Baltimore Beatdown
Coming into Week 8, the Ravens knew they had to make some changes. At 1-5, their playoff chances were slipping away, and Lamar Jackson still wasn’t back under center. So, the team went to work over the bye, making several key adjustments that showed up in Sunday’s victory over the Bears. Here’s how Baltimore saved their season:
Tyler Huntley replaced Cooper Rush at quarterback, who replaced Lamar Jackson after his injury against the Chiefs, and subsequently started in the losses against the Texans and Rams. Huntley and the Ravens’ offense never turned the ball over and got both Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers involved. The offense showcased a rhythm it never did with Rush in the previous three games.
Keaton Mitchell got involved offensively — music to Ravens’ fans’ ears — as they have been (rightfully) pleading for him to be utilized.
“Over the bye, we said we gotta tag plays for Keaton [Mitchell],” said John Harbaugh.
Mitchell rushed for 43 yards on just four carries across seven offensive snaps and contributed a 39-yard kick return in the fourth quarter. Most notably, Mitchell got the call on the Ravens’ final scoring drive, helping move the chains and drain the clock, pushing the offense into the red zone.
Patrick Ricard’s season debut helped both the rushing and passing games get going. Despite playing just 14 snaps, it came as no surprise that two of the Ravens’ three touchdowns came with Ricard in the game.
Roquan Smith returned from a two-game absence and brought with him his leadership and usual presence, leading the team in tackles.
Chidobe Awuzie also returned from a two-game absence, albeit with a much smaller role than he had before his injury. Awuzie was on the field for just 20 of 63 snaps, a rate of 31.8%. Across the first four games, Awuzie played 83.9% of the defensive snaps.
The acquisition of safety Alohi Gilman from the Los Angeles Chargers signaled a change on the back end of the Ravens’ defense. In the two games since his arrival, Kyle Hamilton has been playing closer to the line of scrimmage, with Gilman and rookie Malaki Starks playing deeper. The benefits of Hamilton being moved around were on full display in Sunday’s win.
According to Next Gen Stats, Hamilton aligned in the box on 61.3% of his defensive snaps against the Bears, his highest rate in a game since Week 8, 2022, against the Buccaneers (78.8%). Hamilton rushed Williams 10 times, recorded a pressure and got a QB hit.
Gilman’s acquisition and swift climb toward the top of the Ravens’ defensive snap leaders is the result of a shift to a ‘big nickel’ scheme. Hamilton never left the field, and Gilman and Starks combined to miss just five snaps. The shift resulted in Awuzie’s role being decreased, as defensive coordinator Zach Orr opted to field three safeties instead of three cornerbacks on most downs.
On the other side of the ball, the Tyler Huntley-led offense featured...
