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The Ravens handled the dangerous Washington Commanders, 30-23. The Buccaneers destroyed the New Orleans Saints, 51-27. Who will have the advantage when these high-scoring teams meet on “Monday Night Football?” Ravens passing game vs. Buccaneers pass defense Lamar Jackson has thrown for 671 yards over the Ravens’ last two games, the second-highest two-game total of his career. He’s shredding defenses schemed to depress his and Derrick Henry’s running totals. The Commanders couldn’t cover Zay Flowers, who caught all nine passes thrown his way for 132 yards in the first half. Tight end Mark Andrews and wide receiver Rashod Bateman took it from there as the Ravens sustained successful drive after successful drive. Jackson is averaging a career-high 8.7 yards per attempt and has completed 67% of his passes, just off his career-high from his 2023 Most Valuable Player season. He’s throwing to the best set of targets he’s ever had, and his command of coordinator Todd Monken’s offense is apparent. He has also benefited from solid pass protection, led by left tackle Ronnie Stanley and enhanced by the rapid improvement of right guard Daniel Faalele and rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten. Against Tampa Bay, Jackson will see another defense that likes to load the box. The Buccaneers blitz on 29.5% of dropbacks, so the Ravens will have plenty of chances to attack downfield as they did in wins over Washington and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Buccaneers have held opposing quarterbacks to 5.8 yards per attempt and have intercepted five passes. Their approach is working. Atlanta’s Kirk Cousins was the only quarterback to go off on them (509 yards and four touchdowns in a Falcons overtime win). Third-year cornerback Zyon McCollum (two interceptions, 10 passes defended) has been outstanding, grading as the league’s best, according to Pro Football Focus. Fellow starter Jamel Dean and nickel back Tykee Smith have also played well. The Buccaneers don’t have an elite edge rusher, but nose tackle Vita Vea is a threat to collapse the pocket. EDGE: Ravens Buccaneers passing game vs. Ravens pass defense The Ravens will see a familiar face in former Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, who’s thriving as Tampa Bay’s starter after less successful stops with the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams. Mayfield is completing a career-high 70.9% of his passes and averaging 7.9 yards per attempt. He’s doing it without looking downfield much as he’s averaging just 5.6 air yards per attempt, second-lowest in the league, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. He’s getting rid of the ball quicker than anyone but injured Miami starter Tua Tagovailoa. That means the onus will be on the Ravens’ pass coverage, a scary thought considering most of Mayfield’s throws go to a rejuvenated Chris Godwin (43 catches, 511 yards, five touchdowns) and ageless Mike Evans (25 catches, 310 yards, five touchdowns). They’re one one of the league’s best wide receiver duos. Godwin, who often lines up in the slot, leads the league with 324 yards after the catch. The last time the Ravens faced such a pair, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow found Ja’Marr Chase for a combined 19 catches, 273 yards and four touchdowns. They will need cornerback Brandon Stephens, who often ends up on the opponent’s top target, to have one of his best games. Marlon Humphrey could be their main answer to Godwin. It will be interesting to see how much they use rookie Nate Wiggins on the outside after he struggled against Washington and Cincinnati. Given Mayfield’s propensity to throw quick and short, safety Kyle Hamilton, back on form after an injury-plagued start to the season, could play an outsized role around the line of scrimmage. Mayfield took five sacks against the Detroit Lions and seven against the Denver Broncos, so he can be reached. He has also thrown five interceptions, so perhaps this will be a chance for the Ravens to up their takeaway rate. They rank 21st after creating the most turnovers in the league last season. EDGE: Buccaneers Ravens running game vs. Buccaneers run defense Even with opponents spying on Jackson and loading up to stuff Henry, the Ravens easily lead the league in yards per game (205.3) and yards per attempt (5.9). Jackson and Henry rank first and second, respectively, in yards per carry among those with 50 or more attempts. Henry has turned into a devastating closer, breaking off long final-drive runs to finish off the Bengals and Commanders. He and Jackson have also fueled the Ravens’ league-best efficiency on third down and in the red zone. Ravens running back Derrick Henry leads the NFL in rushing through six games, and the Buccaneers have struggled to consistently stop the run this year. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) The Buccaneers gave up at least 130 yards in their first three games (two of those against Detroit and Washington’s efficient ground games) but have allowed just 154 over their last two. They allow 4.7 yards per carry, ninth-worst in the league, so they might be in for a long evening against Jackson and Henry, even with the aforementioned stacked boxes. Veteran linebacker Lavonte David remains a solid run defender, and the secondary does a good job in support, but the Tampa Bay defense isn’t stout upfront or on the edges. EDGE: Ravens Buccaneers running game vs. Ravens run defense The Buccaneers think pass first, but they have run efficiently, especially with rookie back Bucky Irving (5.7 yards per carry). Starting running back Rachaad White missed Tampa Bay’s win over New Orleans with a foot injury, so the Ravens will probably see a lot of Irving. Owings Mills native Sean Tucker (Calvert Hall) had a huge game against the Saints with 136 yards on 14 carries. Mayfield has been a threat to take off with 136 yards on 21 attempts. The Buccaneers will go against a Baltimore defense that has allowed just 59 yards per game and 3 yards per attempt, both best in the league. Opponents have mostly stopped trying, as the Ravens have outgained them by a remarkable 146 yards per game. Defensive tackles Travis Jones and Michael Pierce dominate upfront. Kyle Van Noy, Tavius Robinson and Odafe Oweh set tough edges. Hamilton and linebacker Roquan Smith clean up in the middle. The Ravens run defense and pass rush have been strengths this season, even with the secondary faltering. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) EDGE: Ravens Ravens special teams vs. Buccaneers special teams Against Washington, the Ravens avoided the special teams miscues that had haunted them in previous weeks. Justin Tucker followed up his clutch 56-yard field goal in Cincinnati with a perfect 3-for-3 day. But they still rank 22nd in special teams DVOA because of Tucker’s earlier struggles and lackluster kickoff coverage and returns. Punter Jordan Stout’s development (he’s put 50% of his kicks inside the opponent’s 20-yard line) has been a bright spot. Justin Tucker has been reliable for Baltimore after a slow start to the 2024 season. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images) The Buccaneers rank 24th in special teams DVOA, largely because of abysmal performance in punt coverage, where they’ve allowed 14.4 yards per return and a touchdown. Kicker Chase McLaughlin has been excellent, making all 11 of his attempts, including five from 50 yards or beyond. Sean Tucker has been dangerous on kickoff returns, averaging 31.7 yards with a long of 53. EDGE: Buccaneers Ravens intangibles vs. Buccaneers intangibles The Ravens have won four straight and their confidence, especially on offense, grows by the week. They’re 9-2 on the road over the last two seasons, and Jackson has lost just one career start against an NFC opponent. The Ravens are used to playing on the road in prime time. They’ve traveled to 16 of their 20 Monday Night Football games under coach John Harbaugh and have gone 10-6. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Can Ben Cleveland play defense, too? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Buccaneers staff picks: Who will win Monday’s game in Tampa? Baltimore Ravens | Ex-Ravens OLB Tyus Bowser discusses $4.5 million grievance against team Baltimore Ravens | As Lamar Jackson MVP hype heats up again, Ravens QB wants to ‘win in February’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens mostly healthy, Buccaneers have crowded injury report ahead of ‘Monday Night Football’ Todd Bowles has gone 21-19 in three years as Tampa Bay’s coach and has his team off to a surprising start, with Mayfield leading the league’s second-highest-scoring offense. The Buccaneers will be confident coming off their demolition of the Saints. They’re 7-5 at home over the last two seasons, including a playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Tampa Bay needs to win to keep pace with the Falcons in the NFC South. EDGE: Ravens Prediction The Buccaneers are playing well and will present a solid test on both sides of the ball. Godwin and Evans will stress the Ravens’ struggling secondary, with Mayfield releasing the ball quickly to negate the Baltimore pass rush. It will again be up to the Ravens’ offense to outgun a formidable opponent. Jackson will punish opponents who try to crowd the line of scrimmage. Henry, even if he doesn’t go off early, will wear on Tampa Bay by the end. There’s no slowing this train. Ravens 31, Buccaneers 24 Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Monday night’s Week 7 game between the Ravens (4-2) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida: Brian Wacker, reporter Ravens 27, Buccaneers 24: Another week, another opponent with a prolific offense. The Buccaneers are coming off a 51-point outburst and feature one of the best wide receiver duos in the league in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin along with a quarterback in Baker Mayfield who leads the NFL in touchdown passes (15), is fourth in completion percentage (.709), eighth in passing yards (1,489) and second in passer rating (109.4). He has also torched opponents over the middle, an area of the field Baltimore continues to struggle defending, has been accurate under pressure and on the run and has been equally adept against man and zone coverage. Of course, the Ravens and their duo of quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry have helped propel Baltimore to the NFL’s top offense with 2,722 total yards. Both defenses have given up a ton of passing yards this season as well, so expect this one to be a fun shootout that could come down to a late Justin Tucker field goal to win it. Childs Walker, reporter Ravens 31, Buccaneers 24: The Buccaneers are playing well and will present a solid test on both sides of the ball. Wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans will stress the Ravens’ struggling secondary, with Baker Mayfield releasing the ball quickly to negate the Baltimore pass rush. It will again be up to the Ravens’ offense to outgun a formidable opponent. Lamar Jackson has demonstrated he will punish opponents who try to crowd the line of scrimmage with high-efficiency passing. Derrick Henry, even if he doesn’t go off early, will wear on Tampa Bay by the end. There’s no slowing this train. Mike Preston, columnist Ravens 31, Buccaneers 24: Tampa Bay has one of the best defensive minds in the NFL in coach Todd Bowles, who will give Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson a lot to think about for three quarters. But the Buccaneers have little talent on defense. They are ranked No. 26 in total defense, allowing 365.7 yards per game, and are 28th in pass defense, allowing 252.3 yards per game. I like Baker Mayfield’s competitive spirit, and he’ll cause problems for the Ravens’ secondary, but Baltimore has too much talent to lose to this team and their physical style is more than the Bucs are used to facing. C.J. Doon, editor Ravens 34, Buccaneers 23: With the way the Ravens’ offense is rolling right now, it’s hard to envision anyone being able to outscore them. Tampa Bay boasts a prolific passing attack and more juice in the running game now that Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker have taken over for injured starter Rachaad White, but the last time the Bucs faced a good defense, they were held to seven points in an embarrassing loss to the Broncos. Although Baltimore’s defense has struggled, especially against elite receivers, it feels like only a matter of time before they figure things out now that Dean Pees is back on staff. If the Ravens can stop the run and put enough pressure on Baker Mayfield to force him outside the pocket, they should be able to limit big plays. On the flip side, a deep Tampa Bay defensive front led by Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey could cause trouble for the Ravens’ offensive line, but the fact that there are no worries about how Lamar Jackson will handle the rush speaks to how well both he and the offense are playing right now. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Can Ben Cleveland play defense, too? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Buccaneers scouting report for Week 7: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Ex-Ravens OLB Tyus Bowser discusses $4.5 million grievance against team Baltimore Ravens | As Lamar Jackson MVP hype heats up again, Ravens QB wants to ‘win in February’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens mostly healthy, Buccaneers have crowded injury report ahead of ‘Monday Night Football’ Tim Schwartz, editor Ravens 35, Buccaneers 28: On its face, the Ravens’ 4-2 record is pretty impressive. But when you look at the list of quarterbacks they’ve faced so far this season, it’s even more so. Mahomes, Prescott, Allen, Burrow, Daniels … just ignore the other one (OK, fine, it’s Minshew). Monday night will bring no reprieve in that aspect, as Baker Mayfield has been fairly steady this season with 15 touchdown passes and five interceptions, three of which he threw last week in a 51-27 shootout victory over the Saints, while completing more than 70% of his passes. The Ravens have their work cut out for them, and they have struggled mightily to slow down the league’s top wide receivers. They will not be excited to see Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. But Baltimore’s offense and Lamar Jackson are clicking on all cylinders right now, and it’s hard to see the Bucs having an answer for Derrick Henry and the rest of the Ravens’ playmakers. Getting everyone involved and spreading the ball around while leaning on Henry to finish games has been a recipe for success that they should be looking to continue in prime time. Bennett Conlin, editor Ravens 27, Buccaneers 21: Pro Football Focus says Tampa Bay ranks fifth-worst in the NFL in run defense and sixth-worst in tackling. That’s not a good recipe for success against a Baltimore team that leads the NFL in yards per game (453.7) and rushing yards per game (205.3). If you can’t tackle well, you don’t stand much of a chance to beat Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson. Baker Mayfield leads the NFL in passing touchdowns with 15, as the Buccaneers have a solid offense this season. That should be enough for Tampa Bay to keep pace in the NFC South race, but it won’t be enough Monday against one of the NFL’s best teams. View the full article

It was mid-October last year and the Ravens had just wrapped up a successful journey to London, where they recorded the first of what ended up being 10 victories in 11 weeks en route to securing the NFL’s best record and an eventual appearance in the AFC championship game. Along for the ride — across the pond and throughout the season — was injured outside linebacker Tyus Bowser, often playing catch with fans during pregame warmups at home games. In London, he got a tour of Tottenham Hotspur’s sprawling and spectacular facilities while his teammates practiced as he continued to recover from a knee injury he’d suffered in the offseason. Coach John Harbaugh had expected the 2017 second-round draft pick to be available at the start of last season and a significant piece of a stout defense, but with each passing week, it became obvious that Bowser wasn’t going to be activated from the non-football injury list. He never played last season, and the Ravens released Bowser in March. Publicly, Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta said little and spoke vaguely about Bowser’s injury, with the coach in late October saying the knee is “a little angry at times.” Privately, Bowser, who filed a $4.5 million grievance against the organization in April after not being paid for last season, fumed over his medical care. “I’m going into the year talking with the [Ravens’] doctors; I was supposed to be back at the beginning of training camp and [the injury] lingered on throughout the season,” Bowser told The Baltimore Sun earlier this month. “You expecting the people that you trust that is getting paid to help you get back on the field and they’re not doing their job. “I went the entire year without knowing exactly why my knee was reacting the way it did, and then I go to somebody else [for an opinion] and he tells me within 10 minutes what the problem is. Something as simple as an MRI you’ve seen millions of times, you can’t see this simple thing. That’s nobody else’s fault but yours.” The injury, according to Bowser, was loose bodies — fragments of bone or cartilage that break off and float in the knee joint, causing pain, swelling and limited range of motion — that lingered for months. He was given platelet-rich plasma injections to treat it, but the swelling persisted, he said. At some point along the way, he also suffered a staph infection. It wasn’t until December, according to Bowser, that an outside second opinion correctly identified the injury. “It was a thing that can be fixed through surgery and going to clean out the knee, but I went the entire year without the doctors even knowing it,” Bowser told The Sun. “That caused me to miss the whole year. That could’ve easily been fixed and I could’ve been back by the start of the season.” Kevin Richardson / Baltimore Sun“It was a thing that can be fixed through surgery and going to clean out the knee, but I went the entire year without the doctors even knowing it,” Tyus Bowser said. “That caused me to miss the whole year. That could’ve easily been fixed and I could’ve been back by the start of the season.” (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Asked about Bowser during the team’s season-ending news conference, DeCosta did not provide details. “Unfortunate for Tyus, he couldn’t play this year,” he said in February. “Can’t really get into all the different specifics of that, as you guys know, how we handle the injuries. I think Tyus has probably talked about it in some way. He had an injury unfortunately and wasn’t able to play. We’ll have to continue to assess that in the coming weeks to see where he stands with that injury. [He’s] a great man [and] a good player for us. Just a tough deal for him this year, and we’ll have to deal with it.” Just over a month later, the Ravens, who’d signed Bowser to a four-year, $22 million extension in March 2021 before he went on to post a career-high seven sacks that season, cut him loose. The following month, Bowser filed a $4.5 million grievance against the team through the NFL Players Association, which did not respond to a request for comment. The Ravens were hit with a $1.8 million salary cap penalty as a result and could face another one for $2.7 million next year if Bowser wins the case, which isn’t expected to be decided until 2025. If the Ravens win, they would receive a $1.8 million credit for next year’s salary cap. The two sides could also reach a settlement before then, a route the Ravens chose in 2022 over a contract dispute with former safety Earl Thomas and in 2015 with former running back Ray Rice after they terminated his contract following a video that surfaced of him striking his then-fiancee in an Atlantic City casino elevator. On Bowser’s matter, DeCosta, team president Sashi Brown and Ravens chief medical officer Dr. Andrew Tucker declined to comment through a team spokesperson. “We do not provide comments on ongoing grievances,” the spokesperson said. However, unlike the injured reserve or the physically unable to perform list, when it comes to the non-football injury list, teams are not obligated to pay a player’s base salary if he suffers an injury outside the team’s watch. A team can opt to pay a player if it chooses. Still, Bowser believes how the Ravens’ medical staff handled his injury is what prevented him from being able to return to the field last season and thus collect the money he was otherwise due. “We believe when the facts come out, the order of events is going to show as long as the Ravens’ doctor that they gave him was taking care of Tyus, he wasn’t getting better,” Bowser’s attorney, Greg Dortch, told The Sun. “They didn’t even follow their own protocols to give him the test that they thought he needed. They didn’t pay any attention to him or care about him at all. “Once he got out of the Ravens’ organization and got good medical care, the results speak for themselves.” A free agent and healthy once more this summer, Bowser, 29, worked out for the Cowboys, Titans and Seahawks before signing with Seattle’s practice squad. There, he was reunited with former Ravens defensive coordinator and Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald. Bowser appeared in two games for Seattle (one start) and had one tackle across 38 total snaps before Miami signed him to its 53-man roster two weeks ago. There, another familiar face greeted him — former Ravens defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, now the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator. In Miami’s 15-10 win over the New England Patriots on Oct. 6, he had one tackle in 33 defensive snaps but also a sack that was later taken away. “It was easy carryover,” Bowser told The Sun about the defensive schemes of the two ex-Ravens assistants. “Having the opportunity to play again was a blessing for me. I never take it for granted, especially after being out last year. It’s good to just put my feet back on the field.” As for his time in Baltimore, though, Bowser’s feelings are mixed. