Opinion: Greg Roman should not bear responsibility for recent Ravens offensive struggles

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In their first eight games of the 2021 regular season, the Baltimore Ravens averaged nearly 30 points per game on offense and eclipsed that mark four times during that span. It was truly a remarkable achievement considering all the injuries the team suffered on this side in particular ahead of the start of the season.

Despite going 3-2 since their week off, the Ravens are 2-2 in their last four games and have struggled to score points and move the ball consistently. Their Week 13 road loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers marked their first time with over 16 points in three weeks and they haven’t scored 30 or more since Week 9.

Star quarterback Lamar Jackson’s mercurial play, porous performances from a makeshift offensive line, and growing injury list have been flagged as valid reasons for regression. However, no player, coach or group of positions has been watched more for the team’s shortcomings and incompetence in recent times than offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

The harsh criticisms of Roman’s plan and the questioning of his keen sense and skills as a caller / game designer date back to last season. In 2020, the Ravens still managed to finish first in all major statistical racing categories except touchdowns and were among the top 10 scoring teams in a COVID-19-ravaged season, but because they didn’t ‘failed to follow a historic 2019 campaign with a sensational one, with some calling for his work this past offseason.

Contrary to what domestic pundits like ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky and countless outspoken fans of the team say on talk shows and on Twitter, Roman has actually done a good job trying to make lemonade from a basket of bruised and over-performing lemons.

Was he perfect on all or even most of his calls? No, but who is. Has he been a bit predictable at times in games with runs in the middle on the first down? Absolutely, but it’s a staple of his offense, and he’s worked with tremendous success and efficiency over the past two seasons with better blockers in addition to more explosive running backs.

Does he need to unlock more games from his vault so his unit can get the ball back into the hands of their other additional playmakers besides Jackson and tight end Mark Andrew before losing more? field in a tight division and an AFC playoff race? 100 percent yes.

However, the Ravens’ biggest problem on offense, more than Roman’s game calls / designs or what sometimes seems like a lack of tweaks, is the execution and discipline of the players themselves and they will be the first. to admit it.

“I just didn’t execute,” Jackson said of missing the shot on the 2-point conversion that would have won them the game against the Steelers. “We weren’t on the same page there.”

“I threw four interceptions, three in the first half,” he said after beating the Browns the week before. “I feel like these records, when the interceptions came in, we could have done something on those records. We could have put dots on the board.

“It’s almost like you are letting your family down,” said running back Devonta Freeman. “We just need to put this in the trash and get ready for the next one.”

All everyone seems to want to say about Jackson and Roman as a QB / OC tandem is how much they struggled to counter pressure from opposing teams in the form of a blitz, especially Cover-0. Many pundits have lamented Roman’s inability to call “blitz-beats” to make defenses pay for sending all-out pressure since the Miami Dolphins upset the Ravens in a short turnaround during the week 10.

There have been several instances since that game where he called plays where Jackson could simply throw the ball under in an exit if nothing develops quickly enough downstream. He just didn’t make those easy throws that would be the equivalent of basketball layups and instead chooses to hold the ball too long behind an already struggling offensive line for “cover” sacks or wait for the ball. last minute to decide to try to escape a rapidly crumbling pocket.

Simple top. Hollywood folds in. Lamar could have pitched with a bit of anticipation and sent the ball to him. I didn’t like it, throw it away.

Had plenty of time, clean pocket. He moved Minkah to Hollywood, then Andrews is wide open to the other seam. MDR. pic.twitter.com/6G3e9SgoqR

– Spencer N. Schultz (@ ravens4dummies) December 8, 2021

The Steelers run cover-0. Gets cleanly picked up.

Lamar steps back and rolls to his right. Andrews passes his man once, then the defender falls.

Bateman returns to the ball.

Lamar tries to throw an arm at Freeman with too much sauce, misses him.

Bateman MAD. pic.twitter.com/Qmy1awPlSW

– Spencer N. Schultz (@ ravens4dummies) December 8, 2021

Jackson’s indecision from inside the pocket cost the Ravens several scoring opportunities during their current offensive slump. He returned the ball in unusual ways, playing with poor mechanics, missing wide open receivers and not distributing wealth among his much improved group of wide receivers, especially the wide receiver.

While everything described above about Jackson’s recent play is fixable, Roman shouldn’t be blamed as they happened in the first place. He has done his part in calling plays that put his players in a position to move the chains, but falls, pre-snap penalties, holding penalties and inconsistent quarterback play have made him an easy scapegoat. and the target of criticism.

If the Ravens players can start to execute more consistently and Roman can continue to dig into his safe and keep the defenses on their toes with unpredictable creative play calls like he did in the first practice of the Ravens against the Steelers last Sunday, that offense could get things quickly turned out. They have the potential to be one of the hottest and most dangerous units down the stretch and will need to be if their defense falters after suffering another debilitating injury in high school.

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