This was the win we all had hoped for and wanted. This was the aggressive offensive mentality and the play making defense that we know the Baltimore Ravens are capable. This was a much closer look at the true potential of the 2017 Baltimore Ravens.
Sure, we should add the caveat that this game was against a backup quarterback in EJ Manuel and we should temper the expectation a bit for future games when the Ravens face stronger teams. Had Derek Carr played, this game might be different. However, had Brandon Williams, Marshal Yanda, and Brent Urban been able to play, this game probably looks different. Hell, if Jimmy Smith plays the entire game, this is probably a different story. Even with the injury to Carr, the Oakland Raiders have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL on paper. In fact, the Raiders might have been the most popular pick for AFC representative for the Super Bowl. The fact that the 2017 Ravens, a team many had no hopes for, were able to pull through adversity after getting smacked around in their previous two games should count for something. This was an all around win that highlighted many positives that were not seen in weeks three or four and the offense showed an aggression and ability that were not even seen in weeks one or two. The Ravens came together as a team for the first time in 2017 and it looked oh so good.
Offensively, this is the Joe Flacco that we needed to see the past two weeks and will need to continue seeing throughout the season if the Ravens are going to continue to win. Despite not throwing a touchdown, Flacco did not throw an interception, either. He also showed a very aggressive mentality on the deep ball and showed excellent touch. Flacco attempted just four passes of over 20 yards, but he completed three of those for 133 yards to Mike Wallace, including an opening 52 yard pass down the left sideline to put the Ravens in position for their first touchdown. That is why the zero touchdown performance does not feel as bad as it may look on the surface. If you saw zero touchdowns, you would assume a quarterback played so-so, but Flacco played well. He moved the ball all game long and set up three scoring plays (touchdown and two field goals) with those deep ball connections. I do not care that Flacco did not throw a single touchdown because he completed 73% of his passes, had 8.5 yards per attempt, helped the offense to 50% on third down, and helped to lead five offensive scoring drives for the Ravens on just nine drives, even with two three and outs. Flacco was the driver of an offense that finally looked in tune and efficient.
The engine of that offense, though? The running game is the engine that makes this car go, without a doubt. Greg Roman needs a massive shout out because he has turned this running game around, even with numerous injuries across the offensive line. Whether it is Terrence West, Alex Collins, or Buck Allen, the Ravens just flat out have success running the ball. A committee approach is becoming an increasing trend in the NFL as workhorse backs are becoming less and less common, and who can blame them when the Ravens are able to get 4.1 YPC and gain nearly 150 yards? The Ravens also scored their only two offensive touchdowns of the game on running touchdowns. With a running game that is firing on all cylinders and Flacco finally finding his footing, the Ravens look like they very well could be a scary team.
I will officially call this a scary team when Brandon Williams comes back because at this very moment, the Ravens run defense looks vulnerable. For all the doubters and naysayers whom did not want Williams to be re-signed, it is time to eat crow. He has more than proven his worth during his absence, as the Raiders were able to comfortably maintain a ground game and gain over 100 yards and score a touchdown with the run. The run defense has faltered the past three weeks, but on a positive note, the run defense was far from a detriment to the team in this game. What appears to be a relatively decent unit even with the losses of Carl Davis, Brent Urban, and Williams will only get better and stronger when Williams and Davis return.
On the back end, though, we may finally be seeing what to expect. Sure, it felt like EJ Manuel was able to move the ball at will and was able to find success, but if you really look at Manuel, it felt fluky. If you take away his long touchdown to Michael Crabtree where Brandon Carr lost his assignment, Manuel has a net total of 96 yards on 25 passes and completes 48% of his passes. The Ravens secondary finally showed up and made its money in this game through tight coverage and a defensive touchdown from Jimmy Smith on a fumble recovery that was forced by Peanut Onwuasor. The tight coverage of the Ravens secondary (who was without Jimmy Smith for much of the game) allowed the front seven to rack up three sacks against an offensive line that, on paper, could challenge for best in the league. And while we are at it, let us give credit to Dean Pees for scheming pressure and designing his defense in such a way to confuse Manuel. Tony Jefferson’s sack was a direct result of schemed pressure and a disguised blitz. Eric Weddle showed blitz off the edge to draw the assignment of the running back as Jefferson slipped off the edge and hit Manuel from behind before he knew what was coming. The secondary finally looked on form after embarrassing performances against the Steelers and Jaguars. Again, sure, the unit was without Derek Carr, but we should not act as if Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, and Jared Cook are chumps. And again, the scary thing is that this defense will only get better as it gets healthy.
The Ravens will need to show more consistency in the upcoming weeks, but this is the type of performance that was dreamed of when the season began. The Ravens showed a full, complete game from quarter one to two to four (quarter three just never happened). It was only one game and it will need to be built upon, but the positives were overwhelming and no matter who was playing and who was not, the Ravens looked like a true playoff contending team.
