Four Downs: Are We On Ben Cleveland Watch?

First Down: Don’t Take This Game For Granted

The Baltimore Ravens come into their first home game of the season as very confident favorites despite their Week 1 loss. Theoretically, this should be the get-right game that launches positive momentum for the season’s opening quarter. Gardner Minshew is the starting quarterback for the Raiders. The Ravens saw Minshew last year in a game they lost to the Indianapolis Colts, in which Minshew orchestrated a frustratingly smooth offense on his way to 227 yards and a touchdown. Despite becoming uncomfortably familiar with Kyle Hamilton and taking five total sacks, Minshew had the upper hand. The Ravens lost the season opener to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021. Maxx Crosby had two sacks and Lamar Jackson lost two of his three fumbles. The 2021 opener hardly has any relevance to the 2024 season yet it serves as a reminder to never put the cart before the horse.

The Ravens have had a painful history of playing down to the level of their opponent. This is a trend that predates John Harbaugh’s tenure as Brian Billick-led teams even fell into this trap. The Raiders only scored 10 points against the Los Angeles Chargers. They struggled to run the ball and the Chargers had 176 yards on the ground against them. It is easy to think that this is the week Derrick Henry makes a grand introduction into Ravens lore with runs we’ve been envisioning since the ink was dry on his contract. It’s incredibly easy to build a narrative that the Ravens are going to dominate in this game.

Harbaugh has to have this team up for a challenge, though it’s the kind of game that Baltimore hopes isn’t close.

Second Down: You Can Zay That Again!

Isaiah Likely stole the show against the Chiefs with his nine-reception game for 111 yards and a touchdown. One of the quieter storylines from the box score was that Zay Flowers and Justice Hill both had six receptions. Flowers only had 37 yards and most of these receptions came on quick passes with Jackson under pressure. Hill was the safety valve out of the backfield and earned some of the most pivotal first downs in the kickoff game. The offensive line isn’t going to magically be fixed and the Raiders are going to blast the right side with pressure at every opportunity. These high-percentage outlet passes could be the key to the offense avoiding negative plays.

You don’t have to be a mathematician to realize that the more Flowers touches the football, the higher the probability that he has a huge play down the field. If Flowers averages six receptions per game it is a safe bet that 37 yards would be his lowest total of the season. The Ravens should lean into the quick passing game and allow Flowers and Hill to be the main beneficiaries of it. There’s going to be plays where the line doesn’t give Jackson time to go through his reads or hold out in the pocket for the big play. Hot routes, safety valves and outlets have to be part of the game plan until the line proves it’s worth.

The one thing Todd Monken must be mindful of in regard to Hill, is to not tip his hand based on the running back in the game. The last thing you want is the defense to see Hill and assume they’re going to see pass. In obvious passing downs Hill will probably be the one in the backfield, but you want to use him enough on the ground (and Henry enough on passing plays) to keep defenses honest.

Third Down: Be Prepared for an Ensemble Cast

The Raiders struggled to run the football in Week 1 and it facilitated engagement in the passing game. Minshew connected with nine different players against the Chargers, with three of them getting at least 58 yards. Former Patriot, Jakobi Meyers led the way with three receptions for 61 yards. Brock Bowers notably had six grabs for 58 yards in his NFL debut. Bowers is equipped with a 6-3 build and Mark Andrews like athleticism coming out of Georgia. Davante Adams is the Raiders’ most important weapon and a true NFL superstar. He had five receptions for 59 yards last week. The one thing Antonio Pierce probably liked about his Raiders’ opening affair was the way Minshew spread the football around.

The Ravens are coming out of a game where the Chiefs found the right matchups at the right times. Zach Orr didn’t have an answer for Xavier Worthy, who had scores both in the air and on the ground. Patrick Mahomes targeted nine receivers and hit eight of them. The Week 2 challenge is similar for the Ravens. The Raiders might be the less exciting Great Value brand dupe of the Chiefs but the chess pieces oddly have a similar feel and function. Minshew is going to go shopping for his favorite matchups. The Chiefs dominated over the middle of the field and especially attacked linebackers in tough coverage assignments. If the Raiders do the same thing, Zach Orr will know he has a problem to address. Making the Raiders one dimensional and going after the quarterback is obviously the game plan. Orr and company simply must be ready for an ensemble cast and mentally run through the potential matchups before a problem arises.

Fourth Down: Are We on Ben Cleveland Watch?

Daniel Faalele started the season opener at right guard and played all 74 offensive snaps. Roger Rosengarten saw Week 1 action with just under 20 plays at right tackle. The Ravens want to keep Patrick Mekari as the swing tackle yet he’s the best lineman the Ravens can put on the right side, a fact that is true at both guard and tackle. John Harbaugh has been fairly supportive of his offensive line amidst all the noise and concern but you have to wonder if we’re on Ben Cleveland watch.

Each snap is earned in the NFL and poor performance can cost a player his spot. One doesn’t need PFF grades or pass rushing rates to see that Faalele in particular struggled mightily. The Ravens have never been overly enthusiastic about Cleveland but he played decent football for the team last season. Cleveland isn’t a completely unknown commodity. He’s a player who has been at times a decent contributor to the offensive line. It’s understandable that the Ravens were excited about Faalele at right guard. His length and strength as a run blocker were strong selling points that won him the training camp battle at right guard. At what point does Cleveland get a chance to jump in there? At what point does the training camp battle cease to matter? If we’re asking this, it’s at least pressing some area of Harbaugh’s football mind. The offensive line may still be in flux and it’s something to keep an eye on against a good pass rushing team like the Raiders.

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