Baltimore Ravens

Can A Sparked Rushing Attack Save the Ravens Season?

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:42 p.m. ET

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The Baltimore Ravens have to get the offense going with the running game, but it will take a commitment to it. The running game is an attitude that could transform the offense:

First of all this question has a doomsday feel. Can the rushing attack save the season? One coukd argue that a 3-1 start does not make a season that needs saving. In fact, the Ravens are setting themselves up for big things. At the quarter poll of the season they have only lost one game (and by one point).

Let’s be honest though, the Ravens are not without their problems. In the age of Marc Trestman the Ravens have rarely had a great showing by the ground game. The offense has been downright awful for stretches in every game. Until last week, the Ravens rushing attack produced at a low volume.

The purple and black have a good defense. The Ravens been carried by the defense to this point of the season. When the Ravens met the Raiders, the miscues and wasted offensive drives didn’t fly. You can get down 20-2 against the Browns and walk away the victors. When they play a good foe and the offense waits until late in the second half to get going, it breaks the back of the defense. Baltimore has had a good start to the season. That good start will be meaningless unless they fix the offense. The running game has to be the spark.

Aug 20, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon (30) runs with the ball against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Getting Back To Ravens Football:

Last week Terrance West got it going. The former Towson walk on had 21 carries for 113 yards and a touchdown. This week the Ravens should be getting back Kenneth Dixon. Now, that is exciting news.

Now, we should note that the run game’s resurgence is still in question. The Raiders are an incredible team this year but their run defense is far from a strength. Baltimore has gotten rid of Justin Forsett, who had been ineffective early in the season. If the Ravens have a component of their team about to take off, it has to be the running game.

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It seems like the biggest problem is getting off schedule. If first and second down don’t go well and you don’t let it rip on third down (cough, cough Trestman) third down is a bad place to be. Running the football with some consistent and exciting power will set up more manageable third downs.

It’s been a pass happy team. Joe Flacco has attempted 170 passing attempts, while he has handed it off just 93 times. Joe Flacco also has 11 rushing attempts. If you don’t count Joe’s runs (mostly scrambles) Marc Trestman has called a passing play on just over 64 percent of the time.

The disproportionate number of passing plays actually has some justification. The Ravens offense has gotten off to a slow start in each of their games this season. Against the Browns, the purple and black had to overcome a 20-2 deficit in the first quarter. Secondly, the run blocking has been as problematic and puzzling as any offensive problem.

When things aren’t going the right way it is easy to hide in excuses. Marc Trestman has some built in excuses here. The problem is that the running game is something that has to be established early and often. The running game is something that has to be a total commitment. Baltimore has to go in the game knowing that the offensive linemen are going to be human plows and the running backs are going to be straight up play-makers.

Final Statement: Why This Is So Important

The key to everything is for the Ravens to establish a rushing attack and stick with it. The Ravens may have gotten a nice chunk of rushing yards against the Raiders, but it was not a constant throughout the game. This team has to spark their offense with the rushing attack. If they don’t commit to the rushing attack, it won’t blossom into the strength of this team. With the right mix of West and Dixon (and even maybe Buck Allen) the Ravens can get everything going. The time is now. Pound the rock right at the opponent and repeat.

When you’re 3-1 it’s easy to say that everything is going okay. Things have to get better. When the Ravens play the daunting slate of games in the second half, they’re going to need a functional offense. Oakland is a really good team, but it there are rougher games on the way. Other than a really bad game in week 3, the Pittsburgh Steelers are rolling. The Ravens need to play both the Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals twice. The New England Patriots went 3-1 without Tom Brady (translation: this team is brutally good). Baltimore also has to contend with the team that kicked the Steelers butt, the Philadelphia Eagles.

So it’s easy to say that life is good at 3-1. However can you really tell me that the Ravens can beat the toughest teams with this struggling offense? The defense is good, but unless it’s historically good, the offense needs to do it’s fair share.

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