Bleacher Report names rushing attack as Ravens ‘biggest surprise’ of 2021 season so far
The Baltimore Ravens have gone through a whirlwind of a year through the first seven weeks of the 2021 season. Injuries, wild finishes, unsung heroes and unexpected poor play from certain units have all been storylines for the team, but a few developments have been more surprising than others.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report listed out each NFL team’s “biggest surprise” of the 2021 season so far. For Baltimore, Kay chose the Ravens’ rushing attack as a whole. He highlighted the positives when it comes to the Baltimore ground game, including what quarterback Lamar Jackson has done.
“Baltimore is off to a 5-2 start and has a share of the lead in the AFC North largely because of its high-powered ground game. The team ranks No. 4 in the league in rushing offense after averaging nearly 150 yards per game. The Ravens have scored 10 rushing touchdowns, good for the third-most in the NFL…Jackson has unsurprisingly led the way, ranking first on the team in carries (76), rushing yards (480) and first downs (29) by a large margin.”
Kay then mentions how surprising it’s been that the rest of the Ravens’ ball carriers have carried the load despite losing running backs J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill.
“What is a surprise is how well Baltimore’s rushing attack is faring after losing its top three running backs before the campaign even kicked off…With J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill not making it out of preseason, the team has had to lean on unproven young players (Ty’Son Williams) and over the hill veterans (Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman and Le’Veon Bell) to move the ball on the ground…The team—which managed to tie the longstanding record for most consecutive 100-yard rushing games earlier in the month—hasn’t been perfect, but even during a rare off night the ground game has remained strong.”
Despite the good box score statistics, people who have watched Baltimore run the ball know that something is missing, and the ground attack isn’t nearly what it once was. While Jackson has performed well, his new running backs haven’t quite put the pieces together yet, and the Ravens’ offensive line has struggled to win up front more than anticipated.
In Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Jackson averaged 7.3 yards per carry. Non-Lamar Jackson ball carriers averaged a measly 2.3 yards per carry. Baltimore could look to add another running back in the coming days as the trade deadline quickly approaches, because while the current group has put together a few positives, it hasn’t been as many as what people would have hoped for through seven weeks.
It’s no surprise that the Ravens miss both Dobbins and Edwards. However all things considered, Baltimore did a good job of pivoting after their injuries and adding quality veterans who could fill the voids that were left by the two star runners. Despite that, they might need more at the position, and the days leading up to the trade deadline will tell a lot about how the Ravens feel about their current group of running backs.
