Keeping Receipts

During Lamar Jackson’s rookie season in 2018, the 32nd overall pick served as Joe Flacco’s backup until the Super Bowl 47 MVP went down with an Inguinal Hip Sprain on November 4 of that campaign. John Harbaugh inserted Lamar as the starter the next game against the Cincinnati Bengals and he led the team to a 24-21 win at home. In the game, Jackson threw for 150 yards, registering a passer rating of 70.1. He also ran the ball 26 times for 119 yards. Flacco would never start again for the Ravens.

Up to that Week 11 game against the Bengals, the Ravens were (4-5). Their season was spiraling and many thought that Harbaugh’s job was in jeopardy. However, sparked by Jackson, the Ravens would go on to win 6 of their next 7 games to earn a home Wild Card game against the Chargers. We remember all too well how that ended. But make no mistake about it, the Lamar Jackson era had arrived.

The Ravens did make another interesting personnel move when Lamar was named the starter in 2018 following the injury to Flacco. They made a change at tailback. During the Ravens first 9 games that season, the featured RB was Alex Collins. But after Lamar became the starter, Collins ran the ball just 9 more times as a Raven. Enter Gus Edwards.

Perhaps there was something about Edwards style that married up well with Lamar. Up to week 11 Edwards had just 15 carries for 64 yards (4.3 YPC). During the balance of the 2018 regular season the undrafted rookie out of Rutgers ran for 654 yards on 122 carries (5.4 YPC). Clearly, something about Lamar’s game and the way defenses responded to his talents, helped to open things up for Edwards.

Fast forward to 2024 and the arrival of Derrick Henry.

Two Unicorns in the Same Backfield

A north/south runner like Edwards flourished as a backfield mate of Lamar’s. But Edwards doesn’t have the size, power and speed of the future Hall of Famer, Henry. Few if any do. Despite his age (30), Henry doesn’t seem to have lost a step. And Henry’s talents, combined with the way Lamar spreads a defense horizontally, places tremendous pressure on a defense’s inside linebackers and safeties to come up and support the run.

In the past, defenses could jam the box to force the Lamar and the Ravens to beat them through the air. The better defenses with the more accomplished coordinators found success that way. But with the arrival of Henry, the development of Lamar as a passer and the receiving weapons that are now at his disposal, the Ravens are very dangerous.

The Ravens & more specifically Lamar Jackson put the league on notice.

How in the world are we getting a better Lamar this year?? @TheFacilityFS1 pic.twitter.com/PnC084NzrT

— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) October 15, 2024

Now, if they can only get the back end of their defense together.

32

Fixing the Ravens defense starts with fixing Marcus Williams. During Williams first season with the Ravens in 2022, he started out on fire. In his first four games as a Raven, he registered 24 tackles, 1 tackles-for-loss (TFL), 3 INT’s, 5 passes defensed (PD) and 1 QB hit. In Game 5 of that season, Williams dislocated his wrist and missed 7 games.

In 2023 Williams missed 6 games due to pectoral and hamstring injuries. And when he did dress, he was far from 100%, practically playing with one arm. After an offseason conditioning program combined with months of healing, Williams was deemed to be 100 percent, and the expectation was that we’d see the Marcus Williams from his first four games as a Raven and not the one-armed paper hanger who gutted it out through most of 2023.

Well, that has proven to be nothing more than wishful thinking.

Compared to his stats from those first four games in 2022 prior to his wrist injury, Williams, through six games in 2024 has 22 tackles, 0 TFL’s, 0 INT’s, 2 PD’s and 0 QB hits. He’s playing like a man who is avoiding contact. He looks lost and in the open field he tackles with the precision of a blind-folded 5-year-old trying to whack a pinata.

Per Pro Football Focus, among all NFL safeties, Williams ranks as follows:

• Coverage Grades: 115th
• Coverage Scheme: 90th
• Run Defense: 71st

If only he was paid accordingly.

