The Baltimore Ravens are clearly a team that revolves around their quarterback. Lamar Jackson is the center of everything good they do and his brilliance has the Ravens 6-3. Derrick Henry and him have steamrolled oppositions together and have grown into one of the NFL’s fiercest duos. The way Henry and Jackson are playing, they could be fighting it out for the MVP and this combo has been an overarching factor to why the Ravens are 6-3. The Ravens play two key divisional games against Cincinnati and Pitssburgh in the coming weeks and it should be mostly smooth sailing if they get through those teams successfully.
The Baltimore Ravens are so good at running the football that it’s unbelievable. Derrick Henry has been out of this world and he’s back to his vintage self who plows defenders. Henry is a big man at 6’3” and 247 lbs. which all adds to his tough running. Through the nine games the Ravens have played, Henry has already elapsed the 1,000 rush yard mark, he’s averaging 6.3 yards a carry which is second in the league, he has the most rush attempts and the most rushing touchdowns at 11 (ESPN). These are mind boggling stats and Henry has been a huge piece along with Jackson. He’s such a powerful runner and it’s so hard to bring him down. Once he gets full steam, no defender in the league can stop him. He’s so physical and that fear factor that he brings adds a layer to the Ravens run game that they didn’t have last season. Jackson can still run options and he rushes himself which gives an unpredictability that defenses don’t know what is coming. I don’t see him slowing down and he’ll continue to dominate that rush attack.
Henry has been marvelous but it’s Lamar Jackson putting the Ravens on his back. He’s having another MVP caliber year and as of now, he’s the favorite to take it home for a second consecutive year. Jackson is third in passing yards at 2,379 but what’s impressive is that he did it with the 15th most pass attempts (ESPN). He’s averaging 9.3 yards a play which is first in the league (minimum 6 games played) which really emphasizes that the Ravens are a big play team and they get chunk plays (ESPN). Additionally, Jackson has the third most passing touchdowns and he has the best quarterback rating in the NFL (ESPN). I just put the lot of stats out there and Lamar is near or at the top of most of them. He’s gotten criticized for his passing in years previously but he’s fine tuned that and now he’s phenomenal at both passing and running the football. Jackson has been so productive and that’s why the Ravens average the most total yards a game at an astounding 445.9, are first in rushing yards a game, third in passing yards a game, and second in points a game (ESPN). He’s carried the Ravens offense to best in the league and they’re thriving all because of him. Jackson has done an efficient job passing the football and their passing attack will only get better with the addition of Diontae Johnson from the Carolina Panthers. Wide receiver Zay Flowers is fifth in the league within receivers for yards with 654 and he’s really stepped up (ESPN). Johnson gives them a player who can passes underneath while Rashod Bateman and Flowers can take up the longer routes. This will spread their offense more and it’ll be nearly impossible to stop them with their strong pass game and pounding run game. The offense has done all that they’ve needed to do and they’ve been practically perfect.
Baltimore’s offense is doing their part but it’s the defense that is bringing them down right now. Last season, the Baltimore’s defense was one of the finest in the league but this season, they’re not doing great. They lost multiple players including Geno Stone, Patrick Queen, Jadeveon Clowney, and defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald who got a head coach role with the Seahawks. The loss of Macdonald hurt them and Zach Orr, the new DC, hasn’t done a good enough job so far. They’re reeling this season and their secondary ranks last in the league (ESPN). The acquisition of cornerback Tre’Davious White by the Ravens from the Los Angeles Rams was a fantastic move by the organization and he’s going to boost their secondary. They’re 21st in total yards a game and 23rd in points a game which is just not good enough to win against the better teams (ESPN). These numbers have to get better because the defense is the only thing holding them back. The Ravens are also 27th in kickoff return average and 14th in punt return average (ESPN). Special teams and the defense needs to get fixed up and become more productive to support the offense.
Baltimore is in a difficult division and they’re a game back of the Steelers currently but if Baltimore gets their defense to be better, I don’t see a team stopping them. They’re such a talented group and it would be a real bummer if they can’t make it deep in the playoffs. Can King Henry continue his dominant display and run the Ravens to the Super Bowl? Will Tre’Davious White rejuvenate their defense which desperately needed a change?