TOUGH TASK: Jackson runs unpredictable offense.
With Jackson under center, Ravens’ offense has lots of options that makes it hard to stop
Standing a few yards deep in the backfield, orchestrating the Ravens’ version of the pistol formation, quarterback Lamar Jackson sized up the situation and made a choice that created an immediate conflict for an overmatched Texans defense.
With running back Mark Ingram directly behind him and two tight ends lined up next to him in a fullhouse, pistol diamond formation, Jackson faked the handoff to Ingram and took off to his left last November.
The NFL Most Valuable Player rapidly dodged flailing, diving tackle attempts from outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus and defensive end Charles Omenihu at the line of scrimmage. Jackson scampered into the open field with speed and moves so potent it hearkened back to Michael Vick’s heyday. His acceleration and cuts led to cornerback Lonnie Johnson Jr. and nose tackle Brandon Dunn violently crashing into each other in pursuit.
The Ravens chose to leave Mercilus unblocked on this play and simply relied on Jackson’s agility and instincts to win the open-field encounter. That 39-yard quarterback keeper, which included five tackles broken or missed, was a microcosm of the Texans’ extremely long day against Jackson during a 41-7 loss in Baltimore. Jackson overwhelmed them by completing 17 of 24 passes for 222 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions for a 139.2 passer rating and rushed for 79 yards on 10 carries as the Ravens finished with 263 rushing yards on 36 carries.
One year after that blowout loss and one week after missing 20 tackles in a season-opening loss to the Chiefs, the Texans’ defense faces the difficult task Sunday at NRG Stadium of trying to contain an improving 23-year-old passer who runs an unpredictable offense and broke Vick’s single-season rushing yards record last season.
“The kid can slide, man,” Mercilus said. “He can start and stop on a dime. He’s already putting a lot of guys on skates, so guys got to be very disciplined as far as the angles that they take on him. He’s absolutely an impressive and electrifying player from a quarterback standpoint.”
The roots of the Ravens’ unconventional offense are built around Jackson’s running style and the innovative strategies of offensive coordinator Greg Roman. As a Stanford assistant coach, Roman studied the pistol with Nevada coach Chris Ault, the pioneer of the unusual formation who ran it with great success with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in college.
A cross between traditional under-center and shotgun formations, the pistol blends high-octane option football with an oldschool, smash-mouth element with plenty of power runs with Jackson or the backs following lead blocks from 6-foot-4, 270-pound tight end Nick Boyle, 6-3, 303pound Pro Bowl fullback-defensive tackle Pat Ricard, tight end Mark Andrews (6-5, 256) and offensive tackles Orlando Brown Jr. (6-8, 345) and Ronnie Stanley (6-6, 315).
The Ravens attack defenses with downhill running plays or option plays to either side of the field with elements of spread-style designs. Roman keeps tweaking the plays with motion, pulling guards and frequent personnel changes to keep defenses confused. It’s all intended to create a numerical advantage and rely on Jackson’s dualthreat skills. Roman can adjust the pistol to heavier looks, including a “bully” alignment that uses three tight ends.
“It allows you to run the ball either direction,” Roman said. “I like the shotgun, too, don’t get me wrong, but the pistol formation allows you to run your whole offense. They don’t know which way you’re going. That’s good for the offense.”
Between the foundation of a physical running game and evolving run-pass option looks, the Ravens run a diverse offense where Jackson can keep it, pitch it or hand off to his running backs,. That includes Ingram, rookie and La Grange native J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. Or Jackson can throw it deep to speedy wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown or Andrews, his favorite target.
There are plenty of screens and jet motions and uneven sets to create overload blocking situations. And Roman mixes it up frequently as Jackson will either read the defensive tackle, end or outside linebacker.
The pistol formation with Jackson as its maestro puts a lot of pressure on the defense. It’s reminiscent of the option-centric offenses run at military service schools Army and Navy or the wishbone at Georgia Tech several years ago with quarterback Joe Hamilton when Texans coach and general manager Bill O’Brien was on the Yellow Jackets’ staff.
It’s a lot to contend with for firstyear Texans defensive boss Anthony Weaver.
“I think coach Roman does an excellent job with their scheme,” Weaver said. “It’s very unique in terms of NFL offenses …you think about Army and Navy. Those teams, they have guys that go out there that try hard, but they didn’t have elite athletes. Well, now you’re running a similar type of offense with incredible athletes.
“You think about the quarterback, Hollywood Brown, Andrews. It’s different, and it’s unique and it makes it difficult to prepare for in a short period of time. There’s so much assignment football involved. You’ve got to be really detailed in what you’re teaching defensively and then you’ve still got to tackle that quarterback who is dynamic with the ball in his hands.”
When Jackson is running the option, he forces the designated unblocked defender to commit to trying to stop him or the running back. That’s usually Ingram, a 1,000-yard rusher last season. If the defender gets too close to Jackson and he doesn’t think he can avoid tackled, he’ll pitch it to the back. If the defender plays the back and leaves Jackson free, he’ll keep it himself to gain yards.
That means the Texans will have to be sound in terms of assignment football to try to corral Jackson.
“It’s very critical,” Mercilus said. “You’ve just got to be very disciplined as far as playing those zone reads and trusting your guys as well, too. There’s a big trust factor that has to happen on defense. The chemistry and then also just being in great position, pinning the near hip, getting into great tackling position on Lamar and those other guys.”
One game into his third NFL season, Jackson has passed for 4,603 yards, 45 touchdowns and nine interceptions and rushed for 1,946 yards and 12 touchdowns.
“He’s just got a very unique skillset,” O’Brien said. “Obviously he’s very fast, he’s very quick. Over time, he’s become a better passer. He does a really good job using all the people around him. Their scheme in the running game is very unique. No one else in the league really does what they do. It’s just the way they use their tight ends, their blocking schemes, their backs and then obviously Lamar.”
During the Ravens’ 38-6 victory over the Browns last week, Jackson completed 20 of 25 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns. He didn’t have to run much, but still gained 45 yards on seven carries and was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
“He can do it all,” said Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, who didn’t play against Jackson last season due to a torn pectoral. “Any time that a team has a quarterback in the run game plan and obviously in the pass game plan, it’s an extra person you have to defend in both aspects. There is really no free person on the defense.
“Every single guy has to be accounted for and every guy has to do their job. If they make one guy miss or if one guy doesn’t do their job, it makes it that much more difficult on the rest of the defense. It’s paramount that we all do our job and that we all know our assignment and execute it well.”
The Ravens use deception and disguise and aggressiveness to create mismatches.
Between a fast quarterback, lots of motion, overload looks and tight ends who double as fullbacks and Andrews and Brown getting open downfield, they’ve built a prolific offense that’s a perfect fit for Jackson.
Because the Ravens do so many things, Weaver said it’s imperative that the Texans keep their approach as simple as possible to prevent confusion.
“It’s definitely not a week that you can be overly complicated in what you’re trying to do schematically,” Weaver said. “It’s obviously important to have answers to everything that they present, but if you try to do too much, you could definitely put yourself in a bad situation. I think that’s why they do a lot of the things that they do.
“You’ve got to have a tight plan. You can’t be too exotic in what you want to do. Then you just try and go and create an environment where your guys can pin their ears back and go play tough, physical football.”