Ravens running back Gus Edwards liked going to an up-tempo style in the second half of their 24-10 victory against the Indianapolis Colts Nov. 8, and while Edwards did have an unusual error in the game, he believes that the adjustments made by the offense are a sign of things to come.
The Ravens were down, 10-7, at halftime but scored 17 unanswered points in the second half, catching the Colts’ offense off-guard with the change in strategy. Edwards hopes the offense uses an up-tempo style more often.
“I loved it. It was the first time all season that we really did that,” Edwards said on Glenn Clark Radio Nov. 9. “It was something that kind of just happened. We do it in practice all the time, but we ended up just running it in the game and it worked out for us. So I think we are probably going to see a lot more of that.”
With Marlon Humphrey (COVID-19) and Ronnie Stanley (season-ending ankle injury) both out, the Ravens had to make some crucial adjustments to prepare for the game. The team held meetings on Zoom instead of in person last week, and seven players other than Humphrey missed practice time. Edwards and his teammates knew the Ravens had to do whatever it took to win.
“We had to make adjustments. I think we did a good job with that,” Edwards said. “We had to win the week. We couldn’t make excuses up, so we just had to find a way for us to win. And it wasn’t the prettiest game. There were some mistakes, including myself, but we came out with a W.”
Edwards fumbled near the goal on the Ravens’ first drive of the second half. The Colts ended up recovering, but Philip Rivers threw an interception on the next play. On the ensuing drive, Edwards ended up scoring a touchdown for the Ravens to put his team up for good.
Edwards has a next-play-up mentality during the game, so he tried not to let it affect the rest of the game against the Colts. He finished the game with 11 rushes for 23 yards and two receptions for 11 yards.
“It’s just about trying to get over it. It was a bad play. It was a terrible play,” said Edwards, who has fumbled just three times in three years. “But [I’m] just trying to get over it and trying to make the next play. Go back and look at it at the end of the game. After the game you can see where you went wrong. But you just try to move on to the next play. It’s a long game.”
Though the Ravens have battled inconsistency on offense all year, Edwards thinks his unit is on the right path. The only thing standing in the Ravens way of greatness is the Ravens, according to the running back.
“I feel like we haven’t played our best football yet, but we are getting better,” said Edwards, who has posted 328 yards and three touchdowns this season. “We have to stop shooting ourselves in the foot, and that’s something that’s been holding us back. I know we are going to work hard this week to fix that.”
Baltimore fans will have to wait and see if the Ravens continue to use the up-tempo offensive strategy, and if it works again, against the New England Patriots Nov. 15.
Although Edwards is a professional athlete in the NFL his talents don’t stop on the field. He is also a rapper. When it comes to choosing between his rap career and football during the season, there is a clear and obvious choice. But Edwards still incorporates music into his everyday life to motivate him and hype him up.
“I just got to focus on the season right now, just playing football,” Edwards said. “[I’m] trying to win a Super Bowl, trying to win every week, for real. I listen to music all the time, all the time. It’s a big part of my game day ritual. It’s a big part of my daily life.”
For more from Edwards, listen to the full interview here:
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