Pundits Express Concerns About Ravens' Offense
The Ravens' red zone struggles and inconsistent passing attack have some pundits wondering if there is cause for concern for an offense that was expected to be elite again this season.
Baltimore was No. 1 in red zone offense last season, scoring touchdowns 74.2% of the time. Over the past two games, the Ravens have scored just three touchdowns in nine red zone trips (33.3%). Against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, the Ravens settled for field goals on two possessions in which they had first-and-goal inside the 10-yard line. For the season, the Ravens rank 28th in red-zone offense, scoring touchdowns 47.2% of the time.
"Their inefficiency in the cramped space near the goal line made sense when Lamar Jackson was injured, but now that he's back, they're operating with essentially the same playmakers who made them so deadly in 2024," The Baltimore Banner’s Childs Walker wrote. "And still defenses keep stuffing Derrick Henry and blanketing Jackson's targets at a puzzling rate.
"Have the Ravens become too predictable? Is it that Jackson's mobility is diminished in the wake of the hamstring injury that sidelined him for three games? It's easier for defenses to key on Henry if they don't fear a Jackson keeper or rollout. Or perhaps we should blame an offensive line that can't move bodies when the defense knows a run is coming and can't keep an elite pass rusher — they don't come more elite than the Browns' Myles Garrett, who finished with four sacks and five tackles for loss — from destroying Jackson's pocket."
As for the passing game, the Ravens are 29th in yards after being seventh last season. The Ravens have had 200+ passing yards in a game just once this season (223 against the Detroit Lions in Week 3).
Jackson was sharp in his first game back from injury, going 18-for-23 (78.3%) for 204 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions against the Miami Dolphins in Week 9. Over the past two games against the Minnesota Vikings and Browns, Jackson was 31-for-54 (57.4%) for 369 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Jackson, who missed last Wednesday's practice due to knee soreness, isn't running as frequently or productively as he has in the past. The all-time and single-season leader in rushing yards for a quarterback, Jackson has run for 60 yards on 18 carries (3.3 yards per carry) in the three games since his return.
Even though the Ravens (5-5) have won four straight games to pull within one game of the first-place Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) in the AFC North, “Good Morning Football’s” Kyle Brandt doesn't think they can make a deep playoff run without Jackson playing at an MVP level.
"[Sunday's game against the Browns] by Lamar's amazing standards was a poor game. You don't really see Lamar play any worse than that," Brandt said. "We can't have that. If Lamar is going to play even average, it's not going to happen. … I left this game saying that 'come running thing' from the Ravens probably isn't going to happen, just because they didn't look good."
Another way to look at it is that the Ravens are winning even with the offense not hitting on all cylinders. The unit has an abundance of playmakers with a proven track record, starting with Jackson, who has a .733 winning percentage.
When Head Coach John Harbaugh was asked Monday about Jackson's performance in the past two games, he said: "He is winning games. Finding ways to win the game – that's what counts; that's what matters, and I think Lamar did a great job in both of those games of playing that kind of winning football."
Harbaugh also dismissed the notion that Jackson is less of a threat as a runner this season.
"Next thing you know, Lamar will break out and run for 100 yards," Harbaugh said. "So, that's always – I'm sure defenses have to consider that as a possibility, and that's a good thing for us."
If the offense and drastically improved defense play to their potential going forward, the Ravens will be scary.