Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston will reply followers’ questions all through the Ravens season. Coming off Baltimore’s 31-24 win in Week 8 in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals, loads of questions stay heading right into a Week 9 matchup in opposition to the Seattle Seahawks.
Here’s Preston’s take:
(Editor’s word: Questions have been edited for size and readability.)
I’m positive Mike Macdonald can be getting a lot of interviews for head teaching vacancies as soon as the season is over. I’d hate to see the Ravens lose him. Do you assume there’s any means the Ravens can preserve him? Perhaps give him a hefty elevate and promise him that he would be the Ravens’ head coach as soon as Harbaugh steps down? — Joe Deasel
It is determined by the crew making the provide. Macdonald is younger, good and could have his choices if the protection continues to play properly. There will in all probability be groups that pursue him, however I’m unsure that Macdonald needs to go work for an unstable franchise such because the Las Vegas Raiders. Some coaches, significantly African Americans, must take these alternatives as a result of few can be found, however Macdonald could have his choices.
I’ve all the time thought that after Harbaugh left, Macdonald would substitute him. I’ve no definitive proof of that, however I see him as a Harbaugh clone. The Ravens can provide him a brand new contract and extra money, but when a steady franchise such because the Pittsburgh Steelers comes calling, Macdonald would pursue the chance. Why wouldn’t he?
On prime of all different issues, is Zay Flowers one of the best blocker amongst all of the broad receivers? I feel he’s even higher than Miles Boykin, and he has saved a multiyear profession being a blocker. — Patrick Kiernan
That’s a tricky query. The Ravens demand their receivers block due to their emphasis on the working sport. I’ve seen Odell Beckham Jr. make blocks this season. Flowers will stick his neck in there, so to talk. Nelson Agholor has completed properly at instances, significantly contained in the crimson zone.
Boykin, a 2019 third-round draft decide by the Ravens who’s now with the Steelers, was a masher. At 6 ft 4 and 220 kilos, he ought to have been a good finish.
Forrest Gump acknowledged a couple of field of goodies that “you never know what you will get.” The similar might be stated of the Ravens offense and Lamar Jackson. It adjustments from sport to sport, typically half to half. From the euphoria after the Lions sport to the letdowns in opposition to the Colts and Steelers, what, if something, can Todd Monken and/or Lamar Jackson do to make the Ravens offense extra constant? Is it teaching? Or is it Jackson simply being Jackson? Thank you. — Bob in North Carolina
I’ve all the time stated that Jackson is sort of a field of the outdated Cracker Jack popcorn: you by no means know what prize you may discover inside. It may be one thing priceless, or one thing not fairly as much as your commonplace. He has been that means all through his professional profession. I can say he’s a greater quarterback than he was in 2019, particularly passing contained in the crimson zone. He can nonetheless run however isn’t fairly as explosive.
Consistency has been the issue with the offense for years, which is why the Ravens can’t go far within the playoffs. It may be the identical in 2023. Right now, it’s nonetheless a matter of getting all of the starters on the sector on the similar time, and there’s a likelihood that would occur by the top of the season when the highest groups peak.
The silver lining proper now could be that the offense ought to get higher. This group remains to be in an adjustment interval, however Jackson will all the time be Jackson.
After Sunday’s sport, Lamar stated he thought the sport plan ought to have been to run extra within the first half. As a sixth-year QB and former NFL MVP, does Lamar have any enter throughout the week on the sport plan? Do gamers get entangled like that with the coordinators? Or is it simply not Lamar’s fashion/persona to get entangled like that? — Paul in Orlando
I’d be stunned that the Ravens would exclude Jackson from having enter into the offense and the sport plan each week. He has been round for six years and he was the NFL Most Valuable Player in 2019, as you talked about.
At the start of coaching camp, each Jackson and new offensive coordinator Todd Monken burdened that Jackson had the freedom to verify and alter performs on the line of scrimmage. Unfortunately, I don’t know the extent of that — can he change a passing play to a working play? I sense that Monken and Jackson have had their issues over whether or not Jackson ought to keep within the pocket or throw on the run.
Regardless, the offense remains to be higher and extra versatile than a 12 months in the past. Jackson, although, after getting that $260 million contract within the offseason, appears extra keen to offer his opinions than prior to now.
Have a query for Mike Preston? Email sports [email protected] with “Ravens mailbag” within the topic line and it might be answered in The Baltimore Sun.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com