The season has just begun and already the Ravens find themselves in a difficult position. Their first three running backs are out of action, a real headache for a team whose ground game is bread and butter.
In preseason games, promising second-year carrier JK Dobbins fell in battle for the season. Since then, those who were to support him, Justice Hill and Gus Edwards, suffered the same fate.
It is now up to an unknown player, a little out of nowhere, that the task of asserting himself falls.
Ty’Son Williams, who was passed over in the 2020 draft and signed on as a free agent, spent much of last season on the practice squad. This summer, he was one of the revelations of training camp. The fact remains that with him, the Ravens are swimming in the unknown.
To make up for the losses, the team signed veteran Latavius Murray, who shared the backfield in the shadow of Alvin Kamara with the Saints in recent seasons. Another veteran, Le’Veon Bell, has also been signed. His name still resonates for his great years in Pittsburgh, but the truth is that he is no longer a shadow of the player he was, he who has not gained more than four yards per carry since 2016 At this stage of his career, he is likely to be used mostly in a third down situation.
Race to the limit
Since 2018, no team has chipped away more rushing yards than the Ravens. Last season, the team ran with the ball in 57.8% of their plays, a league high.
Only the Patriots and Titans, aside from them, have bet more on the run than the pass. The percentage was similar (57.5%) in 2019, showing that, despite the aerial tendencies that are multiplying across the league, the Ravens stand apart and that their running backs are key players.
The Lamar Factor
Of course, quarterback Lamar Jackson’s style helps inflate the stats on the ground. Several of his runs are designated as such in the playbook, in comparison to other mobile quarterbacks who improvise a run when the pocket explodes.
In fact, in the last two seasons, Jackson has been the Ravens’ rushing leader. With their carriers, the Ravens favored a committee approach. In each of those same two seasons, two carriers gained at least 700 yards.
If there is therefore a positive that emerges from the current slaughter at the Ravens, it is that Lamar Jackson makes the opposing defenses play so much on the heels that it is not necessarily necessary to give the ball to a carrier star to produce.
In the current context, however, the Ravens are not betting, until proven otherwise, on an intimidating carrier capable of imposing himself both on the ground and in reception of the pass.
This means that Jackson finds himself with even more pressure on his shoulders so that the train does not derail. Already, the Ravens have to hope he becomes a more consistent passer and makes better use of his wide wingers. He now has to get there with a visibly reduced contribution from his backfield.
Jackson is an exceptional athlete, but he can’t do it all on his own. In a division that pits the Ravens against the Browns and the Steelers, every soldier who falls in battle can make a difference.
Five things to watch out for…
1. THE BEGINNINGS OF ST-JUSTE
At 1 p.m., another Quebecer will make his NFL debut. Washington cornerback Benjamin St-Juste will be in action against the Chargers receivers and should see plenty of ground, having played with the starters all summer. Facing Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Jelen Guyton and Josh Palmer, watch for number 25, former Spartans of Old Montreal!
2. LE ALABAMA BOWL
The game between the Dolphins and Patriots will feature two quarterbacks in Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones, who were teammates at the University of Alabama. The two joined the prestigious program in 2017. During their time with the Crimson Tide, the team reached the national final three times in four years. Both are 23 years old, and besides, the East Division with the Jets (Zach Wilson, 22) and the Bills (Josh Allen, 25) is the first division since 1985 with four 25-year-old starting quarterbacks and less.
3. OTHER REUNIONS
It’s not just college quarterbacks getting together today. The duel between Bengals and Vikings will pit two receivers who broke everything together at LSU, in the NCAA, in 2019. The Tigers won the national championship with Justin Jefferson (Vikings) who caught nine passes for 106 yards and Ja’Marr Chase (Bengals), who had nine receptions for 221 yards and two touchdowns. Both became first-round NFL picks in 2020 and 2021, and their quarterback was none other than current Bengals center Joe Burrow.
4. DOMINANT STARTS
For the past few years during the NFL’s opening weekend, there have been dominant teams. The Chiefs, who will face the Browns, have won their last six openers, the longest active streak in the league with the Packers, who face the Saints. The Ravens also dominate with five straight wins in which they scored 177 points to just 26. The Ravens didn’t allow more than 10 points in those five wins. Let the Raiders take it for granted tomorrow night!
5. HOPE FOR ALL
It’s the start of the season and it’s the time of year when everyone has the right to believe in their chances of qualifying for the playoffs. Over the past 18 seasons, there’s been an average of 3.3 division champions who weren’t playoffs the previous season, so comebacks are often quick. No less than 24 of the 32 teams have made the playoffs at least once in the last four campaigns.
