Just like final yr, the Ravens have began 6-3. Just like final yr, the Ravens enter the second half of their season with promising playoff hopes — a 97.4% probability of advancing to the postseason, in accordance with ESPN’s Football Power Index.
But the Ravens began final yr 8-3 and nonetheless missed out. This yr, there might be no trying forward.
“It guarantees us six wins, I know that,” coach John Harbaugh stated final week of the Ravens’ begin. “I’ve learned that; I learned that last year. Let’s just worry about the next game.”
As the Ravens put together for his or her Week 11 recreation in opposition to the Carolina Panthers, it’s time to take inventory of the place the AFC North’s high staff stands. Here’s what Baltimore Sun reporters Childs Walker and Jonas Shaffer and editor C.J. Doon make of the Ravens’ first 9 weeks, in addition to what may occur over the following 9.
What’s essentially the most encouraging and most damaging improvement from the primary half of the Ravens’ season?
Walker: The Ravens spent all of 2021 worrying about their offensive line, and now it’s the power of the staff. The excellent news begins with left sort out Ronnie Stanley, who’s practically again to his 2019 All-Pro type after we spent virtually two years questioning whether or not he would ever be the identical. Right sort out Morgan Moses has been nice in current weeks, particularly as a run blocker. Tyler Linderbaum has lived as much as all of the hype that stated he’d be a top quality beginning middle from Day 1. Ben Powers has locked down the left guard spot after years of place battling. Right guard Kevin Zeitler is Kevin Zeitler: all the time there, all the time good.
But the lack of broad receiver Rashod Bateman (foot) will hang-out the Ravens come playoff time. They will beat up on inferior opponents for the following two months however will want at the least a couple of residence run performs to make it by the postseason gauntlet. Bateman was the perfect candidate on the roster to provide these sudden jolts. The Ravens didn’t commerce for an offensive playmaker on the deadline, in order that they gained’t have a lot alternative however to double down on ground-and-pound. On a person stage, Bateman appeared poised for a breakout season because the staff’s clear No. 1 broad receiver. Now, he’ll go into Year 3 of his rookie deal feeling strain to show he can endure a full NFL season.
Shaffer: A yr in the past, we had been questioning when Stanley’s ankle would ever let him play once more. Now he’s again to his All-Pro type, a shocking profession turnaround. Stanley entered Week 10 because the NFL’s highest-graded left sort out in cross safety, in accordance with Pro Football Focus, having given up simply two quarterback pressures on 120 drop-backs. Every quarterback craves consolation, and Stanley helped the offensive line give Lamar Jackson acres of area to throw from of their Week 9 win over the New Orleans Saints. If the Ravens can shield Jackson with simply five-man safety schemes, they will compensate for his or her lackluster receiver group by making extra receivers out there.
As for damaging? The accidents. All of ‘em. Bateman’s second main damage in as a few years is a large setback, after all. But the Ravens may be undefeated if Kyle Fuller hadn’t torn his ACL in Week 1, robbing the secondary of a dependable No. 3 cornerback. Vince Biegel (Achilles tendon) and Steven Means (Achilles) may’ve lightened the early-season load at outdoors linebacker. Michael Pierce (biceps) was again to being one of many NFL’s finest nostril tackles. Safety Marcus Williams (wrist) and working again J.Okay. Dobbins (knee) will each return this season, however their early-season flashes made their accidents much more disappointing. The pall of 2021 hasn’t utterly left this franchise.
Doon: Despite all that’s gone fallacious — accidents, questionable play-calling, a mini stoop from Jackson — the Ravens’ offense continues to be among the best within the NFL. That’s the ability of an environment friendly working recreation, which is creeping nearer to reaching the heights of the 2019 staff that romped to 12 straight wins. The Ravens have rushed for 150 or extra yards in eight straight video games, and it doesn’t really feel like they’re slowing down any time quickly, particularly with a completely wholesome Stanley main the best way. You can quibble with the shortage of an out of doors receiving menace come January, however for now, the Ravens’ offense is getting it accomplished.
Aside from the accidents, essentially the most damaging improvement needs to be the lackluster cornerback play. Veteran Marcus Peters will not be the playmaker he as soon as was, and rookies Damarion “Pepe” Williams and Jalyn Armour-Davis have struggled to determine themselves. Even Marlon Humphrey has not been elite, rating twenty eighth amongst corners in PFF grading. As we noticed within the fourth quarter in opposition to the Dolphins, a protection is just nearly as good as its weakest hyperlink.
