Last season, the Baltimore Ravens showcased one of the NFL's most formidable offenses, impressively racking up the sixth-most yards and the fourth-most points in the league. This offensive prowess was further highlighted by their fourth-place ranking in FTN's DVOA and their tied-for-eighth ranking in Tru Media's version of EPA per play. Leading this high-powered offense was Lamar Jackson, who had a standout season, earning the second MVP award of his career.
A Stellar Season for Lamar Jackson
In his 16 starts, Jackson led the Ravens to an impressive 13-3 record. His accuracy was on display as he completed 67.2% of his passes while averaging 8.0 yards per attempt. Jackson threw for 24 touchdowns against just 7 interceptions, showcasing his ability to make smart decisions with the football. Additionally, Jackson's dual-threat capability was evident as he rushed 148 times for 821 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Increased Responsibility for Jackson
Heading into the new season, the Ravens are poised to place even more responsibility on Jackson’s shoulders. The quarterback himself has expressed a desire to take on more duties, particularly in audibling at the line of scrimmage. This sentiment is echoed by quarterbacks coach Tee Martin, who sees expanding Jackson's role as a natural progression.
"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.
Martin believes 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."
Improving Cadence and Drawing Offsides Penalties
One specific area where the Ravens see room for improvement is in drawing offsides penalties from opponents. Last season, the Ravens' offense managed to induce an opponent offsides only once. To address this, Martin aims to have Jackson vary his cadence more often this season.
"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."
The Super Bowl Aspirations
As the Ravens refine their approach and give Jackson more control, they position themselves as strong AFC contenders with hopes of finally breaking through to the Super Bowl. Their success hinges on 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 hope to make the leap to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, relying heavily on the synergy between Jackson's talents and the strategic adjustments from the coaching staff. This season will be a critical test of Jackson’s growth and the Ravens' ability to capitalize on it.