GOOD, BAD & UGLY: Lamarvelous Strikes Again!

In Baltimore, we’ve grown accustomed to Ravens teams that dominate defensively. It’s what we expect and when the results fall short of expectations, it intuitively feels off because defense is an integral part of our town’s sports DNA. But things have changed.

The Ravens no longer field a suffocating defensive unit. Instead, they roll out the NFL’s best offense. To draw an analogy, it’s as if Bob, a career longshoreman who has done quite well, has traded in his work boots and lunch box for a custom suit, Armani loafers, Cartier brief case and corner office in a high-rise Inner Harbor East building pulling in high-end direct deposits from a world class investment banker.

And now he goes by Robert.

He’s still successful, but it’s different.

So too, are your Baltimore Ravens.

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“[Baltimore has] an offense now. Just don’t give up the big play. Simplify it. Use your asset. You are an offensive football team and just play defense to complement it. Complement the offense by not giving up the big play.” ~ Bill Cowher on the Baltimore Ravens

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Collectively, we embraced the ruffian. We enjoyed the Ravens being the more physically imposing team. We loved that other teams – grown ass men, were intimidated by the Ravens defense – the Baltimore Bullies. We took pride in it. But for now, that team is gone. Today, the thing that keeps Ravens opponents up at night starts with the reigning MVP, Lamar Jackson. He has flipped the script for the franchise and 2024 is arguably his finest campaign ever. He’s single-handedly responsible for the genetic mutations of the franchise and it’s time for us all to accept it.

Whereas the Ravens offense once played complementary football with Joe Flacco, as Bill Cowher suggested, these are the days of complementary defense in Baltimore.

And speaking of flipping the script, let’s just get right to The Paige Spiranac Award – the Lamar Jackson Show. If Lamar’s performance on Sunday was a movie making its cinematic debut, Rotten Tomatoes would be overtly smitten.

The Paige Spiranac Award

We’ll get into the numbers but to start, let’s remind ourselves that the Ravens were facing a formidable Broncos defense that coming into the game was ranked 3rd overall, 7th vs. the run, 4th against the pass and 2nd in sacks while yielding just 15 points per game. Broncos DC Vance Joseph came into the game clearly stating that the Broncos would take away the run and force the Ravens to beat them by air. On Sunday, Lamar Jackson’s play made an equally clear and emphatic statement:

“Bring it on!”

Broncos DC Vance Joseph on Thursday: “You have to take something away, & my preference is the run game, & make them throw it. So we’ll see how that works out on Sunday.”

In the first half, DEN held BAL to 24 rushing yards. But Lamar Jackson had a perfect 158.3 rating. pic.twitter.com/xSPK9OD262

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) November 3, 2024

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“I just believe in, just not Zay [Flowers], but all of my receivers. I have chemistry with all of those guys. It’s really the games we’re entering. It’s a pick-your-poison offense, so based on what the defense is giving me, certain guys might have a day. Because a couple of days ago, it was ‘Bate’ [Rashod Bateman] having a night, and a couple of weeks later, it’s Zay. It’s really based on the defense of how they are feeling. ‘Who’s this offense tilting towards?’ But all of the great guys we have, it could be the tight ends one game, it might just be the running backs one game. You really never know.” ~ Lamar Jackson postgame vs. Denver

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Lamar was completely in control. Ball skills, touch passes, darts, climbing the pocket, extending plays, influencing movement in the secondary to get a preferred look. You name it, Lamar did it. It was a clinic on how to play quarterback in the modern-day NFL.

Pretty quarterbacky pic.twitter.com/g6b2sZpUvJ

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 3, 2024

At times it almost appears as if Lamar is toying with the defense. Take away the tight ends, he goes outside the numbers; press man on the boundaries, they clear out the perimeter to open up a wheel route to Justice Hill; turn up the heat with pressure, he bangs them with a bubble screen or even better, screen passes to his backs that are now expertly executed; take away all of it and a play breaks down, Lamar will extend it and his receivers have now become adept at how to make an extended play work.

And hurt opponents!

Lamar Jackson truly does not get enough credit for making plays like this. #RavensFlock

pic.twitter.com/guypO97aVt

— Melissa Y. Kim (@melissaykim) November 3, 2024

And just when a defense thinks they’ve got the Ravens offense in their crosshairs, just when they think they’ve got The King, the receivers and the tights dialed in, Baltimore can somehow make a 300-pound fullback suddenly appear stealth and leak out of the backfield for an easy touchdown.

FULLBACK TOUCHDOWN ALERT @PRic508 | Tune in on CBS! pic.twitter.com/zqoKzeHYf5

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 3, 2024

When asked about what he sees in Lamar Jackson’s play, Kyle Hamilton shared this:

“I just feel like [Lamar Jackson] is playing point guard out there. He’s not always looking for his shot. He’s trying to get other guys involved. Obviously, it helps when [No.] 22 [Derrick Henry] is running the ball and [No.] 43 [Justice Hill] is doing his thing, and the O-line is playing well and everything, but I think he’s facilitating at a high level right now. At the same time, it’s kind of funny; he could be hurting the defense on the ground too if he really wanted to, which I don’t think he does. I think it only comes out when it needs to, but I think he can sit back there all day and affect the game just as much as he can running the ball.”

