Ravens Top Offensive Trio Rankings Thanks to Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
One of the themes of the 2024 NFL season was how much more impactful running backs can be on good teams, creating conflicts when offenses are capable of threatening opponents by ground and air.
This was most prominent with the Philadelphia Eagles, who watched Saquon Barkley run for 2,000 yards, and the Baltimore Ravens, where Derrick Henry headlined the conference’s best run game. Both teams had stable passing situations and better offensive lines than the backs’ prior teams, and they were rewarded for that multiplicity.
As such, it was no surprise that Philadelphia and Baltimore landed atop Sports Illustrated’s “triplets” list, ranking each team by their quarterback, running back, and top pass catcher. The Ravens came out on top, despite the Eagles winning the Super Bowl.
While Henry and Barkley ensured their squads would land in the first tier, quarterback Lamar Jackson is key to the Ravens’ promising offensive ranking.
“No team has a better trio than the Ravens,” Matt Verderame wrote. “Jackson is a two-time MVP and three-time first-team All-Pro, while Henry is coming off a second-team All-Pro campaign with more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage. In Flowers, Baltimore has a top-end target with 1,059 receiving yards and four touchdowns last season.”
Barkley was more productive than Henry (albeit with more attempts and a better offensive line), but on a talent basis, the two are resoundingly similar. No one would argue that Baltimore receiver Zay Flowers is better than A.J. Brown. Subsequently, it’s how much better Jackson is than Eagles passer Jalen Hurts that sets these two teams apart.
Hurts is no slouch, having gone to two Super Bowls and winning one. He’s improved almost every season since he saw playing time at Alabama, and his mobility makes much of Philadelphia’s offense possible. Jackson, though, is still the preeminent “rushing” quarterback, and he’s a better passer, too. Jackson is coming off his most complete season and his first 4,000-yard campaign. He led the league in touchdown percentage, yards per attempt, passer rating, and quarterback rating.
Hurts will continue battle skepticism as he separates himself from his supporting cast. Jackson is the supporting cast that makes the Ravens so dangerous every year and giving them the edge in summer exercises like these.
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Related: Lamar Jackson Is Too Good To Lead NFL in Passing
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.