OTL: Numbers Truly Can Tell a Story

I’m a numbers guy.

From years spent trying to make the right decision on poker tables to running a small business to growing up a fan of all things sports, numbers speak to me in a pretty clear way. Admittedly, that didn’t always show up in report cards over the years, but that’s a story for another time — probably at the end of a dark bar.

Regardless, Childs Walker put together a great story in The Sun this morning using numbers to tell the story of the 2024 Baltimore Ravens, and several caught my eye.

The Ravens are a team of extremes, from their overpowering ground game to their ragged pass defense. Here are 10 stats that tell their tale. https://t.co/vTHnjPkFnB

— Baltimore Sun Sports (@BaltSunSports) October 17, 2024

It started with 1,107, the combined rushing yards of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry through six games — the most by any combination of quarterback and running back in the league since at least 1950.

“Recall those questions about the Ravens’ offensive identity after Henry carried just 13 times for 46 yards in their opening loss to the Chiefs,” asked Walker. “As it turns out, pairing the greatest running quarterback of all time with the most imposing power-speed ball carrier of the past decade is a pretty workable concept. Opponents simply can’t defend both — or either, really — for 60 minutes.”

Walker also shared 6.9, which is how may yards per attempt the Ravens are allowing with their pass defense. For perspective, the Ravens only allowed 4.7 per attempt last season. If you count on, say, 30 passing attempts a game, that’s an extra 66 yards a game through the air.

“The culprits are many,” wrote Walker. “First-round draft pick Nate Wiggins has struggled in three of his past four games. Safety Marcus Williams has made few plays on the back end. Cornerback Brandon Stephens has put himself in great position but hasn’t consistently broken up completions. Under first-year coordinator Zach Orr, the Ravens aren’t muddying the picture for opposing quarterbacks as frequently as they did last season under Mike Macdonald.”

Here’s a number that looks small, but is actually quite big in the grand scheme of things — 2. That is how many pressures Daniel Faalele has allowed over the past three games. It would seem I was wrong about the enormous guard if this three-game sample is to be believed. So were you. It’s ok to admit it.

“Since that Raiders defeat, Faalele and his line mates have done much to hush their critics,” Walker wrote. “The Ravens had spent the summer searching for a five-man formula and finally found it with Patrick Mekari shifting to left guard and rookie Roger Rosengarten taking over at right tackle. A healthy Ronnie Stanley is playing his best football since 2020. Center Tyler Linderbaum appears headed for another Pro Bowl. But there’s no better face for the turnaround than Faalele, who has become a dependable pass protector and mauled opponents to open running lanes.”

This was really a telling article, but for brevity’s sake, I’m only going to share one more right now. The Ravens have out-rushed their opponents by a staggering 146 yards per game.

“As much as passing defines the modern NFL, a team that can count on such an extreme running advantage becomes difficult to beat,” explained Walker. “The Ravens were outstanding on both sides of the ball last season, outrushing foes by 47 yards per game — significant, but in no way outside normal bounds. Even in 2019, when they set an all-time rushing record, their average margin was +112.6. What we’re seeing from them so far this year is freaky.”

Freaky is good, right?

As the person who writes the Ravens’ Report Card for Russell Street Report after every game, I try reading others after I finish mine to see if maybe I missed something or just to better understand what others are seeing.

The Sun’s Mike Preston wrote one for the Ravens’ first six games, and there were a few things that stood out to me.

Here’s how the Ravens graded out at every position after a 4-2 start to the season, including four straight wins. https://t.co/09Lo3oEiVS

— Baltimore Sun Sports (@BaltSunSports) October 17, 2024

Jackson received an A- for his efforts to this season, and there’s not really much to argue with there. The other unit to grade that highly was the Ravens’ defensive line, which has played stellar to this point of the season.

“One of the best things about the Ravens’ defense is that this group can shut down the run and make opposing teams one-dimensional,” wrote Preston. “The Ravens are allowing only 59 rushing yards per game, best in the NFL. Tackles Nnamdi Madubuike and Michael Pierce as well as backup Broderick Washington have cut down everything on the inside, but the most dominant player might be tackle Travis Jones, who can collapse a pocket as well as holes for running backs. Jones leads all Ravens linemen with 19 tackles, while Pierce has 13 and Madubuike 12. After a breakout season and a big contract extension, Madubuike has taken on a lot of double teams at the point of attack, which frees up both Jones and Pierce. It will be interesting to see how opposing teams handle Madubuike now that Jones has such a strong presence. The 2023 third-round pick creates a pile wherever he plays.”

For my money, Jones has been Defensive Player of the Year to this point for the Ravens, with Kyle Van Noy second. Not the names I expected to have so high up before the season started, but they have both shined.

Also of note:

Ravens Reunite with Linebacker Kristian Welch | SI

“The Baltimore Ravens are RUNNING THE SHIT out of the football..

Lamar Jackson OFF TO THE RACES”@aqshipley #PMSLive #RavensFlock https://t.co/WQywpVrIlG pic.twitter.com/1q0cvxN0wK

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 16, 2024

Trade him, they said. He’s past his best, many began to wonder. Once more, Mark Andrews is starting to look like his old self!

The Baltimore Ravens are STACKED at tight end, it doesn’t matter what position on the depth chart, they’re all performing!

He’s back!  #RavensFloc pic.twitter.com/pJtVZfO7Mt

— Nic Mason (@British_Raven19) October 17, 2024

Steve Bisciotti reminding @jhill21_ that he put the league on notice

Wired is available now: https://t.co/JrScJxgtlO pic.twitter.com/HJ3KAehgdv

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 17, 2024

Back on the throne

AFC Offensive Player of the Week (again) @KingHenry_2 pic.twitter.com/i2g6PCCTJe

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 16, 2024

.@KingHenry_2 and @Lj_era8 talk through the game-sealing play

Watch Wired tonight https://t.co/QAMrHDbpc4 pic.twitter.com/lklVDYfT1G

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 16, 2024

.@ZayFlowers joins the show!

We’re talking the @Ravens turnaround, being teammates with King Henry, and the passionate fanbase in Baltimore #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/AsPpLeBWPa

— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) October 17, 2024

The post OTL: Numbers Truly Can Tell a Story appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2024/10/17/out-to-lunch/otl-numbers-truly-can-tell-a-story/