Some Red, Some Black After Ugly Win in Cleveland

Fresh off a predictably very tough road win, the Ravens have won four games in a row and evened their record at 5-5.  The defense is playing much better, but the offense is sputtering some, thanks to a subpar offensive line and some uncharacteristically poor play and decision-making by Lamar Jackson.

They look to get over .500 for the first time all year when they finally come back home and play the lowly Jets this Sunday.

Stock Up

Kyle Hamilton

Kyle Hamilton is starting to get mentioned as an NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidate.  He was my preseason pick to win the award and while I don’t think he should be the favorite right now, he deserves to be in the discussion and has an outside chance of winning it.  Some splash plays down the stretch may be enough to push him over the top to be the first Raven to win the award since Terrell Suggs in 2011.

Tush Push & Variants

Two weeks in the row, Todd Monken and his staff have introduced a wrinkle to the tush push and both times it worked to perfection, including this week’s Mark Andrews sprint for the game-winning TD.  This gives teams something to think about and should make the traditional tush push even harder to defend.

Chidobe Awuzie

Chidobe Awuzie may be the FA steal of the year.  He missed some time with an injury but when he has been out there, he has been excellent. He is currently the #3 ranked corner in the entire NFL by PFF.  He made the game-saving play on Sunday with a great pass break up in the end zone that he played to perfection.

The Joneses

Dre’mont Jones and Travis Jones are giving the Ravens some needed pass rush and pressure. They are collapsing the pocket and are at least giving the QBs something to think about when they’re dropping back against Baltimore. Travis is playing the best football of his career and is, in my opinion, the team’s priority free agent this offseason…even over Tyler Linderbaum.

Stock Down

Lamar’s Legs

Lamar Jackson is running the least of his career right now. Does it have something to do with his knee and hammy (and now ankle)?

Injury Report: Ravens vs. Jets (Wednesday)

That’s certainly an extremely likely and valid explanation. However, it is hurting the team. Myles Garrett is a beast and he definitely wreaked havoc on Sunday but some of those sacks were because Lamar didn’t take off. He has to know that a guy like Garrett can’t be blocked for long and he needed to run. If its just to protect himself, that’s fine but he is also going to take other shots if he doesn’t, so the injury risk is there either way.

The Ravens offense is better when the threat of Lamar’s legs is there and we need to see that again.

Ronnie Stanley

Ronnie Stanley got abused by Myles Garrett this weekend.  His PFF grade is basically middle of the pack. He is still our best option out there and he is fine but he has definitely lost a step and speed rushers give him big trouble. Anytime the Ravens go against a top pass rusher, I think we need to hold our breath on Lamar’s blind side.

Isaiah Likely

Isaiah Likely continues to be a relative non-factor week in and week out. In the seven games he has played in this year, he has 18 yards or less in six of them. He had one game in which he hit 60 yards; other than that, he has done nothing.

Special Teams Miscues

Jake Hummel and LaJohntay Wester have both been good players this year but both made inexcusable mistakes on Sunday – Hummel jumping the snap to give Cleveland a free first down when they were lined up to punt, and Wester muffing a punt deep in Ravens territory. They both have to be smarter. Stupid mistakes are, generally speaking, what has caused the Ravens to lose in the playoffs in recent years.  They have to be better than that and they have to use their heads more.

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