10 observations from Baltimore Ravens regular season finale

4. The Ravens should have let Jackson throw the ball on key 3rd down:

The Ravens had a third down in which they probably needed to pass the ball to convert. The alternative to getting the first down was setting Mayfield up with a potential game winning drive. The Ravens kept it on the ground, calling an option. Jackson tossed the ball at the last minute, which was risky. It cost the Ravens yards and it didn’t result in anything good. Lamar Jackson has proven to be a better passer than he gets credit for. The Ravens needed to allow him to put away the game with one throw.

The Ravens got lucky, that a bad call did not cost them the game. Going forward the Ravens could be in the same exact situation. It would be nice for Jackson to have proven that he could make the game securing throw in that situation. The Ravens are invested in Jackson as a quarterback and they should have faith in his throwing ability in that spot.

3. It’s not simply stacking the box that stops this offense:

The idea that teams can just stack the box to beat the Ravens is absolutely comical. The Browns really committed to stopping the run and Baltimore prevailed on the ground. A numbers advantage does not necessarily get the stops for any defense against the Ravens. It also opens up chances fro Jackson pass the football. The Ravens faced a lot of run stopping fronts from the Browns and they were still able to march onward.