3 Necessary Improvements For The Baltimore Ravens In Training Camp
Baltimore (WJZ) -- With the Baltimore Ravens training camp merely a few days away, let's take a look at the top 3 things the Ravens need to work on as Training Camp approaches.
Force Turnovers
When the Ravens are playing great football, it's usually because they're forcing the opposing team to turn the football over. Last season, Baltimore was downright putrid in that category. The Ravens recorded only six interceptions all of last year with Jimmy Smith accounting for half of them. Baltimore also had a turnover ration of -14. If the Ravens want to return to the postseason, this will need to change. With the acquisition of Eric Weddle, Baltimore hopes he's able to put the other defensive players in better positions to make plays. His presence on the field should lead to better communication due to his high football IQ. Couple that with a surplus of young pass rushers making their debut this season, and Baltimore has a good chance to turn things around.
Run the Football
If you're a Ravens fan, chances are you've screamed, "RUN THE BALL" at the top of your lungs towards your television set at some point last year. That's because the Ravens didn't do much of it. And when they did decide to run with the football, the results were less than spectacular. Baltimore ranked 26th in the NFL in yards run per game and that simply won't get it done in the AFC North. Even in the era of passing the football, nothing gets done without a steady dose of the run. Baltimore realizes this and has taken steps to ensure the best running back available starts on Sunday when the NFL season begins. The Ravens currently have 6 running backs fighting for the starting spot including Justin Forsett and recently drafted Louisiana Tech Bulldog Kenneth Dixon.
Protect Your Quarterback
Joe Flacco tore both his ACL and MCL last season due to poor protection up front. When your $120 million star gets injured like that, you better take notice. The Ravens know that a team without its starting quarterback isn't a very good one. To help ensure that such a thing doesn't happen again, Baltimore drafted OT Ronnie Stanley with the 6th pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Stanley still has a lot to learn before he's Pro-ready and simply plugging in a player won't entirely fix the problems of the O-line. The Ravens need to find a replacement for the now Oakland Raider Kelechi Osemele as well as make sure the line can work as a cohesive unit before training camp concludes.