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | As Lamar Jackson MVP hype heats up again, Ravens QB wants to ‘win in February’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens mostly healthy, Buccaneers have crowded injury report ahead of ‘Monday Night Football’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens practice, October 17, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Buccaneers betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds for Week 7 matchup Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 7 of 2024 NFL season: Texans vs. Packers, Chiefs vs. 49ers and more “It was difficult because I’m expecting to get the results, especially from the doctors that I’m supposed to trust and lean on to get me back on the field,” he told The Sun. “Unfortunately that didn’t work out. I just tried to find some type of joy within the process because I was definitely depressed, definitely disappointed not being able to play and be able to be around the guys.” Yet, Bowser said he was appreciative of his seven years with the Ravens, which included 152 tackles and 19 1/2 sacks over 89 games. “I look it as a rough breakup,” he told The Sun. “If you’re married, you have a wife and been with them for seven years, little things like that grind away from you continuing that relationship and it breaks off. Of course, you’re discouraged and you’re feeling some type of way because you’re not there anymore, but you’re always gonna have love for that person. “That’s what I feel about the team. I’m always gonna have love for Baltimore — the team, the players, the organization, all the people upstairs. All of those people made my dreams come true coming into this league, so I know there’s no bad blood between me and the Ravens because they’ve allowed me to take care of my family being able to bring joy and bring my goals to life. … But like I said, a bad breakup where it unfortunately had to end. But that’s part of business.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

By any number of metrics, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is playing perhaps the best football of his career. Through the first six games, he has thrown for 1,529 yards with 10 touchdowns and just two interceptions while rushing for 403 yards and two more scores on 64 carries, numbers that are well ahead of what he produced through the first six games of last season when he went on to be named the NFL Most Valuable Player for a second time. Other numbers are eye-opening, too, with Jackson ranking third in expected points added per pass and eighth among all players in rushing yards. Consequently and unsurprisingly, Baltimore’s offense ranks first in defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA). Asked on Thursday in Owings Mills if this is the best he is playing in what is now his seventh year in the league, Jackson demurred, but didn’t exactly deny it. “I just feel like everything is slowing down even more just from the years I’ve been in the league and seeing all types of defenses, seeing all types of blitzes,” he said. “Everything is just second nature right now. I’m just trying to be a better player myself each and every year, so I’ll just say everything is slowing down. That’s what’s helping it.” As the game slows down for one of the sport’s fastest and most electrifying players — a scary proposition for defenses by any measure — talk of another MVP Award is naturally heating up. In Baltimore’s four straight wins after two straight losses to open the season, Jackson is fourth in completion rate (70.3%), second in yards per drop-back (9.1) and has thrown eight touchdown passes to just one interception while rushing for 236 yards. In wins over the Cincinnati Bengals and Washington Commanders over the past two weeks, he threw for more than 300 yards in each, racked up 766 total yards and threw five touchdown passes with one interception and one fumble lost. When Ravens coach John Harbaugh was asked if this is the best he has seen from the 27-year-old Jackson to date, he was more forthright. “The honest answer is probably yes, just because he’s the most far along as he’s been, just as a player and development-wise,” he said. “He’s always seeking to improve. He’s very much a perfectionist. He wants every play to be perfect. He chases perfection in his football.” Through the first six games, Lamar Jackson has thrown for 1,529 yards with 10 touchdowns and just two interceptions while rushing for 403 yards and two more scores. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) One-third of the way into the season, the Ravens also seem to have found the perfect mix, at least on offense — something that’s been needed given the defense’s continued struggles. Baltimore is tops in the league in yards per game (453.7), yards per play (6.9), red zone scoring (75%) and third-down conversion rate (51.47%), third in yards per pass (8.6) and fourth in points per game (29.5). With 1,232 rushing yards — which is 229 more than the second-best team — and an average of 5.9 yards per carry, the Ravens also have the NFL’s best ground attack with running back Derrick Henry leading the way. His 704 rushing yards and eight touchdowns are the most in the league, and last Sunday against the Commanders he had his fourth game of the year with more than 30 rushing yards over expected, per Next Gen Stats, also the most in the NFL. By comparison, only San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey had more such games all of last season with five. Henry’s success, of course, has made life that much easier for Jackson, who has thrived in play-action passing, among other areas. Against the Commanders, he completed 9 of 10 passes for 155 yards on play action. His presnap identification has also stood out in particular and significant ways. “It was like a cheat code, it was really like his ability to identify the coverages,” former Washington tight end Logan Paulsen said on the “Take Command” podcast earlier this week. “I don’t know if anybody thought — I know I didn’t think it — that he had that kind of ability at the line of scrimmage very similar to Tom Brady and Peyton Manning to just get you into the right look consistently. That’s super impressive. “A lot of the big plays in this game came from his communication and mastery of that offense. … Those plays were back-breaking.” And it’s helped make the Ravens’ offense as potent as it is dynamic. So has the emergence of other playmakers. Zay Flowers in his second year has quickly become a No. 1 wide receiver with two straight 100-yard games, which included a career-high 132 in the first half alone last week. His 401 receiving yards rank 11th in the league and has him on pace for more than 1,100 in the season. Meanwhile, fellow receiver Rashod Bateman leads the NFL with a separation rate of 72.73% against press coverage and has started to find his rhythm with Jackson. Tight ends Mark Andrews and the ascendant Isaiah Likely have been trustworthy targets and adept blockers. Not only is Jackson making those around him better, but now in the second year of offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s scheme he has reached a new level of comfort as well. “[I’m] a lot [more] comfortable,” he said. “The same terminology, just hearing it a year and being involved in it a year and just talking with him about things that I see on the field, what I don’t see, and just hearing his take on plays. It’s a team effort — it’s not just me doing it myself — it’s everybody involved, and everyone is talking about their plans, and what they’re seeing out there on the field or in the film room.” Only seven players in NFL history have won three MVP Awards, including Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers. But Jackson knows it’s also only October. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ex-Ravens OLB Tyus Bowser discusses $4.5 million grievance against team Baltimore Ravens | Ravens mostly healthy, Buccaneers have crowded injury report ahead of ‘Monday Night Football’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens practice, October 17, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Buccaneers betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds for Week 7 matchup Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 7 of 2024 NFL season: Texans vs. Packers, Chiefs vs. 49ers and more Another high-octane opponent awaits this week against the Buccaneers in Tampa. The are still 10 more games to navigate, including many against AFC North rivals as well as a Christmas showdown against the Texans in Houston. He’s heard the hype and the MVP talk before, none of which means a whole lot to him unless he’s hoisting a Super Bowl trophy at the end of the season. “I know how it feels to be 0-2,” said Jackson, who has a 2-4 record in the postseason. “I really don’t care about the hype — not just being 0-2 — I just know how the NFL works. It’s ‘Any Given Sunday.’ So, I’m not going to dwell on an MVP trophy or anything like that — I never have. Even when I won it, I never dwelled on it. It was just about me trying to win each and every game I’m in, and same thing now. “I’m still trying to win these games to get to February and win in February.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Wide receiver-kick returner Deonte Harty, defensive lineman Brent Urban and linebacker Malik Harrison were the only Ravens absent from Thursday’s practice, days out from the team’s third of five prime-time games this season. Monday night, Baltimore kicks off at 8:15 p.m. against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers are coming off a 51-point outburst against the New Orleans Saints while the Ravens are riding a four-game winning streak. Harty (knee) wound up on the injury report last Wednesday as a limited participant. He was full go last Thursday and Friday, then played into the fourth quarter against the Washington Commanders, returning two kicks and one punt. He did not participate this Thursday. Urban, who also played through the majority of Sunday’s win, did not practice because of illness. Harrison (groin) played in each of Baltimore’s first five games but missed practice all of last week and did not participate to open this week. Cornerback Arthur Maulet (hamstring/knee) and defensive lineman Broderick Washington (knee) both returned in limited capacity after missing Sunday’s win over the Commanders. Maulet made a limited appearance at practice Oct. 2 leading up to the Ravens traveling to Cincinnati for Week 5. Coach John Harbaugh said earlier this week there was a good chance that the veteran defensive back would be on the field this week, but it’s wait-and-see if he’ll be a full go Monday night. Maulet played in 14 games last season, recording 37 tackles, two sacks and one interception, but was sidelined by arthroscopic knee surgery and later had a “soft-tissue setback.” Washington would be a welcome addition to Baltimore’s defensive line. Pass rush coach Chuck Smith wore a wide smile calling over to Washington as he made his way back onto the practice field. The 2020 fifth-round draft pick appeared in each of the Ravens’ first five games, recording four tackles while playing 39% of the defensive snaps. Washington then missed all three practices last week. Rookie running back Rasheen Ali (ankle), who made his NFL regular-season debut Sunday and played on special teams, was limited. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ex-Ravens OLB Tyus Bowser discusses $4.5 million grievance against team Baltimore Ravens | As Lamar Jackson MVP hype heats up again, Ravens QB wants to ‘win in February’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens practice, October 17, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Buccaneers betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds for Week 7 matchup Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 7 of 2024 NFL season: Texans vs. Packers, Chiefs vs. 49ers and more Tampa Bay’s first injury report of the week is more than twice as long as Baltimore’s. Among those who did not practice were wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring), cornerback Jamel Dean (hamstring), tight end Payne Durham (calf) and receiver Kameron Johnson (ankle). Center Graham Barton (hamstring), outside linebacker Chris Braswell (shoulder), defensive lineman William Gholston (knee), defensive back Christian Izien (elbow/groin), wide receiver Rakim Jarrett (knee), receiver Trey Palmer (concussion), running back Rachaad White (foot) and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot) were all limited. That list includes five starters and several key contributors for the NFC South co-leaders. Evans, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, is second on the team with 25 catches for 310 yards and five touchdowns this season. White missed last week’s game against the Saints and has been outplayed by rookie Bucky Irving but is still a pass-catching threat out of the backfield. Winfield, a 2021 All-Pro, returned last week to help reinforce the secondary, though Dean was injured in Sunday’s loss. Barton has been the starting center since being drafted in the first round in April, while Braswell, Gholston and Izien have been part of the rotation on defense. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Baltimore Ravens executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta walks with head football coach John Harbaugh during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens head football coach John Harbaugh during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Josh Johnson passes during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Josh Johnson rolls out during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry catches the ball during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson passes during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith listens to outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson listens to offensive coordinator Todd Monken during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith catches a ball during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens safety Marcus Williams catches the ball above cornerback Marlon Humphrey during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens safety Marcus Williams during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson emerges from the shadows as fall foliage show their peak colors during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens safety Marcus Williams catches the football during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers stretches during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman catches the ball during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry speaks to the media during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry speaks to the media during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson speaks to the media during team practice before their NFL Monday Night Football game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) View the full article

