ExtremeRavens Posted October 18 Posted October 18 On Thursday, safety Kyle Hamilton — the unequivocal leader of Baltimore’s secondary — stood beside his locker and listed the gantlet of quarterbacks the Ravens have played thus far: Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels. Perennial playoff contenders and an eye-popping rookie, all one after the other. “Going against all these different kinds of quarterbacks is who we’re gonna see in the playoffs,” Hamilton said, “so I think it’s good to have that experience to know how different people play.” The Ravens’ secondary has been their defense’s weakest spot. By average passing yards allowed, they’re in the cellar of the league — No. 32 in total yards allowed (1,789), passing plays of 20-plus yards (28) and passes for first downs (88). Hamilton even suggested last week, at times, it felt as if their progress plateaued. At the same time, the defensive group finding its footing has been at the mercy of NFL schedule makers. Baltimore entered this season with the league’s second-toughest schedule, determined by the winning percentage of each teams’ 2023 opponents. Remarkable quarterback play has been at the forefront of each matchup, worthy of its own highlight reel. There was Daniels, on Sunday, having floated a touchdown pass through a barely ajar window to veteran receiver Terry McLaurin. Before him, Burrow spiraled a few into pockets only his two illustrious receivers could grab them. Allen arrived in Baltimore as the early front-runner for NFL Most Valuable Player. Last month, All-Pro Davante Adams submitted himself for toe-drag of the year with an improbable catch from Gardner Minshew during the Raiders’ fourth-quarter comeback. Mahomes picked apart Baltimore’s secondary, too, with heavy reliance on Rashee Rice. And Prescott had five receivers tally over 40 yards. This exhausting stretch of the Ravens facing top-tier quarterbacks complemented by exceptional pass catchers is almost over, with the middling Denver Broncos and dumpster fire Cleveland Browns on the horizon. But first, they have Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on “Monday Night Football” at Raymond James Stadium. Mayfield holds the league lead in passing touchdowns with 15, including seven in just the past two games. He’s also fourth in completion rate (70.9%) with a dynamic receiver tandem of Chris Godwin and Mike Evans at his disposal. Henceforth, the Ravens have the 20th-easiest schedule over the next 12 weeks, according to Pro Football Network. They’ll face only one other team currently in ESPN’s top-10 power rankings when they go to Houston in Week 17. The rest of the schedule isn’t necessarily easy, with another meeting against Cincinnati, two games against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers and one road trip versus the much-improved Los Angeles Chargers. But the gantlet is behind them. Hamilton thinks the front-loaded schedule has been beneficial. In his mind, the secondary has grown since Week 1. Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton says the secondary is improving, even if the stats suggest the unit is a major weakness. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) “I would say we’re a little more cohesive,” Hamilton said. “A couple of new guys in the group, like Nate [Wiggins] and Eddie [Jackson]. [It’s] nothing negative against them; it just takes a little time to jell with those guys, playing in a game, and I feel like we’re at a good spot right now.” Wiggins played sparingly against the Chiefs, then was inactive against the Raiders because of a concussion. The rookie has since started three of the past four games. Coach John Harbaugh said earlier this week that he’s noticed opposing teams targeting Wiggins “because he’s young, like they would anybody, but he’s held his own really well. I think he’s only going to continue to improve.” Jackson signed with the Ravens on a one-year deal in July. The 30-year-old two-time Pro Bowl selection has made two starts and has seen his snap count seesaw. Pro Football Focus graded both he and Wiggins in the low 50s. Marcus Williams, meanwhile, has struggled in the third season of his five-year $70 million deal, ranking 78th of 83 safeties in PFF grade. Is there any relief in soon escaping to a less dazzling part of the schedule? “No,” defensive coordinator Zach Orr said ahead of beating Washington. “There is no relief. It feels like, every week, we get up here, and we’re playing one of the top offenses, one of the top quarterbacks. But we’re a confident group, still; that’s what I’m saying inspires me. We know what we’ve done in really good ways, and we know what we’ve done that hasn’t lived up to the standard. “We know if you cut on the film, I highly doubt that you’ll see that we don’t have good players, we don’t have good schemes, [and] we don’t have good coaches. We’ve just got to be consistent, and that’s what we’re chasing.” Monday won’t be any easier on the Ravens’ secondary. But perhaps some relief might be ahead. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article Quote
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