Is it time to talk about playoffs? Is Jim Mora going to go on a full tirade about why we should not talk about that word? Given that he was just fired from UCLA, I think he will end up staying out of the spotlight for a little bit…
But really, the Ravens are currently a playoff team. With the glowing record of 5-5 and the 31st ranked offense in football, your Baltimore Ravens are in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot for the first time in three years. Wow, that felt really weird to write out. The 31st ranked offense and worst passing game in the entire NFL is going to lead a team to the playoffs? Somehow, that does not feel right in the slightest bit, but yet, here we are. This should be the biggest testament to the Ravens defense and how they have truly carried the 2017 Baltimore Ravens to date. To truly understand the impact of the Ravens defense, though, we should try to truly understand just how inept the Ravens offense was on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. The Ravens also forced five additional drives to be stopped on downs or forced a three and out. 10 of the Packers 13 drives either ended on downs, with a three and out, or with a turnover. That is truly dominant.
The Ravens offense had amazing fortune on Sunday. The Ravens offense forced five turnovers and provided an average starting position of their own 47 yard line. Five drives for the Ravens started inside Packers territory, an average starting field position of the Packers 27 yard line. This sounds like the perfect recipe for success for an offense, right? If you happen to be the Baltimore Ravens, you would be wrong. This is the perfect recipe to show that you have no idea how to move the ball.
If we exclude the final drive that started in Green Bay territory because it started at the Packers three yard line and only look at the four other drives that had an opportunity for ball movement, we find that the Ravens moved the ball a TOTAL of 22 yards. On three of those four drives, the Ravens failed to gain a single first down, and on two, the Ravens failed to gain any yardage at all, totaling a net of -11 yards. Despite receiving the ball on three straight drives that ended by turnover, the Ravens managed a grand total of… three points. Despite receiving five turnovers on the day, the Ravens managed to produce just 13 points off of turnover. It should be noted that seven of those points came because Marlon Humphrey returned an interception to the Packers three yard line, so it would take next level ineptitude to not secure a touchdown on that drive. However, I really would not put it past the Ravens offense to display exactly that. After all, this is the same offense that threw to the perfectly covered 5’8” running back that was sandwiched between the sideline and HaHa Clinton-Dix. Yes, that pass was indeed intercepted in the red zone after the Ravens had the ball at the Packers 21.
It was not all negative, though, from the offense. In fact, they actually did have one really great drive. To open the third quarter, the Ravens took the opening kickoff to their own 41 yard line. The opening pass went 33 yards to Benjamin Watson who had yet to catch a pass. Three plays later and Mike Wallace caught a 21 yard dime from Joe Flacco to go into the end zone for a score. Really, this was the type of pass that makes Flacco infuriating. He can play poorly for the entirety of the game, but out of nowhere, he throws this type of perfectly placed pass into extremely tight coverage to his man for the score. It was mind boggling that for just one drive, the Ravens could move the ball so efficiently and so well in such a short amount of time. Where does this offense go for the rest of the game and why are they only available for one of fourteen drives?
Give major props to the defense, though, because this Ravens offense likely does not show that type of play and ability if they were forced to play from behind as it appeared they would as the opening drive for the Packers drew near to the Ravens end zone. (the Ravens have not won a single game in which they trailed at any point) With the ball on the Ravens five yard line, Randall Cobb motioned from a bunch formation on the right side of the quarterback to the left and was not followed by a corner. The Ravens had completely forgotten to cover a man and as the ball was snapped, Hundley knew exactly who he was going to- Randall Cobb for a wide open touchdown. Except, it was not that easy because Jimmy Smith had other ideas. As the ball floated toward the end zone, Smith fell off Devante Adams and easily high pointed the ball to halt the Packers opening drive. It was demoralizing for the Packers who surely had to feel like they had points guaranteed. They had effortlessly moved the ball into Ravens territory only to be thwarted on what should have been a touchdown had it not been for the awareness of Jimmy Smith. In total, the Ravens would force three interceptions of Hundley, including the first of Marlon Humphrey’s career, a forced fumble from Hundley, and a fumble from running back Aaron Jones.
Even better, though, was the dominant performance of two rather unknown players around the league. Yes, Suggs was extremely strong with two sacks and a forced fumble, but this is almost what we just expect from Suggs. What we did not expect, however, was for Matthew Judon and Willie Henry to come out of the gates firing like they did. Like Suggs, both Judon and Henry had two sacks of their own. Judon has shown a great deal of inconsistencies as a pass rusher this season, but it has been impressive run defense as of late and an ability to get downfield and defend passes that will truly earn Judon the money when the sacks are not coming in. As for Henry, some had pegged him as a dark horse. We all knew about the potential, the athleticism, and the explosion he offered. Today was the day he put it on full display as the Packers starting interior line was no match for the quickness and speed of Henry. From a player who could not see the field to start the season to a player you cannot afford to leave off the field, Henry is slowly starting to make a name for himself.