What Ravens participant, place or group will you be watching carefully within the second half of the season?
Walker: The working backs. We know the Ravens have at the least 4 ball carriers — Gus Edwards, Kenyan Drake, Justice Hill, Dobbins — able to spectacular effectivity when taking part in off Jackson. But we have now but to see all these runners wholesome on the similar time, so we don’t know the way coordinator Greg Roman will deploy them when and if that occurs. Edwards wanted simply two video games to remind us of the short-yardage reliability he provides. But will a cleanup surgical procedure on Dobbins’ knee set him as much as be extra explosive than he was in his 4 video games earlier this season? If Dobbins and Edwards return to being a 1-2, will Drake, the staff’s most efficient again up to now, turn into a mere changeup menace?
A surplus of gifted runners could be a very good downside to have, and we all know Roman doesn’t thoughts sprinkling carries round. But with the receiving corps diminished by Bateman’s damage, the Ravens will want chunk performs from this crew.
Shaffer: The secondary. Blame premature accidents, blame the slow-starting cross rush, blame the unfavorable run protection, however nevertheless you need to consider the Ravens’ first half, there wasn’t a lot that the secondary may reliably excel at. Even now, what’s its power in protection? Over their first 9 weeks, the Ravens had been under common in man-to-man and in zone. They struggled in two-high shells and in one-high shells. They had been gashed by screens and by deep pictures. Turnovers have been a much-needed balm, however this secondary, when wholesome, is just too gifted and too skilled to not be one of many NFL’s extra productive models.
Doon: The linebackers. Is Roquan Smith the lacking piece that unlocks Patrick Queen and takes the protection from good to nice? Will Justin Houston proceed his resurgence at age 33? Will David Ojabo make an instantaneous impression as a rookie? Will Odafe Oweh begin dwelling as much as his preseason promise? Can Tyus Bowser regain the athleticism that made him such a beneficial chess piece? More than another place group, this feels just like the one that might actually alter the Ravens’ trajectory within the postseason.
Of the Ravens who’ve sat out or missed vital time this season, whose return will show most impactful?
Walker: Bowser’s versatility will carry the protection, as will Williams’ ballhawking from the again line. Edwards will assist Jackson prolong drives. But man, the Ravens may use the model of Dobbins we noticed within the second half of his rookie season in 2020. It’s so much to ask of a participant who not too long ago opted for a second knee surgical procedure as a result of he wasn’t happy together with his tempo of restoration from the primary. But coach John Harbaugh sounded bullish when final he up to date Dobbins’ progress. We know Dobbins is set to place his stamp on this season and get his profession again on monitor. With one or two explosive cuts, he may flip the tide in a playoff recreation.
Shaffer: If he can get again to being the cross rusher he was earlier than he tore his Achilles tendon, it’s Bowser. His power makes him an asset in opposition to the run, and his defensive smarts and tackling means make him an asset in protection. If Bowser can pair his technical expertise with the explosiveness and motor that helped him lead the Ravens in sacks final yr, Mike Macdonald will probably be one pleased coordinator. Pair Bowser with Houston, surprisingly one of many NFL’s finest cross rushers, and an edge-rusher group that will get deeper by the week, and the Ravens shouldn’t want numerous assist to get after the quarterback.
Doon: Edwards. All due respect to Kenyan Drake, however he isn’t the type of sledgehammer who can put on down an opposing protection. We noticed glimpses of Edwards being that participant earlier than his hamstring damage, as he averaged practically 6 yards per carry in opposition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Ravens want that north-south menace to enhance Jackson’s outdoors velocity. Edwards isn’t going to take over a recreation by himself, however his downhill model is a novel weapon.
Has quarterback Lamar Jackson’s first half modified how you concentrate on how the Ravens ought to or will deal with his contract negotiations?
Walker: No. The Ravens need to maintain the road in opposition to totally assured contracts, and so they’re proper to be affected person as a substitute of overreacting to Deshaun Watson’s cope with the Cleveland Browns. But there’s no denying Jackson’s significance to all the things they do. He wins video games, regardless of who’s catching his passes or lining up beside him within the backfield. Remove him from the image, and the Ravens must begin over. If Jackson leads them to the Super Bowl, he would negotiate from a place of larger power. But for now, the phrases of his standoff with the Ravens haven’t modified. He deserves to be paid like a franchise quarterback, however the NFL continues to be determining what meaning in a post-Watson world.
