Player Spotlight: Jamal Lewis (1 Viewer)

[B-Deep]

Too much Jamal love going on here. Looks like everyone beleives he can rush for at least 1,000 yds but that will be too much. JL: 252 att, 958 yds, 3.8 avg, 5td, 31 rec for 188yds and 1 rec td. Alright, first of all Steve McNair is an upgrade. This is why more TDs will be going to Derrick Mason. Next, Mike Anderson will take many a carry from Jamal. The offensive line is not helping the Jamal situation, and the defense won't ever be as good as it was when Jamal was on top of his game. Most importantly, how many backs have done anything of importance three years after a 2,000 yard season? I dont know for sure, but I'm guessing none of them... look it up or something. Jamal has just been so consistently injured and will probably never have a full season again.

LOL, how many 2000 yard backs have there been?

Banger...Lewis is remarkably consistent in his career save for the 2,000 yard season. He's not a prolific scorer, he's limited as a receiver...unless he can get you 1,500-2,000 yards rushing, he's hard pressed to earn his keep at his annualized ADP.

the 2000 yard season was the anamoly

 

[Banger]

Too much Jamal love going on here.  Looks like everyone beleives he can rush for at least 1,000 yds but that will be too much.  JL:  252 att, 958 yds, 3.8 avg, 5td, 31 rec for 188yds and 1 rec td.  Alright, first of all Steve McNair is an upgrade.  This is why more TDs will be going to Derrick Mason.  Next, Mike Anderson will take many a carry from Jamal.  The offensive line is not helping the Jamal situation, and the defense won't ever be as good as it was when Jamal was on top of his game.  Most importantly, how many backs have done anything of importance three years after a 2,000 yard season?  I dont know for sure, but I'm guessing none of them... look it up or something.  Jamal has just been so consistently injured and will probably never have a full season again.

LOL, how many 2000 yard backs have there been?

Banger...Lewis is remarkably consistent in his career save for the 2,000 yard season. He's not a prolific scorer, he's limited as a receiver...unless he can get you 1,500-2,000 yards rushing, he's hard pressed to earn his keep at his annualized ADP.

He hasn't been elite due to the lack of rushing TD's the yards have always been there. TD's are hard to predict and are largely based on the teams offense and the number of red zone opportunities. Their offense has been so one dimensional for so long I think that a balanced offense can give him more TD opportunities. I certainly don't think that he will rush for 2000 yards again but I don't think he's incapable of scoring 10+ td's if given more opportunities.

 

[dcbreber]

Alright... no quoting here since its been done 5 times already. Good research from the multiple people about OJ and Dickerson, showing that it can be done again after the 2000 yard seasons. Buuuut I still stand by the other factors (Mike Anderson, more passing and passing TDs overall and especially to Derrick Mason, Jamal's love of being injured, worse offensive line, and a defense that is still good but not nearly what it was, and as previously stated a bad receiver meaning he is limited to rushing yards) affecting his numbers too negatively. Just sayin dont depend on Jamal, but he could be a good #3.

 

[wannabee]

Ravens | Lewis' extra weight not a problem

Published Fri Jun 16 9:25:00 p.m. ET 2006

(KFFL) Mike Preston, writing for the Sporting News, reports Baltimore Ravens RB Jamal Lewis is carrying an extra 10 to 15 pounds, but it shouldn't be much of a concern once training camp starts in late July. Lewis ran well in both minicamps, and the noticeable limp he had all of last season while recovering from an ankle injury is gone.

 

[jurb26]

My thoughts on Jamal Lewis and the Baltimore offense:

1. Steve McNair is an upgrade at QB, but he's not exactly in his prime. He's 33 and with all the hits he's taken, it's a very old 33. His Y/A his last two years were 6.2 and 6.6. He can come in and give the Ravens a credible passing game, but anyone expecting an Air show will be disappointed.

2. The Ravens' high pass percentage won't be repeated. I don't care what Billick did 10 years ago in Minnesota on a team loaded with WR talent. His Baltimore teams have run. Even in 2004 they ran more than they threw.

Last year they threw because they couldn't run. In the second halves of games, the Ravens threw 301 times and ran 200. That's not a team passing because they want to. That's a team passing because they have to.

3. No one likes excuses, but Lewis has plenty of them for last year. Limited prep time and a terrible o-line earn him a mulligan. 2003 is what happens when everything goes right, 2005 is when it all goes wrong. Every other year he's performed about the same, just over 4 yards per pop. From what I read the o-line should play better and Lewis should be back in shape. I don't see why he doesn't have another typical Jamal Lewis year.

4. Mike Anderson is 33 and averaged a whopping 4.2 YPC in RB Heaven last year. He seems more like a solid backup than a legit threat.

5. The Ravens don't have a third down back right now, but they're not just going to never pass to the RB. Jamal should catch a few more passes than usual.

Overall, I see a fairly standard Jamal Lewis season on the way:

300 carries

1230 yards

8 rush TDs

36 catches

288 yards

1 rec TD

Couldn't agree more. My projections:

315 carries, 1395 yds, 8 TDs, 35 rec, 300 yds, 1 TD

 

[sheerterror]

I just took him in a 12 team initial dynasty draft at 3.06, as the 23rd RB off the board FWIW.

