Baltimore Ravens

Ravens Run Game Needs A Dose Of Kenneth Dixon

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Baltimore Ravens Need Kenneth Dixon To Return To The Action to Heat Up The Ground Attack:

There isn’t anyone in Baltimore that wants to see Kenneth Dixon in pads this weekend as much as I do. It looks like we’ll have to wait till week five for the first look at Dixon in the regular season. The Baltimore Ravens running game is in desperate need of a boost. When asked about the severity of the situation Coach Harbaugh stated this in a CSN Interview.

“You look at everything. The main thing we look at first is ourselves. What can we do scheme-wise? How can we block it better? How can the backs read it better? How can they run better? It would be every aspect of our run game that we’re looking at.”

Every knowledgeable Ravens football fan understands the offensive line needs to block better up front, but I think what the Ravens really need is to inject some new blood in the backfield. The Ravens need a healthy dose of Kenneth Dixon.

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Dixon was the Raven’s leading rusher in the preseason and flashed the most ability of any ball carrier on the team. The franchise’s selection of the Louisiana Tech star in the fourth round was a no-brainer. Honestly, I think the 5’10” 215 lb rookie will turn out to be the steal of the draft and likely every bit as good as Ezekiel Elliot. He has the same skill-set and the Ravens got him with a smaller investment.

It is that kind of effort the Ravens are lacking from Forsett and West. Dixon is the best running back Baltimore has had since Ray Rice at his peak.

Dixon has the strength and size necessary to be a power back and the necessary moves to juke his way through a crowd while catching passes in open space. My main concern is his ability to stay healthy. Dixon injured his knee against the Lions in the preseason but that is a small price to pay for a tailback who I believe will pay big dividends as a pro.

In order to reach the playoffs the Ravens must run the ball with power and authority down the stretch. When they go against the Patriots, Steelers, Eagles and Bengals in December they better pack a running game. That won’t be possible unless we see a vast improvement and some smash mouth football. A poor performance on Sunday against the Oakland Raiders will prove to be the team’s first loss of 2016. Maybe Dixon could spark the ground game.

I realize my faith in Dixon could be premature. He is a rookie after all. I just think he is the shot in the arm that Baltimore’s running game so desperately needs.

We need the first year tailback sooner then later and he is anxious to prove himself. Edward Lee of the Baltimore Sun had a great article which talked about Dixon’s return. In said article this is a quote from Dixon about being back at practice:

“I can’t wait to get out there and show what I can do in this offense, I feel like I can do a lot of things well in this offense, getting the ball, running downhill, catching the ball out of the backfield, making a guy miss and trying to take it the distance.”

In the coming weeks Kenneth Dixon looks to be the X factor to the Ravens running game that has been sorely lacking for two seasons. Hopefully he can provide new life to this offense. Dixon is listed as doubtful to play this week. It looks like he will be a chief concern for Washington in week five.