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The Ravens ran away from the Broncos, 41-10. The Bengals blew out the Raiders, 41-24. Which of these AFC North rivals will have the edge when they meet Thursday night at M&T Bank Stadium? Ravens passing game vs. Bengals pass defense Lamar Jackson finished with a perfect passer rating for the fourth time in his career against the Broncos, adding to a brilliant season in which he’s leading the league in passer rating, yards per attempt and ESPN’s QBR metric for all-around performance. He has taken just 13 sacks and thrown two interceptions in nine games, signs of how on-point he is even as he looks downfield more than almost any other elite quarterback. The Bengals tried to crowd the box on him in Cincinnati, and Jackson threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns, keeping the Ravens in the game as their defense flailed against a red-hot Joe Burrow. Wide receiver Zay Flowers, who caught seven passes for 111 yards in that 41-38 win, has emerged as a clear No. 1 target for Jackson in his second season. He surpassed 100 yards for the fourth time in five games against Denver and made the play of the game on a 53-yard catch-and-run touchdown just before halftime. Jackson torched the blitz-happy Broncos without even looking to tight end Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar, who caught two passes between them. They combined for 10 catches in the previous matchup with Cincinnati, so look for them to play a significant role Thursday night, though Likely could be sidelined by a hamstring injury. Wide receiver Rashod Bateman dropped another pass in the win over Denver, while Diontae Johnson played a minimal role in his first game as a Raven. The Baltimore offensive line stabilized against the Broncos after a rough game in Cleveland and will need to keep Bengals edge rushers Trey Hendrickson (11 sacks, 22 quarterback hits) and Sam Hubbard (nine tackles and a sack against the Ravens in Week 5) out of Jackson’s face. Cincinnati blitzes on a modest 23.2% of dropbacks. How aggressive will defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo be after Jackson carved up his pressure looks in the previous meeting? The Bengals secondary, with Cam Taylor-Britt and DJ Turner II at the corners and former Raven Geno Stone on the back end, is ripe for attack. Cincinnati ranks 26th in third-down defense and 27th in preventing touchdowns in the red zone. EDGE: Ravens Bengals passing game vs. Ravens pass defense Burrow lit the Ravens up for 392 yards and five touchdowns and is coming off another five-touchdown game against the Raiders. He’s right behind Jackson near the top of most passing metrics. His worst games have come against teams that put heat on him such as the Philadelphia Eagles and the Browns. But the Ravens have struggled to generate pressure with their four-man rush, especially since defensive tackle Travis Jones hurt his ankle. In the earlier matchup, Baltimore defensive coordinator Zach Orr could not tap into his predecessor Mike Macdonald’s formula for keeping Burrow off-balance, and the Ravens could not cover or tackle Ja’Marr Chase, who finished with 10 catches on 12 targets for 193 yards and two scores. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey did step in front of Chase for a crucial interception late in that game. The Bengals are dealing with a pair of significant injuries. Burrow’s No. 2 target, Tee Higgins, missed the Raiders game with a quadriceps injury. He caught nine passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns against the Ravens in Week 5, so his absence — the Bengals might have kept him out against Las Vegas to save him for Baltimore — would be significant. Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. also missed the Raiders game with a knee injury. If Brown can’t go against his former team, the Ravens would attack backup Cody Ford. The Ravens defended well on third and fourth down and in the red zone against Denver, though rookie quarterback Bo Nix missed throws that Burrow likely would have made. Orr is still searching for an optimal lineup. Safety Marcus Williams was back to playing almost every defensive snap against the Broncos after his one-week hiatus in Cleveland. Safety Eddie Jackson was inactive, and safety Ar’Darius Washington played well in an expended role. The Ravens need to squeeze more production from pass rushers Nnamdi Madubuike and Odafe Oweh. Madubuike had his best game of the season in Cincinnati with four tackles and a key late-game sack. They also need better work from cornerback Brandon Stephens, who had one of the worst games of his career against the Broncos. EDGE: Bengals Ravens running game vs. Bengals run defense The Bengals emphasized stopping Derrick Henry and did a good job of it until he broke a 51-yard run in overtime. Of course, that’s what makes Henry so dangerous; the job against the NFL’s leading rusher (1,052 yards, 6.3 per carry, 11 touchdowns) is never complete until the final whistle. Jackson carried a season-low three times for a season-low four yards against Denver after he missed two practices resting knee and back injuries. He seemed less inclined to take off than usual but didn’t need to risk it with the pass game clicking so efficiently. He carried 12 times for 55 yards in Cincinnati and remains the deadliest running quarterback in the league, averaging six yards per attempt. Ravens running-back Derrick Henry, center, runs against the Broncos in the third quarter. The Ravens defeated the Broncos 41-10 at M&T Bank Stadium. (Staff) The Bengals put eight or nine defenders in the box to keep the Ravens from running over them in Week 5, and they did hold the league’s top ground game below its usual per-game and per-carry averages. Cincinnati has limited opponents to 4.2 yards per carry, sixth-best in the league. Linebackers Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt are good run defenders as are Hendrickson and Hubbard on the edges, where Henry likes to work. But the Bengals’ worst defensive performances have come against teams — the Ravens, Eagles and Washington Commanders — that attacked them on the ground with multiple threats. EDGE: Ravens Bengals running game vs. Ravens run defense The Bengals don’t run often (26th in attempts) or well (24th in yards per carry). They gained just 71 yards on 23 carries against the Raves, and why did they need to run when Burrow was filling the sky with fireworks? Second-year running back Chase Brown (479 yards, 4.6 per attempt) has supplanted Zack Moss as the top option, and he did gouge the Raiders for 120 yards on 27 carries. Perhaps Bengals coach Zac Taylor will surprise by going right at the Ravens’ injury-depleted defensive front, which missed Jones (ankle), Brent Urban (concussion) and Michael Pierce (injured reserve) against the Broncos. Denver carried 30 times for 122 yards against the league’s top run defense. Defensive tackle Chris Wormley did a nice job filling in and will likely have to play against the Bengals given the quick turnaround. Linebacker Roquan Smith still leads the Ravens in tackles, but safety Kyle Hamilton has arguably surpassed him as the team’s most impactful run defender in recent weeks. Second-year linebacker Trenton Simpson played his best game of the season against Denver with nine tackles, two for loss. If the Bengals do try to attack on the ground rather than though the air, the Ravens would feel just fine about that. Ravens linebacker Trenton Simpson is improving as a rookie, with his best statistical game of the season coming last week against the Broncos. (Staff) EDGE: Ravens Ravens special teams vs. Bengals special teams Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Is Zay Flowers officially the No. 1 wide receiver the Ravens have longed for? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens acquire CB Tre’Davious White in trade with Rams to bolster secondary Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson absent from practice Tuesday but will play Thursday vs. Bengals Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 9: Ravens’ Lamar Jackson is speed running his G.O.A.T. case Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson the passer no longer needs Lamar Jackson the runner to dominate The Ravens avoided special teams follies against the Broncos, though kicker Justin Tucker ricocheted an extra point off the upright and through. Tucker made a clutch 56-yard field goal in Cincinnati to send the game to overtime but has not been himself this season, with four misses in 19 field goal attempts. The Ravens have also made too many mistakes in the return game, though they moved up to 19th in special teams DVOA with that solid performance in the win over Denver. Cincinnati ranks behind them at 21st in DVOA because of kicker Evan McPherson’s subpar performance (13-of-17 on field goals) and because of scant production on put returns. Rookie Ryan Rehkow is punting at a Pro Bowl level. EDGE: Even Ravens intangibles vs. Bengals intangibles Coach John Harbaugh’s Ravens have won three straight against the Bengals after Cincinnati owned them in 2021. Jackson’s availability is the real key; he’s 9-1 against the Bengals as a starter. The four-day turnaround to a Thursday night game is never fun, but at least the Ravens get to stay home and face an opponent they know well. They’re banged up on the defensive line but otherwise reasonably healthy at the midpoint of the season, and they’re coming off what Harbaugh called their best all-phases performance. The Bengals will come to Baltimore needing a win to stay near the playoff pack in the AFC. If they get it, they might even be back in the hunt for an AFC North title despite their 0-3 start. Burrow will certainly be confident he can move the ball against a Ravens pass defense that’s still trying to find its footing. Taylor’s teams have traditionally closed strong, so it’s no surprise the Bengals have won three of their last four, albeit against poor competition. EDGE: Ravens Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

Inside the final 30 seconds of the first half on Sunday, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson dropped back in the pocket and flung a pass toward one of his trustiest receivers. Zay Flowers caught it, turned back, sidestepped and the whirling dervish sped up the sideline, pointing one finger toward the crowd as he coasted into the end zone. Jackson figured a Denver Broncos defender would pull Flowers right down. And NextGenStats expected Flowers to get maybe 4 yards after the catch. Instead, he managed 31 for his second touchdown in a 41-10 victory. Coach John Harbaugh gushed after the win about what it must be like to be so elusive. Within what they call a “pick-your-poison” offense, for an organization that had once been pining for a clear top receiver, Flowers looks primed to be a long-term WR1. “He’s one of a kind,” Jackson said. “He’s just that type of player — getting open, making guys miss after he catches the ball, scoring from anywhere on the field — that’s just him.” Despite a breakout 2023 season setting franchise rookie records in receptions and receiving yards, pundits pegged Flowers would perform outside of the top 30 receivers this year. NFL.com’s Adam Rank wrote him into his fifth tier at the position in July. And an anonymous ESPN preseason poll of executives, coaches and scouts forecasting the league’s top players at the position did not include Flowers. Now through nine weeks, the sophomore speedster is fifth in receiving yards behind some of the sport’s biggest stars: Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Garrett Wilson and CeeDee Lamb. That’s two All-Pros, two former rookies of the year and Baltimore’s nascent star, who Pro Football Focus has graded the league’s 10th-best receiver. Diontae Johnson, who joined Baltimore’s receiver room last week in a trade with the Carolina Panthers, was quickly impressed by Flowers’ versatility. “How he runs his routes kind of reminds me a little bit of me,” the former Pro Bowl wideout said. It’s little ticks and route-running nuances that Johnson said are a Florida thing. “His talent is unique,” Johnson said. “Not a lot of guys can do what he do. Just being able to see what everybody [has] been talking about is crazy ’cause you see the work he puts in.” Zay Flowers has surpassed 100 receiving yards in four of the Ravens’ past five games. (Staff) Flowers has four games this season with more than 100 receiving yards, and they have each come in the past five weeks. One more and he’ll tie Mark Andrews for the franchise record in a single season. Six more in a Ravens jersey and he’ll tie Andrews for the career record. In those five weeks, he leads the NFL in receiving yards (496) and yards after catch (232). Such production is a far cry from 2022 when Ravens receivers combined for a league-low 1,517 yards. Flowers is not alone in flipping the narrative. But he’s certainly the front-runner. According to football data scientist Sam Hoppen, the Ravens rank 20th in the NFL in combined target share of the top three players on each team. Flowers is handily leading among Jackson’s options, getting 27.3% of targets. As Jackson put it, “God blessed him with the ability to make guys miss.” Baltimore has drafted 12 receivers in the past decade. Nine of them are gone, namely Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, who requested a trade after a 1,000-yard season in 2021 and netted the Ravens a first-round draft pick from the Arizona Cardinals. Meanwhile, Tylan Wallace has been a solid special teams returner but not much more. And Rashod Bateman, also a first-round draft pick, dealt with injuries his first two seasons but has cemented his place in the lineup with more consistent play. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens acquire CB Tre’Davious White in trade with Rams to bolster secondary Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson absent from practice Tuesday but will play Thursday vs. Bengals Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 9: Ravens’ Lamar Jackson is speed running his G.O.A.T. case Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson the passer no longer needs Lamar Jackson the runner to dominate Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 41-10 win over the Denver Broncos The night Flowers was drafted with the 22nd pick, while wearing an all-black suit with sparkles christening the sleeves and gold-tinted glasses, he bowed his head trying to hear general manager Eric DeCosta through the phone. “I can’t think of a player that I’ve drafted that I feel as strongly about as you,” DeCosta told him. And Harbaugh added, “You’re our kinda guy.” It’s taken less than two full seasons for Flowers to vindicate such draft-night anticipation. “He’s just a product of maximizing his opportunities,” veteran receiver Nelson Agholor said. “Every time he touches it, he tries to make a big play.” Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