Sure, we should add the caveat that this game was against a backup quarterback in EJ Manuel and we should temper the expectation a bit for future games when the Ravens face stronger teams. Had Derek Carr played, this game might be different. However, had Brandon Williams, Marshal Yanda, and Brent Urban been able to play, this game probably looks different. Hell, if Jimmy Smith plays the entire game, this is probably a different story. Even with the injury to Carr, the Oakland Raiders have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL on paper. In fact, the Raiders might have been the most popular pick for AFC representative for the Super Bowl. The fact that the 2017 Ravens, a team many had no hopes for, were able to pull through adversity after getting smacked around in their previous two games should count for something. This was an all around win that highlighted many positives that were not seen in weeks three or four and the offense showed an aggression and ability that were not even seen in weeks one or two. The Ravens came together as a team for the first time in 2017 and it looked oh so good.
Offensively, this is the Joe Flacco that we needed to see the past two weeks and will need to continue seeing throughout the season if the Ravens are going to continue to win. Despite not throwing a touchdown, Flacco did not throw an interception, either. He also showed a very aggressive mentality on the deep ball and showed excellent touch. Flacco attempted just four passes of over 20 yards, but he completed three of those for 133 yards to Mike Wallace, including an opening 52 yard pass down the left sideline to put the Ravens in position for their first touchdown. That is why the zero touchdown performance does not feel as bad as it may look on the surface. If you saw zero touchdowns, you would assume a quarterback played so-so, but Flacco played well. He moved the ball all game long and set up three scoring plays (touchdown and two field goals) with those deep ball connections. I do not care that Flacco did not throw a single touchdown because he completed 73% of his passes, had 8.5 yards per attempt, helped the offense to 50% on third down, and helped to lead five offensive scoring drives for the Ravens on just nine drives, even with two three and outs. Flacco was the driver of an offense that finally looked in tune and efficient.
The engine of that offense, though? The running game is the engine that makes this car go, without a doubt. Greg Roman needs a massive shout out because he has turned this running game around, even with numerous injuries across the offensive line. Whether it is Terrence West, Alex Collins, or Buck Allen, the Ravens just flat out have success running the ball. A committee approach is becoming an increasing trend in the NFL as workhorse backs are becoming less and less common, and who can blame them when the Ravens are able to get 4.1 YPC and gain nearly 150 yards? The Ravens also scored their only two offensive touchdowns of the game on running touchdowns. With a running game that is firing on all cylinders and Flacco finally finding his footing, the Ravens look like they very well could be a scary team.
I will officially call this a scary team when Brandon Williams comes back because at this very moment, the Ravens run defense looks vulnerable. For all the doubters and naysayers whom did not want Williams to be re-signed, it is time to eat crow. He has more than proven his worth during his absence, as the Raiders were able to comfortably maintain a ground game and gain over 100 yards and score a touchdown with the run. The run defense has faltered the past three weeks, but on a positive note, the run defense was far from a detriment to the team in this game. What appears to be a relatively decent unit even with the losses of Carl Davis, Brent Urban, and Williams will only get better and stronger when Williams and Davis return.
On the back end, though, we may finally be seeing what to expect. Sure, it felt like EJ Manuel was able to move the ball at will and was able to find success, but if you really look at Manuel, it felt fluky. If you take away his long touchdown to Michael Crabtree where Brandon Carr lost his assignment, Manuel has a net total of 96 yards on 25 passes and completes 48% of his passes. The Ravens secondary finally showed up and made its money in this game through tight coverage and a defensive touchdown from Jimmy Smith on a fumble recovery that was forced by Peanut Onwuasor. The tight coverage of the Ravens secondary (who was without Jimmy Smith for much of the game) allowed the front seven to rack up three sacks against an offensive line that, on paper, could challenge for best in the league. And while we are at it, let us give credit to Dean Pees for scheming pressure and designing his defense in such a way to confuse Manuel. Tony Jefferson’s sack was a direct result of schemed pressure and a disguised blitz. Eric Weddle showed blitz off the edge to draw the assignment of the running back as Jefferson slipped off the edge and hit Manuel from behind before he knew what was coming. The secondary finally looked on form after embarrassing performances against the Steelers and Jaguars. Again, sure, the unit was without Derek Carr, but we should not act as if Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, and Jared Cook are chumps. And again, the scary thing is that this defense will only get better as it gets healthy.
The Ravens will need to show more consistency in the upcoming weeks, but this is the type of performance that was dreamed of when the season began. The Ravens showed a full, complete game from quarter one to two to four (quarter three just never happened). It was only one game and it will need to be built upon, but the positives were overwhelming and no matter who was playing and who was not, the Ravens looked like a true playoff contending team.
