Last Season's Triumphs
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. Their 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.
Lamar Jackson's Standout Season
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. Jackson completed 67.2% of his passes, averaged 8.0 yards per attempt, and threw for 24 touchdowns against just 7 interceptions. Not only was Jackson effective in the air, but he also showcased his dual-threat capability by rushing 148 times for 821 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Increased Responsibilities for Jackson
The Ravens are poised to place even more responsibility on Jackson’s shoulders in the upcoming season. 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, believing that giving Jackson more autonomy will enhance the Ravens' offensive dynamism.
Room for Improvement
Despite their offensive prowess, the Ravens see room for improvement in drawing offsides penalties from opponents. Last season, their offense managed to induce an opponent offsides just 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.
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, hoping to finally break through to the Super Bowl.
Quotes from Key Figures
"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.
"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."
"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," Martin noted. "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."
Conclusion
The Ravens are gearing up for a promising season with Lamar Jackson at the helm. With a fine-tuned offensive strategy, increased responsibilities for their star quarterback, and a focus on exploiting every edge, the Ravens are set to compete at the highest level. If Jackson can embrace his expanded role and the team can effectively implement their tactical adjustments, Baltimore could very well be on their way to the Super Bowl.