There’s no shortage of headline names on the field Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium, but this one could swing on the supporting cast.
Lamar Jackson may play, or may not, as he manages an ankle injury. Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase have already done plenty of damage in Baltimore.
Trey Hendrickson is back facing the team he left on bad terms. That’s the top of the bill.
But the Ravens, with their issues closing games at home and a secondary that has looked shaky, may need a few lesser-known pieces to make the kind of plays that change a game.
Three role players stand out as possible difference-makers.
Start with rookie tight end Isaiah Likely, whose return from a hand injury came after just one missed week. Baltimore could use the boost.
The Ravens have had tight end problems, with top blocker Durham Smythe out for the season and Mark Andrews managing just one catch for four yards while carrying top-10 money at the position. Likely has been efficient when given chances, catching all five of his targets and turning those touches into real gains.
He’s already shown he can create separation on a double move from the slot, and he can do damage after the catch. His 9.0 yards of YAC per reception stands out next to Andrews’ 2.0 over the last two years, and that kind of production should push Declan Doyle to find more ways to feature him.
Fellow rookie Josh Cuevas is trending up as well, and Likely getting a ball out of the backfield feels like something Baltimore should plan on. He figures to be in motion often, too.
On the ground, Doyle was clearly dissatisfied with what the offense put on tape in Week 6. He said, “I would say that what we put on tape wasn't up to our standard,” and the issues were obvious: not enough multiplicity, not enough perimeter stress, and too much dependence on Derrick Henry.
The Ravens need more variety, and the idea of mixing in Hill - especially through pistol looks and designed screens - makes sense more than some of the inside-heavy stuff did. Under-center runs may still have a place, and pony packages with Henry should be part of the plan.
The defensive side has its own problem after losing edge defender Tavius Robinson for the year. That’s a major hit because Robinson was doing important work setting the edge, bringing power, and developing as a pass rusher opposite Hendrickson. Baltimore knows Hendrickson and Green are at their best when attacking the left tackle, and Jesse Minter will need to get creative about keeping both on the field.
Green has been effective when he twists inside and attacks the A gap, and the Ravens could lean into a NASCAR package with Green starting wide, almost in a Wide 9 look, before looping inside like Hendrickson. That would give Baltimore a way to keep pressure coming without asking either player to do something outside his comfort zone.
The bigger concern is making sure Hendrickson stays effective deep into the game. He has the billing of a closer, but the fourth quarter has not been his best lane this season: no sacks and just four pressures.
Baltimore, meanwhile, has been one of the NFL’s weaker teams in pressure and sacks in the fourth quarter. Getting Green and Hendrickson to hunt the quarterback together for all four quarters has to be part of the answer.
“Trey definitely feels more comfortable on the right,” defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said, “and … Mike seems pretty indifferent to it. So, both of those guys I think can eat regardless of where they're aligned.”
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Lamar Jackson will miss a third straight game Sunday against Cincinnati, a development that had been trending after three limited practices this week while he continued to work back from a left ankle injury described as a high ankle sprain. The quarterbacks absence is obviously the headliner for Baltimore, but it is only part of the roster shuffling the Ravens have had to manage as they try to keep pace in a key AFC North matchup.
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Ravens Suddenly Have A Pass Rush Problem They Cant Ignore
Tavius Robinsons season-ending pectoral injury has forced Baltimore into an uncomfortable spot at outside linebacker, where the depth chart suddenly looks thinner than it did just a few days ago. The Ravens had been relying on Robinson as a steady part of the edge rotation, and now the team has to reshuffle a group that was already expected to lean on younger players as the year progressed.
Zion Young, Ethan Burke and Mike Green are among the internal options now getting a closer look, but the conversation does not stop there. With the trade deadline approaching, Baltimore may also explore outside help if it decides the current mix is not enough to stabilize the pass rush for the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]