By The Numbers

• The Ravens only ran 54 offensive plays during which they averaged 7.3 yards per play. And of those 54 plays, 25 went for first downs!
• The Ravens average gain per pass play was 13.5 yards
• In the third quarter the Ravens ran 21 plays for 149 yards and 2 touchdowns; the Broncos ran 6 plays that produced minus 2 yards.
• The Ravens called 20 pass plays that netted 269 yards, yet they scored 41 points

The only blemish on the day for Lamar was taking the sack for an 11-yard loss on their first possession following the Ar’Darius Washington interception. The loss took the Ravens out of field goal range in a game that most thought would be a closely fought battle. And that play, is probably the one that Lamar will remember most. He’s seeking perfection. He expects it. And that approach separates good from great.

This is what it’s all about. pic.twitter.com/AxzfcWJYSk

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 3, 2024

[Related Article: Ravens Report Card]

Now, to the rest of Lamar’s supporting cast…

THE GOOD

Offense

Derrick Henry had 133 yards from scrimmage on 24 touches, two of which were house calls. Henry in space as part of the passing game is so intriguing. But The King wasn’t all that happy with his performance. Look out Bengals.

“I’m not happy with how I played, and I need to do better this next game. Any success I have, give the credit to them. To me, I’m not too happy about the game.” ~ Derrick Henry during the postgame presser

Ravens offense has faced the #4, #5, and #7 defenses by DVOA and have scored 93 points vs them (with a quarter left to go).

— Shaun Newkirk (@Shauncore) November 3, 2024

Zay Flowers and Lamar have developed quite a chemistry. Those hours on the fields of South Florida; the times spent together during practice or in the classroom. It’s all coming together. If a defense wants to press outside with a single-high safety, good luck staying with Zay on a crosser. His off-the-chart change of direction skills are next to impossible to mirror. Flowers had 5 catches for 127 yards and 2 TDs. That’s four 100+ yard games in Zay’s last 5 starts.

ANOTHER ONE FOR ZAY FLOWERS!!!!!

Tune in on CBS! pic.twitter.com/mmqygaFkRe

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 3, 2024

Patrick Ricard was menacing as a blocker and earned flowers of his own with a 3-yard TD grab…The Ravens offensive line did a great job keeping a formidable defensive front at bay for most the game. And the way they form a flank these day on well-orchestrated screen plays is a testament to their hard work and the design of Todd Monken.

.@Ravens @PRic508 is so selfless; so important to this TEAM and to this offense; ya gotta throw a DAWG a bone every once in while. @Lj_era8 sure seemed excited about it. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/KnYbRLYko5

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) November 4, 2024

Defense

Broderick Washington did a nice job eating up snaps for the injured Travis Jones. He had 6 tackles and another batted down pass…Tavius Robinson was the most menacing presence off the edge for the Ravens v. the Broncos. He had 4 QB hits, 2 sacks, 3 tackles, 1 tackle-for-loss and he batted down a Bo Nix toss…Trenton Simpson added a sack, and he had 9 tackles and 2 TFLs. This was his most confident and productive outing of the season so far…Kyle Hamilton had 10 tackles, not necessarily a great stat for a safety but we all know, KH is not your prototypical safety. He’s regularly all over the field. Sunday was no different.

Ar’Darius Washington had a couple of PDs including an interception on the Broncos opening drive. He has a nose for the football and this time he didn’t use his face to try to catch it…Marlon Humphrey covered well and had a nice PD to stall a Broncos drive…Let’s give the entire unit some props for clutch efforts in key moments. The Broncos were just 1 of 5 on fourth down conversions and they were 1 of 4 in the red zone. There were several times when Nix had time to throw but no one to throw it to. The back end of the defense played with much better spacing in this game than they did against the Browns in Cleveland.

Special Teams

Jordan Stout seems to be in a groove. He averaged 49 yards on 2 punts including one downed at the Denver 2-yard line…after a shaky start that almost resulted in a missed PAT, Justin Tucker was 2 for 2 on FGAs.

The Bad

Offense

I saw a picture of Rashod Bateman during the week of practice leading up to the Broncos game, doing his impersonation of Garrett Wilson and Odell Beckham with a one-handed grab. If only those hands could travel from One Winning Drive to Russell Street on Sundays. This effort below is just bad, particularly after last week in Cleveland.

