The Ravens may be hoping their least seasoned corner turns into one of their most important defenders Sunday.
That spotlight falls on rookie nickel Chandler Rivers, who figures to be tested in the slot by Browns rookie KC Concepcion in a matchup that could shape how Baltimore handles Cleveland’s passing game. Rivers, a fifth-round pick, has already shown sound instincts against screens and has been reliable as a tackler when plays stay in front of him. But the broader issue for Baltimore’s secondary has been coverage breakdowns, and that is exactly the kind of weakness Cleveland can attack.
Concepcion isn’t Zay Flowers, but the Browns are using him in a similar way, and the route tree, movement and spacing around him give Baltimore’s defense a problem it has struggled to solve. Concepcion has lined up in the slot on 60% of his snaps, more than any Browns receiver, and he does his best work there. He has accounted for 20% of Cleveland’s targets, tied with fellow rookie Denzel Boston, while elite move tight Harold Fannin sits at 18% and running back Quinshon Judkins next at 14%.
That matters because the Ravens have been vulnerable when opponents work the middle of the field. Against slot targets, Baltimore’s corners and free safeties have allowed 37 completions on 50 attempts, a 74% completion rate, for 9.1 yards per attempt and three touchdowns. Those numbers have helped fuel a wider problem in coverage that has already been documented all season.
Overall, opposing quarterbacks have gone 70 for 100 against Ravens corners and free safeties for 836 yards, 11.9 yards per completion, five touchdowns and no interceptions, good for a 111.9 rating. Baltimore has also given up 13 completions of 20 yards or more, 41 first downs, three defensive pass interference calls and four pass breakups.
The Browns are built to make that kind of stress worse. Cleveland ranks eighth in the NFL in yards after the catch per reception, and Concepcion has the skill set to cash in on those extra opportunities. Ravens coach Jesse Minter said the challenge starts with finishing tackles the right way.
“You have to take great angles,” Ravens coach Jesse Minter said of the challenge. “You have to be super detailed when you're tackling these guys in the open field - attacking the right hip with the right leverage, knowing where your help is.
“You're never out there by yourself, and so it's knowing, if he does cut back or you miss it, where's your help, and where are those things at? It's a detail game in open-field tackling. They do a great job with the ball after the catch … Good group of skill players that can make plays, and a challenge we're excited about."
Baltimore could try to move Nate Wiggins inside on Concepcion, but that would leave other issues on the outside, and Minter has been reluctant to lean on veteran Chidobe Awuzie there. Anthony Weaver said the defense does not have to shadow receivers everywhere.
“We don’t necessarily have to travel to people,” defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver noted on Thursday in discussing this difficult match-up for his secondary.
That leaves Rivers in a critical role, and the rookie has not exactly been locking things down lately. Over the last three weeks, he has allowed nine catches on 11 targets for 120 yards and a touchdown.
The matchup becomes even more uncomfortable for Baltimore because the Ravens have also had trouble against top wide receivers all season. When Dallas brought two legitimate outside threats into the game, both made plays against this defense. The expected return of Trey Hendrickson from a finger injury should help the pass rush, but the questions about Baltimore’s receivers coverage are not going away until the Ravens answer them on the field.
“We’ve had our good days and our bad days,” Weaver suggested, which is whimsical and all but not quite true. Since Week 2, quality receivers have kept finding openings against this defense, and Marlon Humphrey made it clear the Browns have enough firepower to keep that trend alive.
“They have some guys that can stretch the field and do some things in short areas,” corner Marlon Humphrey said of the Browns. “They have a lot of talent over there, and it will be all -hands-on-deck to try to kind of contain the offense."
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