Baltimore Ravens are 2-0, but are not off and running

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens' rushing attack has been grounded over the opening two weeks of the season.

Despite the challenge, Baltimore managed to go 2-0 for the first time since 2009. The players have focused this week on ramping up the running game with improved blocking and better schemes.

"I think it's a work in progress," Ravens guard Marshal Yanda said Wednesday. "Obviously, we would want to run the ball better those first two games. We just have to keep working at it. It's something that we're working hard at everyday.

"It's going to get better. It's something that is important to us as a team and as an O-line. We're 2-0 and we're happy about it, but we definitely need to get run game going."

Entering a Week 3 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Ravens are ranked 23rd in the NFL with 163 rushing yards on 54 attempts. Veteran Justin Forsett and Terrance West have split time in the backfield and are averaging 3 yards per carry.

Javorius "Buck" Allen, has been a healthy scratch for the last two weeks. Allen, a fourth round pick from USC in 2015, took over the starting job last season when Forsett went down because of a season-ending injury.

The Ravens opted to carry more wide receivers in the first two games and Allen has been the odd man out.

Baltimore coach John Harbaugh knows the Ravens need to establish an effective running game to be successful.

In Week 1 against the Buffalo, quarterback Joe Flacco threw 33 passes while the Ravens had 28 carries, with most coming late in the game. The following week, Flacco threw 45 passes, and the Ravens ran the ball 26 times.

Baltimore will be looking for more balance this week against Jacksonville, which is tied with Atlanta for 25th in run defense, allowing 122.5 yards per game.

"We have to execute better, we have to have better schemes," Harbaugh said. "We have to run against better looks. We had a couple looks that we couldn't block, and you have to have answers for that.

"That is always the chess match. We do the same thing on defense. We try to create looks that they can't block as well. All those things go into it."

While the Ravens have focused on striking quicker and putting together big plays, the running game can take some pressure off Flacco. The veteran quarterback is committed to getting the running game revved up.

"We're not getting a ton of yards right now," Flacco said. "We're doing some different stuff and it probably isn't giving our linemen the best chance to be super physical.

"I think it's keeping defenses off balance and eventually it's going to pop."

Baltimore hopes the "pop" comes this week against a desperate Jaguars team looking for its first win.

--Wide receiver Mike Wallace has scored all three of the Ravens' touchdowns this season.

While Baltimore would like to get more players in the end zone, the signing of Wallace in the offseason appears to be another shrewd move by general manager Ozzie Newsome.

In the season opener against the Buffalo Bills, Wallace caught a 66-yard touchdown from Joe Flacco in a 13-7 win. The following week against Cleveland, Wallace hauled in two more touchdown passes from 7 and 17 yards in the Ravens 25-20 victory.

The Ravens want to be more explosive on offense this season. Wallace is already playing a vital role in helping them reach that goal.

"When I got here, I had no doubt it would be a great fit," said Wallace, who has seven catches for 132 yards. "I knew from afar it was a great organization. It was easy for me to come here and just go with the flow."

Wallace has also impressed Ravens coach John Harbaugh with both his athleticism and work ethic.

"Mike has been everything we expected and hoped for," Harbaugh said. "[He] works really hard. He's better player than he was yesterday and a month ago when he first got here."

--Ravens coach John Harbaugh is an advocate for putting two cameras in the back of the end zone. This will enable replay officials to have a better angle to determine potential touchdowns.

In Week 3, it wasn't clear whether Browns wide receiver Corey Coleman got his second foot inbounds on the game's first touchdown. The Ravens challenged the call, but the evidence was not conclusive enough to overturn the call because of the lack of cameras.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has been a proponent of more cameras and Harbaugh supports the plan.

"That's something that's been brought up in the owners' meetings often, and Coach Belichick has been a champion of that, and I support fully what he says, out of fairness," Harbaugh said. "There should be the same number of cameras at every game, and if the network doesn't have them, the NFL should put them in there.

"(Coach Belichick) says it way more flamboyantly than I do. He had some great lines that we all laughed about, but I'm siding up with coach Belichick on that one. That would be the right thing to do. Every game is just as important to the teams that are playing in the game."

NOTES: LB Elvis Dumervil (foot) returned to practice Wednesday and could be back in the lineup for the first time this season Week 3 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Dumervil, who had offseason foot surgery, hasn't practiced for three weeks. He activated from the physically unable to perform list Aug. 22, but has not felt well enough to get back on the field. If Dumervil can play, he will be a boost to the Ravens' pass rush. ... DE Lawrence Guy was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Against the Cleveland Browns, Guy blocked extra point that was returned for two points. The Ravens trailed 20-0 at that time, but scored 25 consecutive points to escape with the victory -- the second-largest comeback in team history. Guy also started the past two weeks at defensive end. ... LT Ronnie Stanley (foot) missed practice Wednesday, but expects to play in Week 3 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. "It would take a lot for me to miss a game," he said. Stanley, a first round pick, is the first rookie to start at left tackle in the history of the franchise. He has been solid over the opening two games. If Stanley is sidelined, Baltimore could shift rookie Alex Lewis from left guard to tackle. John Urschel would likely move to left guard. ... RB Kenneth Dixon (knee) has not had any setbacks with his torn MCL and could be back in the next couple of weeks. He injured the knee Aug. 27 in the third preseason game against the Detroit Lions and recovery was expected to take about a month. "He's working hard and he's getting closer," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. Dixon was solid throughout training camp and probably will earn some carries when he is back in the lineup, especially with the recent struggles of the Ravens' running game.