Why Gary Kubiak Staying in Baltimore Is Huge for Joe Flacco, Ravens

In Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak's first season with the team, the Ravens offense took a huge step forward.

Under Kubiak's direction, Baltimore's offense was vastly improved from its poor 2013 showing. The Ravens ended the season ranking eighth in overall points scored, 11th in total yards, 13th in passing yards, eighth in rushing yards, fifth in rushing touchdowns and seventh in yards per rush.

In contrast, the Ravens were 25th in points in 2013, 29th in total yards, 18th in passing yards, 30th in rushing yards, 28th in rushing touchdowns and 32nd in yards per rush.

Year	Points	Rank	Yds.	Rank	Pass Yds.	Rank	Rush Yds.	Rank	Rush TD	Rank
2013	320	25th	4,918	29th	3,590	18th	1,328	30th	7	28th
2014	409	8th	5,838	11th	3,819	13th	2,019	8th	16	5th

With a turnaround that drastic, it was a given that other teams with coaching vacancies would take notice of Kubiak, who spent eight years as the Houston Texans' head coach. The Chicago Bears and New York Jets were two teams reported to have interest in interviewing Kubiak for their respective head coaching vacancies.

Instead, Kubiak decided to decline the overtures of the Jets and Bears, opting on Sunday to remain Baltimore's coordinator. 

In a statement, via BaltimoreRavens.com, Kubiak said:

"

It is flattering and humbling to be invited to interview for a number of NFL head coaching positions, and I greatly appreciate these opportunities. But I have decided to stay with the Ravens. This is a special organization and we, like [Head] Coach [John] Harbaugh says, are building something great. I want to be a part of that and contribute in whatever ways I can.

"

That decision likely resulted in a sigh of relief from quarterback Joe Flacco and the rest of Baltimore's offense—for at least one more year will they have Kubiak's assistance and be able to run a system that paid great dividends in 2014.

Kubiak's influence on the offense was plainly evident. There was, of course, the uptick in rushing production aided by his one-cut zone-blocking scheme, a healthy offensive line and the right back for the job in Justin Forsett.

That improvement in rushing—to the tune of 700 more yards than the year before—trickled down to help Flacco post a career season. Without the offense hinging solely on the quarterback as it did in 2013, when a poor offensive line led to the Ravens' lowest rushing output in franchise history, Flacco was free to throw when it made sense instead of throwing because there was no other option to move the chains.

Flacco had a career-high 3,986 passing yards and 27 touchdowns, saw his interceptions drop from 22 in 2013 to 12, his sacks fall from 48 to 19 and his passer rating climb from 73.1 to 91.

Year	Atts.	Comp.	Comp.%	Yds.	TD	INT	YPA	Sack	Rating
2013	614	362	59.0%	3,912	19	22	6.4	48	73.1
2014	554	344	62.1%	3,986	27	12	7.2	19	91.0

Stability along the offensive line can certainly take some credit for this uptick in production. However, if that line could not execute Kubiak's run-blocking scheme, then Baltimore's offensive success would not have been possible.

The run game is what Kubiak's entire offense is built upon; the fact that he was able to turn around the Ravens' in such a short span is another reason why the team is happy he declined other coaching offers.

Another benefit of Kubiak is his ability to identify running back diamonds in the rough. On the heels of Ray Rice's suspension by the league and eventual dismissal from the Ravens, it was assumed that one-cut runner Bernard Pierce would take up the starter's mantle. Instead, that job ultimately fell to journeyman Forsett, with whom Kubiak had worked in Houston in 2012.

Forsett ended the season as the league's fifth-leading rusher, with 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns on 235 carries. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry, led the league with 17 runs of 20 or more yards and accounted for 56 rushing first downs.

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And as is customary in a Kubiak offense, Forsett also caught passes—44 on 59 targets for 263 yards, no scores but, more importantly, 299 yards after the catch, the second-highest total among Ravens receivers.

This hearkened back to Rice's most productive years with the Ravens, except with a twist—Flacco's passing was more efficient and more accurate than ever before. This was aided by the additions of wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. and tight end Owen Daniels.

But Flacco's decision-making was also much improved, again, because there was the outlet of the running game. The Ravens could field a balanced offense, which made the quarterback better. Flacco is not a high-volume passer. When he is able to pick his spots, however, he is an asset.

Kubiak rebuilt a Ravens offense that was almost solely responsible for the team's 8-8 finish in 2013. He was able to revive the run game behind an offensive line that performed much better in both run-blocking and pass-protecting than the year before. And because the run game regained productivity, so did Flacco, who no longer needed to carry the whole offense week after week.

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For Kubiak to manage this in the course of an offseason is a testament to just how valuable he is to the Ravens and how relieved they are that he has opted not to entertain outside offers.

As fullback Kyle Juszczyk said on Sunday, Jan. 11, per the team's website, "[I] couldn't be happier to hear that news. Our offense has some unfinished business. We have high expectations going into next season and we feel like 'Kubs' is the man that will help us meet those expectations."

Wide receiver Torrey Smith added, "He was a blessing for us this season. It was awesome playing for him, and we're glad he was here."

With another offseason working with the Ravens, the offense should not just stay stable but also improve. A second year in any system will breed comfort and familiarity, especially with the Ravens fielding so many younger players on offense, ranging from offensive linemen to tight ends to running backs to wide receivers.

In just one year, Kubiak completely turned the Ravens offense around. He was able to identify and magnify its strengths and minimize the weaknesses. That's not something the Ravens would want to see Kubiak accomplish elsewhere in 2015, and luckily for them, there's nowhere else Kubiak would rather coach next season.