The Ravens’ bad luck may not be their fault

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is on the sideline during a game, talking to his teammates (Wikimedia Commons)

 

Coming off a stunning and record-setting rookie season, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has seemingly lost his impenetrable groove this year, but not for the reasons you would expect.

 

On a interview with the Rich Eisen Show, Jackson, rather than admitting that his offensive woes were because of himself, said that the teams he has faced this season have insider information on their offensive strategy.

 

“I feel, it’s a lot of with schemes — we’re going against defenses, they’re calling out our plays, stuff like that. They know what we’re doing,” said Jackson during the interview.

 

Some people think Jackson is just unable to accept responsibility for the team’s offensive faults, while others predict Jackson’s time as the starter quarterback for the Ravens is limited.

 

“…the greats make adjustments on what they see. They don’t wait for coaches,” said one fan on Twitter.

 

On the other hand, many are defending Jackson’s statement since citing the Raven’s offensive coordinator, Greg Roman, hasn’t shown many new plays between the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

 

“…the common fan knows the exact play that is coming. Greg Roman, as great as this offense was last year, has done Lamar no favors this year. Zero offensive creativity from Greg,” insisted another fan on Twitter.

 

Regardless of what the true culprit for the Ravens’ falling from grace this year, one thing is for sure. This event has exposed the Raven’s playbook vulnerability, and Roman’s job insecurity.

 

It also could mean bad news for the offensive staff, especially Roman.

 

“If opponents do indeed know where the ball is going on a significant number of plays, it’s a massive indictment and penalty against Roman,” said Matthew Stevens, who is a sports analyst at USA Today.

 

On Wednesday, the Ravens face the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers. If Baltimore ever has a chance in besting their upcoming opponent, they must address the obvious problem with their quarterback, no matter whose fault it may be.