Ravens fans have to wait one extra day to see their favorite squad in action this week, as Baltimore (4-2) faces Tampa Bay (4-2) on “Monday Night Football.” The wait could be well worth it, as John Harbaugh’s team is favored to pick up its fifth consecutive win. FanDuel lists Baltimore as a 3 1/2-point favorite over Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers. It’s the sixth game out of seven this season in which the Ravens will enter the contest favored. The Ravens have only been the underdog once this year, entering the season opener as a small underdog against the Chiefs, who won, 27-20. The Ravens have won four consecutive games, covering the spread in each of the four contests. Baltimore’s offense has led its recent charge, with the Ravens leading the NFL in offensive DVOA and yards per game. What are the odds? Baltimore enters the game as a short favorite, and the total is hovering around 50 points. Spread: Ravens -3 1/2 points on FanDuel Total: 49.5 points Moneyline: Ravens -198, Buccaneers +168 Both Tampa Bay and Baltimore have performed well against the spread this season, as the Buccaneers are 4-2 and the Ravens are 3-2-1, according to Vegas Insider. Combined, the squads are 7-4-1 ATS this fall. Each team’s games have skewed higher scoring, with nine of their 12 games this season going over the estimated point total. Another shootout? Tampa Bay is a good team, and wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans should test Baltimore’s inconsistent secondary. Still, the Buccaneers have struggled at times defensively. They rank seventh-worst in the NFL in yards allowed per game, and they’ve had a few jarring defensive showings. Kirk Cousins threw for over 500 yards in a Falcons win over the Bucs. The Lions posted 463 yards of offense in a narrow loss to Tampa Bay. Even the Saints — led by special teams magic — scored 27 points against Tampa Bay last weekend. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 7 of 2024 NFL season: Texans vs. Packers, Chiefs vs. 49ers and more Baltimore Ravens | How Ravens went from 0-2 and a season seemingly on the brink to one of NFL’s best Baltimore Ravens | 10 stats that have defined the Ravens’ season through 6 games Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 4-2 start | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Should the Ravens make a move ahead of NFL trade deadline? Here’s who they might target. Yet, most sportsbooks available in Maryland list Baltimore’s team total at 26.5 points for Monday’s game. Baltimore averages an NFL-best 453.7 yards per game and 29.5 points per game, which is third-best in the league. What makes the Ravens so dangerous offensively is the team’s array of playmakers. It starts with Lamar Jackson at quarterback, but running back Derrick Henry leads the NFL in rushing and wide receiver Zay Flowers is coming off consecutive 100-yard performances. Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews are both solid blocking tight ends with good hands, and Rashod Bateman is stepping up as the team’s No. 2 wide receiver. Even backup running back Justice Hill has flummoxed defenses with his receiving skills at times this season. If you try to stop Henry and the running game (good luck), can you do so without weakening coverage on Flowers, Bateman and the tight ends? Baltimore seemingly has too many weapons to stop for a full 60 minutes, and the unit is orchestrated by a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player in Jackson. The Buccaneers’ offensive playmakers are legitimate, too, though. Quarterback Baker Mayfield leads the NFL in passing touchdowns with 15, including a four-touchdown performance last week against New Orleans. Tampa Bay can hang in this game because of its offense, but the defense should yield plenty of points. I expect a high-scoring game, and I’m particularly bullish on Baltimore eclipsing 26.5 points against a defense ranked in the bottom five of the NFL in run defense and tackling, according to Pro Football Focus grades. Best bet: Ravens over 26.5 points (-118 odds on DraftKings) Have a news tip? Contact Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

Baltimore Sun staff writers pick every game of the NFL season. Here’s who they have winning in Week 7: Denver Broncos at New Orleans Saints (Thursday, 8:15 p.m.) Brian Wacker (14-0 last week; 61-31 overall): Saints Childs Walker (13-1 last week; 54-38 overall): Broncos Mike Preston (14-0 last week; 55-37 overall): Broncos C.J. Doon (11-3 last week; 54-38 overall): Broncos Tim Schwartz (12-2 last week; 60-32 overall): Broncos Bennett Conlin (11-3 last week; 51-41 overall): Broncos New England Patriots at Jacksonville Jaguars (Sunday, 9:30 a.m.) Wacker: Jaguars Walker: Jaguars Preston: Jaguars Doon: Patriots Schwartz: Jaguars Conlin: Jaguars Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Falcons Walker: Falcons Preston: Falcons Doon: Seahawks Schwartz: Seahawks Conlin: Falcons Tennessee Titans at Buffalo Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Bills Walker: Bills Preston: Bills Doon: Bills Schwartz: Bills Conlin: Bills Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Bengals Walker: Bengals Preston: Bengals Doon: Bengals Schwartz: Bengals Conlin: Bengals Houston Texans at Green Bay Packers (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Packers Walker: Packers Preston: Texans Doon: Packers Schwartz: Packers Conlin: Texans Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Colts Walker: Colts Preston: Colts Doon: Dolphins Schwartz: Colts Conlin: Colts Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Lions Walker: Lions Preston: Lions Doon: Lions Schwartz: Vikings Conlin: Vikings Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Eagles Walker: Eagles Preston: Eagles Doon: Eagles Schwartz: Eagles Conlin: Giants Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Rams (Sunday, 4:05 p.m.) Wacker: Rams Walker: Rams Preston: Rams Doon: Rams Schwartz: Rams Conlin: Rams Carolina Panthers at Washington Commanders (Sunday, 4:05 p.m.) Wacker: Commanders Walker: Commanders Preston: Commanders Doon: Commanders Schwartz: Commanders Conlin: Commanders Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: Chiefs Walker: 49ers Preston: Chiefs Doon: 49ers Schwartz: Chiefs Conlin: Chiefs Related Articles NFL | Baltimore Police investigating video of man in Ravens jersey assaulting Commanders fans in Federal Hill NFL | Maryland sets monthly sports betting tax revenue record in September NFL | Some fans frustrated by light rail crowds after Baltimore events, but many still ride NFL | Meet Tini Younger, a social media chef and Ravens fan with over 9 million followers NFL | Mike Preston: ‘How did they lose to the Raiders?’ | VIDEO New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday, 8:20 p.m.) Wacker: Jets Walker: Steelers Preston: Steelers Doon: Jets Schwartz: Jets Conlin: Steelers Los Angeles Chargers at Arizona Cardinals (Monday, 9 p.m.) Wacker: Chargers Walker: Chargers Preston: Chargers Doon: Chargers Schwartz: Chargers Conlin: Chargers View the full article

The calendar hadn’t even officially flipped to fall and Ravens fans were already sharpening their proverbial pitchforks. A 27-20 loss by a big toe to the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs in Kansas City on opening night was one thing. Blowing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead to the lowly Las Vegas Raiders in the home opener at M&T Bank Stadium was simply too much. It was John Harbaugh’s ninth blown double-digit lead in the fourth quarter (all happening since 2022), the most of any coach in the past 35 years. Suddenly, a season with Super Bowl aspirations seemed to be on the brink. An offensive line with three new starters was struggling. A historically great defense from just a season ago now under a first-year coordinator looked discombobulated. The offense seemed to have an identity crisis. There were issues with penalties, clock management and special teams. Yet, the day after the Raiders loss, Harbaugh emerged resolute for his weekly news conference. “The race is a marathon, and we have to try to continue to improve as much as we can every single day,” he said then. “I think sometimes your improvements show up, and sometimes it doesn’t. We had a disappointing game yesterday; we’re not happy about it. We want to play better; we want to play winning football. We didn’t. We didn’t do the things that we needed to do to win. We need to keep pounding the rock, and the rock is going to crack. But that’s our job to keep pounding [and to] not get discouraged, not think all is for nothing and continue to work, and our reward will be out there in the future if we continue to do that. “We’re [going] in the right direction. We have the right plan. We just have to learn to execute it better and more consistently, and I think we’ll do that as we go.” The second-longest tenured coach in the league, Harbaugh knows seasons aren’t won or lost after two games. Four straight wins later, that discomfiting defeat at the hands of quarterback Gardner Minshew II feels as much a long time ago as it does anomalous. One-third of the way into the season, the Ravens are tied atop the AFC North, rank third overall in defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA), have the NFL’s No. 1 rushing attack, top-ranked passing attack and fourth-best run defense. So how did they go from there to here? Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry Talent helps, and Baltimore has plenty of it, especially on offense, starting with quarterback, two-time and reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson, and four-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry. It’s worth remembering that neither played a snap in the preseason and that Jackson got off to a similarly slow start last season, too, and Baltimore reached the AFC title game. Add in a new running back behind a new offensive line, and it was always going to take at least some time for all of it to jell. Now in the second year of coordinator Todd Monken’s offense, it was likewise going to take some work before Jackson could take full command of the scheme, which he seems to have done. “We’re just taking a step in the direction right now,” Jackson said last week. “We started the season off slow, but we’re taking strides in the right direction.” The Ravens have won four games in a row in large part because of Derrick Henry’s recent success at running back. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) That direction has also relied on Henry, who, at age 30, leads the NFL in rushing and has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Week twice in the past three weeks. The one week in between that he wasn’t, Jackson was. The Ravens have almost always had a great ground game, but Henry is a different kind of back, equally adept at gassing a defense for an 87-yard touchdown run as he did against the Buffalo Bills as he is wearing one down and sealing victory late as he did against the Commanders last week. “The difference Derrick Henry has made is pretty clear; you see it,” Harbaugh said. “It’s a different kind of rushing attack with him because of the way he runs the ball. He’s just one of a kind. He’s one of one. Somebody asked me in the production meeting this week, ‘Who do you compare him to?’ I’m like, ‘Man, who do you compare him to?’ I saw the Eric Dickerson article. OK, I think there is some similarity. I remember Eric Dickerson coming up, but after that, and even that, I don’t know, man. He’s one of one.” With running like that and defenses sometimes stacking the box as a result, things become infinitely easier for Jackson, who has been terrific on play-action and thus near the top of the league in efficiency. “It’s a pick-your-poison type of offense,” he said, “and it’s showing.” Offensive line turnaround Entering Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys, Harbaugh hinted that changes could be coming up front. But with the Ravens racing to a 28-6 lead through three quarters before holding on for a 28-25 victory, they never did. A week later and with left guard Andrew Vorhees sidelined with an ankle injury, however, the plan went into action. Patrick Mekari, who’d started the season at right tackle with rookie Roger Rosengarten rotating in to spell the veteran, moved inside to fill in for Vorhees while Rosengarten started outside. Voila. Against the Bills, Baltimore leaned on the legs of Henry, who racked up 199 yards, and the offensive line across the board played well in a 35-10 blowout. The Ravens’ offensive line has performed well in recent games despite struggling in the first two weeks of the season. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) That included much-maligned right guard Daniel Faalele, who, playing the position for the first time after being moved from tackle, seems to be settling in, especially as a pass blocker, which was the more concerning part of his game. The much-improved play of left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who is in the final year of his contract after having it restructured in the offseason and looks much closer to his 2019 All-Pro and Pro Bowl form, can’t be overstated in terms of importance, either. And center Tyler Linderbaum, a Pro Bowl selection last season, has been consistently reliable. “They’re doing a really good job,” Harbaugh said. “But not just those five guys, the other … the six, seven, eight, nine guys — those guys are all playing well when they play, so we’re kind of building some real depth in there. “But just like we said four weeks ago, they can continue to get better. There’s a lot of room for improvement across the whole board with our whole team, and definitely the O-line thinks that way, too.” Other improvements and issues still holding the Ravens back One of the biggest problems for the Ravens in the early going was penalties, many of which were of the undisciplined variety. In Week 1 against Kansas City, Baltimore was flagged seven times for 64 yards, not including the penalties that were declined. The next two games against the Raiders and Cowboys, the Ravens were hit with 11 and 13 penalties for 109 and 105 yards, respectively. Against the Bills, they were flagged eight times for 79 yards. But over the past two weeks, they have cleaned up those mistakes significantly. Last week against the Commanders, the Ravens were flagged just three times for 33 yards. The week before against the Bengals in Cincinnati, just two flags for 22 yards. Then there’s the dynamic nature of the offense. While Henry has ground down opposing defenses and racked up big yards, he’s hardly been a one-man show. Jackson has thrown for over 300 yards each of the past two weeks. Receiver Zay Flowers has gone over 100 yards the past two games. And tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely along with receiver Rashod Bateman and third-down back Justice Hill have all had moments of significant contribution both catching and blocking. With consecutive 100-yard performances, Zay Flowers has established himself as the No. 1 receiving option in Baltimore’s offense. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) “I think we are extremely versatile in what we are doing,” Andrews said. “I think we are quick and there are a lot of guys impacting the game. It’s kind of a pick your poison for the defense.” There’s that phrase again, and the Ravens are proving lethal because of it. Still, there are areas of concern, most notably on defense. The Ravens’ secondary continues to give up chunks of yards. It’s been particularly vulnerable in the middle of the field and on the back end with safety Marcus Williams. As a result, the Ravens rank 24th in points allowed per game, 31st in passing yards per game and 21st in completion percentage allowed. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 7 of 2024 NFL season: Texans vs. Packers, Chiefs vs. 49ers and more Baltimore Ravens | 10 stats that have defined the Ravens’ season through 6 games Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 4-2 start | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Should the Ravens make a move ahead of NFL trade deadline? Here’s who they might target. Baltimore Ravens | Ravens add edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue to 53-man roster after two strong performances At least some of that can also be attributed to the schedule they’ve faced with games against the Chiefs, Cowboys, Bills, Bengals and Commanders over the first six weeks. Now comes another high-flying offense in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There is relief on the way, though. The remainder of the schedule includes games against the Cleveland Browns (twice), Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers (twice) and New York Giants. Most, if not all of those, should be a reprieve. “We know that we’re very talented back there,” Harbaugh said of the secondary. “I told the guys last week — we were the 29th-ranked pass defense by statistics in the league — ‘Are we going to play 29th the rest of the year?’ That’s an opportunity because we know we’re far better than that — we’re much more talented than that and we can play so much better.” If they can, the organization’s first Super Bowl appearance in over a decade might not be lost after all. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens are a team of extremes, from their historically overpowering ground game to their surprisingly ragged pass defense. That means they’re ripe for statistical analysis, whether we’re talking the individual feats of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry or the collective frustration around their unusually spotty special teams performance. They’re a Super Bowl contender in need of repairs, and the numbers show it. With that in mind, here are 10 stats that tell their story through six games: 1,107 Jackson and Henry’s combined rushing total, the highest through six games for any quarterback-running back pair since at least 1950, per NFL researcher Tony Holzman-Escareno. Recall those questions about the Ravens’ offensive identity after Henry carried just 13 times for 46 yards in their opening loss to the Chiefs? As it turns out, pairing the greatest running quarterback of all time with the most imposing power-speed ball carrier of the past decade is a pretty workable concept. Opponents simply can’t defend both — or either, really — for 60 minutes. Baltimore fans have learned for six years that Jackson guarantees an elite running game, no matter who’s taking his handoffs. But no disrespect to Gus Edwards or J.K. Dobbins or Mark Ingram II: Henry is something else entirely. Keep feeding him, and he will break a big play, often when a tired defense is least able to absorb it. Among players with at least 50 carries, Jackson ranks first in yards per carry, Henry second. That’s nuts. Every so often in sports, we get to watch two special powers align: Kevin Durant and Steph Curry, Tom Brady to Randy Moss, Juan Soto and Aaron Judge hitting back-to-back (sorry). This feels like one of those cases. 6.9 Opposing quarterbacks’ average yards per attempt. The Ravens rank 27th in the league after ranking first at 4.7 yards per attempt last season. They rank 31st in total pass defense, the statistic you’re more likely to see when fans and pundits lambast their shoddy coverage. But that can be deceptive because they’re playing with a lead so much of the time. What’s more troubling is the efficiency. The Ravens are simply giving up too many chunk plays against top quarterbacks and receivers. It’s not a one-note or a one-player problem. Patrick Mahomes and Jayden Daniels wounded them in the middle of the field, notably picking on All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith. Gardner Minshew II and Joe Burrow did it by trusting that their top targets would repeatedly win matchups against Ravens defensive backs. Tackling has also been a problem on harmful catch-and-runs. The culprits are many. First-round draft pick Nate Wiggins has struggled in three of his past four games. Safety Marcus Williams has made few plays on the back end. Cornerback Brandon Stephens has put himself in great position but hasn’t consistently broken up completions. Under first-year coordinator Zach Orr, the Ravens aren’t muddying the picture for opposing quarterbacks as frequently as they did last season under Mike Macdonald. 