By Chris Schisler
The Baltimore Ravens offense is rolling and Marquise Brown has a big hand to play in that success. Brown torched the Kansas City Chiefs for six receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown. Brown has started the game with 12 receptions in his first two games averaging 15.2 yards per catch.
While it’s only two games and his average output may shift up and down, take a second to see what kind of pace Brown is on. If he keeps his average output at six catches a game and 15.2 yards per reception, he’s looking at 102 grabs for 1,520 yards. That would be next-level kind of numbers. That’s a stat line reserved for a player like Stefon Diggs or DeAndre Hopkins.
Do I think Brown gets quite that high with his production? It’s a long season and the Ravens offense isn’t exactly the air-raid… I’d bet he falls short of the 1,520 yards. Mark Andrews will probably heat up. In the two games of the 2021 season, Andrews only has 77 yards. The passing game will probably develop a bit with Sammy Watkins and eventually with Rashod Bateman.
The pass distribution should even out a bit. It may not be possible for a wide receiver to lead the league in receiving yards in this offense. 1,000 yards is a viable goal though, and the way things are going, Brown should get to that mark.
Marquise Brown is feeling it and you can tell:
Still, Brown is the number one target. Lamar Jackson always wants to get Brown the ball. If Jackson is going to force anyone to be involved it’s going to be Brown. We saw the negative side of that on Sunday Night Football when Jackson threw the ball at the Chiefs triple coverage of Brown. There is no way Jackson is ever going to ignore Brown and this year Brown is getting open at an eye-opening rate.
Brown is playing with a level of confidence and toughness that he hasn’t always had. Take the Raiders game for example. There was a catch where he had to go low and get the football. It was an incredible snag that many receivers wouldn’t have secured. Last year you may not have seen Brown make that catch. It’s not an overreaction. Brown is showing signs of taking extra steps.
This is why I was glad Marquise Brown switched to his old number. It’s not a huge deal, but if it means something to Brown then it’s worth it. He was a superstar at Oklahoma. He’s been good but not great in the NFL. Anything to get him to his full level of swagger is encouraged.
The Ravens always envisioned Brown as their version of Tyreek Hill. Last season fans were expecting the big jump up in production. The hope may be starting to be realized. Nobody in a Chiefs uniform could keep up with Brown on Sunday night. Brown was wide open several times in the big win against the Chiefs.
The Bottom Line is good for Marquise Brown
It would be one thing if Sammy Watkins and Mark Andrews both had huge numbers. Against the Chiefs, no other receiver had more than 57 yards for Baltimore. Watkins had more yards against the Raiders, but Brown had the touchdown and two more receptions in the opener. Brown still has to do the heavy lifting as a pass-catcher. His situation hasn’t changed. Not yet.
When Mark Andrews does get going, and Rashod Bateman finally joins the offense in week four or five, Brown’s situation will actually change. That glowy idea of having an offense that he’s not getting all the defensive attention is coming. Much like the Ravens in general, the best is yet to come. Brown’s had good starts to the season before. Contextually this feels just as good as his first two games in 2019 and it hints at him taking the next steps he’s always been capable of.
NEXT POST: Baltimore Ravens: What we learned week 2
I said all offseason that this was going to be a big year for Marquise Brown. A 1,000-yard season with eight to 10 touchdowns seems like a possibility. That’s a very exciting opportunity.
