The Baltimore Ravens run game is the key to the offense staying hot:
The Baltimore Ravens run game is so important for the rest of the season. The first thing the Ravens have to do is identify the right mix in the backfield. The days of the Ravens leaning on Mark Ingram didn’t last long, but that’s just how it goes. The Ravens need less Ingram and more J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards.
Ingram is the offensive equivalent to what Eric Weddle was in his last year with the Ravens. He’s still a fairly good player and he’s got such a charismatic personality, and he’s a coach on the field and a leader.
All that’s good, yet it doesn’t mean as much as the raw talent of the other backs right now. This version of Mark Ingram is behind Dobbins and Edwards. The Ravens have obviously started to learn this.
Dobbins is amazing. The potential that he has is incredible. He is the most talented running back to come to Baltimore since Ray Rice. The Ravens have had good running backs in their history. Dobbins may be the best raw talent they’ve ever had. You kind of want to see what would happen if they just let him run the rock 25 times a game.
Don’t get me wrong Edwards is good. This should be a running back duo with a slight dose of Ingram. Edwards is a bulldozer. Dobbins runs like he’s the Batmobile and Bruce Wayne is in one heck of a mood. Can we stop talking about how nobody wants to tackle Derrick Henry? We get it. Baltimore has two steamrollers of its own.
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Baltimore can’t bottle up Lamar Jackson. That’s the second most important thing. If Jackson picks his spots and gets some of his runs on designed pass plays he can do a lot with a little. He had over 100 yards against the Browns and he only took off nine times. Jackson running the ball is the best weapon the offense has.
He’s a quarterback. We get it. That doesn’t mean he can’t do it this way. The sustainability argument has been looking silly with how durable he’s been. There’s no reason to have him reserved as a running game option.
Another point with that is that it’s not just what Jackson does well. It’s what Greg Roman designs well. Passing concepts aren’t Roman’s strength. Sorry, they’re just not. If you want Roman to get the most out of his quarterback, then let Roman use Jackson to his strengths.
We’re past the point where letting go of Roman can solve anything. The Ravens stumbled enough to entertain that option. John Harbaugh didn’t go for it and now they have to move forward. Roman is a run game guy with a dual-threat quarterback. Leaning into that is the only way forward. The Browns game showed that. Letting these guys play to their strengths is mutually beneficial.
The Ravens don’t have Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, and Mecole Hardman. They’re never going to be the Chiefs. They never had to take the next step in the passing game.
That’s my unpopular opinion for the day. The Ravens just have to lean into their strengths and let Jackson surprise people with big timely throws. That’s what happened against the Browns. Nobody in Cleveland takes Jackson seriously as a passer. Not a one. They got stunned. They got beat deep when it mattered most.
Not only are Jackson and Roman pegs that only fit into certain ways of doing this, but also the offensive line is what it is at this point. The Ravens aren’t getting Ronnie Stanley back in 2020. The right side of the offensive line doesn’t have great options at guard or tackle. That’s obvious at this point.
Is this 100 percent how you want the offense to be next year? Nope. It is what the offense is now. This can work. The key is to run the game more efficiently than Chick-Fil-A during dinner time and more productive than popcorn kernels in a microwave (Okay, I’m hungry aren’t I). The point is run, run, run the ball roughly down the field. Merrily, merrily, merrily, the playoffs aren’t just a dream. Let’s go! Let’s run the ball for 250 a game and shock the world.