Take-home points from first quarter of 2019 Baltimore Ravens
By Darin McCann
Lamar Jackson and the offense:
• Lamar Jackson has improved his passing from last season to this, and that is not up for debate. Are there still some rough edges to his game? Yeah. He’s in his second season — his first as a full-time starter. And he came into the league with more inaccuracy issues than a lot of first-rounders, but he has worked hard and improved his game. He has also exhibited those same explosive traits as an athlete as last season, while displaying an intense burn to win and to get better.
Jackson is on pace to throw for 4,440 yards this season, with 40 touchdowns and eight interceptions, to go along with 952 rushing yards. In my eyes, Lamar Jackson is the Ravens Most Valuable Player for the first quarter season.
Baltimore Ravens: How to get Marquise Brown back involved. light. Related Story
• Also good on offense have been rookie first-round pick Marquise Brown and second-year tight end Mark Andrews. The future looks bright for these two young pass-catchers, and the present doesn’t look too shabby, either. Both are currently on pace for more than 1,000 yards this season, with 20 touchdowns between them.
• Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards have been effective running the ball, as well, with Ingram bordering on superstar territory thus far. This is a well-rounded offense that should continue to grow and improve as the season goes on, and if the middle of the offensive line can hold up, they will give teams fits on that side of the ball all year long.
• The offense looks good for the foreseeable future. Ingram has a few years on his legs, and all-world guard Marshal Yanda has been keeping one eye on his retirement plan, but this group is young up and down the roster. Ronnie Stanley and Orlando Brown Jr. look like a very good bookend tandem at tackles, and rookie running back Justice Hill has shown flashes.