2 Pressures right guard Daniel Faalele has allowed over the past three games. Faalele allowed six pressures over his first three games, including a costly sack by Las Vegas Raiders edge rushing superstar Maxx Crosby in a shocking Ravens loss. Fans zeroed in on that play as evidence that Faalele would never be quick enough to be a competent NFL starter. He in turn became the chief focus of overall frustrations regarding the team’s overhauled and unproven offensive line. Coaches stood by him, adamant that he’d clearly won his job over Ben Cleveland and other aspirants. Since that Raiders defeat, Faalele and his linemates have done much to hush their critics. The Ravens had spent the summer searching for a five-man formula and finally found it with Patrick Mekari shifting to left guard and rookie Roger Rosengarten taking over at right tackle. A healthy Ronnie Stanley is playing his best football since 2020. Center Tyler Linderbaum appears headed for another Pro Bowl. But there’s no better face for the turnaround than Faalele, who has become a dependable pass protector and mauled opponents to open running lanes. The Ravens’ passing defense has been an issue, but they’ve done well to slow down opposing runners, including Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) 146 Yards per game by which the Ravens are outrushing opponents. It’s not just that they have the most efficient and prolific running game — they also allow the fewest rushing yards per game and per attempt. They’re the first team to outrush each of their first six opponents by at least 100 yards. As much as passing defines the modern NFL, a team that can count on such an extreme running advantage becomes difficult to beat. The Ravens were outstanding on both sides of the ball last season, outrushing foes by 47 yards per game — significant, but in no way outside normal bounds. Even in 2019, when they set an all-time rushing record, their average margin was plus-112.6. What we’re seeing from them so far this year is freaky. 4-for-7 Justin Tucker on field goal attempts of 40 yards or beyond. In Tucker’s peak seasons — let’s say 2016 to 2021 — he routinely made more than 80% of his 40-or-longer attempts. So when he missed from 53, 56 and 46 in the first three games of this season, on top of a 1-for-5 performance from 50 or beyond last year, fears grew that the most accurate kicker in history had lost something at age 34. Coach John Harbaugh said Tucker, whose misses all hooked left, was dealing with a technical issue. Tucker acknowledged that the errant kicks gnawed at him but said he was confident the next one would split the uprights. With an unpredictable wind swirling over Cincinnati, he lined up for a 56-yard attempt to keep the Ravens alive in their wildest game of the season. He drilled it. He then made all three of his attempts without issue in a win over Washington. For now, the fretting over Tucker has quieted. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker hasn’t missed a field goal in his past two games, a positive sign after a rocky start to the season. (Karl Merton Ferron/staff) 12 Rashod Bateman’s targets over his past two games. You know the last time the fourth-year wide receiver saw the ball that much in two games? Try the first two of the 2022 season. All of last year, we heard how Bateman was open, but Jackson would not throw him the ball. Would these two gifted players ever find the same wavelength? Bateman signed a contract extension in the offseason and finally enjoyed a summer of good health. Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta predicted a breakout. But then Bateman was right back to seeing the ball just 14 times over the Ravens’ first four games. But they had to throw to beat the Bengals and Commanders, and Bateman was a big part of both aerial outbursts. He consistently found open ground, and Jackson showed no hesitation going to him in crucial moments. Zay Flowers was great in both wins and is a clear No. 1 in the receiver pecking order, but the Ravens needed Bateman to be a viable No. 2. Right now, he is. Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman is second on the team with 273 receiving yards. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) 4 Travis Jones’ rank among all NFL defensive tackles, according to Pro Football Focus grading. Harbaugh’s more apt to dial down the hype around a young player than dial it up. But when asked about Jones this summer, he said: “Whenever someone blocks him, it’s like a superhuman feat almost. He’s like a superhuman player.” That accurately reflected the excitement around the 6-foot-4, 338-pound Jones coming into this third season. Given his taciturn nature and the difficulty of accumulating flashy stats at his position, he’s rarely going to be the headliner for this Ravens defense. But Jones has been awesome, collapsing the pocket and forming a one-man wall against interior runs. He’s the most talented interior defender — assuming we recognize Nnamdi Madubuike as a different type of player — the Ravens have had since Haloti Ngata. 5 Takeaways for the Baltimore defense this year after it led the league with 31 in 2023. Turnovers are volatile. Analysts often look for inflated totals when scoping for teams likely to regress the next season. So it’s not a shock the Ravens have come back to earth in this respect. At the same time, the low turnover rate is another reason why their defense isn’t performing up to expectations. We’ve seen too many dropped interceptions, too few aggressive moves to the ball along the back end. Marlon Humphrey’s interception, on which he muscled in front of Ja’Marr Chase, was as important as any play in the Ravens’ overtime victory over the Bengals. It was also a reminder of how infrequently this star-studded group has produced such moments in the early going. Marlon Humphrey’s interception against Cincinnati was one of the few turnovers forced by the Ravens this season. (Carolyn Kaster/AP) 671 Jackson’s passing yards over the past two games, the second-highest consecutive-game total of his career (he threw for 758 in a pair of wins over Indianapolis and Denver in 2021). Raw passing yardage can be one of the most misleading measures of quarterback play. Jackson has epitomized this throughout his career, winning two Most Valuable Player Awards as a low-volume, high-efficiency thrower. Heck, he won a pair of games this season in which he combined for 33 attempts. But the Ravens want to know they can win throwing on almost every down if they must. In the past, opponents stuffed the box with eight defenders, dared Jackson to beat them over the top and got away with it. When the Bengals tried that old strategy in Week 5, the reigning MVP lit them up and rallied his team to victory. It’s a testament to Jackson’s surging confidence and to the quality of weapons around him — the pick-your-poison offense he envisioned he envisioned as he looked forward to this season. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 7 of 2024 NFL season: Texans vs. Packers, Chiefs vs. 49ers and more Baltimore Ravens | How Ravens went from 0-2 and a season seemingly on the brink to one of NFL’s best Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 4-2 start | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Should the Ravens make a move ahead of NFL trade deadline? Here’s who they might target. Baltimore Ravens | Ravens add edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue to 53-man roster after two strong performances 1 The number of quarterbacks the Ravens will face over their next nine games who rank top 10 in ESPN’s QBR. As much as we’ve talked about the failings of their pass defense, they have played a murderer’s row of quarterbacks. The last three they’ve faced — Daniels, Burrow and Josh Allen — rank third, second and first in QBR, respectively. They opened their season against Patrick Mahomes, the consensus best in the world even if his passing totals to this point don’t show it. The tests are about to get a little easier. Between now and their Christmas Day matchup with the Houston Texans’ C.J. Stroud, Burrow is the only quarterback the Ravens will face in the top 10 of ESPN’s all-encompassing metric for grading the most important position in the sport. They’ll go against prolific and gifted throwers, starting with Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield on Monday and including Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts and the Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert in subsequent weeks. But they won’t have to defend anything more dangerous than what they’ve already seen. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

Here’s how the Ravens graded out at every position after a 4-2 start to the season, including four straight wins entering a “Monday Night Football” showdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has done just about everything humanly possible to win games. He was superb in the season opener against Kansas City but had a subpar game in a second straight loss to Las Vegas. Then he managed games perfectly in wins against Dallas and Buffalo, outplaying two of the league’s featured quarterbacks in the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott and the Bills’ Josh Allen. A good sign for the Ravens is that even though opposing teams are stacking the line of scrimmage, Jackson is throwing downfield to win games, something he has failed to do in previous postseasons. Jackson has completed 118 of 176 passes (67%) for 1,529 yards with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions and rushed for 403 yards, second-most on the team, and two scores on 64 carries. He has a passer rating of 108.4. Grade: A- Running backs There are some who think the Ravens were adjusting to having Jackson and running back Derrick Henry in the same backfield in the first quarter of the season, but they simply got outplayed by two of the better defensive lines in the NFL against the Chiefs and Raiders. The Ravens pounded weak run defenses the following two weeks as Henry rushed for 151 yards against Dallas and 199 yards versus the Bills. Before he signed with Baltimore in the offseason, Henry was known as the premiere closer in the fourth quarter and he has lived up to that reputation over the past three weeks against Buffalo, Cincinnati and Washington. Henry leads the NFL with 704 rushing yards on 119 carries. Backup Justice Hill has 94 yards on 20 carries and is tied for second on the team in receptions with 18 for 171 yards. Grade: B+ Offensive line As expected, this group struggled in the first two games. They were outclassed and outplayed, and that’s the bottom line. Since then, they have gotten better. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley is playing extremely well and no longer gives ground against power rushers. Right tackle will remain a problem area for most of the season with Patrick Mekari splitting time with rookie Roger Rosengarten. Right guard Daniel Faalele has gotten better with his hands and improved his physical conditioning, a problem in training camp. Center Tyler Linderbaum has played well, particularly making blocks into the second level, but has struggled with big nose tackles. Mekari has split time at guard and tackle but does better on the inside because he has Linderbaum to assist him. This group has gotten better over six games, but pass protection will be a problem, especially if the Ravens fall behind. Because of his elusiveness, Jackson makes this group better than it appears. Grade: B- Receivers This has been an interesting mix because it took time for this group to bond, and that will continue for the first half of the season. Jackson has turned slot receiver Zay Flowers into his best all-around weapon. Flowers has 33 catches for 401 yards and has rushed five times for 28 yards. After Hill, tight end Isaiah Likely has 18 catches for 207 yards and has become one of Jackson’s favorite targets inside the red zone. Rashod Bateman, a questionable performer before the season, has 17 catches for 273 yards and has become a clutch receiver in the fourth quarter. Like Bateman, tight end Mark Andrews (13 catches for 186 yards) has become a weapon again in passing situations. The lone receiver left out so far has been Nelson Agholor, but the crafty veteran will eventually come up big for the Ravens, especially late in the season. Meanwhile, Likely has started to block on the outside and down the field even as well as Bateman and Agholor. Grade: B Bills quarterback Josh Allen fumbles after being hit by Ravens defensive tackle Travis Jones, above. Jones has been a standout player so far this season. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Defensive line One of the best things about the Ravens’ defense is that this group can shut down the run and make opposing teams one-dimensional. The Ravens are allowing only 59 rushing yards per game, best in the NFL. Tackles Nnamdi Madubuike and Michael Pierce as well as backup Broderick Washington have cut down everything on the inside, but the most dominant player might be tackle Travis Jones, who can collapse a pocket as well as holes for running backs. Jones leads all Ravens linemen with 19 tackles, while Pierce has 13 and Madubuike 12. After a breakout season and a big contract extension, Madubuike has taken on a lot of double teams at the point of attack, which frees up both Jones and Pierce. It will be interesting to see how opposing teams handle Madubuike now that Jones has such a strong presence. The 2023 third-round pick creates a pile wherever he plays. Grade. A- Linebackers Despite a slow start, partly because of injury, middle linebacker Roquan Smith leads the team with 56 tackles, including 29 solo. Second-year weakside linebacker Trenton Simpson has 30, and both inside linebackers are tough against the run, especially inside the tackles. The Ravens, though, need more consistency on the outside. Kyle Van Noy has played well and has registered six sacks. Odafe Oweh has played well at times with 14 tackles, but he has not been a consistent force. The same can be said about third-year outside linebacker David Ojabo, who has only five tackles and one sack in the first six games. Malik Harrison, who can play inside or outside, has eight tackles but plays very stiff. He is great at going forward, but doesn’t bend well. The Ravens need more help from second-year outside linebacker Tavius Robinson, who was expected to be a factor this season but has just seven tackles and only one sack. Grade: B Secondary The secondary has struggled, especially in coverage. This group is ranked No. 31 in pass defense, allowing 275.7 yards per game. A lot of defensive backs get beat physically, but the Ravens just haven’t been in spots to make plays. Veteran Marlon Humphrey spends too much time freelancing, while fellow starter Brandon Stephens has great recovery speed but doesn’t turn his head to locate the ball. Strong safety Kyle Hamilton plays well near the line of scrimmage, but the Ravens might want to keep him on the backend as an enforcer. Why? Free safety Marcus Williams hasn’t been aggressive or made plays, and the Ravens could use a force in the middle of the field. Hamilton is second on the team in tackles with 36, while Humphrey has 31. Stephens has 28 and Williams 22. Overall, the Ravens have to get better in this area to go far in the postseason. The NFL is a quarterback-driven league, and a hot quarterback can take a team far. A poor secondary can lead to an early exit. Grade: C- Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Should the Ravens make a move ahead of NFL trade deadline? Here’s who they might target. Baltimore Ravens | Ravens add edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue to 53-man roster after two strong performances Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 6: Ravens have the best offense in football Baltimore Ravens | Baltimore Police investigating video of man in Ravens jersey assaulting Commanders fans in Federal Hill Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Ben Cleveland stars in new role and pass rushers play their ‘best game’ | NOTES Special teams Justin Tucker missed field goal attempts of 53 and 56 yards, both wide left, in the first four games and also a 46-yard try, but he has rebounded well in the past two weeks. Tucker might have been compensating for a lack of leg strength by kicking too hard, but he’s made 10 of 13 attempts overall, including his last five. Jordan Stout has averaged 45.2 yards on 18 punts, including a long of 67, and put nine inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. The Ravens have averaged 10.7 yards on punt returns and 22.3 yards on kickoff returns but were hesitant in their decision-making earlier in the year. Linebackers Chris Board and Josh Ross lead the Ravens in special team tackles with five each. Grade: C+ Coaching After losing the first two games of the season, there was criticism of coach John Harbaugh, but a lot of it was unwarranted. Harbaugh has made some poor decisions as far as clock management, but his style of coaching and philosophy easily makes him one of the best in the NFL. Offensively, coordinator Todd Monken finally started getting the offense to perform at a high level, but a lot of that was because of the dominant defensive lines he faced in the first two games. The Ravens are at their best when they can run the football mixed in with the play-action passing game and the run-pass options with Jackson. Defensively, there are quite a few adjustments to be made, most of those on the back end as far as communication. Coordinator Zach Orr is in his first season calling plays, but both he and his defense have struggled so far this season. The Ravens brought in former defensive coordinator Dean Pees, 75, as an adviser. This week will be key for the secondary, with Pees having been around the team for two weeks. Grade: C+ View the full article