Shaffer: Not actually. Jackson’s been a top-10 quarterback this season, and nearly each top-10 quarterback ought to reset the market with their subsequent contract. These subsequent two months are setting Jackson up for a 2019-esque run — dominant offensive line, deep working again room, strong sufficient receivers, accommodating schedule. Ultimately, no matter Jackson does in November and December gained’t matter practically as a lot as what he does in January and February. Jackson desires to be outlined by his postseason success. The staff wants a playoff breakthrough. If the Ravens make a deep run, Jackson may enter offseason negotiations with a clean verify. With one other early exit, a franchise tag would appear inevitable.
Doon: Somewhat. It’s simple to say the Ravens ought to meet no matter Jackson’s calls for are, contemplating how beneficial he’s to the franchise and the truth that he would possibly nonetheless be getting higher. It’s one other to truly commit greater than $230 million assured — the record-setting worth the Browns paid for Watson — to a quarterback who has but to show he can win a couple of recreation within the postseason and carries the ball greater than any quarterback since Cam Newton. The opinion right here is that he’s definitely worth the funding, regardless of the dangers. He’s a singular expertise whose speeding means offers him the next ground — and a fair greater ceiling — than different quarterbacks.
The Ravens have one of many NFL’s best remaining schedules. Is {that a} good or unhealthy factor as they put together for a possible postseason run?
Walker: It’s a high-quality factor. They’ve performed loads of good groups already, and it’s not as if they are going to face untalented defenses over the remaining eight weeks. So many elements, well being chief amongst them, go right into a staff’s postseason type. We may drive ourselves crazy making an attempt to guess how the Ravens will look in January. Getting to the postseason, ideally with home-field benefit, continues to be an enormous a part of the battle, so the schedule will assist in that respect.
Shaffer: It’s not just like the Ravens’ subsequent eight opponents are from the Sun Belt Conference. Amid the not-so-great groups on the schedule are numerous nice models, with gamers and schemes that might be nearly as good as any the staff Ravens would possibly see within the playoffs. The Denver Broncos (Week 13) have one of many NFL’s finest defenses. The Pittsburgh Steelers (Week 14) ought to have All-Pro outdoors linebacker T.J. Watt again. The Browns (Week 15) and Atlanta Falcons (Week 16) will take a look at the Ravens’ run protection. And the Bengals (Week 18) may supply a preview of the type of high-powered offenses anticipated to fill out the AFC’s playoff bracket.
Doon: Sounds fairly good to me. The Ravens may very nicely find yourself with the highest seed within the AFC and a first-round bye, and we don’t want to clarify how beneficial that’s. The first half of the season introduced sufficient challenges to final a season, anyway, so the Ravens shouldn’t really feel unhealthy in the event that they find yourself coasting in opposition to inferior competitors for a couple of weeks. All that issues is how they give the impression of being come January.
It’s prediction time. What file will the Ravens end with? How will the AFC North shake out?
Walker: They went 6-3 in opposition to the harder half of their schedule, and that might’ve simply been 7-2 or 8-1. They’re deeper now than they had been firstly, with a protection that might leap from the center of the pack to the highest 5. They gained’t run the desk, however 12-5 feels nicely inside attain, and that will probably be sufficient to take the AFC North by a recreation or two over the Bengals. The Browns have dug too deep a gap, and the Steelers is not going to type out their offense sufficient to keep away from fourth place.
Shaffer: I don’t anticipate clean crusing over the Ravens’ subsequent eight weeks, however it gained’t be a bumpy trip to the end line, both. Put me down for an 11-6 file, sufficient to win the AFC North by a recreation or two. The Bengals have sufficient of a head begin to maintain off Watson and the Browns. The Steelers will end final, however win sufficient to take themselves out of the working for a top-three draft choose.
Doon: The Ravens may be favored in all eight of their remaining video games, so working the desk isn’t out of the query. It appears probably they’ll get tripped up by a division foe at the least as soon as — simply take a look at what the Browns did to the Bengals in Week 8 — so let’s go together with 12-5, first place within the AFC North and a No. 2 seed within the convention.
Week 11
Panthers at Ravens
Sunday, 1 p.m.
TV: Ch. 45
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
Line: Ravens by 12
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Source: www.bostonherald.com