The Todd Monken period was presupposed to be the daybreak of a brand new day for the Baltimore Ravens’ offense. Beneath Monken’s tutelage, Jameis Winston was making large performs although he was not constant, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers weren’t successful video games. At Georgia, he turned Stetson Bennett right into a 4,000-yard passer. With 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson at quarterback, the Ravens offense was presupposed to rise from the ashes of Greg Roman’s run-heavy scheme.
By six video games the Ravens are 4-2 and atop the AFC North. They limped via an early rash of accidents and look like headed to the playoffs for the fifth time within the final six seasons. Not a lot wants to vary about their play to make {that a} actuality, but when they need to make a deep run then this new offense must ship what was promised.
In opposition to the Tennessee Titans in Week 6 the Ravens displayed a few of the similar offensive issues which have been plaguing them for years. They ran the ball 39 instances, and at the moment lead the league in dashing makes an attempt per sport. It’s efficient, however not leading to touchdowns. Justin Tucker’s area targets accounted for 18 of the Ravens’ 24 factors towards the Titans.
Their sole landing was scored within the first half which is one other troubling pattern for the Ravens. Over the past three video games, they’ve averaged solely 4.3 second-half factors. This a continuation from 2022 through which they ranked twenty third in second-half factors per sport. They’re additionally struggling mightily within the pink zone, and that is as their offense has been getting more healthy in current weeks. In 9 pink zone tries of their final two video games, the Ravens have managed one landing.
Monken seems to be extra prepared to take possibilities within the air through the first half, however then he begins relying closely on a variety of the identical zone-read performs that Roman was criticized for calling too typically.
The Ravens have success operating the soccer. That all the time must be part of the offense. Nevertheless, altering coordinators was presupposed to be a altering of the guard second. After all Monken is snug with the run sport. He spent three seasons at Georgia.
However he was employed to rely much less on that type of offense. There’s presupposed to be extra stability with him calling the performs. He has proven all through his profession that quarterbacks in his offense can put up large passing numbers, and he’s at the moment working with by far the perfect passer of his profession. But the Ravens have the twenty third most whole cross makes an attempt within the NFL this season. Simply forward of them are the Chicago Bears, and behind them are the Cleveland Browns.
It’s not as if the Ravens simply introduced in Monken and requested him to overtake the offense with no assist. Rookie Zay Flowers has confirmed to be prepared for NFL motion since Day 1. Mark Andrews remains to be at tight finish, and Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman are again from early-season accidents. Beckham seemed fairly explosive when catching a cross within the first quarter. Moreover these three, the again finish of Ravens large receiving corps consists of Nelson Agholor and Devin Duvernay. As No. 1 or No. 2 large receivers they’re overmatched, however that type of velocity at No. 4 might be game-breaking.
Perhaps the Ravens simply want a while for the gamers and coaches to get settled this season. An early rash of accidents to the offensive line, backfield, and large receivers didn’t assist the adjustment course of.’
All of that being stated, late in video games the Ravens will not be taking part in aggressively as they need to be on offense. Conservative play value them a sport they need to have received Week 3 towards the Indianapolis Colts, and they need to have blown out the Titans.
The Ravens are going to must put the ball within the air with extra regularity come postseason time, particularly within the second half of video games. If not, they won’t be able to attain sufficient factors to maintain up with the AFC elite in a single-game elimination scenario.
