ExtremeRavens Posted Friday at 10:30 AM Posted Friday at 10:30 AM Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr spent part of last Friday talking to his predecessor and Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald, the two former colleagues, separated by a handful of years and not much else given their overlapping tenures in Baltimore. They have remained close and talked family and football. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken, meanwhile, dove into “where we’re at now, what we’ve been doing personnel-wise and schematic-wise” and what they want to do moving forward. He said he doesn’t anticipate “too many” personnel changes this week and is glad to have fullback Patrick Ricard finally back after a long lingering calf injury as well as left tackle Ronnie Stanley healthy following a recent ankle injury. The bye week came at a useful time for players as much as coaches, who spent last week zeroing in on what to fix after a 1-5 start as well as preparing for this week’s opponent, the 4-2 Chicago Bears. “There [was] a lot of hard work, a lot of discernment, judgment, choices, things that you have to decide what direction you want to go, what’s best for us going forward, [so] that we can maximize and play our best football, really,” coach John Harbaugh said. “I’m really pleased with where we’re at. Now, we have to go put it into action.” That begins Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium. For a defense that ranks 32nd in points allowed per game (32.3), 30th in yards per game (380.8) and tied for last in sacks (eight), reinforcements are at least on the way. All-Pro inside linebacker Roquan Smith is expected to start Sunday for the first time since injuring his hamstring during a Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Baltimore also signed defensive end Carl Lawson to aid its beleaguered and short-staffed pass rush. Already, there was progress in other ways the last time the Ravens’ defense took the field, when it held the Los Angeles Rams and quarterback Matthew Stafford to 17 points and just 241 total yards in Week 6. It helped that Alohi Gilman made a smooth transition after the Ravens traded underperforming and free-agent-in-waiting outside linebacker Odafe Oweh for the safety. With Gilman deployed mostly on the back end, that allowed Baltimore to utilize safety and “unicorn” defender Kyle Hamilton closer to the line of scrimmage to get back to more three-safety looks. “That definitely helps,” Orr said of Gilman’s addition. “He’s an elite communicator, he’s seen a lot of football, and that helps us out. You always want to look at how you can get your best 11 on the field and where they fit at, and ‘Lo’ is one of our best 11 players.” As for where the pass rush will come from, Lawson should help, though he’ll need a quick ramp-up to play by Sunday. The Ravens can also use exotic schemes with simulated pressures and blitzes. However they do it, getting to the quarterback was the “main focus” of the bye week, Orr said. On the other side of the ball, the Rams game also offered a glimmer of what could come — especially if quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has missed the past two games and was limited with a hamstring injury for a second straight day of practice Thursday, is out again. Baltimore rushed for 179 yards against the Rams with 122 of those coming from Derrick Henry. It broke a string of four straight games in which the running back had been held to 50 or fewer yards. “In the moment, maybe we got some things going, but we lost,” Henry said. “So, that’s what I think about. We did some good things, but we still got a [loss].” His efforts this week, however, should be aided by the return of Ricard andStanley. “He’s a guy that doesn’t get dented,” Monken said of the bruising 300-pound Ricard. “He doesn’t overreact to what he sees as he is trying to fit up a run or on the line of scrimmage.” Ravens tight ends coach George Godsey talks to fullback Patrick Ricard during practice this week. Ricard's expected return should bolster the team's running game. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Of course, there would be no bigger return than Jackson’s. Baltimore’s offense has stagnated in his absence and since he was injured against the Chiefs last month. The Ravens have scored a combined 16 points in their past two games and struggled to move the ball consistently. Coaches have been mum about whether Jackson will be available Sunday, though. “It’s the player that really has to feel comfortable going out there and putting themselves in position to play,” Monken said. “He says he’s ready to go, I’m ready to go. I feel great. I don’t want to say — any great player that says they want to play, I’m all in. “It’s up to him, and I thought he looked really good today. I thought there were things he did out there today that he took another step forward.” Whether Jackson plays or not, though, there is one thing that is certain: The Ravens desperately need a win. Only one team — the 1970 Cincinnati Bengals — has started a season 1-6 and gone on to make the playoffs. But that was during the first year of the AFL-NFL merger when there were just 26 teams. A fifth straight loss Sunday wouldn’t end Baltimore’s season but it would be crippling and players and coaches are acutely aware of that. This week is a de facto playoff game. “I don’t think we have to be perfect, but I think we have to have a sense of urgency, and I think we all know what is at stake to get what we want to get done,” Henry said. “And I think we know what we don’t need to do to put ourselves in positions to not be able to win. “You’ve got to play every game like it is your last.” 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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