The NFL’s Nov. 5 trade deadline is still three weeks away, but the waters are already churning. The Seattle Seahawks and former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald struck first this week, acquiring defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris from the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2026 sixth-round pick. The New York Jets followed Tuesday with the splashiest move thus far, reuniting their quarterback Aaron Rodgers with three-time All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams, whom they acquired from the Las Vegas Raiders for a 2025 conditional third-round pick that can become a second-round pick. And the Buffalo Bills, who the Ravens blew out 35-10 three weeks ago, got quarterback Josh Allen more help with the addition of wide receiver and five-time Pro Bowl selection Amari Cooper from the 1-5 Cleveland Browns in exchange for a 2025 pick swap as well as a seventh-round selection in 2026. What, if anything, will the Ravens do? The biggest areas of need are at pass rusher, defensive back and possibly along a talented but thin interior of the defensive line. Though Baltimore has the fifth-most sacks (19) in the league this season, the Ravens are just 12th in pass rush win rate, per ESPN analytics. Kyle Van Noy’s six sacks lead the team, Odafe Oweh has been a solid contributor with 3 1/2 and the addition of Yannick Ngakoue could help, but with Van Noy having turned 33 this year Baltimore might have to manage his snaps down the stretch. On the back end, free safety Marcus Williams has struggled mightily in pass coverage, while cornerback Nate Wiggins has unsurprisingly had the ups and downs that often go with being a rookie on the outside. Consequently, Baltimore’s defense, which led the NFL in sacks, takeaways and points allowed per game last season, hasn’t come close to matching that production, ranking 24th in points per game (24.8), 31st in passing yards per game (275.7) and having tied for the third-fewest interceptions with three. Of course, many fans have already been clamoring for the Ravens to provide quarterback Lamar Jackson with a star wide receiver, most notably Adams, whom Baltimore wasn’t interested in pursuing even before he was traded to the Jets. To set its sights on another receiver, though, would be to address a problem that largely doesn’t exist. The Ravens already have the league’s No. 1 offense in defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA) and lead or are near the top in other metrics as well. They also already have a bevy of talented pass catchers, from 2023 first-round draft pick receivers Zay Flowers and 2021 first-round pick Rashod Bateman, who is perhaps finally starting to find his groove, to tight ends Mark Andrews and the ascendent Isaiah Likely. Still, while the NFL trade deadline doesn’t have the same action of the NBA’s or MLB’s, there are team-altering deals that will be made. Two years ago, Baltimore acquired All-Pro inside linebacker Roquan Smith from the Chicago Bears for its 2023 second- and fifth-round picks as well as veteran linebacker A.J. Klein and that looks like a steal now (though Smith has struggled in pass coverage). With that in mind, here’s a look at who the Ravens could target over the next few weeks. Trading for linebacker Roquan Smith has proven to be a valuable decision for the Ravens. Could they add another defensive difference maker at this year’s trade deadline? (Kim Hairston/Staff) Haason Reddick, outside linebacker Jets owner Woody Johnson has given Reddick — who hasn’t practiced or played for New York since getting dealt from the Philadelphia Eagles in April over a lack of a contract extension — permission to seek the trade he requested over the summer, according to The Athletic. His new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, meanwhile, told ESPN it’s his desire to keep Reddick in New York. The bad news for Baltimore is that he would be owed $10 million for the rest of the season, according to Over The Cap, and whatever team acquires him would likely be looking at a two- or three-year extension. The good news for the Ravens is that he would significantly bolster a defense that already has the fifth-most sacks in the NFL. Reddick, 30, has tallied double-digit sacks each of the past four years and had 11 with the Eagles last season. Jadeveon Clowney, outside linebacker At 1-5 and with 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young having already been benched this season for Andy Dalton, the Carolina Panthers are going nowhere. At 31 years old, Clowney isn’t sticking around for a long and messy rebuild after signing a two-year, $20 million free agent deal in the offseason. Jadeveon Clowney played well for Baltimore in 2023. Could the Ravens try to bring him back for the second half of the 2024 season? (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) That makes him an attractive trade piece for a contender. Baltimore certainly fits the bill, and he’d fit right in to return after matching his career high with 9 1/2 sacks for the Ravens last season. Clowney would also be affordable to the salary-cap strapped Ravens ($4.12 million of room, per Over The Cap) since Carolina already paid him his $8 million signing bonus plus six game checks, thus reducing his $6 million cap hit for this season significantly. Jonathan Jones, cornerback The New England Patriots are 1-5 and in last place in the AFC East, where the Jets could be poised to make a run at the division leading Bills. That could have the Patriots looking to deal Jones, who is in the final year of his two-year, $19 million contract. This season, he has 25 tackles, three passes defensed, a forced fumble and is just two years removed from a career-high four interception season. Though the Ravens have a number of cornerbacks, general manager Eric DeCosta is fond of saying they can never have too many and adding someone like Jones could help bolster depth. DeAndre Hopkins, wide receiver As long as Jackson is the quarterback of the Ravens, it seems there will be a never-ending fascination (obsession?) from Baltimore fans to see him paired with a big-name wide receiver. It’s understandable given the historical lack of production from the position during his tenure. Of course, Hopkins (along with Odell Beckham Jr.) was one of two wish-list receivers Jackson named during contract negotiations last season, so there is at least some connection, and the Tennessee Titans (1-4) figure to be sellers. But with a $18.31 million cap hit coming into the season, it would take some gymnastics to fit the 32-year-old onto the roster. Besides, as coach John Harbaugh said recently about the team’s receivers: “We like our guys.” No one The Ravens have a history of being prudent and not pushing the panic button when it comes to making moves (see: the offensive line). Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens add edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue to 53-man roster after two strong performances Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 6: Ravens have the best offense in football Baltimore Ravens | Baltimore Police investigating video of man in Ravens jersey assaulting Commanders fans in Federal Hill Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Ben Cleveland stars in new role and pass rushers play their ‘best game’ | NOTES Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ John Harbaugh offers health update on brother Jim Harbaugh after medical scare Still, they reached the cusp of a Super Bowl last season, Jackson is again having a Most Valuable Player-caliber season and the roster is built to win now. So DeCosta likely won’t rest on what is currently a four-game winning-streak as some sort of barometer if he can land a player he believes will push them over the edge without sacrificing too much capital. An injury can also change everything and force him to act quickly. But even without making a move, Baltimore has weathered an 0-2 start and the toughest part of its schedule. The offense is humming. The defense continues to struggle, but it does have Pro Bowl talent at every level. What will the Ravens do? At this point, all that matters is fielding a team capable of reaching a Super Bowl. Whether that includes making a move ahead of the trade deadline remains to be seen. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The addition of edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue to the Ravens’ practice squad last month provided depth at a position of need. Now, he’ll be sticking around for a while. Baltimore signed the nine-year veteran to its active roster Tuesday, releasing offensive lineman Sala Aumavae-Laulu to make room on the roster. The move is timely. The Ravens had already used two of the allowable three elevations on Ngakoue each of the past two games. And with other teams circling to potentially sign the 29-year-old from their practice squad — the Detroit Lions were one team looking for a pass rusher after season-ending injuries to Aidan Hutchinson on Sunday and Marcus Davenport last month — it was prudent to make sure they didn’t lose him. “Every time I see him, he tells me how excited he is to be here and how he’s got our backs and everything like that,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “I see it in the way he’s practicing and the way he’s playing. He played tremendously well, which was not a surprise because we saw him practice that way. [He’s been a] big addition; [he’s a] big addition to our team; very excited with the way he’s rolling.” That was evident in Sunday’s win over the Commanders. With Baltimore leading 30-20 with just over five minutes to go and Washington facing second-and-7 from their own 47, Ngakoue quickly burst around the outside of left tackle Brandon Coleman, chased quarterback Jayden Daniels from behind and dragged him to the ground. It was his first sack since rejoining the Ravens and the 70th of his career. The moment was not lost on Harbaugh, who presented the former Maryland star and Washington D.C. native with a game ball in the locker room afterwards. “I’m not a real good public speaker like that,” Ngakoue, sweat still pouring down his cheeks, said after embracing Harbaugh, “but I just wanna leave ya’ll with this: Life is short, man, and going back to what coach said … you gotta cherish every moment, cherish every opportunity.” The Ravens hope that means a more fruitful output than the last time Ngakoue was with the team. In October 2020, Baltimore traded a 2021 third-round pick and 2022 fifth-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the former 2015 third-rounder. What they hoped for and what they got turned out to be different things. Ngakoue, who has been a more reliable pass rush specialist than run defender in his career, had just three sacks across nine games (three starts) and played 30 defensive snaps in his final game of the regular season before just a combined 41 snaps in Baltimore’s two playoff games. That included a 17-3 divisional round loss to the Bills in Buffalo, where he failed to register a mark on the stat sheet. Still, pass rushers are a valuable commodity and Ngakoue, a Pro Bowl selection in 2017, went on to sign a two-year, $26 million free-agent deal with the Raiders that offseason. In Las Vegas, he had 10 sacks then followed with 9 1/2 for the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. But after signing a one-year deal with the Bears in 2023, he struggled for Chicago as a pass rusher, ranking last among 55 qualifying edge rushers with a win rate of just 4.8%, per Pro Football Focus. Perhaps returning to Baltimore can rekindle some old magic, though. Ngakoue was once a teammate of outside linebackers coach Matt Robinson at Maryland. He’s also known pass rush coach Chuck Smith for years after having first trained with him in Atlanta when he was in college. And he’s happy to have a second chance in a city where his first didn’t go as well as anyone hoped. “I love the locker room, I love the guys here,” Ngakoue said last month. “We have a great quarterback, and I just want to be able to help get the ball back to the offense.” With the trade deadline still a few weeks away, his addition has come at a good time. Though the Ravens have the fifth-most sacks (19) in the league and have the seventh-highest pass rush grade, per PFF, Baltimore also ranks 24th in points allowed per game (24.8) and 31st in passing yards allowed per game (275.7). Adding Ngakoue to a group that includes outside linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh, both of whom rank in the top 11 in pass rush win rate, per ESPN analytics, should help a Baltimore defense that is already tops in the league against the run but collectively ranks 12th in pass rush win rate. And so far, so good. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Should the Ravens make a move ahead of NFL trade deadline? Here’s who they might target. Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 6: Ravens have the best offense in football Baltimore Ravens | Baltimore Police investigating video of man in Ravens jersey assaulting Commanders fans in Federal Hill Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Ben Cleveland stars in new role and pass rushers play their ‘best game’ | NOTES Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ John Harbaugh offers health update on brother Jim Harbaugh after medical scare Sunday, Ngakoue had three pressures, two hurries and a sack on just 13 snaps. In the Ravens’ overtime win over the Bengals in Cincinnati the week before, he also had a hit on quarterback Joe Burrow. In all, he’s had four pressures, two hurries and one sack in 24 snaps across the two games. “I believe the pass rush played its best game in a lot of ways in this last game,” Harbaugh said a day after the victory over Washington. “The pass rush had a really good disciplined game; lane-integrity game; kept the quarterback in, which was their best game of doing that. That contributed a lot this week in a positive way.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. 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 6: Winner: Ravens offense Let’s take a look at some numbers, shall we? Through six games, the Ravens lead the NFL in yards per play (6.9), rushing yards per game (205.3) and overall offensive efficiency, as measured by FTN Fantasy’s Defense-adjusted Value Over Average. Lamar Jackson is on pace for 4,300 passing yards and 1,100 rushing yards, putting a third NFL Most Valuable Player Award well within reach. Derrick Henry leads the league with 704 rushing yards, including a whopping 264 more than expected based on Next Gen Stats tracking data. Only Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby (7.2) averages more yards per carry than Henry (6.3) and Jackson (5.9) among qualified players this season. After Sunday’s 30-23 win over the Commanders, there is no debate. The Ravens have the best offense in football. While Jackson and Henry have been the stars, Sunday’s game showed just how unstoppable Baltimore can be when it gets its other playmakers involved. Zay Flowers had nine catches for 132 yards in the first half, Rashod Bateman continued to show his elite separation skills and tight end Mark Andrews finally made an impact as a pass catcher in addition to his stellar work as a blocker. At various points this season, we’ve seen Isaiah Likely, Justice Hill and Nelson Agholor make big plays, rounding out what is hands down the best group of skill-position players Jackson has ever had. This is not shocking, given how much excitement there was when Henry joined the team this offseason and the expected growth from Flowers and a now-healthy and motivated Bateman. Baltimore’s frustrating 17-10 loss to the Chiefs in the AFC championship game was blamed in part on the lack of faith in the running backs, which put too much pressure on Jackson to be the top rushing threat. Now defenses have to respect both Henry and Jackson in the backfield, and it’s opening up space for everyone else. “I just feel like we’re good at what we have to do,” Flowers said Sunday. “If we have to run the ball, we’re going to run the ball. If we have to pass it, that’s what we’re going to do. And if we have to do both — like we did today — then that’s what we have to do.” Jackson, Andrews and Henry all mentioned the phrase “pick your poison” when describing the offense after Sunday’s win. If you thought it was hard enough for opposing teams to game plan for Jackson before, now there are other players who can beat you. Loser: New Orleans Saints Just how bad was the Saints’ defense Sunday? In a 51-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans gave up 594 total yards. That’s bad enough, but consider that quarterback Baker Mayfield went 1-for-10 on throws 10 or more yards down the field, and you realize just how terrible it was. It was truly one of the worst tackling displays on an NFL field in recent memory. Mayfield’s average throw traveled just 2.5 yards in the air, yet he finished with 325 passing yards and four touchdowns. Calvert Hall graduate Sean Tucker scored his first career touchdown when he took a short checkdown pass 36 yards to the end zone, strolling through the Saints’ defense while hardly being touched. Wide receiver Chris Godwin caught a pass at the line of scrimmage, made a defender miss and broke through the grasp of two players on his way to a 55-yard touchdown that gave Tampa Bay the lead for good late in the third quarter. Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker was among the many players the Saints struggled to tackle Sunday. (Butch Dill/AP) “I thought our tackling was atrocious in the game, and so, you know, when you don’t tackle you give up explosive plays, you give up big plays and then it just kind of snowballed on us a little bit, but it was not good enough,” Saints coach Dennis Allen said. After a promising 2-0 start behind a surprisingly good offense, New Orleans has lost four straight and is playing rookie fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler at quarterback for the injured Derek Carr. To see such a poor effort from a team this early in the season makes one wonder how ugly it will get in the coming weeks. Winner: NFC North Through six weeks, the combined record of the NFC North is 17-5, but that’s not even the most impressive stat. As noted by ESPN’s Benjamin Solak, every team in the division has a better point differential than every other team in the league. The Vikings, Lions, Packers and Bears are simply dominating their opponents, creating one of the most fascinating division races in years. Even Chicago, which started 1-2 as Caleb Williams struggled to find his footing, has a case for the top spot after winning three straight behind a strong defense and its ascending rookie quarterback. Green Bay overcame its own speed bump with Malik Willis going 2-0 in place of injured quarterback Jordan Love, while Minnesota and Detroit have largely been unchallenged in claiming the top two spots in the DVOA rankings. What makes this race even more interesting is that we’ve only seen one intradivision matchup so far: the Vikings’ 31-29 win over the Packers in Week 4 in which Green Bay almost erased a 28-7 deficit. That will change this weekend when the Vikings host the Lions in a game that will determine the early favorite to finish in first place. Who knew that Jared Goff vs. Sam Darnold would be appointment viewing on the NFL calendar? Loser: Dallas Cowboys What is there left to say about Dallas at this point? The Cowboys were embarrassed in a 47-9 loss to the Lions on Sunday that will be remembered for Detroit’s petty obsession to score with one of its offensive linemen following last season’s ineligible receiver controversy. Here are just some examples of how seriously Detroit took its overmatched opponent: Tried throwing a touchdown pass to left tackle Taylor Decker Ran a hook-and-ladder to right tackle Penei Sewell Let sixth offensive lineman Dan Skipper run routes as a wide receiver Ran a flea flicker to tight end Sam LaPorta for a touchdown Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Baltimore Police investigate video of man in Ravens jersey assaulting Commanders fans in Federal Hill Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Ben Cleveland stars in new role and pass rushers play their ‘best game’ | NOTES Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ John Harbaugh offers health update on brother Jim Harbaugh after medical scare Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 30-23 win over the Washington Commanders Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels are built to win. Don’t mess it up. | COMMENTARY It was nice of the Lions to at least make a blowout entertaining, but it couldn’t have sat well with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. He called the loss “very concerning” and “very humbling,” but he stopped short of calling for any coaching changes. That might be naive, considering this Dallas team looks just like every other that has failed to meet expectations over the past decade, only worse. The Cowboys have at least been successful in the regular season with Dak Prescott at quarterback, but not this year. They’re 3-3, and even their wins over the Giants and Steelers weren’t convincing. The only time Dallas has looked formidable was a season-opening win over a Browns team that now looks hopeless. The Cowboys have a bye week before a road game against the 49ers, who have routinely embarrassed them in recent years. Lose that game, and the path for a postseason berth looks daunting, with games against the Falcons, Eagles, Texans, Commanders, Bengals and Buccaneers looming. It’s clear that Dallas shouldn’t be taken seriously as a Super Bowl contender. Perhaps it’s time to hand the keys to Bill Belichick, Mike Vrabel or another coach who can inspire more confidence than Mike McCarthy. Have a news tip? Contact C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

