The Baltimore Ravens have been staking their claim as arguably the best team in the AFC the last few weeks. Owners of the No. 1 rated defense in the NFL, Baltimore’s offense is starting to come around as well, making them as dangerous as any team in the league.
The Ravens play a style of football that should translate well late in the season. They have a dominant defense that can get after the quarterback and stuff the opponent’s run game. Offensively, they remain a handful when running the ball as they have the No. 1 ground attack in the NFL.
But, what separates the 2023 team from the ones in years past is the performance of Lamar Jackson. As long as Jackson has been healthy, the Ravens have been a very difficult team to beat.
Jackson remains as dangerous as ever as a runner. He has gained 440 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, providing the Ravens with a multi-faceted attack. This time around, Jackson has elevated his performance in the passing game.
While there are still a few things to iron out, the Ravens are more capable of beating opponents through the air this year than they have been during the Jackson era. He is putting together an MVP-caliber season, completing 71.5 percent of his passes for 1,954 yards, nine touchdowns and only three interceptions.
Slowing him down as a runner is already difficult enough. But when he is throwing the ball this well, he is virtually impossible to stop. Just how good has Jackson been through the air? According to PFF, he is the most accurate quarterback on 10+ yard attempts in the league.
The Ravens made a concerted effort to upgrade the weapons in the passing game around Jackson this season. A first-round pick was used on wide receiver Zay Flowers, who has been excellent this season.
Veterans Nelson Agholor and Odell Beckham Jr. were signed in free agency, bolstering the group around holdover Rashod Bateman and tight end Mark Andrews. This is a deep, talented bunch that has a chance to make some noise in the second half of the season.
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