Ebony Bird
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Why the Ravens run game can be next level good in 2018

By Chris Schisler

BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 07: Guard Marshal Yanda #73 of the Baltimore Ravens is introduced before the start of an NFL pre-season game against the San Francisco 49ers at M&T Bank Stadium on August 7, 2014 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 07: Guard Marshal Yanda #73 of the Baltimore Ravens is introduced before the start of an NFL pre-season game against the San Francisco 49ers at M&T Bank Stadium on August 7, 2014 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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The Baltimore Ravens had a good running game last season, despite their struggles through the air. The running game could be next level good in 2018:

The 2017 Baltimore Ravens offensive line did an admirable job, however it was certainly a make-shift unit. In 2018 the Ravens will have Marshal Yanda and Alex Lewis back, and this should make a significant impact. The strength of the Ravens team is actually the guard positions. Yanda, Lewis, James Hurst, Matt Skura and Nico Siragusa are all very capable players. This is good news for the running game.

Yanda is one of the best run blockers the NFL has ever seen and he’s also the leader of the team. Not having him for pretty much the entire season was a huge blow to the Ravens. Assuming Orlando Brown Jr. pans out the Ravens have two powerful offensive tackles with him and Ronnie Stanley.

The one area the Ravens have a chance to improve on the most is yards per carry. Alex Collins averaged 4.6 yards per carry while Buck Allen managed 3.9 yards per attempt. There were games where Collins was well over five yards a pop. With an even better offensive line, a four yard run can turn into a much bigger play than four yards. Getting Collins into the open field, is going to lead to some huge plays on the ground.

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Balanced talent means balanced looks:

Baltimore will also have an improved passing game because Joe Flacco has legitimate weapons. He may not have a Julio Jones or an Antonio Brown but he has real weapons that can step up and make plays. The addition of Yanda is also going to cut down on the beating that Flacco takes; it’s all connected when it comes to football.

The Ravens will also play a lot of two tight end sets. This will balance out the defense. If Hayden Hurst is on one side and Mark Andrews is on the other, the defense has to account for both players. If the Ravens put two tight ends on the same side, they can have a lot of fun with an unbalanced line. The Ravens can control the number advantages for their running game.

An improved passing game means more honest looks for the defense. It means less eight man boxes and less defensive backs waiting on the check downs. It means the defense can be kept guessing. That’s huge. If Joe Flacco can be more efficient (which he has no excuse not to be) the running game can have more room to work with.

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We already know the Ravens can run the ball. They finished 11th in rushing yards per game in 2017. The offense has more talent and we know Collins can be a star. When the purple and black find the perfect balance of Collins, Allen and Kenneth Dixon, their rushing attack will soar.

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