Baltimore Police are investigating a video posted to social media Sunday night that depicts a man in a Ravens jersey assaulting Washington Commanders fans in Federal Hill. The video appears to be taken outside Cross Street Public House and shows the man in a Ravens jersey punch one man in a Commanders jersey in the face before throwing another man in a Commanders jersey against a wall. A video posted Monday morning received 32 million views, according to X. “Currently, there have been no reports or calls made to police concerning this incident. Detectives are actively investigating the video,” Baltimore Police said in a statement. Anyone with information can contact detectives at 410-396-2499 or anonymously call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7-Lockup. The Ravens beat the Commanders, 30-23, on Sunday afternoon at nearby M&T Bank Stadium. Have a news tip? Contact Dillon Mullan at dmullan@baltsun.com, 302-842-3818 or @DillonMullan on X. View the full article

About two weeks ago, Ben Cleveland approached Ravens special teams coordinator Chris Horton with the idea of joining the field goal and extra-point teams. John Harbaugh loved the initiative from his veteran backup offensive lineman. However, he didn’t want to relinquish much credit to Horton for making the move because the Ravens coach claims he has “been suggesting that for a while.” Nevertheless, Cleveland — who was the subject of much discussion earlier this season as a candidate for the starting right guard job — stretched both hands as high as he could on Sunday and tipped a field goal try from Commanders kicker Austin Seibert in the waning seconds of the first half. “That guy — he’s a big man,” Harbaugh said. “That’s a three-point difference in the game. That was big in that game. You never know what plays are gonna make a difference but that was awesome to see.” Cleveland received a game ball for the unexpected highlight in Baltimore’s 30-23 win over Washington. When Harbaugh announced Cleveland’s name as the third of six game-ball recipients, the team’s cameras from inside the locker room showed rookie tackle Roger Rosengarten’s neck snap back in bewilderment and excitement for his teammate. Cleveland has played just five offensive snaps this season, but the 6-6, 360-pound behemoth made quick work in his new role. “I mean, isn’t that special?” center Tyler Linderbaum said. “I mean, that’s awesome — just finding a role. I mean, he the biggest human being I’ve ever seen. It’s incredible to just go in there. … It’s his first or second game at that. It’s crazy. I’m proud of him. He should be able to find a role on the team, and that’s a crucial block that he had. It set the tempo going into the second half.” Injury notes Cornerback Arthur Maulet made a brief reappearance at practice as a limited participant days before the Ravens traveled to Cincinnati last week. He has not participated since, still out with knee and hamstring injuries after standing out in offseason workouts and the initial weeks of training camp. Harbaugh hopes to have Maulet back this week, which would be ahead of schedule on his 21-day window to return to practice and rejoin the 53-man roster. Per NFL rules, if at the conclusion of the 21st day — which would be the middle of next week — Maulet isn’t ready to come back, he cannot return to the roster for the rest of the season. “I think there’s a good chance he will be [back],” Harbaugh said. “We’ll see on Thursday or Friday but I think there’s a really good chance he’ll be practicing this week, and then, we’ll have to see, from practice, if he can play [Monday] or not.” Harbaugh offered no substantial update on Keaton Mitchell, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 15 last year. The sophomore running back has no change in status, but Harbaugh is “still very optimistic and positive” about his return. 2023 NFL: Cleveland Browns at Baltimore RavensKarl Merton Ferron/Baltimore SunRavens coach John Harbaugh remains optimistic about running back Keaton Mitchell’s recovery timeline, but Harbaugh isn’t sharing specific details. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Ngakoue impresses In the fourth quarter Sunday, Yannick Ngakoue beat a Commanders offensive tackle off the line of scrimmage, got his left hand on quarterback Jayden Daniels and spun him to the ground for his first sack of the season. Ngakoue was a late addition to Baltimore’s defense and quickly made his presence felt. The outside linebacker was signed to the Ravens practice squad on Sept. 23, joining a pass-rushing unit that, by that point, recorded 10 sacks, the ninth-most in the NFL. The 2015 third-round pick out of Maryland sacked Daniels, contributing to a group now ranked fourth in the NFL with 19 sacks over six games while adding a tackle for loss and quarterback hit. “He played tremendously well,” Harbaugh said, “which was not a surprise because we saw him practice that way. Big addition to our team. Very excited with the way he’s rolling.” Ngakoue also received a game ball after Sunday’s win. He told his teammates he’s not one for public speaking but spoke about cherishing every opportunity. Ngakoue watched Baltimore’s Week 1 matchup against the Chiefs and was itching to be on the field. Pass rushers played ‘best game’ Washington’s sterling rookie quarterback said definitively the Ravens’ defense was the best he’d seen through six weeks. “Honestly,” Daniels said, “what they do, how they operate, how they try to punch you in the mouth.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ John Harbaugh offers health update on brother Jim Harbaugh after medical scare Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 30-23 win over the Washington Commanders Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels are built to win. Don’t mess it up. | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | For Ravens’ Mark Andrews, historic touchdown brings sweet release Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 30-23 win over Commanders | COMMENTARY Daniels could sense the pressure and how the Ravens tried to eliminate explosive plays and contain him to the pocket. “Kudos to them,” he said after throwing for 269 yards and two touchdowns while running for a season-low 22 yards on six carries. Harbaugh spoke glowingly of the group that kept Daniels and company in check. “I believe the pass rush played its best game in a lot of ways in this last game,” Harbaugh said. “Some of it was because of who we’re going against. Jayden Daniels is a real threat to get out of the pocket. I think he only really got out twice. … Other than that, we kept him in. “He goes to his right so many times and would throw on the run and make plays downfield. He didn’t have any of those plays in the game. I thought even when he did get out there, we chased him down. But we kept him in there, we sacked him, we batted balls — I think of Brent Urban’s bat. The pass rush had a really good disciplined game … kept the quarterback in, which was their best game of doing that. That contributed a lot this week in a positive way.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said his younger brother Jim was feeling “a little off” on Saturday and Sunday but is “doing well” after speaking with him Monday morning. The younger Harbaugh missed the start of the Los Angeles Chargers’ 23-16 win over the Broncos while being treated by the team’s medical personnel for an irregular heartbeat on Sunday. Evaluated before kickoff in Denver, he went to the locker room before returning to the sideline in the first quarter after getting an IV and magnesium. Jim Harbaugh, 60, then coached the game and said he’d consult with his cardiologist Monday. Meanwhile, John Harbaugh was about 20 minutes removed from a euphoric fourth straight win on Sunday and three questions into his postgame news conference when general manager Eric DeCosta told Ravens senior vice president of communications Chad Steele to cut the proceeding with the coach short so he could speak to his brother. John Harbaugh then got on the phone with Chargers general manager and former Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz, who was with Jim in the Chargers’ locker room. “They were going through the tests and everything, trying to get his heart rate down and all that,” Harbaugh said Monday in Owings Mills. “But we knew he wasn’t immediately in trouble at that point. They’d gotten him out of the blue tent at that point. “Then, later he calmed down enough — I don’t think the doctors really wanted him to necessarily go out there, but they cleared him somehow. Somehow, he convinced them to clear him to go back out there on the field and he was fine.” Jim Harbaugh said that he’s dealt with atrial flutter — a condition that can cause the heart to beat too quickly — for a while. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 30-23 win over the Washington Commanders Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels are built to win. Don’t mess it up. | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | For Ravens’ Mark Andrews, historic touchdown brings sweet release Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 30-23 win over Commanders | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Jim Harbaugh briefly leaves game with irregular heartbeat, prompting John Harbaugh to leave news conference That included having an ablation procedure in 1999 to treat the irregular rhythms and a second one in 2012 when he was coach of the San Francisco 49ers. “I haven’t felt it since 2012,” Harbaugh told reporters after the game. “I mean, it hasn’t happened, but the one in ’99, 13 years later, I had to have the [ablation] procedure done again, and so I figured I was getting close to the 13-year mark. I was going to need another one at some point.” Still, it was a concerning moment for the Ravens coach, who said he appreciated the outpouring of messages he received. “He’s doing great,” John said. “He’s feeling a lot better.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens pulled away from the Commanders and gifted rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels with another relentless offensive showing, beating their would-be Beltway rivals, 30-23. Here are five things we learned from the game: The Ravens controlled a dangerous opponent with their offense Derrick Henry turned it into a pretty good comedy bit in the postgame locker room. Again and again, reporters tried to draw the peerless running back into gushing about the offense he has helped raise to a rarefied level. Again and again, Henry smiled gently — a spot of blood showing on his left cheek from the day’s combat — and said, “We’re trying to stay humble.” Humility is a sensible default position for a team that won’t ultimately be judged on its accomplishments in the regular season. But we can say what Henry would not: This is one hellacious offense, capable of dictating flow even when the guys on the other sideline are moving the ball and scoring freely. The talk coming into the game was Lamar Jackson vs. Jayden Daniels. Would the league’s newest lion match drives with the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player? Daniels was splendid, coolly surveying enemy turf and flicking perfect spirals into spaces too small to hold a bag of groceries. At times, the Commanders’ game plan seemed to hold him back, but the rookie threw and scrambled and led his team well enough to win. It was easy to see why Washington entered first in points per game and third in yards per play. It was just that the Commanders ran into an even more formidable machine, one their shaky defense had no hope of impeding. That started with Jackson; it always does. He completed 20 of 26 passes for 323 yards, broke a 33-yard run and glided around left end to pick up the first down that sealed the game. But Washington actually did a good job spying on him as a runner. This latest offensive explosion — 7.4 yards per play, 6-for-10 on third down, five straight scoring drives from early in the second quarter to midway through the fourth — was as much a testament to the treasures around Jackson as to his magical properties. There’s Henry, of course, who seems guaranteed to bust a back-breaking run every game as long as the Ravens keep feeding him. There’s Zay Flowers, who could not be covered in the first half. And Rashod Bateman, who no longer seems invisible to his quarterback. And tight end Mark Andrews, who finally found the end zone on a day when his running buddy, Isaiah Likely, did not. A defense plugs one crack, and another opens. The Ravens go into every game confident that the dam will break and points will flow. “I come in feeling like any guy can have a big day,” Jackson said. “Just a pick-your-poison offense. That’s pretty much what I’ve been saying since camp when we got Derrick Henry.” Jackson was asked if this is the most balanced offense of his career. He noted that the 2019 version, which led the league in scoring and set an all-time rushing record, also stood out. But that team didn’t have as many pass catchers to scare opponents or a big-play back as singular as Henry. Ravens running back Derrick Henry ran for 132 yards and two touchdowns in Baltimore’s win over Washington. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) The 2024 Ravens have yet to sustain dominance on both sides of the ball, but their offense feels like the queen on every week’s chess board, perhaps a first in the history of a defense-forward franchise. The Commanders had sprinted past their three previous opponents with 34, 42 and 38 points. On Sunday in Baltimore, they could not keep up. Zay Flowers is a legitimate No. 1 receiver; the beauty is he doesn’t have to be all the time A playmaker gets antsy when the ball does not touch his hands for a quarter or a half. It’s a rule as old as pro football itself. Flowers makes magic with a football in his hands, springs open on every route in the playbook. “Exactly the weapon we absolutely knew he was and would be and has been, to be honest with you,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said after watching the team’s 2023 first-round draft pick run amok in the first half against Washington. The trick is that Flowers must be all that while knowing the Ravens’ offense might turn away from him for a half (he didn’t see the ball once after halftime against the Commanders) or even a whole game. That’s reality when there’s so much to be gained by feeding Henry, by throwing to Andrews and Bateman when they glide into big, empty spaces. He’s not going to see 10 targets a game like the league’s most prolific wide receivers. He has to find his contentment in the greater cause. “You’ve got to respect all of us,” he said in describing the wonder of this Ravens offense. Flowers began his afternoon by taking a simple pass to the flat — a play that seems to be on the Ravens’ opening-drive menu every week — 44 yards down the sideline. Zay Flowers caught nine passes for 132 yards, proving he’s capable of being Baltimore’s top receiving option. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) It was merely his first shot in a fusillade. Jets sweeps, crossing routes, sideline patterns — it did not matter. Washington’s secondary could not keep him from finding open space. Flowers caught all nine balls thrown his way in the first half for 132 yards. Coming on the heels of his seven-catch, 111-yard showcase against the Bengals, it was splashy evidence that he really is the playmaker the Ravens sought for their franchise quarterback. He did not seem bothered in the least that his career-best stat line remained stuck on those totals for the last 30 minutes of a victory. “Sometimes, the defense doesn’t allow it. Sometimes, the ball doesn’t come your way for whatever reason,” Harbaugh said. “But today, the opportunities showed up, and we had to have … Those catches had to be made. Those plays had to be made in the pass game, and Zay made them. That was the difference probably in the game.” The Ravens played it straight on defense and took a modest step forward A proud defense left Cincinnati licking its wounds after Joe Burrow threw for 391 yards and five touchdowns. The Ravens escaped with an overtime victory because their offense was brilliant and they pulled out a pair of clutch stops, but they knew it was not a sustainable winning formula. They brought in former defensive coordinator Dean Pees as “another set of eyes,” a sure sign they were shaken by how many gouges the Bengals had inflicted. Would they shore up their coverage in time for Daniels, the newest comet streaking across the NFL sky? The answer proved to be a mixed bag. The Ravens sent few all-out attacks at the rookie, preferring to rush four and keep most of their defenders back in coverage. They didn’t want Daniels dancing outside as a runner, and they didn’t want him connecting on deep shots. That part of their plan worked as he ran for just 22 yards and did not complete a pass longer than 28. Baltimore’s defense kept Jayden Daniels in check for much of the game, but Washington’s quarterback still led the Commanders on multiple scoring drives. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Daniels did find success, however, taking his scalpel to the soft belly of the Ravens’ defense. He’s an unusually decisive thrower for his experience level and connected four times each with venerable tight end Zach Ertz and shifty running back Auston Ekeler. He made magic with his top wide receiver, Terry McLaurin, defying tight coverage to drop the ball in his hands for two touchdowns and a key third-down conversion. “He’s the truth, for sure,” Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith said. Daniels hit on 24 of 35 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns, with no turnovers. Not Burrow numbers, but efficient enough that the Ravens won’t come out of the game feeling they’ve solved all their issues. They can take solace in knowing they executed a winning game plan designed by coordinator Zach Orr, a target of considerable fan ire coming off the Bengals game. “I felt like we definitely took a step forward,” Smith said. “I feel like there are always plays throughout each and every game throughout the league … We’re chasing perfection, but we’re humans, at the end of the day.” The Ravens ‘didn’t blink’ after doing the Commanders a few favors early The Ravens started the afternoon like a favorite that wanted to keep its upstart opponent too close for comfort. On their first drive, Jackson led Andrews a yard too far, and the ball bounced off the tight end’s hands into the arms of Washington cornerback Mike Sainristil. An accurate throw would have put the Ravens on the cusp of an opening touchdown. Instead, they handed Daniels exceptional field position. Baltimore bounced back well after an early interception thrown by Lamar Jackson. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) With the Ravens knocking on the door to the red zone on their next drive, center Tyler Linderbaum lost his handle on a shotgun snap. Jackson recovered, allowing Justin Tucker to kick a 45-yard field goal. But they had averaged 7.2 yards per play on their first two drives and had three points to show for it, not the start they needed against a frisky opponent. Such mishaps might have signaled deeper trouble for previous versions of the Ravens, especially given that rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten allowed Jackson to be flattened deep in Baltimore territory the next time they had the ball. But this team has such faith that it will move the ball and score that those wasted drives ultimately vanished in the wash. “When we’re watching film, [we’re] going to get on each other, like, ‘That was some B.S. right there,’” Jackson said. “But we [were] good. We didn’t blink at all. We [are going to] get an opportunity. We just got to put points on the board.” Their offense scored on its next five drives and ran out the clock on the sixth. Travis Jones was a one-man wall Jones answered the first three questions he faced in the postgame locker room with a single sentence before making it to two on answer No. 4. The third-year defensive tackle has never been loose with his words, and that’s not about to change just because he’s the immovable object at the heart of the Ravens’ defense. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels are built to win. Don’t mess it up. | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | For Ravens’ Mark Andrews, historic touchdown brings sweet release Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 30-23 win over Commanders | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Jim Harbaugh briefly leaves game with irregular heartbeat, prompting John Harbaugh to leave news conference Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and Commanders fans act more like family than bitter rivals We’ll let a a more loquacious teammate, Smith, say it for him: “The guy is an animal, as we all know. Just, sometimes, the sacks, you may not see them, but his presence throughout the game and just the impact that he had throughout the game is not taken for granted.” Jones came in to the weekend with the seventh-highest grade of any defensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus, but as Smith noted, he came in with no sacks and one tackle for loss to show for his dominance. That’s the nature of a position that’s more about eating up blockers and closing off holes than rolling up stats. Against Washington, however, Jones got to set the table and eat his supper, sacking Daniels and enveloping Ekeler for a 1-yard loss in the first half and for no gain in the second. When the Ravens attempted to mount a goal-line stand later in the second half, he seemed to cave in the entire Commanders offensive line by himself. Many of us tabbed Jones as the most likely breakout candidate on the Ravens’ defense, and he’s more than living up to that billing. The Ravens are the first team ever to outrush opponents by at least 100 yards in the first six games of the season. Henry and Jackson have a lot to do with that statistic, but so does the 6-foot-4, 338-pound mammoth on the other side of the ball. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

