Lamar Jackson and the Ravens edged the Bengals for a primetime divisional victory on Sunday night, and they did so — no surprise — by leaning on the legs of both Jackson and kicker Justin Tucker. A win is a win, they say, but in Baltimore’s case, that victory over Cincinnati was yet another reminder of why the Ravens should feel compelled to adjust their offense. Specifically, it was the latest evidence that the AFC North contenders could stand to follow in the footsteps of their East Coast counterparts, the Eagles, who have successfully built around the running game while investing big money out wide.
Wait, what? Why are we comparing the Eagles and Ravens? To which we ask: why aren’t we? As the last unbeaten team in the NFL, Philadelphia is our best present-day model for what’s working in football. The Eagles, like the Ravens, also happen to have a running quarterback at the helm — not just a mobile QB, a running one. Jalen Hurts leads all active QBs with 68 carries for the Eagles, while Jackson comes in second with 49. Hurts is on pace for 20 touchdowns on the ground; Jackson is two years removed from his second career 1,000-yard rushing campaign. No other teams run their QBs like the birds in green and purple.
Obviously, there are many reasons the Eagles are 5-0 and the Ravens are 3-2. Philly’s defense has been magnetic to timely takeaways, getting clutch play from veterans like Darius Slay Jr. and Haason Reddick. The Ravens, meanwhile, were a sieve in the secondary before tightening up against Zac Taylor’s predictable play-calling on Sunday night. But the biggest difference as it pertains to the two teams’ run-heavy offenses — in a league, mind you, where offense increasingly dictates playoff performance — is Philly’s ability to throw the ball with confidence.
Physically speaking, Jackson has a clear and obvious advantage on Hurts in terms of passing ability. He’s got the gift of Michael Vick-esque touch, capable of firing a deep floater with the flick of a wrist. What he doesn’t have is the luxury of a single alpha-male No. 1 target, let alone two. Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay have taken turns flashing downfield speed this year, and tight end Mark Andrews is a reliable safety valve. But none of those three are wired to be “the guy” on any given play — the type of receiver you eye even if he’s covered, with the game on the line. Marquise Brown wasn’t necessarily that…
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