ExtremeRavens Posted December 5 Posted December 5 It was an unseasonably warm evening for Nov. 7 in Baltimore, where the temperature at M&T Bank Stadium lingered around a comfortable 65 degrees for the Ravens’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals. By the end of the night, it would in some ways be much hotter. Baltimore won a thriller, 35-34, but Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow torched the Ravens’ ragged secondary for 428 yards and four touchdowns. Cincinnati wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase gallivanted unbothered for 264 of them and three scores on 11 catches. Afterward, Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who turned the game around with a strip of running back Chase Brown that linebacker Roquan Smith recovered, said the team was going to enjoy the victory, but when he was asked about Chase’s performance a pique washed over his expression, eliciting an unusually long response (436 words). “I just don’t think [with us] playing like this we can go far,” he said in part. “The way we’re playing … Something has got to change.” In a film session amongst players the following week, it did. “The message kind of became a little bit clear; ‘If you want to play ball, then we’ll get you out there, but if you don’t, you’re going to have to sit on the sidelines,’” Humphrey said earlier this week. “I think guys responded really well to what was being preached amongst the coaches, amongst the players, and we’re holding guys more accountable now. “The brand [of defense] we were playing, it’s disrespectful to be in this Ravens uniform and play like that, and I feel like we’ve turned that corner. It’s not perfect. I still think there are more corners to turn. But the mindset has really changed, the mindset has really, really changed, and that’s kind of where it starts.” Since that victory over the Bengals, the Ravens are just 1-2, with close losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles and a convincing win over the Los Angeles Chargers. But the defense — finally — has not been the culprit, and if anything has stood out while the offense has sputtered. That’s encouraging, especially considering how bad things were the first two-plus months of the season. Over its first 10 games, Baltimore allowed an average of 25.3 points and 367.9 yards per game, a steep and shocking increase from just a season ago, when then the Ravens led the NFL in points (16.5) and were sixth in yards (301.4) allowed per game. But over their past three games, they’ve perhaps turned the corner with those numbers (21.7 points, 280 yards allowed per game) falling sharply for first-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr. A big part of that turnaround is the cutting down of explosive plays the defense routinely gave up earlier in the year. In the Ravens’ first eight games, they allowed 39 completions of 20-plus yards. Over their past five games, they’ve given up just 11, including none last week against the Eagles. “I think it’s a little bit more of continuity with the guys that we’re playing with,” pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt said Tuesday. Part of that continuity came via addition by subtraction — notably benching struggling safety Marcus Williams three games ago and replacing him with Ar’Darius Washington as well as parting ways with veteran safety Eddie Jackson. With Washington now starting alongside do-everything All-Pro Kyle Hamilton, the difference has been noticeable. “They’ve just been playing a little bit better,” Orr said. “It’s no indictment to Marcus; it’s just a production business, and those guys been more productive.” Which is sort of an indictment of Williams, who coming into the season was thought to be one half of perhaps the best safety duo in the league. That, of course, has not been the case with respect to the former New Orleans Saints star. But those were hardly the only changes. Increased playing time for safety Ar’Darius Washington has improved the Ravens’ defense. (Amy Davis/Staff) In addition to starting Washington — undersized at 5 feet 8, 180 pounds but someone who coaches note has been aggressive to the ball with good range and communication — Baltimore has deployed Hamilton deeper on the field more often, thus helping shut down big plays on the back end. Elsewhere, Humphrey has been invaluable out wide and in the slot, has performed well against the pass and the run and has a career-high five interceptions. Others, like speedy rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins and recently acquired veteran corner Tre’Davious White, have also contributed to a defense that is utilizing fewer three-safety looks than in the past and has simplified some of its packages and calls. The middle of the field has been tightened up, too, with a significant increase in snaps for inside linebackers Chris Board (who actually out-snapped starter Trenton Simpson last week) and Malik Harrison alongside All-Pro Roquan Smith. “All the different guys next to ‘Ro’ offer different abilities and different strengths,” Orr said. “We just need production out of that position overall — [at] linebacker — and specifically, the WILL and DIME position, and I think the best way for us to get that production is to rotate those guys in there.” It has paid off. Two weeks ago, Harrison had his best game in his five years with the Ravens, racking up 12 tackles, including one for loss, against the Chargers. Against the Steelers, Smith led the way with 13 tackles and had his best performance against the pass this year. And last week against the Eagles, Board had a season-high seven tackles, which was three more than Simpson. Unsurprisingly, all three teams did not move the ball with the same ease as the Bengals and many of the Ravens’ other opponents earlier in the year. After Cincinnati shredded Baltimore last month, the Steelers managed just 303 total yards, the Chargers 285 and the Eagles 252. All three averaged 4.8 yards per play or less, compared with the 5.9 or more that six of the Ravens’ first 10 opponents managed. Since that win over the Bengals and the meeting that followed, the Ravens’ defense has given up just four touchdowns in the span of three games, which is about as sound as it gets when it comes to trying to win games and ultimately reach the Super Bowl. As Humphrey said, it’s not perfect but much has changed. “The meeting definitely had an impact, just because we had to do some deep soul searching, and it was a long meeting,” Orr said. “I think it was good — from a player and coach standpoint — that we expressed what we wanted to get done, they expressed how they felt, and we were able to come together and figure out solutions, because that’s all we’re about. “Obviously we tweaked some stuff with personnel, with scheme and communication, but I still think there’s a whole other level we can get to.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article Quote
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