Cam Cameron has been under the microscope since he arrived in Baltimore.
Now heading into his fifth season as the Ravens offensive coordinator, with a franchise quarterback and running back hitting their prime, expectations for Cameron's offense may be higher than ever.
And he has no problem with that.
"I hope so," Cameron said when asked if he feels more pressure this season. "I really do.
"I love what I do, and what you love about this game is the pressure that comes with it as a coach and as a player."
The Ravens brought Cameron back for the 2012 season as they've liked the progress in recent years and believe the offense is trending up. That offense, headlined by quarterback Joe Flacco, now looks poised for a breakout season.
Flacco has said on a number of occasions that he could see the Ravens have a top-five offense.
"We know what our goals are offensively, and we know what our team goals are," Cameron said. "Expectations are a big part of this business, and I think every guy in this building really thrives on those expectations."
The Ravens new quick-strike, no-huddle offense has been the talk of training camp, as Flacco has been sharp and the offense has been able to move the ball down the field.
After three preseason games, the Ravens are second in the NFL with 30.3 points per game. Last year, the Ravens ranked 12th in total scoring by averaging 23.6 points per game.
Cameron likes what he has seen up to this point, but tempered that enthusiasm with the caveat that it's still just the preseason.
"I'm excited about this offense and what we're doing," Cameron said. "Again, it's a preseason game – a lot of areas we can improve."
In last week's 48-17 victory over Jacksonville, where the starters played well into the second half, the first-team offense had its best showing to date. Flacco went 27-of-36 for 266 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, with a 102.3 quarterback rating.
It was the kind of performance that created plenty of buzz heading into the regular season
"We know what we are capable of doing, and I'd like to think that the other night was just a glimpse of what you are going to see here heading through the season," Cameron said.
Carrying that kind of performance over to the regular season is the key for Cameron and the Ravens – and the offensive coordinator wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
"I'm just glad I get to deal with that pressure and not have to sit in a studio and talk about it," Cameron said. "I get to do it, not talk about it. And for me, it's what I've always dreamed of doing since I was 15 years old."