The Ravens’ NFL-worst pass defense got a little help Tuesday. Baltimore acquired cornerback Tre’Davious White, along with a 2027 seventh-round draft pick, from the Rams on Tuesday in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick, according to a source with direct knowledge of the move. The trade came just ahead of the NFL’s 4 p.m. deadline. White spent his first seven seasons in the league with the Buffalo Bills, was an All-Pro in 2019 and twice was selected to the Pro Bowl. After being released by the Bills in the offseason, he signed with the Rams. The 29-year-old former first-round pick out of LSU has played four games this season but was a healthy scratch the past three games. He has 12 tackles and two passes defended this season. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was absent from practice Tuesday after missing two practices last week. Jackson was not listed on an estimated injury report for the team’s walk-through Monday and gave no indication he was dealing with an illness or injury when he spoke to reporters afterward. He spoke as if he would start Thursday night against the Cincinnati Bengals. When asked if he could get used to practicing just once a week, he said: “No. My guys are out there working, so I don’t [have a] problem with working. But you know, if that’s going [to] help me recover faster, yes, I’d be cool with it.” Jackson was listed with back and knee injuries last week but said he had been resting his body after he practiced on Friday in preparation for the Denver Broncos. He then played brilliantly in the game, completing 16 of 19 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-10 win. As a runner, Jackson carried a season-low three times for a season-low 4 yards, and he was asked Monday if he was protecting his body. “No I just didn’t feel like I had to,” he said. “Things were working in our favor. … Everything was just going our way, and I really didn’t have to run. [I had] only, I think, one scramble — I had to though — nobody was open, so that’s all.” Coach John Harbaugh has said Jackson might receive periodic rest days as the season goes on, though he also gave no indication Monday that Jackson might miss Tuesday’s practice. Harbaugh is scheduled to speak with reporters after practice Tuesday. Tight end Isaiah Likely also did not practice Tuesday because of a hamstring injury, increasing the likelihood that he won’t be ready to face the Bengals. Likely played just 17 offensive snaps and was targeted once Sunday. He was listed as a non-participant on the estimated injury report for the team’s Monday walk-through. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens acquire CB Tre’Davious White in trade with Rams to bolster secondary Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 9: Ravens’ Lamar Jackson is speed running his G.O.A.T. case Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson the passer no longer needs Lamar Jackson the runner to dominate Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 41-10 win over the Denver Broncos Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ defense finds its ‘swagger,’ bounces back in win over Broncos “It’s something he’s dealing with,” Harbaugh said. “With the short week, we’ll just have to see how it works out here in the next couple of days.” Likely has caught 24 passes for 271 yards and scored two touchdowns in the Ravens’ Oct. 6 win in Cincinnati. if he’s out, Charlie Kolar, who had his best game of the season against the Bengals, could be in for a bigger role. Defensive end Brent Urban remains out after he suffered a concussion in the team’s Oct. 27 loss to the Cleveland Browns, while defensive tackle Travis Jones was still limited Monday by the ankle injury that kept him from playing any defensive snaps against Denver. With Michael Pierce on injured reserve, the Ravens might again need to elevate defensive end Chris Wormley and nose tackle Josh Tupou from the practice squad to fortify their defensive front against the Bengals. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

Each week of the NFL season, The Baltimore Sun will recap the best and worst from around the league. Here are our winners and losers from Week 9: Winner: Lamar Jackson Greatest of all time? It’s not crazy. Yes, the Ravens’ star quarterback still hasn’t won a Super Bowl title. Tom Brady won seven in his 23 seasons, and Patrick Mahomes has already won three in his first eight. In this era of sports culture, rings will always matter most. But consider what Jackson has already accomplished at just 27 years old. He’s a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player and the betting favorite to win a second straight MVP Award and third overall. He’s just 346 rushing yards away from passing Michael Vick for the most by a quarterback (6,109) in league history. He has a chance to pass for 4,500 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a single season, something no NFL quarterback — not even Jackson in his brilliant 2019 campaign — has ever come close to doing. In Sunday’s 41-10 win over the Broncos, Jackson threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns to record a perfect passer rating of 158.3 for the fourth time in his career. According to Pro Football Reference, that ties him with Otto Graham, Craig Morton, Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger for the most in their database. But, as noted by CBS, Jackson is the only player to do it four times with at least 15 passing attempts. What’s even more staggering is that Jackson accomplished the feat in his 86th career start. Manning (265), Roethlisberger (247), Tom Brady (333) and Kurt Warner (116) needed at least 100 starts to do it three times with at least 15 attempts. Jackson’s eventual G.O.A.T. case could be decided by MVP voting. Manning is the only five-time winner of the NFL MVP Award, claiming it for the final time in 2013 at age 37. He won his third at 32. Aaron Rodgers, a four-time winner, secured his third at 37. Tom Brady was 40, and Johnny Unitas was 34 when they won their third. Brett Favre won his third straight at 28, but he never finished higher than second in voting for the rest of his career. If Jackson continues on this pace, he’ll win a third MVP Award just after his 28th birthday on Jan. 7. There’s no telling how many more he might win over the next 10 years — if he chooses to play that long. At least on Sunday, he proved that he doesn’t need to run to be effective, rushing for just 4 yards on three carries. Given good health, a good team around him, a little luck and a few big postseason performances, Jackson could go down as the best ever. Of course, it wouldn’t surprise (perhaps prophetic) coach John Harbaugh. “The vision that we have together is that Lamar Jackson is going to become and be known and be recognized as the greatest quarterback ever to play in the history of the National Football League,” Harbaugh said in July. “That’s the vision. It’s going to happen by Lamar, his work ethic and his brilliant talent, by all of us pouring into that effort together as a team, and by the grace of God and God’s goodwill. That’s how it’s going to happen. And I believe it like we’ve already seen it.” He might be right. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, bottom, will miss several weeks with a hamstring injury. (Todd Kirkland/Getty) Loser: Dallas Cowboys Things are not going well in Jerry World. The weekend started with the Cowboys leaving Ezekiel Elliott at home as punishment for “habitual tardiness,” continuing what has been a disappointing reunion with the former star running back. On Sunday, Dallas fell to the Atlanta Falcons, 27-21, in a game that only looks close because of a garbage time touchdown drive led by backup quarterback Cooper Rush. Coach Mike McCarthy was seen on the sideline slamming a tablet after a botched coverage allowed Darnell Mooney to score an easy 36-yard touchdown. The Cowboys went 3-for-13 on third down and 1-for-5 on fourth down, including a failed fake punt and an end-around to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb that went nowhere. Now quarterback Dak Prescott is reportedly expected to miss several weeks with a hamstring injury he suffered Sunday, essentially removing all hope of Dallas competing for a playoff spot. With three straight losses, their longest streak since a four-game skid in 2020, the Cowboys are 3-5 heading into matchups against the Eagles, Texans and Commanders. “We have five losses and so we clearly understand where that puts us as far as what it will take,” McCarthy said. “We’ve got to get to winning.” No matter how this season ends, this is probably the end of McCarthy’s tenure in Dallas. While enjoying consistent regular-season success, including three straight 12-5 seasons, the Cowboys have failed to advance past the divisional round and have twice lost in the wild-card round under McCarthy. Now, with the roster in need of a rebuild, owner Jerry Jones no longer has any Super Bowl dreams to cling to. With Prescott and Lamb signed to big extensions and pass rusher Micah Parsons the next in line to get paid, a top-heavy roster has few avenues to improve. A high draft pick might be the only thing to look forward to. Near the end of Sunday’s game, TV cameras caught Prescott clearly mouthing the words “We [expletive] suck.” It’s a perfect encapsulation of a lost season for a team that generates more attention than its play on the field has ever deserved. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs and the Lions are on a roll. (Morry Gash/AP) Winner: Detroit Lions Next stop, New Orleans? The Lions look like the class of the NFC and the potential Super Bowl favorites after a 24-14 win over the division rival Green Bay Packers on Sunday. In its first outdoor game of the season, Detroit did not seem shaken by the sloppy conditions at Lambeau Field as quarterback Jared Goff completed 18 of 22 passes and David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for 138 rushing yards — including a 15-yard touchdown run by Gibbs on fourth-and-1 to take a 24-3 lead in the third quarter. The Lions’ defense also overcame the second-quarter ejection of star safety Brian Branch for an illegal hit to the head, getting a 27-yard pick-six from safety Kerby Joseph and holding Green Bay to 3-for-12 on third down and a ghastly 1-for-4 in the red zone. Jordan Love threw for 273 yards and Josh Jacobs rushed for 95, but Green Bay’s 411-261 advantage in total yards didn’t translate to more points. While Detroit lost its biggest star in pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson, its defense still has plenty of talent. Just look at Joseph, a 2022 third-round draft pick who has intercepted a pass in five of the past six games to tie Green Bay’s Xavier McKinney for the NFL lead at six. According to The Associated Press, Joseph became the first safety to intercept at least 14 passes through his first three seasons since Hall of Famer Ed Reed did it from 2002 to 2004. The Lions are now 7-1 for the first time since 1956, putting them in the driver’s seat for the top seed in the NFC, a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. But no matter the path, coach Dan Campbell said his team is “built to win.” “We’re supposed to be the dome team who can’t play outside,” Goff said. “We’re supposed to be the team that can only win one way. I think we’ve shown a handful of times we can win in multiple ways. We’re chameleons.” The Colts’ decision to start quarterback Joe Flacco, right, over Anthony Richardson did not provide a spark on Sunday night. (Stacy Bengs/AP) Loser: Indianapolis Colts Maybe Joe Flacco isn’t the answer after all. After a controversial decision to bench second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson and make Flacco the starter, the Colts’ offense was just as disappointing in a 21-13 loss to the Vikings on Sunday night. Flacco completed 16 of 27 passes for 167 yards with an interception, resulting in a 14.6 QBR that ranks worse than any number Richardson posted in his first six games this season. Coach Shane Steichen said Flacco “gives us the best chance to win right now” when he made the call last week, but that wasn’t the case Sunday as the Colts (4-5) produced season lows in offensive points (six), yards (227) and first downs (13). Minnesota boasts one of the league’s top defenses, but Flacco’s inability to evade pressure and his tendency to force throws into tight coverage against Brian Flores’ aggressive scheme did not help the offense stay ahead of the sticks. According to ESPN’s Mina Kimes, Indianapolis averaged minus-0.35 expected points added per play Sunday, their worst mark of the season. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson the passer no longer needs Lamar Jackson the runner to dominate Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 41-10 win over the Denver Broncos Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ defense finds its ‘swagger,’ bounces back in win over Broncos Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Derrick Henry, setting records at age 30, is defying Father Time Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 41-10 win over Broncos There’s also the matter of what Richardson provides in the running game as a dual threat. It’s a small sample size, but Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has been much more effective with Richardson in the game than Flacco, and that was evident when Taylor rushed for just 48 yards on 13 carries against Minnesota. Richardson also throws downfield at a much higher rate, preventing defenses from crowding the line of scrimmage. If the Colts just wanted to sit Richardson for a game or two to give him a break — which might have been necessary after his strange decision to take himself out a Week 8 game against the Texans because he was tired — that’s understandable. His league-low 44.4% completion rate and seven interceptions were ugly. But Steichen seems committed to Flacco for the foreseeable future, perhaps to his detriment. While the 39-year-old veteran might end up keeping the Colts in the playoff race, it comes at the cost of valuable playing experience for a 22-year-old quarterback who has made a combined 23 starts thus far in college and the NFL. According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Colts have a 37.2% chance to make the playoffs and a 9.7% chance to win the AFC South. Are those odds worth chasing with Flacco? The Colts need to know sooner than later whether their investment in Richardson with the fourth pick of the 2023 draft was worth it. They won’t learn anything with him on the bench. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

