Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston will reply followers’ questions all through the Ravens season. Coming off Baltimore’s 33-31 loss in Week 10 to the Cleveland Browns, loads of questions stay heading right into a Week 11 matchup in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Here’s Preston’s take:
(Editor’s word: Questions have been edited for size and readability.)
Sad, unhappy, unhappy. The Ravens might simply be 10-0, however fourth-quarter meltdowns have been their calling card. Why do the Ravens fold in shut fourth-quarter video games, letting inferior opponents march up and down the sector? Is it doable the workforce obtained caught up within the nationwide press clippings earlier than the sport with the Browns? And what occurred to Keaton Mitchell within the second half after a powerful first half? Either he was injured or he’s in Harbaugh’s “doghouse.” Those are the one causes I can consider. “It’s just kind of the way it went as far as the play calling” is a really poor rationalization. “Coach speak” at its best, defending himself and his teaching employees. — Bob in North Carolina
Sorry, Bob, I can’t clarify why the Ravens permit fourth-quarter comebacks however it’s clear after reviewing the sport tape that they lacked self-discipline and thought this was going to be a simple recreation in opposition to the Browns. The Ravens apparently thought the end result was going to be much like a month in the past after they received, 28-3, in Cleveland, solely this time the Browns delivered the knockout blows. The Ravens lacked focus and Cleveland was far more bodily.
As for Mitchell, there was no affordable rationalization for his disappearing within the recreation. Sometimes, offensive coordinators get too caught up in a recreation they usually may overlook issues. Harbaugh wasn’t going to throw offensive coordinator Todd Monken underneath the bus, however you’ll be able to finest consider there have been some conversations on why he carried the ball solely as soon as within the second half.
After years of effectively above-average particular groups efficiency, the Ravens have taken a big step again this season. Blocked punts, blocked subject targets, punt returned for TD, miscommunication. Harbaugh, our particular groups head coach, can’t be happy with their efficiency. Can you see any cause why, and what could be achieved to get rid of these errors? It has already value the Ravens a few video games this 12 months. — Robert
For essentially the most half, coaches don’t wish to play starters on particular groups and I’m unsure the Ravens are at that time but, however I don’t thoughts having the beginning offensive line in when blocking for a subject objective. Sometimes, different groups make nice performs, too, particularly when strain comes from the skin. It can be a timing problem or the Ravens may want to vary up the cadence.
Also, the sector objective try that was blocked was from 55 yards. Because of the gap, the kick can have a low trajectory and it will likely be simpler to dam, particularly if a workforce has a tall defensive lineman with lengthy arms. Remember former Ravens defensive finish Calais Campbell? But you might be appropriate. It looks as if each week the particular groups commit a boneheaded play, and that value them in opposition to the Browns and will certainly damage within the postseason if not corrected.
The protection, particularly the secondary, had been buzzing going into the Browns recreation. Then the one-armed bandit, Marcus Williams, returns and performs all however one defensive snap, which has a trickle-down impact on others within the secondary, whereas Arthur Maulet, who had been doing effectively, sees a drastic drop in snaps. God bless him for eager to play however Williams isn’t Ed Reed as a ball-hawk. So is it value having him on the market as a legal responsibility tackling for the remainder of the season, or ought to the Ravens make the command determination to close him down for the season or bench him? — Paul in Orlando
Someone, both defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Harbaugh or basic supervisor Eric DeCosta, should decide about Williams as a result of he has turn into a legal responsibility. I’m wondering how a lot of an affect he had in protection over the center as a result of the Browns definitely discovered a weak point within the workforce’s zone coverages.
Williams desires to play, and that claims so much about his character. But he doesn’t have a lot of a presence so far as run help and it’s clear he’s afraid of getting damage. He is a big-money participant — the Ravens signed him to a five-year, $70 million deal in March 2022 — but it surely may be to everybody’s benefit to relaxation him and get him prepared both for later within the season or subsequent 12 months.
