Ebony Bird
FanSided

Don’t play from behind against the Baltimore Ravens in 2019

By Chris Schisler

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 16: Cornerback Marlon Humphrey #29 of the Baltimore Ravens intercepts a pass in the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at M&T Bank Stadium on December 16, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 16: Cornerback Marlon Humphrey #29 of the Baltimore Ravens intercepts a pass in the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at M&T Bank Stadium on December 16, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images) /
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The Baltimore defense has seen some turnover, however it should be one of the strongest units in the league. That combined with a running game that won’t quit makes the Baltimore Ravens a team nobody wants to play from behind against:

The Baltimore Ravens need to get off to a fast start in their 2019 games because playing with a lead plays into their hands. Last year the formula started to be put in place. It was all about controlling the time of possession and playing great defense.

Yes, the Ravens added speed to the offense this offseason. The Ravens know they need more big plays from the offense but that doesn’t mean the overarching plan has changed at all. The Ravens are still going to run the football heavily. The offense is going to grow, adapt and evolve while keeping the core principle in place. Eat clock, score, defend and repeat.

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There are three things that makes playing from ahead so wonderful for the way this team is constructed. First, teams playing from behind typically have to ask their quarterback to drop back and throw the ball, repeatedly taking shots down the field.

Don Martindale’s whole approach can be summed up as pressuring quarterbacks and letting his secondary shut things down. This plays into Martindale’s comfort zone and that is where the creativity tends to sine through. It’s not like in the Dean Pees days where the defense would play conservative with the lead. Martindale is going to call a defense like a shark when it sees blood in the water.

Some teams get conservative on offense when they have a lead. The Ravens view running the football, not as a safer play call, but as what they do best. Running the ball and running the clock out with an aggressive mindset is going become a Ravens strength this upcoming season.

Lamar Jackson is a developing passer and an unbelievable runner. Even if Jackson has a good year as a passer (and I believe he will) the most worrisome thing for the defense is the mesh point on a running play.

What are teams who trail the Ravens by two scores going to do? They’re going to load the box and geek out on stopping the Ravens rushing attack. This is where Jackson’s improvements as a passer and his new offensive weaponry come into play. The second the defense takes the eighth man out of the tackle box, the Ravens go back to running it without mercy.

Next. 2019 Baltimore Ravens: 3 goals for Gus Edwards. dark

The old saying goes something like this “In the playoffs, pack your running game and your defense.” Well the Ravens aren’t going to wait until the playoffs to bring out these strengths of their attack. A strong running game and a good defense are things that have always helped teams win football games. The Ravens have a defense that should keep them in every game they play; and when they have a two score lead it will be hard for the other team to catch up.

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