Amid all the shiny numbers that Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson put up in Sunday’s blowout win over the Denver Broncos, one stood out for what he didn’t do. Jackson had just three carries for 4 yards. Only one of them came on a designed run. It was his second-lowest rushing total in 92 combined regular-season and playoff starts. He also came into the game having only practiced once during the week because of soreness in his back and legs and perhaps wasn’t looking to venture into harm’s way, especially after a physical loss to the Cleveland Browns the week before. But Jackson explained Monday evening that it was even simpler than that. “I just didn’t feel like I had to [run],” he said following the Ravens’ walk-through practice three days before a critical Thursday night showdown against the AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium. “Things were working in our favor.” Jackson finished 16 of 19 passing for 280 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions, adding up to a perfect 158.3 passer rating and a 41-10 rout. It was another dominant performance by the reigning and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player that has him poised to win the award for a third time. It was also a microcosm of his season through the first nine games. Jackson is first in the NFL in passer rating (120.7), tied for second in passing touchdowns (20), tied for first in touchdown to interception ratio (10 to 1), second in passing yards (2,379), first in passing yards per attempt (9.3), first in touchdown rate (7.8%) and tops in first downs per pass attempt (44.7%). He also leads the league in expected points added per drop-back (0.35), per pass attempt (0.40) and per play (0.31) as well as pass completions longer than 15 yards. Consequently, Baltimore has the second-best EPA (expected points added) per game over the first nine games of a season since 2019, when Jackson took over as a starter, behind only the 2022 Kansas City Chiefs, who went on to win the Super Bowl. And, of course, Jackson is first in rushing yards (505) among quarterbacks, despite easily his lowest total of the season to date on Sunday. “Guys were getting open,” he said. “Guys were catching the ball. Line was protecting. Running backs were catching the ball; tight ends were. Everything was just going our way, and I didn’t really have to run.” Jackson is on pace for a career-high 4,494 passing yards. As a runner, he’s on pace for 954. If the latter sees an uptick, he could become the first player to pass for 4,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in the same season. Lamar Jackson is having the best passing season of his career. (Staff) One big reason is big plays. For example, eight of Jackson’s 19 passes against the Broncos gained more than 15 yards. “Sometimes it’s a result of the play design,” coach John Harbaugh said. “Sometimes it’s Lamar extending the play and making stuff happen.” It’s unquestionably helped that this is the most potent collection of talent he’s ever had around him, from the NFL’s leading rusher Derrick Henry to wide receiver Zay Flowers, whose 654 yards are the fifth-most in the league, to tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely to one of the league’s top separators in receiver Rashod Bateman to speedy third-down back Justice Hill. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 9: Ravens’ Lamar Jackson is speed running his G.O.A.T. case Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 41-10 win over the Denver Broncos Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ defense finds its ‘swagger,’ bounces back in win over Broncos Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Derrick Henry, setting records at age 30, is defying Father Time Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 41-10 win over Broncos “The game slowing down and me just me watching film [and] seeing a lot of blitzes and seeing different schemes of how a team [is] holding blitzes and trying to disguise stuff from me,” Jackson said. “With me just studying the bad plays as well [and] just studying and memorizing everything what I’m seeing [is] helping the process of the game for me. Everything’s just slowing down.” And with it, the Ravens are speeding by opponents, averaging the second-most points per game (31.4). They’ve also won six of their past seven. Now comes a rematch with the Bengals. When the two teams met in Cincinnati last month, Jackson threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns and the Ravens won a wild shootout in overtime, 41-38. They’ll likely need another similar performance — to the one he had then or the one he had this past Sunday. “He’s quarterbacking better than anybody in the league,” Ravens tight end Mark Andrews said. “MVP, for sure.” Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. Week 10 Bengals at Ravens Thursday, 8:15 p.m. TV/Stream: ABC, Prime Video Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 6 1/2 View the full article

The Orioles have five players who are free agents and three times as many who are eligible for arbitration. Ahead of free agency beginning Monday, tell us your thoughts on what this winter should look like for Baltimore. After you vote, tell us what you think by clicking the comments button and we might publish your take in The Baltimore Sun. The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To read the results of previous reader polls, click here. View the full article

Lamar Jackson played masterfully against the league’s No. 3 defense as the Ravens blew out the Denver Broncos, 41-10, to reassert their place near the top of the AFC. Here are five things we learned from the game: The Ravens made it known that they’re still in the AFC’s elite tier Last year, they made their emphatic, brutal statement in Week 7 against up-and-coming Detroit. The Lions came to Baltimore thinking their defense was pretty special and left on the wrong end of 503 yards, 38 points and a near-perfect performance by Lamar Jackson. The Ravens needed an extra two weeks, and an unexpected kick in the pants in Cleveland, to get to a similar moment in 2024. The Broncos did not come to town on quite as buzzy a roll as the 2023 Lions, but they are a team on the rise, led by a rapidly evolving rookie quarterback and a defense devoid of obvious weaknesses. This was a prove-it game for them to show they belong in the AFC’s upper class. Instead, they scuttled back to the Rocky Mountains nursing wounds to pride and person after the Ravens hung 41 points and 396 yards on the NFL’s No. 3 defense. We couldn’t call it a flawless performance. The Broncos moved the ball a little too freely in the first half when the result was still in question. But it was a game that helped sort the AFC’s pecking order at halftime of the 2024 season. The Ravens, for all their defensive and special teams foibles and their goofy losses to the Browns and Las Vegas Raiders, belong near the top. “We played our best, most complete game of the season so far,” coach John Harbaugh said. Executing their formula — Jackson’s precision passing against pressure, Zay Flowers’ brilliantly slippery playmaking, enough defensive stops on third down and in the red zone, Derrick Henry as second-half gavel — against the Broncos is not the same as doing it against the Kansas City Chiefs. That ultimate test still awaits the Ravens in the distant chill of January. They had little time to enjoy the laugher, turning their attention to a Thursday night matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals before the last game ball from Sunday’s win was handed out. They needed multiple miracles to get out of Cincinnati victorious in Week 5. AFC North opponents never seem to yield without a fracas. But they proved they could dictate the script against a quality opponent, and they kept the crowd at M&T Bank Stadium from having to cope with even a moment of real apprehension. Add this one to their thorough beatdown of the Buffalo Bills and their offensive explosion against Tampa Bay, and the Ravens can compete with anyone when it comes to big-time performances. Lamar Jackson looked like the MVP in putting a hot defense on ice Jackson introduced mystery to the week when he did not trot onto the practice field Wednesday or Thursday. Harbaugh said he was resting. The injury report said his knee and back hurt coming off 21 pressures in that vexing loss to the Browns. Jackson said all was well, that it was no more than a well-timed rest midway through a grueling season. But he gave us reason to wonder if he would be somehow diminished against one of the league’s top pressure defenses. Well, he carried a season-low three times for a season-low 4 yards on an afternoon when the Ravens did not need him to be a runner. Otherwise, he added more pristine stokes to a season that’s rapidly becoming his passing masterpiece. “Lamar’s on fire,” Harbaugh marveled into his headset at some point during the first half. What else to say when your quarterback came in with the league’s best passer rating and improved on it with the fourth perfect (158.3) game of his career? Jackson explained it all simply: “I knew what the assignment was.” “I was just taking advantage of what they were giving me.” Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was nearly flawless Sunday against the Broncos. (Staff) That must be how it feels when you’re on top of your craft. He sidestepped defenders when necessary. Seemed to know exactly where his receivers would pop open. Dropped the ball to them perfectly with easy flicks of his wrist. Jackson had run for his life a week earlier in Cleveland, desperately seeking safe ground from which he could throw his team back into the game. His 11-for-12 first half against Denver felt almost casual by comparison. We’re seeing him in this mode more often in 2024. His feel for moving in space is as breathtaking as ever, but it’s in service of hyper-efficient passing that was not always part of his game when he burst on the NFL scene. “He didn’t have to,” Henry said of Jackson not running to beat Denver. “If you want to take away him running the ball, [he’ll] go over your head and throw it. If he has to run it, he’ll do that as well. Hats off to him. He’s the engine that makes this thing go.” “Lamar’s on fire,” was Harbaugh’s comment on one impeccable half, but it holds up just as well as a descriptor of the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player’s season to date. Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Joe Montana and Jim Brown are the only players to win back-to-back MVPs. We’re watching a sixth man make a powerful case to join their club. The Ravens’ offensive line regained its footing The Baltimore defense took most of the heat for that loss in Cleveland, but the Ravens’ offensive line also found itself back in the crosshairs after Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith rampaged for four quarters. It would be no easy feat to put that disappointment in the rearview against a Denver defense that came in with the second-highest blitz rate and second-most sacks in the league. The outlook felt bleaker still when Denver defensive end John Franklin-Myers overpowered rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten and sacked Jackson to knock the Ravens out of field goal range on their first drive. “I was just giving up ground a little quicker than I wanted to,” Rosengarten said. “That’s football for you. I gave up that play, and then it’s next-play mentality. You can’t let it carry over.” Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson looks to pass as right tackle Roger Rosengarten blocks during Sunday’s win. (Staff) The same could be said for his entire unit coming off its collective step back against the Browns. But Rosengarten and his linemates did not continue giving ground. They steadied themselves and gave Jackson — who took just that one hit all afternoon — the time he needed to weave his magic. “[Denver has] a very good pass rushing group across the board,” Harbaugh said. “There was a challenge with the twist and the games and the picks that our interior guys had to handle. The speed rush outside guys — our tackles did a good job. I thought they did a really good job.” Because the Ravens’ offensive line became such a pleasant surprise after a wobbly first two weeks, it was easy to forget Rosengarten and right guard Daniel Faalele are major works in progress. They were inevitably going to have to work past hiccups, and that’s what we saw against Denver. “You can’t dwell on last week at all,” Rosengarten said. “I remember we got in the locker room last week, and we were like, ‘We’re all in on the Broncos.'” Before he left the stadium Sunday, the rookie was already talking about the mistakes he’ll clean up over the next eight games. The Ravens’ missing pass rush remains worrying The Ravens had the Broncos where they wanted them: third-and-10 on the Denver 30-yard line. With a stop, they’d take the ball back and be in position to build a commanding halftime lead. The home crowd begged for heat on rookie quarterback Bo Nix. Instead, Nix dropped back and looked, and looked some more, remaining unhurried and untouched until his favorite target, Courtland Sutton, burst free between layers of the Baltimore zone. Their 33-yard connection led to a field goal. Jackson rendered those points less relevant when he answered with a 53-yard touchdown pass to Flowers, but the Ravens’ inability to make an opposing quarterback uncomfortable on a key down was familiar and telling. They talk during the week about how pressure and coverage must work hand in glove. Then, the next game arrives, and their four-man rush fails to disrupt the opponent’s rhythms. Ravens outside linebacker Tavius Robinson, left, celebrates his sack with defensive end Broderick Washington above Broncos quarterback Bo Nix. (Staff) Nix left at least seven points on the field in the first half. His first pass of the game tipped off wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey’s hand and into the arms of Ravens safety Ar’Darius Washington. He overshot a wide-open receiver in the end zone when Denver went for it on fourth-and-4 to start the second quarter. If he had been more opportunistic, this game could have been a shootout rather than a blowout. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta will try to put the finishing touches on a championship roster before Tuesday afternoon’s trade deadline, and nothing he saw against Denver should dissuade him from trying to add an impactful defender or two. Though their sack total for the season is healthy, the Ravens have not replaced Jadeveon Clowney’s snap-to-snap impact from the edge. Their interior line is banged up, and Nnamdi Madubuike has just two sacks and eight quarterback hits coming off his breakout 2023. Harbaugh was proud of his team’s stands in the red zone and on third and fourth down. He felt the defensive front kept Nix from scrambling to create scores. The Ravens got to the rookie more frequently once the game was out of hand. But Denver’s point total did not tell the complete story. The Ravens are winning because their offense might be historically great. They still have a long way to go on the other side of the ball. Zay Flowers’ touchdown just before halftime was as good as it gets In the euphoria of his postgame news conference, Harbaugh started listing the Ravens he’d like to be for just a day. He concluded with Flowers. “Could you imagine being able to catch it and run like that? To be that quick?” he said. “I can’t even imagine what that’s like.” He acknowledged that sometimes, he quietly pulls for Flowers to catch the ball and simply turn upfield for a few good, hard yards. Then, he sees his second-year wide receiver put a crackle in the air as he did against Denver, when he caught Jackson’s pass in the middle of the field, stopped dead in his tracks, stiff-armed safety Devon Key at the same time he backed out of his grasp and then looped around the rest of the Denver defense to score his longest touchdown of the season. It was an improvisation no coach could diagram. Only a player of uncommon imagination would attempt such a thing. When Flowers pulled it off, Harbaugh and every player on the Baltimore sideline basked in the sheer beauty of his gift. “The throw, the catch and then the little stop-and-stutter,” Harbaugh said. “Zay is thinking about scoring every time, so that was just a phenomenal football play.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Should the Orioles re-sign Anthony Santander and/or Corbin Burnes? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ defense finds its ‘swagger,’ bounces back in win over Broncos Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Derrick Henry, setting records at age 30, is defying Father Time Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 41-10 win over Broncos Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson perfect, Ravens’ offense keeps rolling in 41-10 win over Broncos “God blessed him with the ability to make guys miss,” said Jackson, who knows the feeling. “It’s always been him. Going back to Broward County, back in youth football, he’s always been that player. Him catching a post pattern, making guys miss, and getting extra yards for a touchdown, that’s just him playing ball.” Flowers scored twice and cleared 100 yards for the fourth time in five games. He’s becoming the No. 1 receiver Jackson lacked over his first five seasons. But those are just digits. What he did on that 53-yard touchdown, bending time and space to the bewilderment of world-class defenders, was pure inspiration. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

