Greg Roman: Ravens Are Going to 'Open Up Our Playbook'
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens want to have more balance on offense this year.
Last season, they led the NFL in rushing but had the 32nd-ranked passing attack.
Baltimore offensive coordinator Greg Roman promises the team will have many new wrinkles with the game plan.
"As far as expanding our profile, I definitely think there are some new things we’ll do, but there are a lot of things that we haven’t done that we’re going to open up that chapter of the playbook now, in other words," Roman said. "So, I think it’s going to open up our playbook a little bit more. We want to have a good variety of things that we do [and] present a lot of problems for a defense. I think these guys, from what I’ve seen so far, are definitely going to allow us to do that. "
The Ravens averaged 191.9 yards rushing per game in 2020. Baltimore has rushed for 100 or more yards in 39-straight games, marking the second-longest streak in pro football history.
The Ravens also registered an NFL-best six games with at least 200 rushing yards, including a franchise-record 404-yard output in Week 17’s victory at Cincinnati. Baltimore's 24 rushing touchdowns ranked third in the NFL and set a new single-season franchise record.
For the second-straight year, Baltimore had three players – Lamar Jackson (1,005), J.K. Dobbins (805) and Gus Edwards – run for over 700 yards each. The 2020 Ravens joined the 2019 Ravens and 2011 Panthers as the only teams ever with three 700-yard rushers in a season.
The passing attack was not nearly as effective.
The Ravens averaged 171.2 yards passing per game. Baltimore also attempted the least passes in the league with 406.
The Ravens boosted their passing attack with the addition of veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins and a couple of selections in this year's draft — Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace.
The additions on offense are expected to change the fortunes of the passing attack.
"As a coach, you sit out there and watch practice, and you’re like, ‘Wow. This is going to be fun.’ That’s kind of how it is," Roman said. "It really just starts with their attitude and work ethic.”
