We are three weeks into the 2022 season the and the Ravens are a tale of two teams. They are both terrific and terrible. On the terrific side, Lamar has been sensational, so I won’t review the obvious. But the Ravens offense is more than Lamar. It’s an offense that has increasing – and potentially dominant – explosiveness. Its upside is constrained, if at all, only by the play of the offensive line – particularly the left side of the line.
Tale of Two Teams: The Biggest Offensive Shortcoming – Left Tackle and Left Guard
If it wasn’t for bad luck the Ravens would have no luck at left tackle. Ja’Wuan James was never the answer but, in fairness, he hardly had time to be the question. At least Patrick Mekari gave them one game plus six more plays, though Mekari avoided the dreaded high ankle sprain.
Now c’mon. The Ravens will not survive if Daniel Faalele is their starting left tackle. Sure, he held his own in the second half against the Dolphis. But he shouldn’t be expected to move his feet and open up his hips on the blind side against the more talented rushers. Let’s hope Greg Roman has a plan to help him against Buffalo this week (how about running the ball behind him?). In the end, the question remains: when will Ronnie Stanley take the field?
Then there’s Ben Powers, who I think is inferior in almost every way. Forget the Pro Football Focus pass blocking grade. Powers is an inferior pass blocker, and he just doesn’t generate enough power to push in the run game. On the other hand, Ben Cleveland remains an enigma. He must lack effort, or lack determination, or lack something. Because to my mind Cleveland is the superior performer on the field.
For this offensive unit to reach it’s true – and I think dominant – potential, the play on the left side of the line must improve. If Stanley can perform as a reasonable facsimile of his former self, and Cleveland is inserted and becomes the running game mauler that he should, the offensive line will go to another level.
I’ll offer a comment about Tyler Linderbaum. Readers know that I did not love his selection in the first round. I thought there were both larger needs at the time and that the undersized Linderbaum could have a tough time in the power run game. Now I don’t think he’s answered the run game concern so far. But, after a shaky play or two early on against the Jets, Linderbaum has really been terrific in pass protect. Lamar has essentially had a clean pocket in front of him and Linderbaum gets a lot of credit for that.
A Tale of Two Teams: The (Not So) Surprising Success of the Skill Positions
Justice Hill looked great in the exhibition games. He had suddenness, shiftiness, and explosion. Why it took the Ravens two games to figure that out is a bit surprising, but figure it out they have, and Hill offers the home run speed that the run game has lacked. J.K. Dobbins looked physically better in the Patriots game than I feared, and I think he’ll contribute more quickly than conventional wisdom dictated.
Then there’s the emergence of Devin Duvernay and Rashod Bateman, both of whom have been explosive. Duvernay, in the few opportunities he’s had in his career, has demonstrated a penchant for making the difficult catch. Bateman has shown excellent long speed and the ability to generate yards after the catch. Sure, a third wideout target will help complete this group – maybe that will be James Proche if he ever gets healthy, maybe it’s DeMarcus Robinson. But absent injury (we should pray) to Duvernay and Bateman, the development of Isaiah Likely and (potentially Charlie Kolar if he returns) provides the Ravens with ample targets in most situations.
Now the thing that sticks out to me at this point is the ball distribution in the passing game. Incredibly, Mark Andrews has received just one less target than the entire wide receiver group combined. Andrews is a difference maker, in spite of the occasional lapse drop. But better defenses will adapt to this undue reliance on Andrews – and it is unnecessary given the skillsets of the wideouts. The Ravens must diversify their pass game. Simply, get them more targets!
The Offense – Difficult to Defend
The Ravens can now press defenses all over the field. Lamar can do virtually everything anywhere on the field (excepting throws in the flat, where his ball is typically flat). Add in the speed and explosiveness of Hill and Dobbins, both inside and outside the tackles. Then there’s Andrews anywhere inside the hashes; or outside if he thinks he should slide there. Give us a little Likely going down the seam where he has not yet dipped his feet. Then there’s a dose of Bateman hitting a home run, and Duvernay making any type of catch with the ability to blaze down the field; or run the ball in reverses or more creative scenarios. This group will be impossible for any defense to defend if the offensive line holds up.
The Offense Must Become More Balanced – In Order to Help the Defense
It’s ironic that the offense’s quick-score explosive capability through three games may actually be a detriment to the team’s overall success. Let’s face it, as I discuss below, the defensive group has been nothing short of awful. It’s arguably more important now than ever that the offense utilize a bit more ball control to shorten the games and keep the defense off the field. Greg Roman and Mike Macdonald need a pinch of symbiosis to blend their respective squads, so the team has its best chance to beat the top teams. The Buffalo game will be the first chance to observe whether they even attempt to do it – recognizing each group’s strengths and weaknesses and coordinating to minimize them.
A Tale of Two Teams: The Defense
The most troubling aspect of the defense is not the mental mistakes in the secondary. Rookies screwing up is nothing new in the NFL. The big problem with the Ravens defense is the atrocious play of the linebackers. Eric DeCosta, who failed to address the inside linebacking group in the off-season, is bringing in grandmothers for try-outs. My mom for one is putting on her pads and working on her forty time.