The Ravens call it progress. Despite struggling at times and allowing 319 yards of total offense to rookie quarterback Bo Nix, the Ravens played better than a week ago when they surrendered 401 yards of offense to the Cleveland Browns. And then there is this little matter of the score. The Ravens were embarrassed in a 29-24 loss to Cleveland but routed the visiting Denver Broncos, 41-10, on Sunday before a crowd of 71,051 at M&T Bank Stadium. At this point, an inch of progress is important. A blowout win is even more vital. There was a difference in how the Ravens approached and played the Broncos on Sunday. Despite having a defensive line decimated by injuries, the Ravens were physical up front with both Chris Wormley and Josh Tupou, both activated from the practice squad for the game at the start of the week. As the game wore on, Nix became more frustrated and less effective. The former Oregon and Auburn standout and 2023 Heisman Trophy finalist completed 19 of 33 passes for 223 yards and finished with a passer rating of 65.6. The Ravens have had their struggles this season, but they didn’t have much trouble with Nix after early in the second quarter. “Well, you have to give the guys that we had available credit,” Ravens defensive lineman Broderick Washington said. “For us to come in here and play that good of an offense, it was tough, but we have the guys to get it done. Once we get it rolling, we’re tough to beat. “We prepare really well. We try our best to ignore the noise, but it got to us a little bit. We took that personally, so the result of the game speaks to that.” The Ravens did things differently compared with last week’s loss to the Browns. They were more aggressive in mixing and matching coverages. They inverted and rotated safeties and cornerbacks in an attempt to confuse Nix. They sometimes had seven players around the line of scrimmage, mixing in both zone and man-to-man coverage but also dropping one or two safeties. Free safety Marcus Williams, who was benched a week ago, was more aggressive near the line of scrimmage and finished with three tackles. It doesn’t sound like much, but it was his most aggressive showing of the 2024 season. Strong safety Kyle Hamilton finished with 10 tackles to lead the Ravens. Denver was 1 of 4 in the red zone, and the Broncos had to use an end around on a 2-yard pass to Nix to score on fourth down midway through the second quarter. Nix did miss a wide-open Troy Franklin in the end zone in the first half as the rookie wideout beat cornerback Arthur Maulet on a fourth-and-4 from the Baltimore 33. The Ravens weren’t perfect and had lapses, but it never burned them Sunday. “I thought the red-zone defense was amazing,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “I thought they did a great job in coverage. I thought our coverage did a great job the whole game. Bo is a really dangerous quarterback, as you all saw. He’s really hard to get down in the pocket. He was running around doing some things, and I thought our pass rush did a really nice job, especially in the red zone, of not letting them run out of there and score [on their] scrambling. “Kudos to the defense. Kudos to [defensive coordinator] Zach [Orr]. Kudos to all the coaches and the players. But you know what – Thursday night is right around the corner.” Ravens linebacker Trenton Simpson reacts after sacking Broncos quarterback Bo Nix in the fourth quarter Sunday. (Staff) The Ravens also had two of their regular cornerbacks available with Marlon Humphrey and rookie Nate Wiggins returning from injury. Humphrey is a veteran who matches up well with No. 3 receivers and tight ends. Wiggins has great speed and is strong and aggressive in press coverage. But the Ravens also saw strong efforts from two young players Sunday, both outside linebackers. Tavius Robinson had three tackles, two of those sacks. Trenton Simpson fished with nine tackles, including two for losses. He also knocked down a pass and had one quarterback pressure. “I think we finished strong,” Hamilton said. “We had a couple of opportunities to [allow] them to score down in the low red [zone]. We are kind of scarred by our past right now, and we’re not trying to give up anything at this point, so everybody had that mindset today. We did it for the most part.” Maybe the game will serve as a turning point for the Ravens. The players have heard the criticism of the defense in recent weeks. Going into Sunday’s game, the Ravens were ranked 25th in total defense, allowing 361.3 yards per game, and last in pass defense, allowing 291.4. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Derrick Henry, setting records at age 30, is defying Father Time Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 41-10 win over Broncos Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson perfect, Ravens’ offense keeps rolling in 41-10 win over Broncos Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 41-10 win over Denver Broncos Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos, November 3, 2024 | PHOTOS “We had swagger today,” Simpson said. “I feel like everybody celebrated. You saw when Ar’Darius [Washington] had the interception, everybody was excited. This is a team, and as a defense, I feel like just everybody coming together and being excited for each other allows it to be more contagious. When everybody makes a play, everybody is excited. I feel like today was a great display of what the future looks like this season for this team — offense, defense and special teams.” The Ravens have another challenge Thursday night in Baltimore when Cincinnati visits with quarterback Joe Burrow and receiver Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals scored 38 points and put up 371 passing yards in the first meeting this season, which Baltimore won, 41-38, in overtime. “I’d say just attacking this week at practice, starting tomorrow,” Simpson said. “[We’ll] go home, get some rest tonight, ice up and wake up tomorrow getting ready to attack the Bengals [with a] focused mindset, put this game behind us and continue to get better.” Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

The massive jumbotrons behind either end zone at M&T Bank Stadium flashed to a tranquil Derrick Henry. Sitting on the bench having just come off the field, he raised his right hand toward the home crowd but didn’t so much as smirk as a graphic displayed beside him acknowledged his double-milestone day. He eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the seventh straight season, tying the second-longest streak in NFL history. He reached triple-digit career rushing touchdowns, now at 101, good for sole possession of eighth on the all-time list. “I give the credit to the guys who are blocking to make my job easier,” the always bashful Henry said after the Ravens trounced the Denver Broncos, 41-10. “All I have to do is just make my reads, get north to south and make the most out of the play.” Henry — who leads the NFL in rushing yards (1,052), rushing touchdowns (11) and rushing attempts (168) — is chasing more than his contemporaries. He’s quite possibly tracking toward the greatest season of any running back on the wrong side of 30 years old. Curtis Martin holds that particular single-season record, having rushed for 1,697 yards at age 31. Tiki Barber, Walter Payton and Thomas Jones were all 31 when they rushed for more than 1,400 yards. After nine weeks, Henry is on pace for a would-be-record 1,987. John Riggins leads the pack in single-season rushing touchdowns for 30-somethings. The former Washington star had 24 touchdowns on the ground in 1983, his age-34 season (Priest Holmes turned 30 in October 2003 and rushed for 27 touchdowns). Raheem Mostert is next in line, rushing for a league-leading 18 scores at age 31 last season. Henry is already at 11 just past the halfway mark of the season. As for career totals, he’s nine rushing touchdowns from tying Walter Payton for fifth on the all-time list — a number possibly attainable this calendar year. Twenty-two more and he could tie Marcus Allen for third. Emmitt Smith has the record with 164. Against Denver on Sunday, Henry logged 106 yards on 23 carries with two touchdowns. Coach John Harbaugh later stood at the lectern adjacent to the home locker room and tried to put this in perspective. Their ability to run the ball has been a staple of Ravens football since the dawn of the organization nearly 30 years ago. “But he is different,” Harbaugh said, now in his 16th year coaching in Baltimore. “He is adding a dimension that we have not had before. I don’t know, you go back to Jamal Lewis, maybe. Maybe. This is different.” Ravens running back Derrick Henry scores a touchdown in the third quarter Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. (Staff) When it was Henry’s turn to field questions about his own prowess, one reporter noted his reaching a league-high 13 total touchdowns on the year. Lamar Jackson was sitting off to the side waiting his turn. The quarterback’s forehead was buried in his hands. He heard “13,” lifted his eyebrows and whispered, “damn.” Then it was noted Henry’s 100th career rushing touchdown passed Hall of Famer Barry Sanders. Jackson perked back up with a toothy smile. Henry called Sanders a “running back superhero.” Henry is looking more like a superhero himself. His outstretched arms crossed the goal line in the first quarter despite a Broncos defender grasping his legs. Then in the third, Henry nearly tripped over a crashing defender and outran two more to put the Ravens up, 31-10. CBS broadcast cameras panned to a fan sign that read, “22 is gonna run through you!” Each Ravens win this season is accompanied coaches and teammates racking their brains for new ways to describe Jackson’s dazzling performances as he seeks a third NFL Most Valuable Player Award. They talk about Henry with the same reverence as he evades Father Time’s edict for aging running backs. “I grew up watching him when I was in high school and college,” rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten said. “Now I get to play with him and block for him.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 41-10 win over Broncos Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson perfect, Ravens’ offense keeps rolling in 41-10 win over Broncos Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 41-10 win over Denver Broncos Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos, November 3, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens safety Marcus Williams starts vs. Broncos; Eddie Jackson a healthy scratch “It never gets old when you see him break the gap and chug along,” left tackle Ronnie Stanley added. And fullback Pat Ricard called blocking for him “a dream.” Henry turns 31 on Jan. 4, the day before Baltimore’s regular-season finale. His contract holds him in Baltimore through next season, and he shows no sign of slowing down. The greatest running back after passing 30 was longtime San Francisco 49ers star Frank Gore. He sealed his Hall of Fame candidacy by rushing for 7,161 yards between that milestone birthday and his last NFL carry at age 37. Alongside Payton, Sanders and Martin, Gore is on the short list of players with nine 1,000-yard rushing seasons. These are all figures that could again accompany a stoic Henry on the jumbotron. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

Here’s how the Ravens (6-3) graded out at every position after a 41-10 win over the Broncos (5-4) on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. Quarterback This was basically an unscripted seven-on-seven passing drill for Lamar Jackson. Even when he didn’t have time to throw, he still moved around and found open receivers. Maybe the best part of his game was selling fakes to set up screens, providing time for his receivers to get open. Jackson completed 16 of 19 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. He finished with a perfect 158.3 passer rating, which ties him with former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for the most all-time with four. Grade: A Running backs Derrick Henry rushed 23 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns, and he controlled the game with both inside and outside runs. As the game continued, Denver had trouble containing Henry on pitches or handoffs off the edge. Backup Justice Hill had five rushes for 15 yards and had success with some tough inside runs. Hill also had three catches for 43 yards, and both he and Henry were successful in completing screens and catching flares into the flat. Grade: A- Offensive line The Ravens struggled early in the game with pass protection, but once the running game started clicking, the Broncos were stymied by the play-action passing game as well as the run-pass option plays. Center Tyler Linderbaum had a strong game getting movement off the snap of the ball. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley was dominant and left guard Patrick Mekari had some good seal blocks. Right guard Daniel Faalele was strong in short-yardage situations. Grade: A- Receivers Second-year player Zay Flowers was the star of the game, recording five catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Flowers has learned that regardless of the situation, the play isn’t over until the whistle sounds and Jackson can no longer move. He is good at finding soft spots in zones, especially in the middle, and few teams can handle him in the slot playing man-to-man with a No. 3 cornerback or safety. At the midpoint of the season, the other receivers complement Flowers with Rashod Bateman (three catches for 25 yards) and Nelson Agholor (one for 29) on the outside and tight end Mark Andrews (two for 26) patrolling the middle. The Ravens averaged 17.5 yards per reception. Grade: B+ Zay Flowers caught a pair of touchdown passes in the Ravens’ blowout win over the Broncos. (Staff) Defensive line If the Ravens were going to win the game, they had to control Denver’s rushing offense. The Broncos had 122 yards on 30 carries, but 36 yards came from rookie quarterback Bo Nix. The Broncos had some success early, but not to the point in which they had the Ravens’ defense second-guessing. Broderick Washington finished with six tackles and Chris Wormley, up from the practice squad, had four. The Ravens had four sacks and five quarterback hurries. Grade: C+ Linebackers The Ravens are still having trouble with their drops, and in the early part of the game, they had trouble getting off blocks. Kyle Van Noy (three tackles) was the only outside linebacker to get some sort of pressure, and the Ravens didn’t get much from Odafe Oweh. Outside linebacker Tavius Robinson was credited with two sacks, but those were mostly because of coverage in the secondary. Outside linebacker Malik Harrison had four tackles. Weakside linebacker and second-year player Trenton Simpson might have had his best game as a pro, finishing with nine tackles, including one sack. He also had several tackles in the open field. Grade: C+ The Ravens’ defense played a decent game against the Broncos, holding them to just 4.7 yards per play. (Staff) Secondary If Nix had hit several of his passes early, this game might have had a different outcome. The Ravens had trouble shutting down Denver wide receivers in the middle of the field. Cornerback Arthur Maulet was beaten by several yards by rookie Troy Franklin on a fourth-and-4 play early in the second quarter, but Nix overthrew him. The Ravens, though, were more aggressive in their approach with safety Marcus Williams playing more near the line of scrimmage. He finished with three tackles, and fellow safety Kyle Hamilton had 10. The Ravens, though, were still confused far too often. Grade: C Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson perfect, Ravens’ offense keeps rolling in 41-10 win over Broncos Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 41-10 win over Denver Broncos Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos, November 3, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens safety Marcus Williams starts vs. Broncos; Eddie Jackson a healthy scratch Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos live updates: Postgame reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 41-10 win Special teams Jordan Stout averaged 49 yards on two punts and Justin Tucker converted on field goals of 33 and 37 yards, but they were far from perfect. Tucker also hit the upright on a successful extra-point attempt. Tylan Wallace had one punt return of 21 yards and Chris Collier also had a kickoff return of 30 yards. Safety Ar’Darius Washington led the team in special teams tackles with two. Grade: B Coaching A week ago, the Ravens were physically manhandled on both sides of the ball, which is unusual for a John Harbaugh-coached team. They were more disciplined Sunday. The Ravens were also more physical in their approach as far as running and passing the ball offensively, and the defense was solid even though it had several injuries on a decimated line. The Ravens showed a lot of pride after being embarrassed by the Browns. Grade: B Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

