Coming off their bye, the 5-2 Baltimore Ravens will head to Cleveland this weekend to face the 2-6 Browns. This will be the second match-up between the AFC North foes this year, with the Ravens winning 23-16 earlier this year in Charm City.

To help evaluate what we saw from the Ravens in their initial 7 games, and to preview what awaits; Baltimore Sports and Life has reached out to several analysts for their thoughts.

BSL thanks Nathan Jahnke (Pro Football Focus), Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) for providing their thoughts.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “In the three games prior to the bye, Kansas City and Dallas both had 200+ yards rushing, and Houston put up 43 points against the Ravens. Baltimore is last in the league in time of possession. Rice has had 1 game with 20 carries, compared to 8 games with 20+ last year. With Baltimore showing an inability to get offenses off the field, my conclusion is that the Ravens offense needs to help their defense out by feeding Rice (and Pierce, behind Leach) the ball, and having longer sustained drives. Do you agree with this premise? Even if the Ravens continue the no-huddle attack, is there any reason they can not run more out of it, similar to the early 90’s Bills and their K-Gun attack?”

Jahnke: “I agree with that premise. Typically when we see those kind of changes in carries, it’s because a team was winning in the fourth quarter a lot, and therefore running a lot in the fourth quarter, but the Ravens have been running less in the early quarters as well. The argument against them running in the no huddle would be that typically Vonta Leach wouldn’t be on the field for the no huddle, so Rice wouldn’t run as well. However this year Rice has averaged 4.7 yards per carry when there is a fullback, and 5.2 when there is not. While I would expect the 5.2 to come down if the Ravens run more out of three/four receiver sets, it would still give the offense more balance and keep the offense on the field longer.”

Prisco: “I think they need to throw to score and run to win. But you can’t forget Rice. He’s the prototype for this style of offense. Yes, they can run him. But it has to be off the pass. That’s fine. Just don’t forget him.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “The Ravens started the season with an O-line of Oher, Harewood, Birk, Yanda, and Osemele. Prior to the bye, Williams had replaced Harewood at LG. I see a group that has trouble with pass blocking (Baltimore is tied for 11th in the league with 18 sacks allowed), and fairly strong as road graders. I think the optimal line would be McKinnie, Osemele, Birk, Yanda, Oher from left to right. The idea being that McKinnie as an average LT would be an improvement over Oher, Oher would be an improvement over Osemele at RT, and Osemele at LG would be an improvement over Williams or Harewood. Thoughts on the Baltimore line?”

Jahnke: “A week ago, we posted our offensive line rankings and the Ravens ranked as the 11th best line, mostly due to their great run blocking. I think those changes would depend on the kind of line Baltimore wants to have. Bryan McKinnie is very good at pass protection, but doesn’t do as well in run blocking. Each of those changes would be moves that improve the pass blocking at those positions, but hurts the run blocking. While Michael Oher has moved back and forth at the tackle position without a drop off in play, I’m not sure if a mid-season position change for Osemele would do him well.”

Prisco: “They aren’t as good as advertised. I think Birk gets overpowered at times. Williams isn’t very good. Oher is solid, not great. Osemele has potential, but a way to go. I don’t like McKinnie. I just think he gets whipped too much by speed guys.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “With the season ending injury to Webb, the Ravens have lost their best cover (and blitzing, and tackling) corner. The starters are Jimmy Smith (last year’s 1st round pick) and Cary Williams. Both have good size and athleticism. Their strength is supposed to be an ability to be physical at the line, and run with the league’s bigger wide outs. However, due to Baltimore’s inability to get any pass rush going, Baltimore’s CB’s have given a cushion underneath to opposing receivers. Should they continue to do this, or should they play to their strengths?”

Jahnke: “I would play to the corners strengths. With Terrell Suggs back, I foresee the pass rush as a whole improving as offenses focus more on Suggs and less on everyone else. Of course they should mix things up at times, but I would be giving a cushion less often than they have been.”

Prisco: “Losing Webb is a kill shot to the defense. They can’t match up and run as well anymore. Smith has the ability, but Williams doesn’t. He’s just OK. They need a pass rush. they need Suggs. Plus, Reed doesn’t have the range he once had to cover for them.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “One positive from the Houston game was that the reigning Defensive Player of the Year – Terrell Suggs – returned to action for the Ravens. The hope is that Suggs will improve the pass-rush enough (and help set the edge against the rush) that the rest of the defense can settle down around him. Is that too much to ask for?”

Jahnke: “I don’t think that’s too much to ask for. He is an elite player that will make everyone’s life easier on the defense in both the run game and the pass game. However it will likely take some time for Suggs to get fully back into the swing of things and for the defense to fully adjust to Suggs being back.”

