During the first half of season, Steve Smith Sr. was basically option one, two, three and four in the passing game. The veteran receiver was clearly the top playmaker of Baltimore’s offense, and quarterback Joe Flacco did everything possible to get the football in his hands.
Smith’s season-ending Achilles tear left a massive void in Baltimore’s offense, forcing the Ravens to find the production elsewhere.
The matchup with the Jaguars Sunday was the first chance to see what life would look like without Smith, and the play of the receiving corps was a positive sign for the Ravens going into the final seven games of the year.