ExtremeRavens Posted Thursday at 11:41 PM Posted Thursday at 11:41 PM When it comes to the Ravens’ slow starts in games this season, quarterback Lamar Jackson said that he “can’t call it” when asked to explain what gives. “Inconsistency,” he said Thursday in Owings Mills, where he was back at practice after an illness that led to a rest day on Wednesday. “I can’t call it why we start off slow.” It has been a peculiar if not worrisome trend in what has been an upside-down year, particularly for an offense that in 2024 was third in the NFL in scoring and became the first to top 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in the same season. Last year, the Ravens scored seven times on their opening possession of games, including five touchdowns. This season, they have actually put points on the board on their opening possession on eight occasions, though just three of those have been touchdowns with only one coming since Week 4. Of course, Jackson also missed three games from Weeks 5 through 8 because of a hamstring injury. But last week against the Bengals, who have the league’s worst defense, Baltimore punted on each of its first three possessions. That included going three-and-out twice. The Ravens finally scored on their fourth possession, with Jackson checking into a short pass to running back Rasheen Ali that burned Cincinnati’s blitz for a 26-yard touchdown in the eventual 24-0 victory. “We are certainly looking to start fast, that’s for sure,” offensive coordinator Todd Monken said Thursday. The reasons they mostly haven’t are myriad. Turnovers, sacks, penalties, field position, offensive line blocking, lack of explosive plays, red zone failures. All have played their part. Last week’s win over Cincinnati ended a two-game losing streak, kept the Ravens from losing three straight AFC North games for the first time in Jackson’s tenure and showed some promise in terms of offensive efficiency with an average of 8.4 yards per play, a season high. It also presented plenty of oddities, including matching a franchise-low 40 offensive plays. “It’s more frustrating, say, against the Texans when you’re not playing good and things aren’t going your way,” Monken said of the 44-10 Week 5 debacle. “I could care less how many plays we have if we play well and if it gives us a chance to win.” Most glaring within Baltimore’s affliction to starting fast and inability to consistently find the end zone has been its red zone woes. Last season, the Ravens ranked first on trips to their opponents’ 20-yard line and in, scoring a touchdown 74.2% of the time on those drives. This year, they have found pay dirt just 44% of the time to rank 31st. What do they need to do to turn that around? “I feel like just calm down,” Jackson said. “I feel like we execute a lot in practice. We just got to push the envelope in the game. Because they be there when we have opportunities, we just don’t take advantage.” Jackson also hasn’t been the same physically this year, slowed by hamstring, knee, ankle and toe injuries, all of which have likely cut into his dynamic abilities as a runner, which is something that makes him even more dangerous near an opponent’s end zone. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, center, carries the ball during a win over the Bengals. He had two carries for 26 yards in the win. (Kareem Elgazzar/AP) “It’s huge,” Monken said of Jackson’s mobility in the red zone. “But that hasn’t been all of it. I gotta call it better, we can scheme it better, we can block it better, we can certainly execute in the passing game and hold onto the ball. “It all collectively adds up. It’s not one thing. There’s 4-5 areas where we just haven’t executed at a high level. When we do that, I really believe we’re going to take off.” That has often been easier said than done. Jackson’s eight completions last week against the Bengals were the fewest of his career in a full game. His two touchdown passes were also the most since Oct. 30 when he had four against the Miami Dolphins. His 28-yard touchdown pass to Zay Flowers late in the second quarter was also his longest in terms of air yards this season. Now comes a showdown against the New England Patriots (11-3) on Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium. The Patriots rank seventh in points and yards allowed. They’re also fifth against the run, allowing a scant 95.1 yards per game, and rank second in fewest rushing touchdowns surrendered. But there are areas in which they have been vulnerable. Most notably, they’ve allowed opponents to score a touchdown in the red zone a whopping 75% of the time, which ranks last in the league. They’re also 15th against the pass. Something figures to give between the not-so-irresistible force and the immovable object. The Ravens have found success in other ways, too, including scoring on their first possession of the second half in six of the past eight games, including last week. Why that divergence from the beginning-of-the-game foibles? Monken said that he didn’t know, adding, “It’s not like we haven’t planned the whole week for the start of the game for what we like. I would think a whole week of planning is better than 20 minutes.” Jackson’s response to the same question? “I don’t know,” he said before demurring. “I know, but I don’t wanna give it away.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.