The best comparison between the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson and Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is that both are playmakers. Forget all this other nonsense about differences in styles and deliveries. Both make plays. With Jackson, he is an athletic phenom with good to average arm strength and the ability to improvise and extend plays with his legs. Daniels is the total package. Regardless, a team can win with either as long as the offense and scheme are centered around the ability of each quarterback. The Ravens defeated the Commanders, 30-23, before a crowd of 71,316 at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, and the game went as expected. The Commanders didn’t have a sophisticated offense and their defense was horrendous, especially allowing the Ravens to finish 6-for-10 on third down. But it’s understandable why Commanders fans are so jazzed about Daniels, the rookie from LSU. He completed 24 of 35 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns while finishing with a passer rating of 110.3. After being in the NFL basement for decades, there is hope in Washington. The Ravens and their fan base have similar aspirations for Jackson, but they are further along in the journey because this is Jackson’s seventh year. The team suffered a disappointing loss to Kansas City, 17-10, in the AFC championship game here in Baltimore in January, so there is more of a sense of urgency. Regardless, the opportunity is at hand for both franchises. “I believe [Jayden Daniels] deserves all the hype he’s getting,” Jackson said. “He played a tremendous game out there. They just came up short. He’s been proving it. His rookie season — first six games he’s been playing amazing.” So far, so has Jackson. On Sunday, he completed 20 of 26 passes for 323 yards and a touchdown. Unlike earlier games in his career and this season, Jackson didn’t have to run around, stall for time and then make plays with his running ability. The Ravens have provided him ample weapons with slot receiver Zay Flowers, tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely and fellow receiver Rashod Bateman. Then the Ravens added Derrick Henry, the 6-foot-3, 247-pound running back, who might be the best fourth-quarter closer in the game. It’s not an elite cast, but one of the better skill-position groups in the NFL. Combined with Jackson’s running ability, the Ravens should advance deep into the postseason. Daniels is a year or two away from that situation. The Washington offense is pretty vanilla at this point, even with halfback Brian Robinson Jr., who missed Sunday’s game because of a knee injury. The Commanders have only one big-time weapon on offense in receiver Terry McLaurin, but Daniels has a big-time arm. It’s stronger than Jackson’s. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels might have a different style than Lamar Jackson, but they both make game-changing plays with their legs and arm. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) There is no need to talk about release points and throwing angles. The kid can throw. Daniels was on target when throwing out patterns requiring precise throws. There were times when he delivered passes just outside the outstretched fingers of linebackers Roquan Smith or Trenton Simpson. The 6-yard touchdown pass he threw with 12:12 left in the game and cornerback Brandon Stephens draped all over McLaurin was exceptional. It was like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Fabulous. “Washington is in good hands with [Jayden Daniels],” Smith said. “I think the guy is … He’s the truth, for sure. He can run it, he can throw it — whatever you want — and for him to come into a hostile environment and perform the way he did, I’ve got much respect for him. He took some licks, too, so the guy … I heard he was tough as nails, anyway, and even from watching him in college at a couple games, but he showed that. So much respect and love for that guy, and yes, Washington is in good hands.” There has been improvement in Jackson’s game this season, which will make the postseason interesting. In years past, teams would stack the line of scrimmage and dare Jackson to beat them with his arm. Cincinnati did it a week ago, and Jackson threw for 346 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-38 overtime win. The Commanders tried the same scheme again Sunday, and Jackson was equally as successful. That’s a major development for the Ravens heading into the postseason. Neither Washington nor Cincinnati have great defenses. In fact, the Commanders were ranked No. 23 in third-down defense before Sunday’s game at 43.6% and No. 29 in red-zone defense at 68.8%. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | For Ravens’ Mark Andrews, historic touchdown brings sweet release Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 30-23 win over Commanders | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Jim Harbaugh briefly leaves game with illness, prompting John Harbaugh to leave news conference Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and Commanders fans act more like family than bitter rivals Baltimore Ravens | Ravens outduel Commanders, 30-23, behind dominant offense to win 4th straight It’s not about quality right now, but improvement. “We didn’t know if they were going to play a lot of man [coverage] or not, but they did, and I understand why they did,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “With all the quarterback and the run game stuff, they felt like they had to. They know how to stop that stuff; they run those plays, and for Lamar to put those passes where he did, and for the guys to make those plays, was the difference in the game.” That’s what the NFL has become. It’s about having a playmaker at quarterback and having some semblance of balance. Quarterbacks come in all different shapes and sizes. Some can sling it like Brett Favre, and others can run it like Michael Vick. Daniels can do both. With Jackson, it’s his legs, and both Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Todd Monken need to remind him of that in the postseason. He has to play his game, play to his strength. That’s vital for both the Ravens and Commanders as they get into the postseason. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

Mark Andrews burst up the seam along the left hashmark, clipped past the linebacker and sprung into the air, hauling in his first touchdown catch of the season. The Ravens’ veteran tight end touched his feet down, then let out a barbaric yell. He viciously flung the ball into the turf and thumped his helmet toward the first teammate he could find. “Pretty classic Mandrews,” fellow tight end Charlie Kolar said. “You know, just kind of yelling. He’s a dawg so great to see him take it in the end zone.” It was one heck of an emotional release for Andrews, who tied Todd Heap for the franchise record with 41 receiving touchdowns in his career. He was a bit more even-keeled recounting the moment after the Ravens’ 30-23 win over the Washington Commanders. “It felt great to get in the end zone and help impact in that way,” Andrews said. “It was a great feeling. Usually, it doesn’t take me six games to get in there, but yeah, that was a fun one.” In 2021, it took Andrews five weeks to notch his first touchdown. He exploded for 11 catches and two scores against the Indianapolis Colts that October night. This scoreless drought — which extended to Week 8 last year — ended with three catches for a season-high 66 yards and the go-ahead touchdown right before halftime. For much of quarterback Lamar Jackson’s career, Andrews was his favorite target. In 2019, 2021 and 2022, he led the Ravens in receiving yards. When he went down with an ankle injury in Week 11 last year, rookie Zay Flowers took the lead spot and Isaiah Likely, a sophomore tight end, broke out as a reliable target. Both rolled into this year as offensive mainstays. Andrews stood in front of his locker Sunday with his hands wrapped behind his back and acknowledged that this year has been about growth in patience. Each season, he said, comes with a different challenge. This one has been coming to grips with his targets dipping and blocking role growing. Although less flashy, he’s shined through the change. Pro Football Focus graded Andrews as the best run blocking tight end in football, but he’s outside the NFL’s top-20 tight ends for targets. “I knew things were going to come my way eventually and [I’d] make big-time plays when they come,” Andrews said. “It’s just a matter of trusting my teammates, and I trust them more than anybody.” His teammates had been bubbling over with anticipation. Likely razzed him for getting tackled at the 2-yard line last week. “I told him this week, you gotta get in the end zone,” Likely said. And Jackson shyly shouldered some burden postgame. With his chin tucked into his hands, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player said he wanted to find Andrews in the end zone last week but gave him an errant throw. “I was ticked off at myself,” Jackson said. “He was mad at me too, but he didn’t say nothing about it. He was like, ‘We good.’ He told me, he was like, ‘I was mad at you at first.’ I’m like, ‘I was mad at my damn self — you can’t be madder than me.’” Jackson threw another ball to Andrews on Sunday he’d like to have back. Baltimore’s opening drive lasted four plays, highlighted by a 44-yard pickup by Flowers — part of his career day with 132 yards on nine catches — and lowlighted with a throw beyond Andrews’ outstretched hands that tipped right to Commanders rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil for the interception. “Obviously, starting like that isn’t good,” Andrews said. “That’s not the way you want to start with the first pass thrown to you. But we have guys here who continue to work, work, work, so we don’t get caught up in the little things, especially early on in the game.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 30-23 win over Commanders | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Jim Harbaugh briefly leaves game with illness, prompting John Harbaugh to leave news conference Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and Commanders fans act more like family than bitter rivals Baltimore Ravens | Ravens outduel Commanders, 30-23, behind dominant offense to win 4th straight Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 30-23 win over Washington Commanders The interception wound up being the offense’s lone gaffe in an otherwise strong outing. This is a new, more malleable Ravens offense. As of Sunday night, Baltimore leads the league in yards per game with 453.7. The San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers — each of which have also played six games — are the next two with 420 and 400, respectively. As coach John Harbaugh has preached all season, the AFC North-leading Ravens want to show something different each week. Rely on Jackson one day. Let Henry carry them another. Sunday was Andrews’ day, but it was also Flowers’ day and Rashod Bateman’s day, as all three posted season highs in receiving yards. “We’re in a different style offense right now,” said Bateman, who caught four passes for 71 yards. “Very different than we had last year. Different guys to get the ball to. We headed in the right direction. … It shows that we put in a lot of work. It shows that we’re capable. It shows we can put the team on our back and win games if we need to.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Here’s how the Ravens (4-2) graded out at every position after beating the Washington Commanders, 30-23, in Week 6 on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. Quarterback Lamar Jackson did pretty much whatever he wanted in this game. The Commanders (4-2) had trouble stopping the run, and Jackson picked them apart going across the middle with the intermediate passing game. Jackson completed 20-of-26 passes for 323 yards and a touchdown. He did throw an interception which was a catchable pass to tight end Mark Andrews in the first quarter. The only problem for Jackson was being indecisive on when to run the ball off the edge. He finished with a rating of 114.7. Grade: A- Running backs The Ravens are relentless in using Derrick Henry. He doesn’t always pile up a lot of yards early in games, but he can still close out an opponent like he did the Commanders on Sunday. Henry had 132 yards on 24 attempts, including 47 yards on six attempts in the fourth period. The toss sweep has become a major staple of the Ravens in grinding down opponents in the final period. Patrick Ricard is the best blocking fullback in the NFL, and when he gets a running start, it’s almost unfair for the opposition. Grade: B+ Offensive line Except for occasional pressure, the Ravens handled Washington’s defensive line. The Commanders got very little pressure, and the Ravens are most effective when they can mix the run and the play action passing game. The team apparently has found the right chemistry with tackles Ronnie Stanley, rookie Roger Rosengarten, guards Patrick Mekari, Daniel Faalele and center Tyler Linderbaum. Faalele and Rosengarten still have to improve in pass protection, but it’s not as glaring when facing a weak defensive team like Washington. Grade: A- Receivers Besides Jackson, slot receiver Zay Flowers might be the team’s Most Valuable Player on offense. Flowers, in his second season, was targeted nine times Sunday and had nine catches for 132 yards, including a long of 44 yards. The Ravens use him inside, outside and even as a running back. Because he is only 5-feet-9, Flowers can catch the ball, plant his foot and reverse field quickly. In the future, the Ravens might want to use him more on the outside because of his speed and quick strike ability. Tight end Mark Andrews had three catches for 66 yards and a touchdown, while receiver Rashod Bateman caught four passes for 71 and drew several pass interference penalties. The Commanders could not hang with this group. Grade: A- Defensive line The Commanders had a few plays where they gained decent yards on the ground, but the Ravens dominated the line play. Washington finished with 52 yards rushing on 18 carries, as the ground game never got in sync. Without a running game, the Ravens group of tackles Nnamidi Madubuike, Michael Pierce and Travis Jones kept consistent pressure on Jayden Daniels. The rookie had some outstanding throws, but the harassment made it hard for him to connect. Madubuike had two tackles, including a half a sack. Pierce also had four tackles and a half a sack. Jones might have been the most dominant player up front with four tackles and a sack. Grade: A Linebackers Middle linebacker Roquan Smith seemed to start slow, but got better and dominated from the middle of the first quarter onward. Smith finished with seven tackles, two behind cornerback Marlon Humphrey for the team lead. The Ravens got pressure on Daniels from starting outside linebacker Odafe Oweh as well as backup Tavius Robinson, who had two hits on Daniels. That’s a major plus for a team looking for pressure off the edge. The Ravens also seemed to clear up some of their problems with their linebackers getting deep drops and cutting off slants inside the red zone, an area in which the Bengals had success a week ago. Second-year inside linebacker Trent Simpson had four tackles. Grade: B Secondary It was hard to get a read on the Ravens’ defensive backs. For the most part, they came up and tackled well. In fact, it was one of their better games but Washington’s offense was very vanilla. Besides Humphrey who had nine tackles, safety Kyle Hamilton and cornerback Nate Wiggins finished with four. The Commanders had to help out their offensive line, which is why sometimes they only had two or three receivers in the routes. Overall, the Ravens were decent, and they got victimized by some great throws by Daniels into tight windows. It was an improvement from a week ago vs. Cincinnati, but this group still has a lot of work to make significant improvement. Grade: C+ Special teams Washington kicker Austin Seibert either didn’t have the leg strength or he was willing to challenge the Ravens return units on kickoffs. The Ravens had returns of 34 and 26 yards. Ben Cleveland, a 6-foot-6-inch offensive lineman, actually blocked a 52-yard field goal attempt at the end of the second quarter. Kicker Justin Tucker converted on field goals of 45, 39 and 32 yards. Punter Jordan Stout only punted one time for 50 yards, which is an indication of the Ravens’ offensive success. Grade: B+ Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Jim Harbaugh briefly leaves game with illness, prompting John Harbaugh to leave news conference Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and Commanders fans act more like family than bitter rivals Baltimore Ravens | Ravens outduel Commanders, 30-23, behind dominant offense to win 4th straight Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 30-23 win over Washington Commanders Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Commanders, October 13, 2024 | PHOTOS Coaching Offensively, coordinator Todd Monken picked Washington apart, and that was to be expected. The Commanders were ranked No. 23 in third-down efficiency at 43.6 percent and No. 29 in red-zone defense at 68.8 percent, and they played like it. The Ravens ran the ball and threw over the middle at will. Defensively, there are still questions about the secondary despite the team bringing in former coordinator Dean Pees as an advisor early last week. But at least it’s an attempt to get better, especially for a team that has aspirations to go deep into the postseason. Grade: B Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh was evaluated in the medical tent before kickoff Sunday at Denver and then briefly headed to the locker room because of an illness. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter took over until Harbaugh returned midway through the first quarter with the Chargers ahead 3-0. More than 1,600 miles away in Baltimore, Ravens coach John Harbaugh was informed of the situation and was pulled away from his postgame news conference following his team’s 30-23 win over the Washington Commanders at M&T Bank Stadium. “Sorry, guys. Just to let you know, Jim Harbaugh just went into the medical tent at his game,” Ravens senior vice president of communications Chad Steele announced next to the podium after John Harbaugh finished answering a third question. “We want [John] to be able to make a call and find out what’s going on. I apologize about that.” Although his younger brother returned to the sideline in Denver, John Harbaugh did not return to the podium. Jim Harbaugh, 60, is coaching his sixth game with the Chargers after being hired this offseason following a successful stint as the coach at his alma mater, Michigan. Last season, the Wolverines went undefeated and won the College Football Playoff national championship. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 30-23 win over Commanders | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and Commanders fans act more like family than bitter rivals Baltimore Ravens | Ravens outduel Commanders, 30-23, behind dominant offense to win 4th straight Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 30-23 win over Washington Commanders Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Commanders, October 13, 2024 | PHOTOS The Harbaugh brothers are set to meet later this season when the Ravens face the Chargers on Nov. 25 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. That “Monday Night Football” game will be the third meeting between the two, who became the first pair of brothers to face off as opposing coaches in an NFL game in 2011 when John’s Ravens beat Jim’s San Francisco 49ers, 16-6, on Thanksgiving night at M&T Bank Stadium. With a fourth straight win Sunday after an 0-2 start, the Ravens are seeking their first trip back to the Super Bowl since the brothers coached against each other in Super Bowl 47 in February 2013. The Associated Press contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

