OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens are on pace to set the record for fewest rushing attempts in their 21-year existence, and quarterback Joe Flacco believes that has to change in the final three games of the regular season.
"There's no doubt we're going to have to run the ball, especially if teams are going to go out and play two high [safeties] against us like the Patriots did," Flacco said. "We're going to have to be able to hand the ball off and get yardarge out of it. Then, it's going to get our play-action game going a little bit more and make it that much better."
The Ravens are averaging 23 rushing attempts per game, which would give them 370 for the season -- 13 fewer than any previous season. The previous record was set last season, which marked the first time the Ravens ran the ball less than 400 times in a season.
In Monday night's 30-23 loss to the New England Patriots, Baltimore ran the ball just four times in the first half and finished with 14 rushing attempts (one of which was a scramble by Flacco).
This has been a recurring theme all season for the Ravens, and it's been more pronounced in recent weeks. In the last four games, running backs Terrance West and Kenneth Dixon have combined to average 17.3 carries (third-fewest in the NFL) despite gaining 4.7 yards per carry.
"We have to make sure we get all we can out of our backs," Flacco said. "They're running the ball really well. You can see how hard they're running the ball when they get it in their hands. We have to make sure we get them going."