When then-rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson got a chance to turn cameo appearances into full-time starting Rock Ya-Sin Jersey , the Ravens threw the NFL a curveball, turning the offense into a run-heavy attack.Jackson’s first start included a whopping 26 rushing attempts. (In contrast, Joe Flacco had 19 total rushing attempts in his nine 2018 starts.) Through seven 2019 starts, six of which the Ravens won, Jackson ran the ball 119 times — an average of 17 per game. He also gained 556 yards on the ground in those seven starts.The success of both Jackson and the team has created the impression that the Ravens will do more of the same in 2019. But the Ravens have done a nice job of clouding the issue, from swapping out Marty Mornhinweg for Greg Roman at offensive coordinator to adding a pair of fleet-footed receivers in the draft (after being unable to attract any quality wideouts in free agency) to making it clear via owner Steve Bisciotti that Jackson won’t run the ball 20 times per game to strongly hinting via G.M. Eric DeCosta that a far more diverse attack will be used to, most recently http://www.indianapoliscoltsteamonline.com/ben-banogu-jersey , the vow from backup quarterback Robert Griffin III that the new offense will “shock some people.”It’s still not clear what the Ravens will do, and that’s good news for the Ravens. Whether it’s the Dolphins in Week One or the Cardinals in Week Two or come Week Three a rematch of an epic 2018 regular-season battle in Kansas City with the Chiefs, those early-season foes may be on their heels as they try to figure out whether the pre-snap looks are hinting at a run or a pass.Until the Ravens tip their hands by generating several games of film, opposing defenses would be wise to look at 49ers games played with Roman as the offensive coordinator. The Ravens in turn would be wise to use some of those 49ers games as the basis for making what once was a pass into a run, and vice versa.However it turns out, the fact that no one quite knows what the Ravens precisely will be doing on offense is a bonus for Baltimore. It becomes a bigger bonus if Jackson, who ran the ball last year nearly as well as he did at Louisville Parris Campbell Jersey , can begin throwing the ball like he did in college.Through it all, the overriding goal should be ensuring that Jackson doesn’t run the ball so much that he gets injured. In the NFL, that’s the biggest reason why teams choose to avoid putting their quarterbacks at risk by repeatedly subjecting him to the kinds of hits that usually only running backs absorb. ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — Shortly after being drafted, Raiders defensive tackle Maurice Hurst received a phone call from Jon Gruden. The conversation didn’t last long but turned out to be prophetic in several ways.Gruden informed Hurst of the renovation plan for Oakland’s defense that was being mapped out by him and defensive coordinator Paul Guenther and how much they wanted the former Michigan star to be at the hub of that plan. Gruden also didn’t mince words when he explained that he wanted Hurst to be as big of a presence in the locker room as the team hoped he would be on the field.Hurst has managed to do both fairly well, providing a silver lining to a season in which the Raiders defense has otherwise gone nowhere.“He’s grown leaps and bounds,” Guenther said Friday. “We knew we drafted a good player when we took him and he has not disappointed. He’s done a good job in both the run and the pass. He’s been able to push the pocket some on third down Will Harris Jersey , so he’s going to be a great player for us.”Oakland is 26th in total defense behind a pass rush that has generated only 12 sacks through 14 games. Hurst has four of them, the most by a Raiders rookie since Khalil Mack had four in 2014.Whether Hurst can add to his total is uncertain. He has not practiced this week because of a lingering ankle injury that landed him on the inactive list in Week 14.A strong finish to the season, Hurst said, will be key to getting a jump on 2019 as he and fellow rookie P.J. Hall try to form the foundation of the Raiders defensive line.“We’ve done a pretty decent job this year so we just have to try to build on things,” Hurst said. “These last couple of games will be big for us. Just keep developing, have a big offseason and get ready for next year.”The Raiders were fortunate Hurst fell into their laps. A consensus All-American during his senior season with the Wolverines, Hurst was projected to be a first-round draft pick until being sent home from the scouting combine after tests revealed a heart condition.Hurst was given medical clearance but it didn’t prevent the other 31 teams from passing on him. When he was selected with the 140th overall pick http://www.detroitlionsteamonline.com/austin-bryant-jersey , the Raiders were widely criticized by several general managers around the league.It’s a gamble that has paid off for Oakland.In addition to leading the Raiders in sacks, Hurst is fourth among all NFL rookie defensive linemen with 31 tackles.Guenther and Gruden both have praised Hurst for his impact in the locker room as well. Hurst, in turn, credits Gruden for giving him an early heads-up of what to expect.“I had a good sense of what was going on and what we had on our roster and what we were trying to build,” Hurst said. “Sometimes you want to take a back seat but that wasn’t really a position I was in. It’s something I’ve taken pride in and what I want to continue to do. He didn’t want me to be a normal rookie.”Notes: CB Daryl Worley (shoulder) missed his second straight day of practice. . CB Gareon Conley (concussion), center Rodney Hudson (ankle/knee) and TE Lee Smith (back) were limited.