The Baltimore Ravens’ offense is still average at best

The Baltimore Ravens shut out the Packers 23-0 on a fantastic defensive performance but don’t be fooled, the offense is still average at best.

There’s life in the Charm City. The Baltimore Ravens are officially back in the playoff race with a 23-0 win over the Packers yesterday. The defense pitched their league-leading third shutout of the season, forcing five total turnovers on the day and they’re playing at a championship level. Unfortunately, we can’t say the say the same for the offense. Even after putting up 23 points, the Ravens offense is still average at best right now.

I’m not here to take away the joy of a win because I’ll take em how I can get em. If the Ravens are winning games like this the rest of the season, so be it, but I don’t think that’ll be the case. With six games left, the Ravens control their own destiny in the playoff race and can’t let the offense been the diminishing factor.

Yesterday was the matchup of bad offenses and the Packers just happened to be the worst unit of the two. Even then, the Ravens still were frustrating to watch. I’m just not sure where the aggressiveness that Marty Mornhinweg and Joe Flacco talked about over the bye week. To me, it felt like watching the same offense we’ve seen through the first 10 weeks of the season. They struggled to sustain drives and continued to settle for field goals when touchdowns were within reach. That’s great for a team with Brett Hundley but you can’t play like that against the better teams in the league and expect to win. This offense has to be better down the final stretch of the season.

Life without Ronnie Stanley sucks

Part of the reason for the offensive struggles yesterday came because of Ronnie Stanley’s absence. The left tackle missed Sunday’s game with a concussion and the offensive line struggled immensely. James Hurst moved out from guard to tackle and didn’t stand a chance. Nick Perry and Clay Matthews had their way with him in the first half and the Ravens had to send extra tight end help almost every play. It was a saving grace when Matthews was ruled out the second half with a groin injury. I don’t mind Hurst at guard, but my god please keep him away from the left tackle position.

Related Story: Baltimore Ravens Report Card from 23-0 win over Packers

Hopefully, Stanley’s injury is just a one-game ordeal because the Ravens need him back more than ever. Aside from Joe Flacco, Stanley is the second-most important offense asset on this team. When he’s not in, the entire offensive gameplan changes. A battered offensive line has to shift around even more and it affects everything that Marty Mornhinweg can call. You can see exactly why Ozzie Newsome spent such a high pick on a left tackle like Stanley coming out of the draft. Just ask the Dallas Cowboys how they’re doing without All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith.

Lack of capitalization is infuriating

There’s no reason the offense shouldn’t have put up 35 to 40 points, absolutely no reason. The defense gifted them with five turnovers and three in the first half. How many points did the Ravens score off the turnovers in the first half? Three. It’s infuriating to watch and the offense has to be better than that.

The offensive drive that was the most frustrating to watch come off the forced fumble by Terrell Suggs in the fourth quarter. The play set the Ravens up at the Packers 39-yard line and they ran a five-play, 24-yard drive to kick a field goal. Granted it made increased the lead to16-0 but it was still a two-possession game with about five minutes left to play. In that situation, the offense has to pile on the points and put the game out of reach. That’s where the aggressive philosophy should be applied. Take a shot at the end zone and even if you turn it over the Packers have bad field position against a defense that’s been playing lights out all day.

Next: Ravens dominate Packers: The good, bad and the ugly

The bottom line

When the Ravens force five turnovers, it shouldn’t still feel like a close game, but it did until Alex Collins scored a touchdown with just over two minutes left to play. Good teams finish out games with little doubt and the Ravens need to be one of those teams. This kind of performance may work against the backup quarterbacks the rest of the regular season but if the Ravens reach the playoffs, the offense has to step up or it’ll be a disappointing first-round exit for John Harbaugh and company.