The Broncos came into M&T Bank Stadium with one of the NFL’s best defenses and riding high with wins in five of their past six games. They also hadn’t seen an offense as potent as the Ravens’. Lamar Jackson torched Denver’s secondary, completing 16 of 19 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Ravens to a 41-10 blowout victory in front of 71,051 fans Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium. Jackson, the early favorite to win a second straight and third overall NFL Most Valuable Player Award, recorded the fourth perfect passer rating of his career to tie former Pittsburgh Steelers star Ben Roethlisberger for the most such games in league history. The victory improves the Ravens to 6-3 and importantly keeps them within a half-game of first place in the AFC North behind the Steelers, who are on a bye and will host Baltimore later this month. It also made a statement: The Ravens proved once again they have the best offense in the NFL. Baltimore scored on four of its first five possessions, including going 70 yards in just two plays with 58 seconds left in the second quarter as wide receiver Zay Flowers found a wide-open patch of grass in the middle of the field, caught Jackson’s perfectly thrown pass, cut back and raced 53 yards for a touchdown that put the Ravens up 24-10 at the half. Then the Ravens leaned on their NFL-best rushing attack and continued to pour it on. Baltimore drove 70 yards in 10 plays on the opening series of the third quarter, with Derrick Henry (23 carries, 106 yards, 2 TDs) chewing up 42 of them on the ground, including a 6-yard scoring run. It was the 21st time that Henry had 100 yards rushing and two rushing touchdowns in a game, tying him for third-most in NFL history, according to ESPN stats and information. The only running backs with more are Jim Brown (25) and LaDainian Tomlinson (25). After Denver went three-and-out on its next possession, the Ravens marched 79 more yards in 10 plays, beginning with a screen pass to Henry that went for 27 yards and ending with an easy 3-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to fullback Pat Ricard, who hauled in his first catch of the season for the score to extend the lead to 38-10. Then Justin Tucker, who had knocked in a 33-yard field goal in the second quarter, tacked on one from 37 yards early in the fourth. But for as good as the Ravens’ offense was, their troubled defense had its share of struggles, especially early. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix, facing little in the way of pressure, completed 7 of 9 passes for 86 yards in the opening quarter as Broncos receivers were routinely open, and he even caught a touchdown pass from receiver Courtland Sutton on a fake reverse on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line to cut the deficit to 10-7 midway through the second quarter. The play had a completion probability of just 21.9%, according to Next Gen Stats, and was the most improbable reception by a quarterback since 2018. But Denver’s defense couldn’t contain Jackson and his playmakers, and its offense couldn’t keep pace. Ravens running back Derrick Henry, right, drags a defender into the end zone for a touchdown run in the first quarter Sunday against the Broncos. (Staff) On the Ravens’ next possession, Jackson rove them 63 yards in seven plays, hitting Flowers (5 catches, 127 yards, 2 TDs) for 23 yards and Justice Hill on a wheel route that went for 24 more. His first incompletion didn’t come until the 3:59 mark of the second quarter, but he quickly got back on track. Jackson hit Flowers on the next play in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown and a 17-7 lead. Denver had come into the game having given up the third-fewest points per game (15), fourth-fewest passing yards (176.3) and fewest yards per pass (5.9). But it took all of two quarters for Baltimore to race by most of those numbers. And this time, the Ravens’ defense didn’t allow the Broncos to climb back in it. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos, November 3, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens safety Marcus Williams starts vs. Broncos; Eddie Jackson a healthy scratch Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos live updates: Baltimore leads 41-10 in fourth quarter Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell not activated vs. Broncos; 2 defensive linemen promoted Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos staff picks: Who will win Sunday’s game in Baltimore? Nix finished 19 of 33 for 223 yards and was sacked four times while running back Javonte Williams was held to 42 rushing yards on 12 carries. Baltimore also improved to 25-3 at home against rookie quarterbacks, the best mark of any team since 1950. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. Week 10 Bengals at Ravens Thursday, 8:15 p.m. Stream: Prime Video Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers, left, gets past Broncos safety Devon Key for his second touchdown catch on Sunday. (Staff) View the full article

Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 41-10 win over the Denver Broncos in Sunday’s Week 9 game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore: C.J. Doon, editor: This game felt a lot like last year’s blowout wins over the Seahawks and Lions. Those teams entered with winning records and some early buzz as playoff contenders, only to leave Baltimore with their tail between their legs. Lamar Jackson will do that to you. But that Ravens team didn’t have Derrick Henry, and he and Jackson once again looked completely unstoppable Sunday. Their ruthless efficiency was even more pronounced with an electric performance from Zay Flowers, who’s shaping up to be the No. 1 wide receiver fans have been clamoring for since … well, the team moved to Baltimore in 1996. We’ve seen flashes of brilliance from Marquise Brown and Torrey Smith, late-career magic from Derrick Mason, Steve Smith Sr. and Anquan Boldin and some seriously good receiving tight ends in Todd Heap, Dennis Pitta and Mark Andrews, but nothing like Flowers. His ability to make people miss in the open field is as good as any player in the NFL, regardless of position. He’ll likely be top 10 in the league in receiving yards after the week is over, which is cause for celebration around these parts. What’s left to say about Jackson? He’s never looked more comfortable, and teams are helpless to stop him. The Broncos tried to keep him in the pocket, and all he did was throw for 280 yards and three touchdowns while finishing with a perfect passer rating for the fourth time in his NFL career. He has all the answers to the tests now, and when you combine that with his impressive touch and ability to extend plays both inside and outside the pocket, there’s not much even a good defense like Denver’s can do. We didn’t even see a catch from newly acquired wideout Diontae Johnson, and the Ravens still put up more than 40 points. That’s scary. But we knew the offense was elite. What we didn’t know is whether the defense had a performance like this in them. It looked shaky early, especially after rookie quarterback Bo Nix boxed out safety Marcus Williams for a touchdown catch to make it 10-7. The lack of a pass rush was glaring at times, especially in the first half. But Williams and Ar’Darius Washington set the tone with an early tackle and interception, respectively, linebacker Trenton Simpson broke out with two tackles for loss and a sack and Tavius Robinson flashed his potential with two sacks of his own. Even with Michael Pierce and Brent Urban sidelined, the defensive line held Denver to just 3.5 yards per carry before some late garbage time runs. It came against a rookie quarterback, but this performance was exactly what the Ravens’ defense needed to get back on track before a short week of preparation for “Thursday Night Football.” They’ll need to be locked in against Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ passing attack that dominated the Raiders on Sunday and is fighting to save its season. Tim Schwartz, editor: The Ravens seemed almost due for a performance like this, and the Broncos were exactly what they needed. Bo Nix was no match for Baltimore, which inexplicably struggled to stop Jameis Winston and his who’s-who of wideouts in Cleveland last week but bounced back in a big way against a rookie quarterback who has no No. 1 wide receiver and little depth behind Courtland Sutton. And it was clear from the first two plays of the game — a Marcus Williams tackle and Ar’Darius Washington interception — that the Ravens’ defense was ready to put last weekend’s disaster behind them. Offensively, Lamar Jackson has never looked more comfortable and Zay Flowers is proving to be one of the league’s most dynamic playmakers. This is the type of beatdown the Ravens needed. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the start of another winning streak. Bennett Conlin, editor: How do you stop this Ravens offense? Between Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers, Denver’s top-tier defense had no answers for Todd Monken’s attack. Even Justice Hill and Patrick Ricard impacted the game, as Baltimore spread the ball to several playmakers and kept Denver off-balance. Jackson is well on his way to a third NFL Most Valuable Player Award, while Henry and Flowers both scored multiple touchdowns. With players like Mark Andrews, Rashod Bateman and the newly added Diontae Johnson also in the mix, it’s hard to point to a better offense in the NFL. Could the unit be good enough to carry the Ravens to a Super Bowl? It’s possible. The bounce-back win moves Baltimore to 6-3 on the season, keeping them firmly in the mix in the AFC North — the 6-2 Steelers are off this week. The defense even showed signs of promise. Some of that was good fortune, as Denver quarterback Bo Nix missed a wide-open Troy Franklin on fourth down in the first half on a pass that should have gone for a touchdown. Another failed fourth-down attempt kept Denver from scoring on a promising first-half drive, and yet another drive stalled in the red zone before halftime. The Ravens deserve some credit for those stops, while others were because of Denver’s failures. Denver didn’t have a first down in the third quarter, though, as the Ravens’ defense clearly contributed to Sunday’s win rather than just coming along for the ride like it did against Cincinnati and Tampa Bay. It’s hard to pick many nits in a blowout win over an opponent with a winning record. View the full article

Ravens’ Justin Tucker kicks a field goal during the game against the Broncos at M&T Bank Stadium. (Staff photo) Ravens running back Derrick Henry stretches dragging Broncos’ Brandon Jones for a touchdown in the first quarter of the game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Staff photo) Ravens’ Derrick Henry scores a touchdown during the Broncos game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Staff photo) Ravens’ Patrick Ricard celebrates Derrick Henry’s touchdown run against the Broncos during game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Staff photo) Ravens’ Lamar Jackson is sacked taking Ravens out of field position during the Broncos game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Staff photo) Ravens wide receiver Nelson Agholor catches and runs for long gain during scoring drive against the Broncos at M&T Bank Stadium. (Staff photo) Ravens newly acquired wide receiver Diontae Johnson warms up before the Broncos game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Staff photo) Ravens newly acquired wide receiver Diontae Johnson warms up before the Broncos game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Staff photo) Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson warms up before the Broncos game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Staff photo) Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers warms up before the Broncos game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Staff photo) Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith sprays his face during NFL football in Baltimore. (Baltimore Sun/Staff) Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix warms up during NFL football in Baltimore. (Baltimore Sun/Staff) Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton during NFL football in Baltimore. (Baltimore Sun/Staff) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson warms up during NFL football in Baltimore. (Baltimore Sun/Staff) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson warms up during NFL football in Baltimore. (Baltimore Sun/Staff) Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith cools off with a spray of water during NFL football in Baltimore. (Baltimore Sun/Staff) View the full article

Ravens safety Marcus Williams is active and starting against the Denver Broncos after being unexpectedly benched last Sunday. The 28-year-old Williams had struggled in the first seven games, allowing a passer rating of 143.9 in coverage, according to Pro Football Focus, and letting up 10 catches while being credited with just one pass breakup. Against Cleveland, he never so much as put his helmet on. Coach John Harbaugh called it a “personnel decision” and an “internal situation” that would stay “in-house.” Defensive coordinator Zach Orr said Williams handled last week “like a pro” and lauded his ensuing week of practice. “We’re not worried about what happened last week,” Williams said Thursday. “It’s all about moving forward to this week, getting prepared, staying prepared. When I’m ready to get in, when it’s my time, I’ll go in and do what I’ve got to do to make plays.” He didn’t waste any time Sunday, making a tackle on the first snap of the game. On the next play, Ar’Darius Washington intercepted a pass from rookie Bo Nix that bounced off the hands of Lil’Jordan Humphrey. For a Ravens secondary that ranks last in the NFL in defending the pass, keeping Williams, who signed a five-year, $70 million free agent deal in 2022, on the sideline in favor of Washington appeared to be a sign of addressing such struggles. In his lone start, Washington did not prove to be a quick fix. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos, November 3, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos live updates: Baltimore leads 24-10 in third quarter Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell not activated vs. Broncos; 2 defensive linemen promoted Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos staff picks: Who will win Sunday’s game in Baltimore? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson returns to practice, will start vs. Broncos: ‘Just resting my body’ Meanwhile, Eddie Jackson is a heathy scratch Sunday after playing every snap against Cleveland. The safety dropped a pair of interceptions, had a crucial missed tackle on Cedric Tillman’s 22-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter and was beat deep on Tillman’s game-winning touchdown reception with 59 seconds left. Baltimore’s secondary is getting some reinforcements against the Broncos. After missing last week, cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey (knee) and Nate Wiggins (shoulder/illness) both returned to the lineup Sunday. Jalyn Armour-Davis (knee) is inactive after missing Friday’s practice. This article will be updated. View the full article

