifying their offensive prowess. Their efficiency was further highlighted by their fourth-place ranking in FTN's DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average), and they finished tied for eighth in Tru Media's version of EPA (Expected Points Added) per play.
Lamar Jackson's Stellar Season
Central to the Ravens' offensive success was quarterback Lamar Jackson, who had a standout season last year. Jackson earned the second MVP award of his career, a testament to his exceptional performance on the field. In his 16 starts, Jackson led the Ravens to an impressive 13-3 record. His passing stats were notable, completing 67.2% of his throws, averaging 8.0 yards per attempt, and throwing for 24 touchdowns against just 7 interceptions. Additionally, Jackson's dual-threat capability was on full display as he rushed 148 times for 821 yards and scored 5 rushing touchdowns.
Increased Responsibility for Jackson
As the new season approaches, the Ravens are poised to place even more responsibility on Jackson’s shoulders. Jackson has expressed a desire to take on more duties, particularly in making audibles at the line of scrimmage. This move is seen as a natural progression by quarterbacks coach Tee Martin, who believes that giving Jackson more autonomy will enhance the Ravens' offensive dynamism.
"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.
Varying the Cadence
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.
"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 things of that nature and responsibilities."
The idea is to continually evolve the play-calling and make it more complex, thereby keeping the opposition guessing. "It has been a tool in the past, and we're just going to continue to take it to the next level," Martin added. "Lamar is outstanding at it, whether we're going non-verbal on the road or whether we're going verbal at home."
Super Bowl Aspirations
With these strategic adjustments, the Ravens hope to make the leap to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Their success this season 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 a formidable force in the coming seasons.
By tweaking their approach and giving Jackson more control, the Ravens position themselves as strong AFC contenders. The goal is clear: to finally break through to the Super Bowl and translate their regular-season success into postseason glory.
"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 concluded. This nuanced approach may well be the key to unlocking the Ravens' full potential and achieving their ultimate goal.