OTL: Week 12 QB Preview – Jackson, Ravens Welcome Tyrod’s Jets

A Get-Right Opportunity for Ravens O?

The Ravens offense has struggled to get into sync over the last few weeks, and the problems are most glaring when they enter the red zone. Baltimore has shown an ability to move the chains on opposing defenses, but seemingly loses all momentum within the most critical 20 yards of the field.

Baltimore has had the luxury of leaning on their rookie kicker, Tyler Loop, who has been especially dominant within 50 yards (18/18 on FG 0-49 yards). During the team’s four-game winning streak, Loop has been called on to finish drives 11 times, and has gone 10-for-11 over that stretch, accounting for 30 of the team’s 108 points. The health of quarterback Lamar Jackson hasn’t helped either, as the 2x MVP was added to the injury report this week with an ankle injury, following hamstring and knee injuries in previous weeks. Jackson took a beating in the team’s scrappy win over the Browns last week, getting sacked five times, including four alone from All-Pro Myles Garrett.

Getting Jackson and the offense back on track is key in the chase for the AFC North title, and Sunday’s matchup with the Jets could present the perfect get-right opportunity. Following the trade of Pro-Bowl cornerback Sauce Gardner, the Jets secondary has allowed just 224 passing yards per game, ranking 12th in the league entering Sunday (198.8 YPG). Similar to the Ravens, the Jets defense has struggled to produce pressure on opposing quarterbacks this season, ranking 20th in total pressures this season (119), with just three more than Baltimore. They also just traded dominant DT Quinnen Williams to Dallas, however, dulling their pass rush even further.

Limiting an already underwhelming Jets pass rush is easier said than done for the Ravens though, as Jackson enters Week 12 as the 6th-highest pressured quarterback in the league, at 39.8% according to Next Gen Stats. Teams haven’t been hesitant to send pressure Jackson’s way, as Lamar leads all quarterbacks in blitz percentage this season (42.2%), 5.7% higher than Jalen Hurts, who sits in second. It’ll be interesting to see exactly which Lamar Jackson we see take the field Sunday against the Jets.

Will it be the four-touchdown pocket passer we saw against Miami, or will injury designations in back-to-back weeks limit his abilities, similar to Week 11 against the Browns?

Tyrod Taylor Returns (Again)

The Jets’ big offseason signing of quarterback Justin Fields this past March has turned into an ultimate failure. Signing a two-year, $40 million contract with $30 million guaranteed, Fields, Garrett Wilson, and Breece Hall seemed like a solid young core to potentially resurrect the Jets offense. In nine starts this season, Fields totaled an extremely underwhelming 1,259 yards (29th) and seven touchdowns (29th), on just 62.7% completion (23rd). Following just two wins, and seeing an offense with no identity, head coach Aaron Glenn has decided to turn to 15-year veteran Tyrod Taylor.

Taylor, drafted by Baltimore in 2011, began his career as a backup and won a Super Bowl as Joe Flacco’s understudy. Tyrod has made quite a name for himself during his 15-year tenure, ending Buffalo’s 17-year playoff drought, being selected to the Pro Bowl in 2015, and throwing for a respectable 71 touchdowns. This will be his second M&T Bank Stadium start, his first coming with Buffalo in a 13-7 loss in the 2016 opener.

Taylor enters Week 12 0-1 as a starter this season, picking up 379 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions over three appearances. Getting pressure on Taylor could come easier than the Ravens are used to this season, as the Jets enter Sunday allowing the highest pressure rate in the league (47%). Baltimore managed a season-high 45.5% pressure rate last week, their first game over 40% all season, totaling three sacks and posting an average get-off time of .87 seconds, according to Next Gen Stats. The Ravens defense will need a similar game plan this week, with really just Hall to worry about with Wilson sidelined.

Avoiding falling victim to the feared “trap game” will be key for the Ravens, but against a Jets team ultimately looking toward next season, it’s hard not to see the Ravens cruising to a 5th-straight win.

The post OTL: Week 12 QB Preview – Jackson, Ravens Welcome Tyrod’s Jets appeared first on Russell Street Report.