Per Spotrac, Williams is paid to be among the league’s best safeties:

Something is seriously wrong with Williams and the Ravens need to get to the bottom of it. His efforts or lack thereof will continue to be exposed by opponents. You can rest assured that the Bucs and Baker Mayfield will put a bullseye on Williams and take the intermediate chunk plays that 32 regularly allows.

If Williams can’t be fixed, he needs to be replaced. If Eric DeCosta is looking for a trade deadline deal, he should start with Williams’ replacement. That might take some consumption of humble pie by EDC who made Williams one of the game’s wealthiest safeties. That said, it’s ok to check humility at the door for the good of the team.

Another Highly Paid Defender

Roquan Smith hasn’t exactly had a stellar season so far in 2024. If a tight end catches a pass for a gain of 10+ yards, more times than not number 0 is trailing. Again, leaning on PFF, Smith is the 61st-ranked linebacker in the NFL. Versus the run he comes in with a rank of 21 but in coverage, Roquan places at 111th. One. Hundred. Eleven.

And like with Marcus Williams, the Ravens are NOT getting their money’s worth from Roquan in 2024.

Should the Ravens get Roquan off the field in obvious passing situations?

That too would force EDC to digest a bit of humble pie.

Bate

It’s nice to see a healthy Rashod Bateman begin to carve out his place in the Ravens offense. As the Ravens continue to refine their offensive identity, opponents will focus their resources upon Lamar, Henry, Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews. As they do, Bateman, a league leader in separation, will find himself in many one-on-one situations. Lamar’s confidence in Bate seems to be swelling and as this connection begins to blossom, it will be another dangerous weapon that will require attention.

Bateman’s development isn’t just on the field. He seems to be finding his place in the world, growing as a teammate and maturing as a man. Sometimes we overlook the human element in a player. Bateman is just 24 years old. He comes from a family whose mom suffered through years of abuse; who worked 12-hour overnight shifts to support Rashod and his two brothers. A source close to the team has shared that Bateman is now looked upon to provide some heavy financial lifting for the family. Throw in his battles with injuries and the pressures that go with being an underperforming first-round pick, and it isn’t hard to imagine the uncommon weight forced upon someone so young.

Maybe that’s all behind Rashod. Maybe he’s on a path to a better place in life and with the team. The signs are certainly there. You can count me among those rooting hard for Bate.

Rashod Bateman’s route-running is filthy.

Watch especially on the first and fourth at how hard it is to press him and stick at the top of his route. #SeparationKing pic.twitter.com/JyfI45vdiB

— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) October 14, 2024

HOF for Harbs?

I’ve been a harsh critic of John Harbaugh this season. Some have even asked if John once stole my lunch money. Truth is, any interaction I’ve ever had with John has been positive but it’s my job to praise and criticize when warranted. And this brings me to something that Jim Nantz and Tony Romo briefly discussed during the CBS broadcast on Sunday of the Ravens v. Commanders.

Tony Romo calls John Harbaugh a “no question” Hall of Fame coach and top 10 all-time. pic.twitter.com/uBJsWJR5Y4

— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) October 13, 2024

I had to laugh about how emphatically the No. 1 NFL broadcasting team for CBS labeled Harbaugh a Hall of Famer. And their enthusiasm for the topic made me question my own view on the topic of Harbaugh to Canton. Have John’s recent struggles as a playoff coach so heavily skewed my opinion of his body of work that the suggestion of his enshrinement made me LOL?

So, I looked at his coaching record compared to some before him who now own a gold jacket. Harbaugh ranks 19th in all-time wins with 164 and sports a .619 winning percentage. And of course, Harbaugh has that Super Bowl 47 win, and a .545 playoff win percentage.

Here’s a look at a couple other coaches who should be considered as peers that are in the Hall of Fame:

Maybe Nantz and Romo have a point. Maybe John does belong in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, particularly if he earns another Super Bowl title.

But top 10 all-time?

C’mon Tony!

Did Harbaugh buy you lunch with my money?

[Related Article: Ravens Stock Report]

The post Keeping Receipts appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2024/10/15/tltakes/harbaugh-to-the-hof/