Traversing the parking lot outside M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday morning, Ravens and Commanders fans looked more like old pals than budding rivals. They toasted drinks and shared tailgate food in the lead-up to the biggest NFL game of the weekend. Inside, there were no shortage of couples and friends or families split by jersey affiliation — one wearing Lamar Jackson’s No. 8 and the other in Jayden Daniels’ No. 5. It didn’t feel like two teams in close proximity playing at a high level eager to go at each other’s throats. The 30-23 victory by the Ravens felt more like a family cookout for the 71,316 fans at Sunday’s game in Baltimore. “The dynamic, to me,” said Roxanne Smith, a 59-year-old lifelong Ravens fan, “is like, we’re home and our cousins and our family just came 35 miles to hang with us. … I feel like it’s cohesive and everybody loves each other.” It’s impossible to paint this game as a rivalry. Players, coaches and fans agree on that one, considering the teams play in different conferences and have met only eight times in the past 28 years. A quadrennial matchup, the last of which happened in an empty Northwest Stadium in Landover during the pandemic, makes it difficult to connect. But the energy seems to have shifted. After a sluggish 0-2 start, the Ravens are humming to the tune of a four-game win streak. Jackson is playing at “third MVP level,” according to running back Derrick Henry. And Daniels, Washington’s rookie sensation under center, is reinvigorating District fans as the best team in the NFC East. Thus, these fanbases — dividing family and friends — can bask in the thrill of what feels to them like the height of family competition. Like Smith told her 34-year-old daughter, Ratasha Lindsey, “you have the Commanders with your new rookie quarterback. But we have Lamar Jackson, the corkscrew. … We’ll host you but we’re still Ravens nation.” Sunday’s game was a shared birthday gift for cousins Dwymond Clark, 62, and Bobby Hayes, 28. The Baltimore natives live in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, but drove up just for this matchup. Clark wore his throwback Gary Clark jersey — Washington’s All-Pro receiver of the 1980s and ’90s. And Hayes repped Ed Reed, the Ravens’ Hall of Fame safety and Super Bowl champion. “I get talked junk to all the time by my friends at home,” said Clark, a lifelong Washington fan. “My sister is a Pittsburgh [Steelers] fan. My cousin is a Denver [Broncos] fan. My baby brother is a [Dallas] Cowboys fan. My little cousin here is a Baltimore fan. And everyone’s talking junk to me! I’m the oldest!” Sunday’s game was entertaining, and fans of both teams seemed pleased with the performance of their favorite franchise. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) The tantalizing play of Daniels and the upstart Commanders means Clark can start chirping back. Well, he was before but now he has more ground to stand on. Kevin St-Pierre and Frederic Bilodeau were another example of pals wearing Jackson and Daniels jerseys. They’re from Montreal, both in their late 20s, and drove nine hours Saturday specifically for this game — Bilodeau’s first NFL game and St-Pierre’s first time seeing his Commanders in person. The former was drawn to Baltimore by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis, then stamped his fandom for life when Jackson was drafted in 2018. The latter’s allegiance began with the last dual-threat Washington quarterback that billowed hope: Robert Griffin III, whose career spiraled because of injuries. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 30-23 win over Commanders | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Jim Harbaugh briefly leaves game with illness, prompting John Harbaugh to leave news conference Baltimore Ravens | Ravens outduel Commanders, 30-23, behind dominant offense to win 4th straight Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 30-23 win over Washington Commanders Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Commanders, October 13, 2024 | PHOTOS “Jayden Daniels has been nothing short of amazing,” St-Pierre said. He has endured the ride of mediocrity, with one nine-win season in the last decade. Now, it feels more like his football fandom is going through imposter syndrome. “Everybody’s talking about us, it actually feels good,” he said. “It’s just just nice to be recognized again. We got out of the [owner] Dan Snyder era and all the toxicity that came with it. It feels like a breath of fresh air.” As outsiders to the Battle of the Beltway, they were floored by how split the crowd looked. A sea of purple with a noticeable burgundy invasion. Cheers on every play, one way or the other. St-Pierre acknowledged that he has been a bit of a Jackson hater the past few years. Perhaps more a result of his own team’s struggles. Bilodeau chimed in, “but since he has a QB like Lamar Jackson, his team has been really good!” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. Frederic Bilodeau, left, and Kevin St-Pierre drove nine hours from Montreal to see their favorite football teams play in Baltimore. (Sam Cohn/Staff) View the full article

The Commanders arrived for the Battle of the Beltway on Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium as the highest-scoring team in the league. They left it with a defense that couldn’t get off the field. For a Baltimore team with difficulty holding onto leads and a struggling secondary, it figured out the best defense was an offense that simply kept the ball out of Washington star quarterback Jayden Daniels’ hands. The Ravens put together scoring drives of 93 and 94 yards, quarterback Lamar Jackson completed 20 of 26 passes for 323 yards and wide receiver Zay Flowers had a career-high 132 yards on nine catches to spark a 30-23 victory. Baltimore ran for more than 150 yards for the sixth consecutive game, an NFL record. Derrick Henry led the rushing attack with 132 yards and a pair of touchdown runs, helping Baltimore keep the ball for 36 of the game’s 60 minutes. The victory is the fourth in a row for the Ravens (4-2), while the Commanders (4-2) had their four-game winning streak end. It also improved Jackson’s career record against NFC opponents to 22-1. Early on, though, it looked like this one might be a struggle. On the Ravens’ fourth play of the game and two plays after Flowers went for 44 yards on a short pass, Jackson threw too far out in front of tight end Mark Andrews. The ball deflected off his fingertips and into the waiting arms of rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil, who returned the interception 38 yards to the Ravens’ 49. Baltimore’s defense stiffened, though, and on third-and-7 from the Ravens’ 13, the coverage tightened and Travis Jones eventually burst in for a sack. Washington had to settle for a 42-yard field goal for the game’s first points. The lead didn’t last. After Justin Tucker tied the score with a 45-yard kick of his own, the Ravens’ offense hit its stride. Starting with the ball on their own 7, Jackson connected with Rashod Bateman on a comeback for 13 yards to convert a third-and-5. Then he hit a wide-open Bateman in the middle of the Commanders’ zone for 22 yards, with Henry following with a 16-yard run up the middle. Flowers then hauled in a pass for 23 yards before Jackson ran around the right side for 14 yards to the Commanders’ 14. Flowers followed that by drawing a pass interference flag on Washington cornerback Benjamin St-Juste in the end zone, which set up an easy 3-yard run by Henry around the right side to give the Ravens a 10-3 lead with 7:59 remaining in the half. Washington responded with Daniels connecting on 7 of 8 passes for 75 yards, including a 7-yarder in the back of the end zone on a perfect leading throw to wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who beat safety Marcus Williams across the back of the end zone and leaped to haul in the pass before getting both feet down to tie the game at 10 with 4:21 remaining in the first half. But the Ravens’ offense kept rolling, with Jackson hitting Andrews for his first touchdown of the season wide-open in the back of the end zone to cap a 10-play, 78-yard drive. Washington attempted a 52-yard field goal with five seconds left in the second quarter, but Ravens offensive lineman Ben Cleveland got a piece of the ball and the kick missed. It was more of the same in the third quarter. After a 32-yard field goal by Tucker on the Ravens’ first possession of the second half, they were pinned at their own 6 following a Commanders punt, but it didn’t matter. Two straight runs by Henry got the Ravens out of trouble, followed by a play-action pass to Andrews across the field. Bateman drew a pass interference penalty after being dragged down on third-and-5 from Baltimore’s 39 before Jackson hit a wide-open Andrews for 38 yards. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Commanders, October 13, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Colts QB Joe Flacco to make second straight start for injured Anthony Richardson Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Commanders live updates: Baltimore leads 30-23 in fourth quarter Baltimore Ravens | Ravens activate RB Rasheen Ali; Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr. ruled out Baltimore Ravens | Ravens rule out 2 key reserves, list 2 starters as questionable vs. Commanders Faced with a third-and-5 from Washington’s 30, Jackson hit Flowers on a crossing route, then ended the drive by going to his old reliable, finding an open Andrews in the back of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown pass to complete the 94-yard march. That catch tied Andrews with Todd Heap for the franchise record for receiving touchdowns at 41 and gave the Ravens a 27-13 lead. Washington answered again with Daniels hitting McLaurin for a 6-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal — keeping Washington a perfect 9-for-9 on fourth-down attempts this season — and both teams traded a pair of field goals to round out the scoring. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 30-23 win over the Washington Commanders in Sunday’s Week 6 game at M&T Bank Stadium. Brian Wacker, reporter: The Ravens’ offense proved to be the best defense against the NFL’s top offense. Baltimore put together scoring drives of 93 and 94 yards and mostly kept Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels in check. The Commanders kept chipping away at Baltimore’s lead, but the Ravens never felt in danger of losing this one. Zay Flowers had a monster game and Washington’s shaky defense could do little to stop or even slow him or Lamar Jackson, who was in command most of the day. Daniels played well, but the bigger issue was that the Ravens controlled the ball and therefore the game, moving down the field seemingly at will. Baltimore’s defense still yielded plenty of yards, but it stiffened when it had to and, by not blitzing much, forced Daniels to try to find windows that were often not there. Childs Walker, reporter: The Ravens separated from the Commanders with a 94-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter that put them up 27-13. To that point, they had outplayed their upstart southern neighbors but had allowed Washington to hang around. A shaky Commanders defense simply could not stop a Baltimore offense that’s looking like the NFL’s best. The Ravens moved the ball easily to start the game but scored just three points on their first two drives because of a red-zone interception (Lamar Jackson’s inaccurate throw tipped off Mark Andrews’ hands) and a botched snap by center Tyler Linderbaum. It wasn’t the start they needed against a frisky opponent, but they kept driving — the Commanders could not cover Zay Flowers — and eventually, the touchdowns flowed. After they were torched in Cincinnati, the Ravens covered better in the first half. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels made a couple of superb throws into tight windows on a touchdown drive in the second quarter, but Washington’s high-octane offense remained grounded for the most part. That was less the case in the second half, when Daniels probed the soft middle of the Baltimore defense. The Ravens didn’t send many extra rushers, choosing to make him win playing target practice. Daniels was very good. He just couldn’t match Jackson and Co. drive for drive. Mike Preston, columnist: This game and the outcome had all the drama of watching a rerun of “Gilligan’s Island.” Unless the Ravens turned the ball over or allowed big plays, they were going to win. Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has an excellent future and it’s easy to see why Commanders fans are excited. But at this point, he doesn’t have a lot of offensive weapons and the Washington defense can’t get off the field on third down. In the NFL, it’s all about keeping drives alive and getting off the field, especially in passing situations. The Ravens basically did whatever they wanted offensively, as this became a 7-on-7 practice session. Seldom has a team had so many receivers open. Except for a few occasions, quarterback Lamar Jackson had multiple options because there wasn’t much pressure. The Ravens still have some defensive lapses, and it was hard to get a good read on the group Sunday. But this game was an easy read: The Ravens are a team that has legitimate Super Bowl hopes, and the Commanders are dreamers at this point. Sam Cohn, reporter: xxx Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Commanders, October 13, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Colts QB Joe Flacco to make second straight start for injured Anthony Richardson Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Commanders live updates: Baltimore leads 30-23 in fourth quarter Baltimore Ravens | Ravens activate RB Rasheen Ali; Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr. ruled out Baltimore Ravens | Ravens rule out 2 key reserves, list 2 starters as questionable vs. Commanders C.J. Doon, editor: Admit it. When Washington cut its deficit to 27-20 in the fourth quarter after a terrific touchdown catch by Terry McLaurin on fourth-and-goal, you started to worry. We’ve seen this movie before. But the Commanders were missing defensive linemen Dorance Armstrong and Jonathan Allen, and the Ravens appropriately marched the ball right down the field to effectively seal the win with a nine-play, 57-yard drive that took 5:54 off the clock. They settled for a field goal after a sack stalled the drive, but it was nonetheless encouraging for an offense that can sometimes get in its own way late in the game with some questionable play-calling and self-inflicted mistakes. Those ugly fourth-quarter collapses in recent years have usually featured a turnover or a three-and-out at the worst possible moment. Not today. Not with Derrick Henry wearing down the Commanders’ defense with bruising run after bruising run. This Ravens offense is truly something to behold when it’s firing on all cylinders. Henry and Lamar Jackson are on a historic pace as a rushing tandem, and this performance showed what Baltimore’s passing attack can look like when Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews are prominently involved. It was always premature to worry about the Ravens’ 0-2 start. They’ve won four in a row, the AFC North looks extremely winnable and a home playoff game seems likely. The ceiling might even be higher than last year’s team because of what Henry offers in the backfield, something Baltimore painfully lacked against Kansas City in January. Now, let’s see if the defense can improve. Bennett Conlin, editor: This game gave me contender vs. pretender vibes. Washington is entertaining — and a playoff-caliber team — with rookie Jayden Daniels at quarterback, and the Commanders have a shot to win the NFC East. They’re in a great position to make a playoff game through the early portion of the season, and fans should be excited about the franchise trending in the right direction. But the Ravens are a Super Bowl contender. The Commanders aren’t there yet. Washington hung tough for much of the game, but the Commanders had no answer for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ offense. At no point during the game did I ever think the Ravens would lose. Baltimore held the ball for well over 30 minutes, outgained Washington by a significant margin and committed fewer penalties. With four consecutive wins under their belt, the Ravens have reestablished themselves as the top contender to Kansas City in the AFC. The duo of Jackson and Derrick Henry once again looked dynamic in the running game, and Jackson rekindled his passing connection with tight end Mark Andrews, who found the end zone for the first time this season. Washington looks like a solid team, just like Dallas, Buffalo and Cincinnati the previous few weeks. That hasn’t stopped the Ravens from stacking wins. View the full article