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Ravens’ recipients Willie Snead and Marquise Brown have suggested that they will spend the off-season with Lamar Jackson trying to find some balance for his attack.
The Ravens led the NFL in running yards, while the last ranking in passing yards. The 2006 Falcons with Michael Vick were the last team to have this kind of imbalance.
Coach John Harbaugh, however, said defiantly on Wednesday that he “is not apologizing” for the team’s attacking style.
“The reason I’m strong at this is because it goes back to the same criticism we’ve heard in the past three years about not being the kind of offensive or the type of defender that some people want to see,” Harbaugh said, via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “They will just have to live with it, because Lamar Jackson won many soccer games here and our attack won us many soccer games here and we are not apologizing for that for even a second.”
Harbaugh explained the lack of passing yards – 2,739 for the season – and the lack of attempts – an NFL low 406 – in order to build “the best offensive attack in football history in the past two years”
The Ravens finished seventh in the scoring this season, averaging 29.3 points per game.
“We will improve, no doubt,” said Harbaugh. “We are going to work to be more precise, more efficient and better at what we do. Let’s leave the criticism to the critics. When they are ready to coordinate their attack and put their product on the field, I look forward to competing against it. “
Harbaugh has no doubt that the Ravens will also be able to sign Jackson with a long-term extension. Jackson has just finished his third season, making him eligible for a new contract.