Rebuilt Offensive Line Needs to Do Better Job of Protecting Lamar Jackson
Bolstering the offensive line and providing better protection for Lamar Jackson was a top offseason priority for the Ravens.
It's a small sample size, but the rebuilt offensive line has not fared well in pass-blocking through two weeks.
The unit, which has three new starters, is 30th out of 32 teams in pass-block win rate (35%), per ESPN Analytics. Only five quarterbacks have been pressured more than Jackson, who has faced pressure on 42.6% of his dropbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
"His results in those situations have been mixed," PFF’s Mark Chichester wrote. "His 8.6 yards per attempt under pressure ranks sixth among 32 qualifiers, but he has taken five sacks and produced two turnover-worthy plays. Jackson's 6.5% turnover-worthy play rate ranks 10th-highest at the position, helping drag his production down to -0.280 EPA per play despite his ability to generate yardage when pressured."
Baltimore Beatdown’s Nikhil Mehta noted that there were "schematic elements" to the Ravens' pass-blocking issues in last week's loss to the New Orleans Saints.
"The Saints countered the Ravens' under-center offense with linebacker blitzes that closed the distance to Jackson while his back was turned and disrupted Baltimore's rhythm," Mehta wrote. "Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle and Offensive Line Coach Dwayne Ledford can be better-prepared for similar strategies in the future, while Jackson and his blockers will have to sharpen up their pre-snap adjustments at the line of scrimmage."
On the positive side, the Ravens are No. 1 in run-block win rate (79%), led by left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who has the second-highest rate (88%) among tackles. Center Jovaughn Gwyn is No. 6 among interior offensive linemen in RBWR (85%).
Overall, the Ravens are No. 23 in PFF's offensive line rankings.
"[Right tackle] Roger Rosengarten has been the Ravens' best offensive lineman through the first two weeks of the season and was their only lineman to not allow a pressure in Week 2, but Baltimore has problems elsewhere," PFF’s Gordon McGuinness wrote. "Center Jovaughn Gwyn was better in Week 2 than in Week 1 in pass protection, but could be replaced by Ethan Pocic in the starting lineup soon. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley is dealing with a toe injury that forced him out of the game last week, and backup Carson Vinson struggled in relief, allowing a pair of pressures from just 13 pass-blocking snaps."
Cowboys Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer Says Kyle Hamilton Is an 'Absolute Game-Wrecker'
Kyle Hamilton is widely considered the best and most versatile safety in the league. Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer, whose team plays the Ravens this Sunday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, agrees.
"This guy's an absolute game wrecker," Schottenheimer said at his Wednesday press conference, via ESPN’s Todd Archer. "When they're needing to make a play, they're going to send him. He's always around the line of scrimmage. He's massive, [has] ball skills. He's the entire package. We played him a couple years ago and I don't remember being around a guy that's as big of a difference maker as this guy is in so many different faculties. So, huge fan. Supposedly he's a great young man, but wow, what a great football player."
Hamilton knows that keeping the potent Cowboys offense in check won't be easy.
"They have a plethora of guys on that side of the ball, not just [wide receivers] George [Pickens] and CeeDee [Lamb], but [a] great tight end [Jake Ferguson], the O-line is good, [and the] running back [Javonte Williams] runs hard," Hamilton said. "Obviously, they have [quarterback] Dak [Prescott] at the helm, too, and a bunch of other guys going with that, so it is going to be up to us to accept that challenge and go down there and face it head on and exceed the expectations."
Nick Wright Still Believes in Ravens and Jackson
FOX Sports' Nick Wright has been known to troll the Ravens, but he surprisingly took a measured approach in his assessment of them after they were upset by the Saints at home.
In Wright's team tiers, he placed the Ravens in the "Should Be Fine" category along with the Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars.
"All 1-1, all should be fine. I believe in all three of these teams," Wright said on FS1's “First Things First.” "I believe in the Ravens the most because of Lamar."
Could John Harbaugh and Joe Flacco Reunite With Giants?
In 2008, the Ravens hired John Harbaugh as head coach and drafted quarterback Joe Flacco in the first round. The duo spent 11 seasons together and led the Ravens to the franchise's second Super Bowl title in 2012.
Could they reunite in New York?
With Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart set to undergo season-ending knee surgery, Harbaugh said veteran quarterback Jameis Winston will take over as the starter, but he added that the team will bring in another quarterback, possibly via trade. The Giants have Jake Haener, who has one career start (with the Saints in 2024), on the practice squad.
The Baltimore Sun’s C.J. Doon wondered if Flacco, currently the backup to Joe Burrow with the Cincinnati Bengals, could be an option.
"A Flacco-Harbaugh reunion almost happened last year," Doon wrote. "According to Flacco, the Ravens inquired about his return last offseason but eventually signed former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush to a two-year, $6.2 million deal.
"It would be not only a feel-good story of two former Ravens reuniting, but also a homecoming of sorts. Flacco grew up in Audubon, New Jersey, about a 1 1/2-drive from the Giants' home stadium in East Rutherford. Flacco also spent three years as a backup with the Jets."
It seems unlikely that the Bengals would trade Flacco given Burrow's injury history. Burrow, who has been limited to 10 games or fewer three times in the past six seasons, is already dealing with a back issue.
Flacco, 41, has shown that he can still sling it. In six starts with the Bengals last season after being traded from the Cleveland Browns, Flacco had a 13:4 touchdown-interception ratio.
On a side note, Ravens Wire’s Glenn Erby raised the question of whether Harbaugh would contact the Ravens about the availability of backup Tyler Huntley or third-string rookie Joe Fagnano.
