Ravens Lamar Jackson Has 'Embraced' Increased Offensive Workload
One of the biggest changes offensively for the Baltimore Ravens was coordinator Todd Monken giving Lamar Jackson more responsibility.
After taking over from Greg Roman, who was a more run-heavy coordinator, the Ravens under Monken have opened up the playbook, but also Jackson's ability to adjust things on the fly as he sees fit.
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And it's worked as Jackson is the MVP frontrunner after leading the Ravens to a 13-3 record as the starter, throwing for 3,678 yards, 24 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions while rushing for 821 yards and five touchdowns.
Monken has liked how Lamar has taken on the increased responsibility within the offensive scheme.
“He's highly intelligent, so he understands what you're asking him to do and what you're allowing him to do and when the situation presents that,” Monken said. "That's probably as much as anything and he's embraced wanting to do that, not every quarterback wants that on their plate and be empowered to change and play at the line of scrimmage or to put themselves out there where okay now they made the decision to change something the line or a protection.
"But it starts with him, he's diligent, he's intelligent, he's certainly more than capable of seeing things, what the defense is presenting to him, and how he can get us into a better play, get us into a premium play.”
Jackson has had a superb season by any estimation and the Ravens, as a result, have the first-round bye as the playoffs begin.
With the 2019 debacle likely fresh in the mind, this week is about getting all the details right as Jackson said with the team having a laser focus as they will find out their opponents for the Divisional Round shortly.
The decision to give Lamar more responsibility in Monken's system looks to be the right one as offensively, Baltimore ranks fourth for scoring (28.4 per game) and the running game with Jackson again leading the charge.
But for all the plaudits Jackson has received this year, it is in the postseason that people want to see him continue in that vein of form, and with Monken handing Jackson the keys to his offensive scheme, things have gone well thus far.
Now, as the playoffs come into view, we are going to get a good sense of just how much Lamar has grown as a quarterback as he looks to take high-powered offense to Super Bowl glory with both of his hands firmly on the wheel.
