What makes Ravens' offense so good (and how to slow it)

Former NFL scout Matt Williamson writes about the league from an X's and O's perspective. 

Let’s get this straight: Defending against the Ravens is a nightmare.

Baltimore has a legit MVP candidate in second-year QB Lamar Jackson and averages 33.8 points and a ridiculous 207.8 rushing yards per game. (San Francisco is second in rushing yards per game, 59.8 yards per game  behind the Ravens.)  Jackson alone averages seven yards per rushing attempt. No other player in the league averages six or more, and only eight players (all running backs) have more than Jackson’s 977 yards on the ground.

Here are more crazy numbers: Baltimore averages 6.3 yards per play, behind only Dallas, and 4.1 touchdowns per game, more than any team. The Ravens outscore opponents by a greater average margin (+15.6) than any team in the league. Baltimore also starts fast, averaging a league-leading 8.8 points in the first quarter.

Yikes!

How does Baltimore do it? And can the Ravens’ offense be stopped … or at least sidetracked?

Let’s dive in:

HOW THEY DO IT

Personnel

Baltimore uses a wide variety of personnel groupings on offense. One of their favorites is "13 Personnel," with one running back, three tight ends and one wide receiver with Jackson and the O-line. That one running back is usually a power runner, Mark Ingram, and the wide receiver is one of the fastest players in the league, rookie Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, the first-round pick from Oklahoma.

The Ravens use tight ends extremely well, deploying them to create unusual blocking angles in the running game -- it's something rarely seen by defenses against other teams. Jackson is most comfortable passing to the middle of the field, where tight ends generally roam. But here is the key: If the defense decides to play its base personnel  -- i.e., more bigger, slower people in a 4-3 or 3-4  -- against the Ravens' "13 Personnel," it simply isn’t fast enough to keep up with Jackson as a runner. And there is also the great danger of Baltimore max protecting and taking a deep shot to Brown, who excels at beating coverage. 

But if a defense plays nickel or dime (five or six defensive backs) against Baltimore’s "13 Personnel," it will see a massive downhill dose of Ingram with eight men weighing 250 pounds or more blocking for him. This is just one of many conundrums Baltimore presents with its offensive personnel groupings.

Blocking

The unsung heroes of Baltimore’s great offense is its offensive line. Ronnie Stanley has quietly become a star and one of the NFL’s premier left tackles, especially in protection. On the other side, Orlando Brown isn’t nearly as light on his feet as Stanley, but his extreme size (6-foot-8, 345 pounds) and length make getting around him in the passing game a huge challenge. Right guard Marshal Yanda, who's 35, is ageless and playing as well as ever.  Also, Baltimore’s skill- position players are effective blockers and instrumental in breaking long runs -- especially for Jackson. Weaknesses? Baltimore can be vulnerable at center and left guard.  

What will happen second time around?

Baltimore plays offense differently than any other team in the league from a schematic standpoint, and there is no way to properly prepare for Jackson until you see him live. You could put a wide receiver at quarterback in practice to simulate him, but it just isn’t the same; Jackson is physically stronger than his wiry frame (6-foot-2, 212 pounds) suggests. And no one is a comp for him as a passer. 

It will be fascinating to see how defensive coordinators deal with Jackson his second time through the league. I'm especially interested what the Patriots' Bill Belichick, a defensive genius, will do against this phenom, who lit up New England in the Ravens' 37-20 win earlier this season.

Red-zone excellence

Baltimore is awesome in the red zone, an area of the field where it often goes "empty" with Jackson alone in the backfield. Here are Ravens red-zone stats to chew on:

• Baltimore has scored a touchdown on 33.9% of passing plays, second only the Texans (34%, 17/50)
• Baltimore is one of five teams that have yet to turn the ball over in the red zone.
• The Ravens have run 59 red-zone plays without a turnover, second to the Eagles (64).

Keep in mind the empty formation never eliminates the running game. It helps spread a defense, even in tight quarters, giving it a lot to account for in pass coverage. Jackson, who has seven rushing touchdowns, often runs from this formation. But he also is capable passer in these tight areas of the field, often finding a one-on-on matchup to his liking.