If I ever find myself with a quarter at a wishing well, I will not ask for world peace. I would not ask for an end to disputes. And I certainly would not ask for billions of dollars. I would wish that Greg Roman would learn how to be a competent offensive coordinator. Big ole Greg waking up one day with a high IQ is a whole lot less attainable than an end to wars and hunger. 

For those of you who do not know him, Greg Roman is the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. He has held the position since 2018 and was known for his success with running/dual threat quarterbacks, like Colin Kaepernick. During his first few years, Roman implemented Lamar Jackson, and his supporting cast perfectly. The Ravens achieved a 14-2 record. Although they crashed out of the playoffs early, it was still considered an excellent season. Several games were won by a large margin of points, tight ends were used in creative ways, and Lamar was unpredictable. 

 So, what happened to Greg? I sure as heck wish I knew. But I have a hunch. And it is a simple idea. NFL defenses have learned to adapt to his option-style playbook. Nowadays, teams are keen on studying tape and learning to set a gameplan for their upcoming opponents. To compensate for Lamar’s dynamic style, defenses hold a QB spy and blitz at least four players. This way Jackson feels pressure but cannot scramble as easily due to the QB spy. Forcing him to throw into coverage (likely a zone to keep him in the pocket) and make more mistakes.  

If other teams have already adjusted, what has Greg the Leg done to counter that? Nothing. Every single 1st and 10 is a run up the center of the offensive line and is complemented by inefficient blocking designs. And if they are in a pinch on 3rd and short? Read option or some RPO each time. Which is a total dud. I’ve peewee teams with a more diverse playbook. There is no doubt that the play calling is redundant, making it easy to see through. 

Obviously, there are issues that affect his calls which he cannot control. Over the course of the preseason the Ravens training staff had the players training on either concrete or were sacrificing their ACLs to Cthulhu (or some other cult). Going into the regular season, the team was decimated. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and several other starters suffered season ending injuries. While this takes away the firepower that they could have used, it does not excuse the lazy play calls. 

Of all possibilities, the best would be dropping Roman off in the middle of nowhere and speeding off back to Baltimore. Then hire a new and improved offensive coordinator. Brian Flores would be an excellent addition, but not the most realistic. He was one of few who changed Miami from being hard to watch to becoming a respectable opponent. Not only is he sharp, but he has experience working with dual threat QB’s like Tua Tagovailoa. We can only hope for something like this. . . 

Either way, it is evident that Greg Roman must go. He has caused as many cardiac and mental issues as conspiracy theorists think that the vaccine has.