Baltimore Beatdown
The Cincinnati Bengals have ruled out rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart for their Week 15 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
Stewart, 22, was originally listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game, though he practiced in full all week. He will not be activated from injured reserve, where he has been on injured reserve for the last month due to a mid-November knee injury.
The Bengals already placed All-Pro Trey Hendrickson on injured reserve on Thursday, so they will be without their top two edge rushers on Sunday. Both missed Cincinnati’s trip to Baltimore on Thanksgiving, though that did not seem to limit their defense. The Bengals pressured Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson at a 39.5% clip, per NextGenStats, their second-best mark of the season. Fifth-year defensive end Joseph Ossai recorded eight pressures, two sacks, and one forced fumble (via Pro Football Focus), and Cincinnati’s defense as a whole forced five turnovers and held the Ravens to a 30% success rate on third down.
As a result, Stewart may not be a major loss for the Bengals. The No. 17 pick has disappointed as a rookie with minimal impact after a protracted contract standoff. His pressure rate, according to both PFF and NGS, is below 8%, and he has yet to record a sack or tackle for loss this season. Stewart’s current injury is not his only one this season; he also dealt with a low ankle sprain in September.
The Ravens’ offensive line will have to handle Ossai and the rest of the Bengals’ pass rush this week in order to fully take advantage of Cincy’s bottom-ranked defense.
