PFF Names OC Todd Monken Ravens' Reason for 2023 Postseason
The Baltimore Ravens have a former league MVP under center in Lamar Jackson. Now, his offensive endeavors will over overseen by an MVC ... Most Valuable Coordinator.
That's how Pro Football Focus sees Todd Monken, as a compilation of AFC teams' reasons for making or missing the playoffs labeled the new offensive boss as the puncher of the Ravens' postseason ticket.
While the returning Jackson is undoubtedly the Ravens' headliner, Monken has been brought aboard to help him take the next step forward, one that everyone involved in Charm City football hopes is some involvement in the AFC Championship Game. List curator Trevor Sikkema is looking forward to seeing what the newly-minted tandem of Jackson and Monken can cook up, citing the latter's prior offensive work on both the collegiate and professional levels.
"As offensive coordinator of the Oklahoma State Cowboys back in 2011 and 2012, Monken spearheaded offenses that ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in the country in points scored," Sikkema recalls. "As offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2016 to 2018, he helped the team place in the top 20, top 10, and then top three in total yards per game. From 2020-2022 as Georgia's quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, Monken won back-to-back national championships while helping quarterback Stetson Bennett go from being a walk-on to a notable name in college football."
"Monken knows offense. I’m excited to see what he’ll cook up with Jackson as his quarterback."
Baltimore is once again laden with high expectations with Jackson returning alongside Mark Andrews, Rashod Bateman, and Devin Duvernay while Odell Beckham Jr. joins the receiving corps on an expensive one-year deal next to first-round choice Zay Flowers.
Monken's last excursion as an NFL offensive coordinator didn't go well, as he previously served as the overseer of a divisional rival's unit in Cleveland in 2019. Those Browns ranked 22nd in both points and yards per game before Monken and the rest of the staff headed by Freddie Kitchens was let go after the 6-10 season. Monken then caught on in Georgia, working with offensive talents like Bennett, Brock Bowers, Kenny McIntosh, and Kendall Milton to earn consecutive national titles in Athens.
Despite his prior misfortune, Monken has done his job in the early going, earning the trust of Jackson almost immediately, as he's intrigued that Monken will apparently allow him to win games with his arms as well as his feet.
"(I'm) able to throw the ball down the field," Jackson said of his first impressions of Monken's offense, per NFL.com. "Running can only take you so far. I feel like with this new era of teams and offenses in the league, I feel like we need that, and coach Todd Monken, what I'm seeing in this offense so far, it's tremendous."
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
Follow the Baltimore Ravens Daily Blitz Podcast
Follow Raven Country on Twitter and Facebook
Ravens Alert! Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Baltimore Ravens?