He'll be 27 this season, coming off of his worst statistical year. But much like his 2000 yard season was "an anomaly" as someone put it earlier, I feel that his 3.4 ypc last season was an exception too. Take away his 2,000 yard 2003 (5.3 ypc) and last year's abysmal 3.4 and he's had a steady 4.3 ypc average in the other 3 seasons of his career. To ignore everything that went wrong for Lewis last season and even last offseason, and just assume that he'll continue to decline because of one really poor year is ignorant to his situation in 2005.

I think he'll bounce back this year with 1100-1200 yards and 6-8 TDs rushing. This was enough for me to be more comfortable taking him over unproven Chester Taylor, or guys like Droughns and Parker who have just as many question marks.

 

[renesauz]

Few players will have more disparate predictions then Lewis this year. My gut tells me he'll rebound a little, posting 1200 or so yards, with a little bit better TD output then years past, say 8-10 TD's.

Mike Anderson won't cut into his playing time to any serious degree.

I see Lewis as a borderline RB1, likely RB2 with equal potential to be a stud or a dud. If he's my RB1, I'm cautiously optimistic, but I'd LOVE to have him as my RB2 for the potential upside. If he's on my squad either way, I'm drafting a third sooner rather then later just in case last year wasn't an anomaly.

 

[jerseyh8r]

Per Blogger:

It will be interesting to see how Ravens RB Jamal Lewis performs now that the team has cut FB Alan Ricard. Ricard had been Lewis's bodyguard the past four seasons, but injuries and changes in the offensive scheme forced him out of the lineup. Lewis has always been an I-back going back to his college days. He is used to making cuts off a fullback's block. Cutting Ricard indicates the Ravens will use more formations involving an H-back.

I personally really liked the prospects for Lewis as a an undervalued player who could far outproduce his ADP, but this is making me a little less confident. I am curious to know if others will alter the projections significantly based on new formations, if they already had, or it doesn't change them enough in their own minds.

 

[Banger]

Per Blogger:

It will be interesting to see how Ravens RB Jamal Lewis performs now that the team has cut FB Alan Ricard. Ricard had been Lewis's bodyguard the past four seasons, but injuries and changes in the offensive scheme forced him out of the lineup. Lewis has always been an I-back going back to his college days. He is used to making cuts off a fullback's block. Cutting Ricard indicates the Ravens will use more formations involving an H-back.

I personally really liked the prospects for Lewis as a an undervalued player who could far outproduce his ADP, but this is making me a little less confident. I am curious to know if others will alter the projections significantly based on new formations, if they already had, or it doesn't change them enough in their own minds.

Personally, I wouldn't alter them significantly but I will definitely keep it in mind when drafting if I have to decide between him and someone else on the board. The bigger issue in my mind that I want to see is how he runs in the preseason, if he's tenative and slow like he looked at times last year it won't matter how many fullbacks he has. If he looks like the "old Jamal" and has some that bounce and power back I don't think it will be much of an issue.

 

[jerseyh8r]

Personally, I wouldn't alter them significantly but I will definitely keep it in mind when drafting if I have to decide between him and someone else on the board. The bigger issue in my mind that I want to see is how he runs in the preseason, if he's tenative and slow like he looked at times last year it won't matter how many fullbacks he has. If he looks like the "old Jamal" and has some that bounce and power back I don't think it will be much of an issue.

I agree with this.

 

[Routilla]

Any update on his hip flexor?

 

[wannabee]

Any update on his hip flexor?

Ravens | J. Lewis participates in scrimmage Published Sun Aug 6 2:36:00 a.m. ET 2006 (KFFL) Mike Duffy, of BaltimoreRavens.com, reports Baltimore Ravens RB Jamal Lewis (hip) started the team's scrimmage Saturday, Aug. 5.

 

[MLBrandow]

They may be a little more pass happy, but I don't see them going much over what they usually do.

Here's something interesting2005: 110 more pass attempts than rush attempts

2004: 25 more rush attempts than pass attempts

2003: 139 more rush attempts than pass attempts

The Ravens saw their run/pass differential decrease by 114 from '03 to '04, and then 135 from '04 to '05. I'm not sure there's anything the Ravens usually do.

I think you can throw last year out since it was a complete disaster from top to bottom. The Ravens didn't pass because the wanted to last year, they did it because they had to. Their defense fell apart, they couldn't run the ball (line was awful, Jamal was bad, etc.) and they were playing catchup in the 2nd half of most games so of course they had to pass more....

They may be a little more pass happy, but I don't see them going much over what they usually do.

Here's something interesting2005: 110 more pass attempts than rush attempts

2004: 25 more rush attempts than pass attempts

2003: 139 more rush attempts than pass attempts

The Ravens saw their run/pass differential decrease by 114 from '03 to '04, and then 135 from '04 to '05. I'm not sure there's anything the Ravens usually do.