Now the Terrible, Part One – The Inside Linebackers
Starting Josh Bynes at this point in his career is unfair. His play has deteriorated, and I don’t think it’s a stretch to say he would not be starting anywhere else in the league.
Then there’s my (sadly) favorite punching bag Patrick Queen. It can’t be said after this year that Mike Macdonald didn’t give Queen a chance. Queen has been on the field for virtually every play. But Queen’s play has not improved. He still can’t read and diagnose. He jumps to the wrong spot too frequently. When he diagnoses late, he still comes in too hot with his center of gravity too high and winds up, as he always has, with arms flailing as he grasps for the runner. He can’t cover. Queen has been somewhat effective as a blitzer. If he’s on the field on passing downs, he should be tasked with coming forward and that’s it.
But the Bynes-Queen duo is killing the Ravens. And it’s most apparent in the run defense, where they regularly are either in the wrong position to make tackles or have simply taken themselves out of the proper defensive position. Yes, the Ravens are being gashed by the run game, both inside and on the edge. But the inside problems are not the result of the nose tackles not gobbling up blockers. Both Michael Pierce and Travis Jones have done a good job holding the point of attack and occupying the double teams. That’s not the problem.
Pierce’s loss is significant. Pro Football Focus rated him the fifth best interior defender in the league through three games, and Pierce was playing great. A lot will now be on Travis Jones. I expect Isaiah Mack will now be joining him.
Now The Terrible: Part Two, The Edge Linebackers
Quick quiz, don’t cheat: how many edge linebackers are on the Ravens’ active roster right now? Does it matter? First the easy observation. Justin Houston has been outstanding. An absolute steal for what he brings if he can stay healthy.
But Odafe Oweh has been invisible. He’s done a poor job holding the edge in the run game, and for that matter in containing quarterbacks when he’s “rushing” the quarterback. Talk about a massive disappointment through three games. Ravens’ beat writers were gushing about Oweh’s dominant performances during the pre-season practices, but that must have been Oweh’s good twin.
Oweh has offered virtually nothing in rushing the quarterback. We were told he added spins and swims and more moves to his arsenal. But someone put out that fire because so far Oweh has no plan of attack. He looks stiff and one-dimensional. His lack of development so far is a huge problem for the Ravens – and is another piece of the Eric DeCosta evaluation puzzle that I’ll address at another time (anyone seen Daelin Hayes?).
We all know that the injury giant has nuked almost every other body the Ravens brought in to play the edge. But none of those gallant players figured to make any significant impact anyway. Now, we wait for our hero, Jason Pierre-Paul.
Sure, the Ravens will get Tyus Bowser back at some point this season. To say they need him desperately, even if only on one leg, is a gross understatement. And maybe David Ojabo will join the team too, but no one should have any expectations for a rookie coming back from an Achilles and joining midseason. No, this group as it sits is a mess.
Now The Terrible: Part Three, The Secondary
I actually have higher hopes here. The Dolphins game was a disaster, illustrating how hard it is to put rookies in key positions. Kyle Hamilton blew two assignments costing the team 14 points and the Ravens were quick to keep him mostly off the field the following week (only 16 snaps). As readers know I have my concerns with Hamilton’s speed, but I’m sure the Ravens did not expect huge mental lapses.
The Kyle Fuller injury had a domino impact on the group. Jalyn Armour-Davis was asked to do too much too soon, and the Patriots forced him off the field after he was torched. Brandon Stephens still isn’t capable of finishing plays on the back end and has illustrated a unique ability to trail virtually everyone he’s tasked with covering.
Now I don’t have the data, but it seems like the Ravens have been playing much more zone – and more varieties of zone – than they ever did under Wink Martindale. And they will continue to be forced to do so if they can’t consistently pressure the quarterback. With pressure, and more quick releasing quarterbacks, the Ravens would be in much more man coverage. But it’s hard to see that happening at this point.
Where the Secondary Should Wind Up
I believe the Ravens best grouping in the secondary will turn out to include putting Marlon Humphrey back on the outside with Pepe Williams ultimately getting much more play in the slot. I really don’t want to see much more of Armour-Davis or Stephens on the outside with Marlon in the slot.
Pepe Williams has held his own from a positional perspective, getting beat mostly on terrific throws by opposing quarterbacks. Marcus Peters is slowly on his way back and a grouping of Peters and Humphrey on the outside, with Williams in the slot and Marcus Williams and Chuck Clark on the back end should look much better a few weeks from now. To what extent Kyle Hamilton gets incorporated remains to be seen, but I could see him being utilized closer to the line of scrimmage (more like Chuck Clark last year), allowing Clark to be used on the back end. The Ravens absolutely must deny teams the explosive plays over the top, and Marcus Williams can’t do it alone.
I’m a little surprised that the Ravens have not elevated Ar’Darius Washington to the 53-man. Washington showed me a solid ability to play man on the slot receiver. The release of Daryl Worley, perhaps, opens a slot for Washington’s elevation. And Washington is a willing tackler.
The games against the Bills and the Bengals will tell us an awful lot about this team. Yes, offensive greatness is achievable. But in the end the Ravens will go as far as their flawed defense allows.