The Ravens (5-3) host the Denver Broncos (5-3) on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium in a Week 9 clash between AFC playoff contenders. Follow along here for live coverage and analysis. View the full article

Keaton Mitchell’s return will have to wait at least a few more days. The Ravens’ second-year running back was not activated Saturday from the physically unable to perform list, which means he won’t play Sunday against the Denver Broncos at M&T Bank Stadium. Mitchell, who practiced fully this week for the first time all season, could make his season debut next week on “Thursday Night Football” against the visiting Cincinnati Bengals. An undrafted rookie from East Carolina, Mitchell broke out last season with 396 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while catching nine passes for 93 yards in eight games. However, he suffered a season-ending knee injury in a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Dec. 17 and has not played in a game since. Mitchell, 22, tore three ligaments and cartilage in what was described as a “nasty” injury, but there was no nerve damage or other complications and he’s been ahead of schedule in his recovery. In September, he posted on X that he had reached 20-plus mph while working out. “The main thing as a coach [that] you look at [is that] he’s looking good, so it’s good to see him back,” coach John Harbaugh said Friday. “That’s a tough rehab he had, and it’s been stellar – his progress. So, we’ll see where we’re at.” The 5-foot-8, 191-pound Mitchell is expected to return to a backfield that already includes the league’s leading rusher in Derrick Henry (946 yards, nine touchdowns) and versatile veteran Justice Hill, who recently signed a contract extension. Quarterback Lamar Jackson, a leading candidate to win a third NFL Most Valuable Player Award, also ranks 12th in the league with 501 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos staff picks: Who will win Sunday’s game in Baltimore? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson returns to practice, will start vs. Broncos: ‘Just resting my body’ Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about Zach Orr’s defense and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | How far has the Ravens’ defense fallen? The numbers paint a scary picture. Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens’ defense hit a new low in Cleveland. Can it be fixed? “It’s great to have [Mitchell] back out there,” Jackson said Friday. “I told him earlier; he caught a little small pass, [and] he took off. I’m like, ‘You’re starting to look like last year’s Keaton.’ So, it’s great to see him back in good spirits. He always was in good spirits, but just to see him on the field with us is good to see.” The Ravens also promoted defensive linemen Josh Tupou and Chris Wormley from the practice squad to play Sunday. Baltimore needs reinforcements up front after Michael Pierce was placed on injured reserve with a calf injury and Brent Urban was ruled out with a concussion suffered in last week’s loss to the Cleveland Browns. Travis Jones is also questionable with an ankle injury. A 2017 third-round pick by the Ravens, Wormley returned in September after three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and five games with the Carolina Panthers. Tupou has played six seasons with the Bengals, recording 86 tackles, six tackles for loss and two sacks. View the full article

Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Sunday’s Week 8 game between the Ravens (5-3) and Denver Broncos (5-3) at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore: Brian Wacker, reporter Ravens 24, Broncos 20: The Broncos’ defense is daunting when digesting the numbers, but Denver has also played the 31st easiest schedule per defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA), with only the Chicago Bears having an easier slate. Baltimore also has a 27-7 record against rookie quarterbacks during coach John Harbaugh’s tenure, though at 24 years old with five years of college experience, Bo Nix is an atypical first-year quarterback. Still, the Ravens’ pass defense has been among the worst in the league, and coach Sean Payton has Denver on a roll with victories in five of its past six. Like most Ravens games this year, expect this one to be another nail-biter. Childs Walker, reporter Ravens 27, Broncos 23: What looked like a sure win when the schedule came out feels like anything but for the Ravens given Denver’s all-around defensive strength and Bo Nix’s rapid improvement at quarterback. The Ravens have made almost every opposing quarterback look good, and they can’t just count on their offense to light it up against the league’s No. 3 scoring defense. That said, they’re easily the best team the Broncos have played, and they’ll come out with some urgency after losing in Cleveland. Sometimes, it really is just about which team has the better quarterback. Lamar Jackson will be the difference late in a rugged matchup. Mike Preston, columnist Ravens 28, Broncos 21: Denver appears to be one of the few teams in the AFC that can match up with the Ravens physically, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Broncos are ranked No. 3 in total defense, No. 7 in run defense and No. 4 in pass defense. Offensively, Denver wants to pound the ball with a strong running game, which is producing 121.4 yards per game. But the Ravens have something to prove, especially after losing to Cleveland last week. Maybe the setback to the Browns was a wake-up call. This game will probably come down to quarterback play. Denver rookie Bo Nix has a similar scrambling ability to the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, but Jackson has more experience and can provide more big plays. It will be interesting to see whether the Broncos crowd the line of scrimmage like the Browns did a week ago. C.J. Doon, editor Ravens 20, Broncos 17: Lamar Jackson dealing with knee and back injuries right before facing one of the league’s best defenses is a recipe for disaster. The Broncos rank second in the NFL in sacks (30), fourth in pressure rate (28.6%) and second in blitz rate (36.5%), meaning Jackson better be feeling close to 100% to escape the onslaught coming his way. It sounds like he is, and maybe that extra rest will help over the long run. This is also a big test for receivers Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Diontae Johnson against the lockdown cornerback pairing of Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss, not to mention solid slot defender Ja’Quan McMillian. Courtland Sutton can take advantage of the Ravens’ woeful secondary, Bo Nix is mobile enough to mitigate what little pressure Baltimore can throw at him and the Broncos just might be able to run the ball effectively against a depleted Ravens front behind what’s been an outstanding offensive line. All of that said, it’s so hard to pick against a Ravens team coming off a bad loss and playing against a rookie quarterback. With Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins returning and a motivated Marcus Williams expected to be back on the field, the defense should deliver a bounce-back performance. If it doesn’t, it’s time to sound the alarm bells. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson returns to practice, will start vs. Broncos: ‘Just resting my body’ Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about Zach Orr’s defense and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | How far has the Ravens’ defense fallen? The numbers paint a scary picture. Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens’ defense hit a new low in Cleveland. Can it be fixed? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens S Marcus Williams speaks for first time since being benched Tim Schwartz, editor Ravens 31, Broncos 24: The Ravens’ defense is in disarray, there’s little question about that. The unit is allowing 361.3 yards per game and an NFL-worst 291.4 passing yards per game. That’s a steep drop-off for a defense that was simply dominant a year ago. Fortunately for Baltimore, its offense has become a juggernaut. Lamar Jackson is playing at an MVP level again, and his playmakers have started to step up, too. Zay Flowers is 12th in the league with 527 yards and 41 receptions, and even Rashod Bateman is top-20 in receiving yards. The addition of Diontae Johnson, who could also help on special teams as a returner, will add another explosive element to an offense that leads the league in total yards per game (452.1) by a fairly wide margin. But Denver’s defense is no joke, ranking third in yards allowed per game (282.6) and is allowing only 15 points per game. But that’s largely been against some of the NFL’s worst offenses. In comes Bo Nix, a rookie quarterback who has found his stride as of late, was recently named Offensive Rookie of the Month for October and is coming off a four-touchdown performance against the Panthers. As bad as the Ravens’ defense has been, they have faced most of the league’s best quarterbacks through eight games, and I’ll take John Harbaugh’s track record against rookie signal-callers and pick the Ravens to win another high-scoring game. Bennett Conlin, editor Ravens 31, Broncos 24: Bo Nix has played better of late, but the Broncos’ quarterback is still averaging a woeful 5.9 yards per pass attempt this season. Fortunately for Nix, playing the Ravens’ secondary might be the perfect elixir for a rookie trying to find his footing as a passer. The Ravens should have enough offensive firepower to win Sunday in a bounce-back home performance after that ugly loss to the Browns, but their defensive woes make it harder for me to expect a double-digit win. I expect Lamar Jackson to return to form — he missed a few easy throws last week — and the Ravens to eclipse 30 points for the fifth time this season. View the full article

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson returned to practice Friday and said he’ll start Sunday against the Denver Broncos after he missed practice Wednesday and Thursday with back and knee injuries. “That wasn’t in doubt,” he said after practice. “Just resting my body. You know, it’s a long season. That’s all.” Jackson played every snap in last Sunday’s loss to the Cleveland Browns, throwing for 289 yards and running for 46. When he missed practice Wednesday, coach John Harbaugh called it a rest day. Jackson’s absence Thursday indicated he was dealing with real discomfort, though he was in the locker room after practice. Harbaugh said such rest days might become more common for his franchise quarterback. The Ravens will have a quick turnaround from playing the Broncos (5-3) to hosting the Cincinnati Bengals in an important AFC North matchup Thursday night. “That’s what he’s saying is right,” Harbaugh said of Jackson resting. “You’ve got to take that into consideration. You want your players to be at their best on Sunday.” Neither Jackson nor Harbaugh expressed any concern that the quarterback’s two missed practices will impact the Ravens’ preparedness Sunday. “He’ll be ready,” Harbaugh said. “I’m not worried about it. He studied all week. He was involved in all the preparations. He knows the game plan. He knows the opponent. He’ll be ready to go.” Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson throws a pass during Friday’s practice. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) The reigning NFL Most Valuable Player is on pace for his best passing season ever, leading the most efficient offense in the league as the Ravens prepare to face Denver’s No. 3 ranked defense. Jackson expressed excitement over the team’s trade for wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who’s expected to make his Ravens debut against Denver. “Great pickup,” he said. “That guy can get separation like our other guys. … I couldn’t stand him when he was in Pittsburgh. He gets great separation. Great route runner. He’s a home run hitter.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos staff picks: Who will win Sunday’s game in Baltimore? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about Zach Orr’s defense and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | How far has the Ravens’ defense fallen? The numbers paint a scary picture. Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens’ defense hit a new low in Cleveland. Can it be fixed? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens S Marcus Williams speaks for first time since being benched Meanwhile, Jackson seemed more perturbed by the November wind swirling leaves around the interview podium than by questions about his physical state as the Ravens hit the midpoint of their season. “It’s like a tornado out here,” he joked. The only Ravens missing Friday were defensive end Brent Urban (concussion) and cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis. Defensive tackles Broderick Washington (knee) and Travis Jones (ankle) returned to practice. Harbaugh added that safety Marcus Williams, who did not play against the Browns after starting the first seven games, will play against the Broncos. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston will answer fans’ questions in the middle of each week throughout the Ravens season. After a 29-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns last week, Baltimore (5-3) faces a tough matchup against the Denver Broncos (5-3) on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. Here’s Preston’s take on a handful of questions from readers: (Editor’s note: Questions have been edited for length and clarity.) Do you think any changes will be made in the near future for players and/or coaches? Zach Orr seems to be in over his head. I know it’s only one game, but losing to both the Raiders and “Clowns” this early raises red flags. — Bob in North Carolina Bob, that question won’t be answered anytime soon. Most coaches might make some changes in the offseason, and that usually happens with winning teams. I don’t assume John Harbaugh will make a rash decision on Orr during the season. If that happened, then it would probably change the schematics and some of the language the defense uses. Also, Harbaugh already made an adjustment by bringing in former defensive coordinator Dean Pees as an adviser several weeks ago. There is one more issue here. If Harbaugh made a change, it would indicate he made a mistake in hiring Orr. That’s a no-no. Few, if any, Ravens fans want to give Cleveland credit, but the Browns played their best game of the season with a new starting quarterback in Jameis Winston last week and their defensive line played well against the Ravens’ offensive line, which has been an area of concern all season. I’ve said this more than once this season: If a team is going to beat the Ravens, they will need a strong defensive line (see Kansas City, Las Vegas and Cleveland) and strong, fast cornerbacks. I wasn’t overly impressed with the Browns’ cornerbacks, but their safeties could fly to the ball. In your opinion, why the soft pass defense displayed by the Ravens against Cleveland? Baltimore made Jameis Winston look like an All-Pro player. — Ed Helinski Ed, Cleveland had struggled to sustain drives all season and the Ravens were without cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins. The defensive strategy was very sound and fair because few believed the Browns could mount long scoring drives. It really didn’t make a difference, because when the Ravens brought pressure from the back end late in the game, they still got burned and gave up big plays. That happens when a team is down two starting defensive backs, but there are no excuses for the four dropped interceptions, including the one by Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton that should have secured the win at the end of the game. That’s the area where the Ravens need the most improvement, not just pointing fingers at the soft coverage. Does John Harbaugh have an excuse for everything? Offense slow to start again, Derrick Henry only got 11 carries against Cleveland. Defense has been bad all season and being down your two “top” cover guys made it worse. Yet Harbaugh seems unfazed or worried about anything. Just gives his same bland, robotic response during press conferences. Should the Ravens either miss the playoffs or get knocked out early, is his job safe? — John Holmes John, I think if the Ravens miss the playoffs or get knocked out early, there will be concerns about Harbaugh’s job status. He has a two-time MVP at quarterback in Lamar Jackson and the Ravens have invested a lot of money getting Jackson more talent on offense. Defensively, the team has invested in quality players such as lineman Nnamdi Madubuike and middle linebacker Roquan Smith. I believe the Ravens had the best team in the NFL last season, but the best quarterback and defense belonged to Kansas City. As for Harbaugh’s responses after games, what do you expect him to say? They are in the middle of the season, so he isn’t going to come out and openly criticize assistant coaches or players. The Ravens are 5-3, not 3-5. There is still a lot of football left to be played. As for Henry’s touches in the game, go back and look at the film and see how many times the Browns outnumbered the Ravens around the line of scrimmage. Some plays should have been changed, and they weren’t for whatever reason. Again, Cleveland’s defensive line dominated the Ravens up front. I was just curious with the issues in the secondary. Will they try to insert rookie T.J. Tampa at some point? I didn’t know how his development was coming along or what was noticed about him in the offseason. — Justin Curbeam I’m only concerned about one rookie playing in the secondary at this point, and that’s Wiggins. I believe that Humphrey and Wiggins would have made a difference in the Cleveland game and would have given the Ravens the win. As for Tampa, he was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury last week and also missed time during training camp after having sports hernia surgery. We’ll worry about him next season, not in 2024. The Ravens have already brought in Dean Pees as an adviser to try and assist Zach Orr, but so far we haven’t seen any noticeable impact on the field from that. Orr stands on the sideline to call games. Do you see the Ravens moving him up to the booth to try and see if that helps with things? Or do they leave that up to coordinators to do as they see fit? — Paul in Orlando, Florida It’s usually a decision made by the coordinator, or in this case, Orr. It might be a suggestion, but Pees is already up in the booth as an observer and chipping in some advice. How many coaches or voices do you need at once? Talking with other coaches from around the league, most of them like Orr and expect him to do well in time. The question is, how much time is enough? He’ll probably be in charge at least until the 2024 season is over. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | How far has the Ravens’ defense fallen? The numbers paint a scary picture. Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens’ defense hit a new low in Cleveland. Can it be fixed? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens S Marcus Williams speaks for first time since being benched Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos Week 9 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson misses practice again Thursday After last season, it was a given that the Ravens would lose Mike Macdonald as defensive coordinator. After Macdonald left, Anthony Weaver and Dennard Wilson were hired by the Dolphins and Titans, respectively. Do you think that the Ravens were too slow to choose their DC, or was Orr always going to be the guy? — Michael in Annapolis From those involved inside and outside the interviewing process, they all expected Orr to be named the defensive coordinator. I don’t know about Wilson’s situation, but Weaver left the Ravens to become the coordinator in Miami after Orr was promoted. Why so many deep dropbacks for Lamar against Cleveland’s pass rush and not more quick strikes? Why didn’t Justice Hill get more targets? — Kevin Grodnitzky, @weightlossRD on X Kevin, I was surprised by Hill’s lack of overall production, but again that Cleveland defense was well coached by coordinator Jim Schwartz, the former University of Maryland and Ravens assistant. I’m not so sure the Ravens had Jackson drop back deeper than usual, but he was under a lot of duress. The pressure had him leaving the pocket much sooner than expected. Again, let’s give credit where credit is due. Schwartz, who played at Mount Saint Joseph, had his guys ready to play. Have a question for Mike Preston? Email sports@baltsun.com with “Ravens mailbag” in the subject line and it could be answered in The Baltimore Sun. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