Prisco: “That’s a lot to ask. They have been blocked all season long. He plays he run well, and he will help the pass rush, but they need more from the other guys too. Ngata hasn’t had a great season and the linebackers have been blocked.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Ngata is regularly recognized as one of the most talented interior lineman in the league. Dealing with a sprained MCL, a sore shoulder, and constant double-teams; he has not been overly disruptive at the line of scrimmage. Should he get a couple additional of weeks of rest, to be closer to full strength for the stretch run? With the Ravens struggles against the run, is his play the key to the Ravens defense in the 2nd half?”

Jahnke: “With the condition of the AFC, they could afford to rest him a few games and still likely be fine with making the playoffs. I think a more likely scenario is the Ravens continue to limit his snaps. He had been playing in over 85% of snaps in every game, but against Dallas he played in 66.3% and against Houston he played 60%. Limiting his playing time won’t take as much of a tole on his body and injuries, but still keeps him involved. I would say that Suggs is more of a key for the defense than Ngata.”

Prisco: “It might be a good idea to rest him. He certainly isn’t the same guy. Watching him on tape, he gets blocked a lot. But I thought he got blocked a lot last year. So-so guards handled him at time. He needs to play better.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Baltimore has a number of younger players in their Defensive Front 7 they are expecting more from – McPhee, Cody, Upshaw, Kruger – among them. Out of that aforementioned group, who do you think it is most imperative of to raise their production? Which player do you like best?”

Jahnke: “I would like to see Kruger step up the most. He played much better in 2011 when Suggs was across from him as a pass rusher, so I know he is capable of stepping up. Having two outside pass rushers playing well would be a big step up from what they currently have. I would say Upshaw has played the best so far. He has the second best Run Stop Percentage of 3-4 outside linebackers this year, which has helped make up for the loss of Jarrett Johnson.”

Prisco: “Cody has to play better. He has been blocked oo. McPhee looked good last season, but seems to have problems with his weight this season. He’s not as fast. But Cody is the main guy. Play to your size.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Dennis Pitta has shown the makings of a potential star. Fellow TE Ed Dickson drew the ire of Ravens fans last year for the number of drops he had, despite his 54 catches. This year he has been held to just 8 over he first 7 games. Does he need to be utilized more, or is he just too undependable to trust?”

Jahnke: “I don’t think Dickson needs to be utilized more. Those eight catches have come on 15 targets for a low catch rate of 53.3%. He only has 20 yards after the catch, so he hasn’t done much once he has the ball in his hands. The Ravens have much better passing options at wide receiver, with Pitta and with Ray Rice, so I don’t think they need to utilize him more.”

Prisco: “The guy they need to use more is Torrey Smith. Get him down the field. Stretch defenses, then come back and make plays inside to those tight ends.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “How do you evaluate the Ravens three primary receivers – Smith, Boldin, and Jones – as a trio?”

Jahnke: “All three have played very well. All three have a high yards per catch, and they have only dropped three passes combined. Jacoby Jones has been a surprisingly great addition as a third receiver. One metric we use to evaluate receivers is Yards Per Pass Route Run, and all three are between 1.67 and 1.74, showing they have each been about equally valuable in their snaps. There are very few teams that have three quality receivers like the Ravens.”

Prisco: “I love Smith. I love speed. He has it. Use him more. Boldin can’t run, but catches everything. He jus doesn’t scare anybody or get open. Jones’ speed helps.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Flacco has shown an ability to win on he road during his career, but his home/road numbers this year are strikingly different. Does that directly correspond to difficulties of operating a no-huddle offense on the road, or do you see that as an excuse?”

Jahnke: “I think that is just an excuse. I believe players in general play slightly better at home, and it happens to be that two of the Ravens away games have been against the Eagles who had a very good pass rush, and against the Texans who have one of the best defenses in the league. I don’t think it’s a pattern that will continue in the long run.”

Prisco: “Bad excuse. Tom Brady’s no-huddle works fine on the road. That’s just tough to do. The Ravens have to be better at it.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “If Houston is the prohibitive favorite in the AFC, where do you rank Baltimore head-to-head vs. Denver, Pittsburgh, and New England?”

Jahnke: “While I think very highly of Terrell Suggs and how much he can help the defense, losing Lardarius Webb hurts the team too much and I don’t think the defense has fully replaced losing Cory Redding and Jarrett Johnson in the run game. I view the Broncos and Patriots as the second and third best teams in the AFC. I have my issues with Pittsburgh, and it should be a battle to the very end at who wins the division, although both could very well make the playoffs. If I had to pick one to play today, I would go with Pittsburgh, but I think Baltimore has more potential to improve as the rest of the season goes on than the Steelers.”

Prisco: “I like all the others more. I worry about that defense. And I wonder who the Ravens are on offense. What’s their identity? I worry about them in the second half.”

Chris Stoner
Chris Stoner

Owner

Chris Stoner founded Baltimore Sports and Life in 2009. He has appeared as a radio guest with 1090 WBAL, 105.7 The Fan, CBS 1300, Q1370, WOYK 1350, WKAV 1400, and WNST 1570. He has also been interviewed by The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal, and PressBox (TV). As Owner, his responsibilities include serving as the Managing Editor, Publicist, & Sales Director.

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