By Ben Cole ‘21, Sports Writer

The Ravens have been dominant this NFL season, currently with a record of 12-3 and a firm hold on first place in the AFC North Division. As a team, they currently lead the NFL in Offensive Scoring at 33.7 points per game. They also lead the NFL in team rushing at 202.1 yards per game, 50 yards greater than any other team in the NFL. This is the most surprising considering how the Ravens use a limited passing attack, unlike the usual NFL path for success. The recipe for success for the last decade around the NFL has been passing before running, unlike the Ravens’ new tactic. So why would the Ravens change the successful “pass first run second” formula that teams have won with for years? 

It all comes down to personnel and necessity. The Ravens roster consists of mediocre receivers; the running to passing quarterback, Lamar Jackson; and limited pass-catchers, Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards. Not only did this force the Ravens’ Offensive Coordinator, Greg Roman, to overhaul the playbook, but also fundamentally changed the way football is “supposed” to be played. With a top-five offensive line in run-blocking, Roman was able to transform the unit into an offense with deception and aggressiveness all out of a single formation. 

As a unit, the Ravens run 95% of their offense out of one formation—the pistol—in which Jackson lines up in the shotgun while the running back lines up directly behind him. This opens up the playbook for Jackson to run, hand the ball off, or pass. This formation is much more complex and deceptive than the simple I-formation most teams run out of, making it surprising that not more teams in the NFL are using it. The reason is that other NFL teams don’t have the right quarterback for this formation. Lamar Jackson is a rare talent that the NFL hasn’t seen since Michael Vick; his 1,206 rushing yards shattered Vick’s previous record of 1,039 yards. His above average passing ability (113 Passer Rating) and unusual running ability give the Ravens a unique advantage compared to other teams in their ability to use the pistol with a quarterback who can scare defenses with his deadly rushing ability and his competent passing ability. 

Even though the Ravens are ranked 25th in passing yards and attempts, they still have the highest team passer rating (slightly lower than Jackson’s 113 rating at 112.2) in the league and rank first in passing efficiency at 51%. These statistics show how teams are absolutely befuddled by the Ravens’ deceptive use of play action, read options, or simple handoffs from the Pistol formation. This trickery opens up greater opportunity for receivers to trick defensive backs into thinking the play is a read-option or handoff, while also burning the ones who are too hesitant to commit to coverage because they are unsure who has the ball. When a defensive player has difficulty in determining the type of play (run, pass, handoff), this leaves gaps in the defense which the Ravens can easily exploit. The Ravens’ new “pistol” tactics have greatly deceived other NFL teams and are helping the Ravens accomplish a record season.