As the clock wound down on the Ravens’ first loss in six weeks, quarterback Lamar Jackson peeled off his helmet and sent it thundering toward the grass of Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland. The reigning and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player had seemingly done enough: 289 yards through the air, a pair of passing touchdowns and the orchestration of a 91-yard scoring drive to take the lead in the final three minutes. But his defense coughed up that lead. When Jackson’s last-ditch heave to the end zone hit the ground, so went his helmet. Last year’s Ravens defense was historically good. A coordinator change and a few notable departures left the bones of the group intact. What their five-game winning streak concealed was plopped in an interrogation chair under fluorescent light after that Cleveland loss; they’ve had an historic regression. Former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald had the 2023 Ravens atop the league in points allowed, sacks and takeaways. They’re now 26th in points allowed and have given up just one fewer passing touchdown through eight weeks than they did all of last year. This autumnal unraveling took them from sixth in average passing yards allowed to 32nd out of 32 teams. For those more inclined to advanced metrics, they were second in expected points added per play (-0.121) — which calculates performance on a play-by-play basis — last year and have since fallen to 26th (0.084). Similarly, they were first in defensive DVOA (-23.3%), measuring how well a team performs compared with the league average. Closing in on the halfway mark of this season, Baltimore is 18th (2.7%). Context is crucial. A trio of starters (Jadeveon Clowney, Patrick Queen and Geno Stone) all signed elsewhere. And perhaps most significantly, Macdonald took the head coaching job in Seattle, succeeded by first-year coordinator Zach Orr. This year’s group has been exceptional in run defense, ranking first in the NFL. But the secondary has dropped a league-most eight interceptions, and they’ve given up 21 completions of at least 25 yards, more than any other team. The Ravens hit a new low. Whether the optimism emanating from the locker room in Owings Mills will lead to a turnaround remains to be seen. “Even though you’re putting in the work, everything doesn’t come as fast as you may want it to. All you can do is continue to grind and continue to chase perfection and continue to work,” Orr said. “We know that attention to detail is going to pay off.” Advanced statistics suggest the Ravens’ defense has regressed massively since last season. (Kirk Irwin/AP) Three former Ravens teams have endured similar regressions. None were quite as dramatic as this. The 2000 defense is considered one of the greatest ever. They conceded only 10.3 points per game — better than any team since at least 1978, when the NFL expanded to 16 regular-season games. It took two years for that group to lose its footing. They dropped off a smidge in 2001 to the fourth-fewest points allowed and the second-fewest yards. By 2002, they were a bottom-half group in both categories, stifled by linebacker Ray Lewis’ season-ending injury. Lewis once said that if there’s a year that keeps him up at night most in retirement, it’s 2006. The Ravens were sent home in the divisional round despite leading the NFL in just about every defensive category. First in yards against, first in defensive DVOA, first in opponent third-down conversion percentage and first in points allowed (12.6), a mark no team has matched since. One year later, they were 22nd in points allowed and 20th in passing yards against. Then there was 2011. Baltimore was first in pass defense DVOA and second in rush defense DVOA before its season sailed wide left with a missed field goal attempt by Billy Cundiff in the AFC championship game. That offseason, Dean Pees — who is currently a consultant for Orr — was hired as defensive coordinator. The group’s league-wide rankings slipped to 13th in pass defense and 25th in rush defense. They still won the Super Bowl. Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore SunThe Ravens brought in Dean Pees, shown in 2016, as an adviser to help this year’s defense. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) If there is a team to have free fallen further than these Ravens, it’s the 2001 Tennessee Titans. In 2000, they were first in defensive DVOA and yards allowed (both beating out Baltimore). The Titans then plummeted to 30th in defensive DVOA the following year because, as ESPN’s Sean McCormick later wrote, they “couldn’t cover receivers — any receivers.” For the Ravens, the checklist to fix their pass defense, according to safety Kyle Hamilton, is “execution, winning one-on-ones — it really comes down to that at the end of the day — and guys just going out there and being confident in what they do and having the belief that we’re going to go get it done.” Baltimore doesn’t have to dig much through the history books to find another example of a team whose defense struggled mightily to keep up with its league-best offense. The 2018 Chiefs were, at this point in the season, the best offense in football while on pace to join the 2012 Saints as the only team in NFL history to give up more than 7,000 yards (Baltimore is on pace for 6,141). Those Saints experienced their own defensive collapse. They won the Super Bowl in 2010 with the fourth-best defense in the league. A year later, they were 24th, ranked outside the top 10 in every major defensive category — largely because of injuries and suspensions. Plenty of other teams since the turn of the century have experienced one-year backslides. Some are a byproduct of injuries or personnel turnover. Others are just dumb luck. And many go from top of the heap to middle of the pack. Chicago was first in pass defense DVOA in 2012, then fired its coach and lost Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher to retirement as the Bears dropped to 17th. The Denver Broncos sank from first in 2016 to 15th in 2017 with their coach retiring and defensive coordinator leaving. Even the 2008 Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers took a step back thanks to shaky secondary play. Quantifying and comparing defensive drop-offs isn’t an exact science. Each looks and feels unique. The salary cap era makes it harder to keep potent groups in tact. Different stats tell a different story. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens’ defense hit a new low in Cleveland. Can it be fixed? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens S Marcus Williams speaks for first time since being benched Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos Week 9 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson misses practice again Thursday Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s what fans say is the Ravens’ biggest concern Boiling their defensive issues all the way down, it’s simple, Hamilton said. The Ravens need to run faster and hit harder. There’s still time for a midseason shuffle with the trade deadline days away. But the All-Pro safety believes the answers to solving this last-ranked puzzle are already in the building. “We just have to find them,” he said. Orr’s mixing and matching of man and zone schemes with a healthy influx of blitz packages has been exceptional against the run. Yet, an excess of easy completions over the middle and explosive plays puts more pressure on the offense to avoid situations in which the franchise quarterback is left spiking his helmet. “There is a lot of outside noise, and there is a lot of adversity, as well, but you can’t get rattled,” linebacker Roquan Smith told a throng of reporters hovering over his locker. “We’re going to be perfectly fine. We’ll look back at this interview pretty soon, and you’ll be like, ‘You were right.’” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Through seven weeks, the Cleveland Browns had not scored more than 18 points in a game and had passed for more than 200 yards just once. They defined toothless NFL offense. Against the Ravens last Sunday, the Browns scored 29 points and passed for 321 yards. It was a new nadir for a Baltimore defense verging on disaster and threatening to undermine an offense that’s not only the best in the league but the best in team history. A year ago, the Ravens allowed opponents 4.7 yards per pass attempt, tops in the NFL. This year, they have allowed 39 plays of 20 yards or more, five more than any other team and 24 more than the Kansas City Chiefs, the team they played nine months ago in the AFC championship game. These shortcomings were easier to overlook during the team’s five-game winning streak but dragged into the light of day by the Ravens’ sobering loss in Cleveland. Suddenly, one of ESPN’s top analysts, former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky, was saying, “I don’t trust Baltimore’s defense” and pointing to first-year coordinator Zach Orr’s overly predictable reliance on blitzes as the Browns marched for a game-winning touchdown. No less an authority than Bill Belichick said on his SiriusXM show that “the [Ravens’] defense is something that it seems like they have good players, but they just haven’t been able to do what they need to do defensively.” Though Ravens coach John Harbaugh has remained calm and optimistic in his public comments, several moves in recent weeks have suggested he and his staff are also grasping for solutions. First, they brought in the team’s former defensive coordinator, Dean Pees, to help advise Orr. Then, they benched $70 million safety Marcus Williams — an every-down player when healthy throughout his Ravens career — in favor of another veteran, Eddie Jackson, who couldn’t pull in a pair of interceptions and gave up the decisive touchdown against the Browns. So what the heck is going on with a group that so excelled at keeping quarterbacks out of sorts in 2023? “Even though you put in the work, everything doesn’t come together as fast as you may want it to,” Orr said. “We know that the work we’re putting in, the attention to detail that we’re doing, is going to pay off. Obviously, it sounds like a broken record. We’ve been saying that for a couple weeks. But I honestly, truly believe that with the coaches and players we have, it’s going to come together, and it’s going to come together at the right time.” It’s never just one thing. Sometimes, the Ravens get discombobulated making one of their myriad coverage adjustments. Other times, they lose one-on-one battles against the other team’s top pass catchers. They’ve tackled poorly on some key plays, left gaping holes in zone looks on others. They have dropped eight interceptions, more than any team in the league according to Pro Football Focus (if they’d caught even four of those, Harbaugh said, their other failings would be mitigated). Their four-man rush was stagnant in Cleveland, leaving Orr to rely too heavily on blitzes on the Browns’ go-ahead drive. The Ravens are also dealing with real injury adversity for the first time this season. Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins, two of their top three cornerbacks, did not play against the Browns. Their top interior defender, Travis Jones, played just 15 snaps in Cleveland and did not practice Wednesday because of an ankle injury that hobbled him throughout last week. His beefiest compatriot, Michael Pierce, will miss at least the next four weeks after he left the Browns loss with a calf injury. Fellow defensive tackle Brent Urban is in concussion protocol. This sudden defensive line shortage could leave the Ravens vulnerable against the run, which they have smothered to date (allowing the fewest yards per game and per attempt). The team’s top defenders have maintained a united public front in the face of this unexpected failure, backing Orr and vowing to hush naysayers. “There is a lot of outside noise, and there is a lot of adversity, as well, but you can’t get rattled,” said All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith, the Ravens’ on-field signal caller and vocal leader. “We keep receipts. At the end of the day, [we’ve] just got to make ‘cats’ pay for it, when the time comes. We’re going to be perfectly fine. We’ll look back at this interview pretty soon, and you’ll be like, ‘You were right.’” Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton doesn’t buy that the defense’s struggles can be attributed to the absences of coaches Mike Macdonald or Dennard Wilson. “I don’t think that necessarily there was a loss of talent,” he said. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) These defensive woes are puzzling in part because, as Belichick said, the Ravens are still loaded with Pro Bowl talent on all three layers. At age 27, Smith is the team’s leading tackler and more than that, a spiritual successor to Ray Lewis as the Ravens’ brash defensive quarterback. Kyle Hamilton, 23, disrupts offenses in a wider variety of ways than any other safety in football. Nnamdi Madubuike, 26, signed a $98 million extension in the offseason after he broke out as a rare elite pass rusher at defensive tackle. Aside from Hamilton and Humphrey, the Ravens aren’t getting enough from their defensive stars. Smith’s Pro Football Focus coverage grade is the worst of his career (49.5 compared with 83.2 last season) and among the bottom 20 among all inside linebackers. Not only does Madubuike have just two sacks, his pressures, in the face of increased double teams, are down from 0.14 per pass-rush snap in 2023 to 0.09 per pass-rush snap in 2024. Williams was off to a career-worst start before the Ravens sat him against the Browns in a move Harbaugh has chosen not to explain in detail publicly. Cornerback Brandon Stephens has taken a step back from his breakout 2023 season. After a hot start, outside linebacker Odafe Oweh has just six pressures over his past four games. The Ravens did lose significant talent in the offseason, including Jadeveon Clowney, their most consistent edge rusher, and Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Queen, who was on the field for almost every defensive snap and played an underrated role in the team’s pass rush. The talent drain was even greater on the coaching side. Not only did coordinator Mike Macdonald depart to coach the Seattle Seahawks; Dennard Wilson, one of the league’s top secondary coaches, left to to run the Tennessee Titans’ defense, and Anthony Weaver, one of the most respected voices on Harbaugh’s staff, left to be the coordinator in Miami. The Ravens replaced Macdonald with the 32-year-old Orr, who had never run a defense and had to rebuild much of his staff. His plan looks much the same in its use of deceptive coverages and simulated blitzes, but to a man, Ravens players and coaches agree their execution has not been up to snuff. Hamilton doesn’t buy that their struggles can be attributed to the absences of Macdonald or Wilson. “I don’t think that necessarily there was a loss of talent,” he said. “I feel like we kept a good amount of people in our room — players and coaches — and I don’t feel like the room feels super different from last year. It’s just [about] executing, and last year, we were executing. I can’t pinpoint or give you an exact answer on why that isn’t happening right now, but that’s still something that we’re trying to figure out, we’re trying to perfect.” “I honestly, truly believe that with the coaches and players we have, it’s going to come together, and it’s going to come together at the right time,” coordinator Zach Orr said of the Ravens’ defense. (Amy Davis/Staff) He said that if he had to start anywhere, it would be with Ravens defenders winning their individual matchups, something all of them have proven capable of doing in past seasons. “I don’t think it’s difficult,” veteran cornerback Arthur Maulet said. “We’re playing the same thing with 90% of the same guys. It’s nothing new.” He noted that the Ravens are playing more man-to-man coverage, which means it’s incumbent on their pass rushers to reach the quarterback a beat sooner and for their defensive backs to stick with receivers a beat longer. “Rush and coverage have to work together,” he said. If there’s a move that has the potential to create unrest, it’s the recent decision to sideline Williams, a proven playmaker, to give more snaps to Jackson, who hasn’t shined in Orr’s defense. “We had those conversations together, with Marcus obviously and then with the defense on a personal level,” Orr said. “We kept those in house. One thing I’ll say is that the way he handled what went down is great.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | How far has the Ravens’ defense fallen? The numbers paint a scary picture. Baltimore Ravens | Ravens S Marcus Williams speaks for first time since being benched Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos Week 9 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson misses practice again Thursday Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s what fans say is the Ravens’ biggest concern The Ravens have been here before, though not to this degree. In Macdonald’s first season, 2022, they gave up 1,060 passing yards to their first three opponents. “Miscommunication” became a catch-all buzzword for their mishaps, much as it has been at times this season. But the Ravens traded for Smith at midseason, and Macdonald developed a better feel for how to deploy his players, including Hamilton, who evolved from an overwhelmed rookie to the Ravens’ best defender in their playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. They ended up eighth in defensive DVOA. Can they make similar strides this season, whether that means adding a significant player before Tuesday’s trade deadline or finding more synchronicity between Orr’s plans and what actually happens on the field? Their performance in Cleveland, albeit marred by injuries, suggested they’re not progressing quickly enough, if at all. Nonetheless, there are those outside the building who have faith in the infrastructure under Harbaugh. “There’s a lotta time and a long way to go,” Belichick said on SiriusXM. “I’m sure that they’ll get it straightened out.” Baltimore Sun reporter Brian Wacker contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