There doesn’t seem like a lot room for enchancment in solely per week despite the fact that he’s anticipated to play with much less protecting gear in opposition to the Bengals.
What do you suppose is the true cause why Keaton Mitchell noticed such restricted touches versus the Browns? Coach Harbaugh’s rationalization that it was, “just kind of the way it went” is relatively embarrassing except it was an effort to imitate a sure lobster boat captain. — Don Truitt in Colesville
I simply suppose the Ravens didn’t have him within the common rotation, and principally forgot about him. As I urged earlier, you’ll be able to wager Harbaugh talked to Monken about that poor determination both quickly after the sport or early Monday morning.
Monkon is at fault, but it surely’s Harbaugh’s workforce. He ought to have demanded Mitchell get the ball. I believe the correct message has been handed on but it surely was a dumb transfer.
“I think it’s something that’s probably … as you look back on it, [it’s] part of the process of getting a young guy in there and working him into the game plan as part of the process as we go,” Harbaugh mentioned Monday afternoon. “I don’t suppose we felt most likely as an offensive teaching employees we have been going to throw the entire recreation plan on him. Those are the performs that get referred to as from the groupings that have been referred to as within the second half. Looking again on it, would we’ve needed him on the market extra? Yes. I believe that’ll issue into this recreation plan.
“The way it got called — those plays weren’t the ones he was scheduled for. I’ll add [tight end] Mark [Andrews]. He had two passes in the game. Is that what we want? Absolutely not. The ball goes where it goes sometimes, but we want the ball to go to Mark. That’s also part of the dynamic as the season goes along trying to work through those things.”
If you’ve playmakers, get them the ball. Right? Go determine.
In your opinion, how does the collapse in opposition to the Browns have an effect on the Ravens shifting ahead for the remainder of the season? — Ed Helinski
Not in any respect, similar to the Ravens’ beatdowns of Seattle and Detroit haven’t any bearing. We’re just one recreation previous the midseason level. I’ve written this earlier than and can do it once more: The Ravens will probably be judged within the last weeks of the common season primarily based on consistency, steadiness and the play of quarterback Lamar Jackson.
In the loss to the Browns, Jackson missed open receivers, the Ravens had lapses in defensive coverages and the defensive position obtained manhandled. Offensively, they forgot about Mitchell and the passing recreation was out of sync. If that continues to occur then they received’t go far within the postseason.
They’ll regroup. I don’t have any thought how far they’ll go within the playoffs, however the Ravens have expertise. They want an outdoor receiver to step up and a shutdown cornerback, and it will likely be attention-grabbing to see how veterans reminiscent of outdoors linebackers Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy and offensive tackles Morgan Moses and Ronnie Stanley maintain up within the final month, however don’t learn an excessive amount of into the Cleveland loss in addition to studying the Ravens can’t be trusted but due to their inconsistent play.
They’ve obtained seven extra video games to determine it out and that’s a whole lot of time.
Does Lamar not run when the chance exists as a result of he’s self-conscious in regards to the notion from some within the media (specifically ESPN/Fox Sports 1) that he’s a runner first and a passer second and he’s attempting to show them unsuitable? — “Quick” on X
No, it’s a special offensive system in contrast with the earlier one designed by former coordinator Greg Roman. Monken’s model is constructed round a dropback quarterback, despite the fact that he’ll roll Jackson out at instances. Roman’s offense was predicated on a powerful working recreation, one which featured Jackson.
I don’t suppose Jackson is as explosive a runner as he was in 2019 when he was the unanimous NFL Most Valuable Player, and that’s to be anticipated due to the hits he has taken over his six-year profession. With that mentioned, I believe he’s a greater quarterback and thrower than he was in 2019.
I like this technique higher than the earlier one. Also, regulate Jackson’s ankle. I’ve seen him hobbling within the first half of the previous two video games.
Have a query for Mike Preston? Email sports [email protected] with “Ravens mailbag” within the topic line and it could possibly be answered in The Baltimore Sun.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com