Ravens' Lamar Jackson knows key to effective run game after shutdown vs. Browns

Adam Schultz

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Ravens' Lamar Jackson knows key to effective run game after shutdown vs. Browns image

The Baltimore Ravens are seen as perhaps the best rushing team in football, with Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson proving tough to stop.

But against the Cleveland Browns, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz devised a plan that worked to perfection, and it might have just given the rest of the NFL the blueprint to halting this Ravens juggernaut.

Henry was kept to just 23 rushing yards on 11 carries, and Lamar had just 13 yards from two carries to be completely shut down in a way we haven't seen in a long time.

As the Ravens gear up for a monster Week 3 clash against the Detroit Lions, Lamar knows how to get the run game rolling again.

“We just got to execute better,” Jackson said. “Shout out to Cleveland defense, they did a pretty good job. I can tell the game plan was to stop the run. But we got it done other ways.”

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Ravens ready to bounce back vs. Lions

While the Browns sold out to stop the run, we aren't sure if the Lions will do the same. Granted, they might, but it is worth remembering that even without a run game to fall back on, Lamar still threw for over 200 yards and four touchdowns while hanging 41 points on Cleveland.

The Lions gave up 134 rushing yards to the Chicago Bears last week, so we imagine that offensive coordinator Todd Monken will be looking for something similar out of Henry and Co.

We can't see Henry being such a non-factor in back-to-back weeks, so don't be surprised to see King Henry emerge. And the key to making him a factor?

Just execute better.

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Adam Schultz

Adam Schultz is a freelance writer at The Sporting News. An Australian journalist with years of experience covering the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL, Adam has interviewed several high-profile athletes in Australia for various sites and brings a unique view on the NFL.