Last year was an anomally, as Jamal couldn't get it going and the defense wasn't as stingy as usual. Balt is a run first, conservative, win with the defense type team. They will get back to that this year, and Jamal will have a good year. Nothing to get excited about, but I project closer games and less stacking the line, which should open up the running game. Lewis just seems to be one of those guys that has the stars aligned this year. I see upside when I look at where he's giong.

I see both of you think last year was an anomoly and the defense fell apart. The Ravens D ranked 4th in 2003, 6th in 2004, and 5th in 2005. Baltimore was 8th in YPA allowed and 2nd in YPC alowed. That's right in line with their previous two seasons. The defense was stingy as usual for sure last year. They allowed slightly more points than the previous years, but still ranked 10th in points allowed: the D certainly didn't fall apart.

Lewis will revert back to his "old reliable" mode. Solid RB2 numbers, quiet and dependable. No huge games, no small ones, just generally solid yardage.

Seems like everyone here generally agrees except for a few who choose to nose too far into tunneled stats to understand circumstances.

Think I'll go with Blackjack's prediction.

Quiet value this year.

 

[Banger]

any TC updates on Jamal? It's been awfully quiet....

 

[jurb26]

any TC updates on Jamal? It's been awfully quiet....

Lets keep it that way.

 

[Godsbrother]

I see a mediocre year for Jamal:

1050 yards rush, 5 TDs

250 yards recv, 1 TD

 

[chedha]

any TC updates on Jamal? It's been awfully quiet....

I don't know if anyone has seen the training camp specials on NFL network, but they had one on the ravens. He appeared to me to be a bit overweight, and walking with a noticeable limp. Did anyone else who watched it, notice the same thing?

 

[HobbesAB]

From Michael Smith's 5 Observations of Ravens Camp (ESPN Insider):

The other Lewis, Jamal, is back as well. For one, he had a normal offseason. He isn't coming off incarceration or ankle surgery without proper rehabilitation. He has a contract. He's healthy both mentally and physically, "free and clear" of worry, he says.

Jamal Lewis' offseason workouts started two weeks after last season ended. His goal was to improve his conditioning and pass receiving skills so that he could be on the field for three downs; last season the Ravens would replace him with Chester Taylor on passing downs. Taylor left for a big payday and a starting job in Minnesota, but the Ravens still have good depth behind Lewis.

Mike Anderson enjoyed success in Denver; playing Lewis and Anderson in the backfield at the same time would make for a tough matchup. Musa Smith is back from a broken leg and is having a good camp. And for a change of pace, Baltimore has fourth-rounder P.J. Daniels, who is versatile enough to be split wide in certain packages.

If the offensive line can stay together, look for the Ravens' running game to return to form and a bounce-back year for Lewis.

 

[Irish]

I find it pretty hard to get excited about Jamal Lewis. His YPC have dropped by a full yard each of the last two years. He has been a mediocre TD guy for most of his career. And his team just added a TD machine who outperformed Jamal significantly last year.

Lewis' big year came when the Ravens ran well over 100 times more than they passed. That's not going to happen this year, and the Ravens may continue to be a pass happy team in 2006.

I agree. I see the Ravens using Anderson exclusively in the red zone, while Lewis will be the back who runs between the 20's. Anderson is getting up there in age, and despite the fact that his career started late, that age is still a factor in his overall health. They want to be able to use a RBBC approach in terms of an every-down back and a TD specialist. (Going by the lack of TD production by Lewis as you mentioned.)

 

[Banger]

Watched the preseason game and saw EXACTLY what I wanted to see out of Jamal. He looked nothing like the back of last year. He had a burst was running determined and although it was only one series the offense moved the ball with relative ease against a good giants defense. 6 carries 34 yards with a long of 17.

Mark this down, the McNair factor will be huge this year for this offense. Their achilles heel over the past few years has been 3rd and medium/long and McNair did great hitting Heap on a couple 3rds to pick up a 1st and keep the offense on the field. Heap definitely seems to be his outlet and safety valve.

Jamal hasn't had a decent QB or a balanced offense since he's been in the league and I think he could be huge this year. He's always had the yardage (obviously last year excluded) but TD's have been few and far between. With a more balanced offense I could definitely see his opportunities increase substantially over years past. With their great defense I could see a lot games where they are ahead and just have Jamal run it down their throats in the 2nd half.

 

[wannabee]

any worry of McNairing stealing a few of Lewis' TD opportunities?

 

[lebowski]

any worry of McNairing stealing a few of Lewis' TD opportunities?

or anderson?

 

[Irish]

any worry of McNairing stealing a few of Lewis' TD opportunities?

or anderson?

A young McNair maybe, but not the old version. I don't understand the Ravens need for a goaline back besides the 240 lb Lewis. I see Lewis returning to form and rush for 1375 yards with 10 Tds and 38 catches for 300 yds with 2 Tds.

 

[bocksheesh]

Another thing to remember about Jamal Lewis' performance last year is that in addition to his many problems, the Ravens premiere offensive lineman, Jonathan Ogden, was dinged up for much of the early part of the season.

That had never happened before.

This year, Ogden is dealing with a death in his family, but is healthy. A healthy Ogden translates into big yardage for Lewis. Ogden is one of the best in the NFL.