Ravens OC Marc Trestman calls pass-first reputation 'an overblown perception'

Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Marc Trestman is doing everything in his power to dispel the theory that he's a pass-happy play-caller.

"Ravens football starts with the running game, and that doesn't mean you're not going to throw the ball," Trestman said Saturday, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. "But the emphasis here is we want to be a great running football team and we have the players to do that. So that's where we start."

Calling his pass-heavy reputation "an overblown perception," Trestman cited personnel strengths as the biggest factor in determining how he'll design his offense in Baltimore.

"When you have the players to do the things that you do best, you do them," Trestman said. "I've had some very good running backs, but they weren't the type of running back or did we have the line that the Ravens have. So, you try to utilize your personnel the best you can to achieve the things that you need to achieve."

With Joe Flacco lacking targets outside of Steve Smith and rookie Breshad Perriman, it makes sense for the Ravens to utilize their running-back depth and offensive line. It's a much different situation than Trestman's time with the Chicago Bears.

"You try to go to your strengths," Trestman added. "But there is no doubt that the strength of this football team, or one of them offensively, is the offensive line and the back that runs the ball."