The Ravens’ struggles on defense have been well-documented. From blown coverages to missed tackles to dropped interceptions, there are myriad reasons Baltimore has given up more passing yards per game than any team in the NFL through the first eight weeks of the season. The situation seemed to reached its nadir last week in Cleveland, where the lowly Browns and backup quarterback Jameis Winston, who was making his first start since 2022, torched Baltimore’s porous secondary for 334 yards and three touchdowns in a 29-24 upset. Starting safety Marcus Williams watched in uniform from the sideline. Coach John Harbaugh called the benching of Williams in favor of Eddie Jackson and Ar’Darius Washington a “personnel” decision but also said it was an “internal” situation. A day later, he said he didn’t have anything else to say about it and that the matter would stay “in-house.” After having what defensive coordinator Zach Orr said on Thursday was a “great” week of practice, however, the eighth-year veteran spoke with reporters for the first time since being yanked from the lineup. “We’re not worried about what happened last week,” Williams said when asked about being benched. “It’s all about moving forward to this week, getting prepared, staying prepared. When I’m ready to get in, when it’s my time, I’ll go in and do what I’ve got to do to make plays.” Whether Williams returns to the starting lineup this week against the Denver Broncos remains to be seen, though indications from some in the building are that he likely will be back out there. Orr also praised the 28-year-old Williams, a 2017 second-round pick of the New Orleans Saints who signed a five-year, $70 million deal with the Ravens in March 2022, for his reaction to last week’s news. “One thing I’ll say about Marcus — the way he handled what went down is great,” Orr said. “He’s just a great teammate. He’s been a pro since he’s been here. He handled last week like a pro, so I’m excited to see how we move and how he moves going forward.” Williams — who this season has allowed a passer rating of 143.9 in coverage, per Pro Football Focus, and has surrendered 10 catches while being credited for just one pass breakup — is also looking ahead. “I’ve faced adversity all my life,” he said. “It’s nothing new to me. Adversity makes you or breaks you and it’s how you react, how you come out and act like a pro and do all you’ve got to do to move on and get the next week.” The first two months of the season has certainly not gone Williams’ or the secondary’s way. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos Week 9 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson misses practice again Thursday Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s what fans say is the Ravens’ biggest concern Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos scouting report for Week 9: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens could go all-in on outscoring opponents | COMMENTARY Baltimore has given up more completions of 20 or more yards than any team in the league. The Ravens also have the dubious distinction of leading the NFL in dropped interceptions. “I think we can get far,” Williams said when asked about the defense’s woes. “We just need to continue to lock in, make plays and come out here and do what we’ve got to do one play at a time.” For Williams, that starts with being on the field. “I’m just going to stay prepared no matter what,” he said. “I’d rather be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than have an opportunity and not be prepared. I’m going to stay prepared and when my name is called, I’m going to go out there and do what I’ve got to do.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens return to action Sunday, hoping to move beyond last week’s disappointing loss to the Browns. Baltimore (5-3) welcomes a respectable Denver team (5-3) into town, and quarterback Lamar Jackson’s back and knee injuries add an interesting wrinkle to the AFC clash. Coach John Harbaugh downplayed Jackson’s missed Wednesday practice, but if Jackson can’t play or is limited Sunday, it makes life a lot easier for Denver’s capable defense. The Broncos rank fifth in the NFL in defensive DVOA. Even with Jackson absent from both Wednesday and Thursday practices, the Ravens are expected to cruise to a win over the Broncos, at least according to betting odds. Baltimore is a 9 1/2-point favorite over Denver as of Thursday evening on most sportsbooks legally available in Maryland, including FanDuel. Baltimore shouldn’t take this game for granted, as the Ravens have lost twice this season as a favorite of a touchdown or more. Last week, Baltimore was a touchdown favorite over Cleveland, and the Ravens were 8 1/2-point favorites over Las Vegas in Week 2 and lost by a field goal. What are the odds? Given the Broncos’ defensive reputation — they’ve held six of their eight opponents under 20 points — the total for Sunday’s game is one of the lowest for a Ravens game this season. Here’s a quick glimpse at the odds: Spread: Ravens -9 1/2 Total: 46.5 points Moneyline: Ravens -450, Broncos +350 Baltimore is 4-3-1 against the spread, with seven of their eight games going over the point total. As for Sean Payton’s Denver team, it’s 6-2 against the spread. Five of the team’s eight games have gone over the point total. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens S Marcus Williams speaks for first time since being benched Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson misses practice again Thursday Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s what fans say is the Ravens’ biggest concern Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos scouting report for Week 9: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens could go all-in on outscoring opponents | COMMENTARY Too many points? I like the Ravens to win Sunday, but 9 1/2 points feels like too many. Those are often words uttered by delusional bettors on the verge of losing a wager, but I’m writing them anyway. The spread makes sense on the surface, with Baltimore second in the NFL in DVOA and the game being played at M&T Bank Stadium. Still, Denver is 5-3 and hasn’t lost a game by more than seven points this season. The Broncos rank second in the NFL in pass coverage, according to Pro Football Focus. They rank eighth in rushing defense, per PFF, making them one of the few defenses in the NFL capable of slowing Baltimore’s high-powered offense. And while Denver’s offense ranks a mediocre 24th overall in PFF’s rankings, Baltimore’s defense makes even the league’s crummiest offenses look dynamic. Even the lowly Browns scored 29 last week against Zach Orr’s unit. Denver might not win Sunday, but the Broncos have just enough offensive firepower and plenty of defensive star power to keep this game within 10 points, especially if Jackson is banged up. Best bet: Broncos +9.5 Have a news tip? Contact Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was absent for a second straight practice Thursday in Owings Mills. Though coach John Harbaugh said on Wednesday that Jackson was given a rest day, he later showed up on Baltimore’s injury report with back and knee injuries. This marks the third practice he has missed this season after also being absent from the team’s first practice following its season-opening loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last month. The Ravens (5-3) are coming off an embarrassing 29-24 defeat to the Cleveland Browns and face the Denver Broncos (5-3) on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium before a “Thursday Night Football” showdown against the visiting Cincinnati Bengals four days later. In that loss to Cleveland, Jackson completed 23 of 38 passes for 289 and two touchdowns but was also sacked a season-high three times and took more hits while rushing for 46 yards on eight carries. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s what fans say is the Ravens’ biggest concern Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Broncos scouting report for Week 9: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens could go all-in on outscoring opponents | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | WR Diontae Johnson on going from Panthers to Ravens: ‘Still don’t seem real to me’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens DBs stay after practice to catch extra balls: ‘Just a repetition thing’ Jackson hasn’t missed a game because of injury since 2022 when he suffered a sprained PCL in a Week 13 win over the Broncos. He ended up missing the final five games of the regular season and a wild-card playoff game against the Bengals that the Ravens lost with backup Tyler Huntley under center. Veteran Josh Johnson, 38, is the Ravens’ backup quarterback and hasn’t started a game since 2021. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article