Baltimore Ravens: 3 stats they must improve on from last season
By Joe Schiller
The Baltimore Ravens must improve heading into the 2018 season. Here are three stats that have to change.
It’s been an unprecedented drought for the Baltimore Ravens. After reaching the postseason six of the first seven years under John Harbaugh, the purple and black have gone three straight seasons without an appearance. For one of the most successful NFL franchises over the course of the last 20 years, that’s uncommon.
We’re used to watching the Ravens have success in the regular season and be the team to avoid in the postseason. The same can’t be said in recent years. There’s noticeable tension in the air and the Ravens are looking to get back to postseason success in 2018.
The truth is, stats never lie and the Ravens have areas to improve on. Here are three that must be improved heading into the 2018 season.
3. Offensive third down percentage: 34.1%
If you watched the Ravens play last season, this statistic shouldn’t be surprising. The team had noticeable struggles converting third downs. It felt like whenever the offense needed eight yards they got seven and so forth. Defenses weren’t afraid to come up against the Ravens on third downs last season and this statistic shows exactly why.
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It’s hard to make a blanket statement but there are plenty of different factors that played into these struggles. Checkdowns were certainly one. Joe Flacco‘s checkdown tendencies hindered the offense. In third and long situations, the short throw to a receiver rarely benefitted the Ravens. The roster doesn’t possess a Le’Veon Bell-type player who can constantly make defenders miss for seven to eight-yard gains. And once defenses caught on to Flacco’s checkdowns, it was game over.
The Ravens averaged a league-worst 4.6 yards per play last season. When the offense is continually backed up in third and long situations, they’re going to have a tough time converting first downs. It also gives opposing defensive coordinators more wiggle room to get creative, forcing turnovers on the Ravens’ end.