Working on the Good, Bad & Ugly. Very little bad and I’ll have to dig deep to find “ugly”. One of the few missteps yesterday, is unfortunately a recurring theme that we hope will settle down. The man has too much potential. pic.twitter.com/bHcQFxPSqy

— Tony Lombardi (@RSRLombardi) November 4, 2024

Defense

The Ravens really need pass rush help. The stats will show you that Nix was sacked four times during 37 drop backs but there were times when the rookie quarterback could have sung the long version of Rocky Mountain High before being forced to throw or escape the pocket. The fourth sack was credited to Malik Harrison (who plays the agility of a man trapped in a strait-jacket) only because he was the nearest defender when Nix stepped out of bounds while attempting to throw it away…Kyle Van Noy’s fountain of youth has seemingly gone dry. Yannick Ngakoue looked sluggish. In fact, most of the pass rushers (save Robinson) struggled to disengage. Dr. Chuck Smith needs to throw a few helmets around in the shower to shake things up a bit (think the manager in Bull Durham). Last season they did a great job when hand fighting. This season, they look like they’re doing the waltz.

The word is out on Brandon Stephens. Go after him with back-shoulder throws…Arthur Maulet was beaten badly twice and both times it could have resulted in touchdowns if not for errant throws by Nix.

Special Teams

The Ravens kick and punt coverage teams lack speed. It has been an off season for Baltimore in coverage. The Broncos had one punt return, it went for 18 yards; and 4 kick returns that averaged 29.

The Ugly

On a team that desperately needs pass rush help, David Ojabo, a 2022 second-round pick and a player once thought to be first-round talent before his Achilles injury at The Combine, doesn’t even dress on Sunday.

Coaching

John Harbaugh

At the 6:21 mark of the first quarter the Broncos faced a fourth and 1 at the Ravens 44. Javonte Williams got the call and carried it for a short gain and according to the officials on the field, it was enough for the first down. But John Harbaugh challenged it and won. Seven plays later the Ravens were up 7-0. Harbaugh also put the JV team on the field for a good portion of the fourth quarter to give his starters a little rest during a short week as they get ready to host the Bengals on Thursday night.

John Harbaugh has won his first challenge since late in the 2022 season. He was 0-for-his-last-6 entering today. https://t.co/rMbCqN4Uac

— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) November 3, 2024

Some say that I’m too hard on John. Some have even asked if he’s stolen a girlfriend of mine from the past. I just call it as I see it without hidden agendas. John is a good man and a great leader. I’ve never wavered from that. But when he soils the sheets as a coach, I’m not coming in with a bed pan or a cleaning crew. I’m not handing out LifeSavers to pretend things are good when they aren’t, and I will not feel sorry for postgame tears and offer a warm cloth to wipe the crust out of his eyes.

It was a good day at the office for John. A great day even. And I must admit that I really love to see him this way (below) during his postgame pressers. Here’s to more of it!

Coach wishes he could be like @Lj_era8 too pic.twitter.com/seAt3MawTz

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 3, 2024

Zach Orr

Rome wasn’t built overnight, and the Ravens defense isn’t suddenly going to morph into what it was in 2023. But there were some positives to build upon, particularly with the cohesive effort on the back end. And it will help the defense tremendously if they can get Travis Jones back to 100%. Collapsing the pocket against Burrow is a key component to slowing down the Bengals offense.

Todd Monken

Monken and Lamar are in lockstep. With a balanced attack that features explosive plays in the passing and running game, it keeps opposing defenses on their heels. They must read and react a bit more slowly given the multitude of weapons the Ravens have at their disposal and they’re about to add one more (Keaton Mitchell) and indoctrinate another (Diontae Johnson). Monken pressed all the right buttons and Lamar executed flawlessly. It shouldn’t be understated that the Ravens put up a 40-burger on one of the best defenses in the league

Other Thoughts

I was glad to see the Dolphins drop to (2-6) on the season. It might represent an opportunity for the Ravens to take a swing at a few of their defenders who could help the Ravens cause, namely: Calais Campbell, Zach Sieler and Jevon Holland. Any of the three will help…For those hoping for Budda Baker, I doubt that’s happening now that the Cardinals are in first place in the NFC West. Maybe Tyrann Mathieu?

I love the idea of OLB Azeez Ojulari joining the Ravens. He’s filling in for the injured Kayvon Thibodeaux, he’s in his final year of his rookie deal and is an unrestricted free agent in 2025. If the Ravens like what they see should they successfully land Ojulari, they can attempt to re-sign him. If not, he’ll land free agent money that at worst case should net a 4th-round comp pick in 2026.

So why would the Giants be open to trading him?

They are (2-7) going nowhere and in serious need of an organizational facelift. That happens primarily through the draft so they need to stockpile draft capital. Secondly, the Giants are already heavily invested in edge rushers. Thibodeaux was the 5th overall pick in 2022, and Brian Burns just signed a 5-year, $141M deal in 2024.

I would be very surprised if GM Eric DeCosta does nothing over the course of the next 24 hours.

Jadeveon Clowney anyone?

The post GOOD, BAD & UGLY: Lamarvelous Strikes Again! appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2024/11/04/gbu-paige-spiranac/ravens-broncos-2024/