All in all, this was exactly the type of performance that was to be expected of the 2017 Baltimore Ravens. They forced five turnovers, pitched their third shutout of the season, and looked like an offense that the Cleveland Browns would know too well. Is this the recipe for a playoff team? As of right now, it surely appears that way. Is it the recipe for a Super Bowl contender? Only if January Joe shows up.
But really, the Ravens are currently a playoff team. With the glowing record of 5-5 and the 31st ranked offense in football, your Baltimore Ravens are in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot for the first time in three years. Wow, that felt really weird to write out. The 31st ranked offense and worst passing game in the entire NFL is going to lead a team to the playoffs? Somehow, that does not feel right in the slightest bit, but yet, here we are. This should be the biggest testament to the Ravens defense and how they have truly carried the 2017 Baltimore Ravens to date. To truly understand the impact of the Ravens defense, though, we should try to truly understand just how inept the Ravens offense was on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. The Ravens also forced five additional drives to be stopped on downs or forced a three and out. 10 of the Packers 13 drives either ended on downs, with a three and out, or with a turnover. That is truly dominant.
The Ravens offense had amazing fortune on Sunday. The Ravens offense forced five turnovers and provided an average starting position of their own 47 yard line. Five drives for the Ravens started inside Packers territory, an average starting field position of the Packers 27 yard line. This sounds like the perfect recipe for success for an offense, right? If you happen to be the Baltimore Ravens, you would be wrong. This is the perfect recipe to show that you have no idea how to move the ball.
If we exclude the final drive that started in Green Bay territory because it started at the Packers three yard line and only look at the four other drives that had an opportunity for ball movement, we find that the Ravens moved the ball a TOTAL of 22 yards. On three of those four drives, the Ravens failed to gain a single first down, and on two, the Ravens failed to gain any yardage at all, totaling a net of -11 yards. Despite receiving the ball on three straight drives that ended by turnover, the Ravens managed a grand total of… three points. Despite receiving five turnovers on the day, the Ravens managed to produce just 13 points off of turnover. It should be noted that seven of those points came because Marlon Humphrey returned an interception to the Packers three yard line, so it would take next level ineptitude to not secure a touchdown on that drive. However, I really would not put it past the Ravens offense to display exactly that. After all, this is the same offense that threw to the perfectly covered 5’8” running back that was sandwiched between the sideline and HaHa Clinton-Dix. Yes, that pass was indeed intercepted in the red zone after the Ravens had the ball at the Packers 21.
It was not all negative, though, from the offense. In fact, they actually did have one really great drive. To open the third quarter, the Ravens took the opening kickoff to their own 41 yard line. The opening pass went 33 yards to Benjamin Watson who had yet to catch a pass. Three plays later and Mike Wallace caught a 21 yard dime from Joe Flacco to go into the end zone for a score. Really, this was the type of pass that makes Flacco infuriating. He can play poorly for the entirety of the game, but out of nowhere, he throws this type of perfectly placed pass into extremely tight coverage to his man for the score. It was mind boggling that for just one drive, the Ravens could move the ball so efficiently and so well in such a short amount of time. Where does this offense go for the rest of the game and why are they only available for one of fourteen drives?
Give major props to the defense, though, because this Ravens offense likely does not show that type of play and ability if they were forced to play from behind as it appeared they would as the opening drive for the Packers drew near to the Ravens end zone. (the Ravens have not won a single game in which they trailed at any point) With the ball on the Ravens five yard line, Randall Cobb motioned from a bunch formation on the right side of the quarterback to the left and was not followed by a corner. The Ravens had completely forgotten to cover a man and as the ball was snapped, Hundley knew exactly who he was going to- Randall Cobb for a wide open touchdown. Except, it was not that easy because Jimmy Smith had other ideas. As the ball floated toward the end zone, Smith fell off Devante Adams and easily high pointed the ball to halt the Packers opening drive. It was demoralizing for the Packers who surely had to feel like they had points guaranteed. They had effortlessly moved the ball into Ravens territory only to be thwarted on what should have been a touchdown had it not been for the awareness of Jimmy Smith. In total, the Ravens would force three interceptions of Hundley, including the first of Marlon Humphrey’s career, a forced fumble from Hundley, and a fumble from running back Aaron Jones.
Even better, though, was the dominant performance of two rather unknown players around the league. Yes, Suggs was extremely strong with two sacks and a forced fumble, but this is almost what we just expect from Suggs. What we did not expect, however, was for Matthew Judon and Willie Henry to come out of the gates firing like they did. Like Suggs, both Judon and Henry had two sacks of their own. Judon has shown a great deal of inconsistencies as a pass rusher this season, but it has been impressive run defense as of late and an ability to get downfield and defend passes that will truly earn Judon the money when the sacks are not coming in. As for Henry, some had pegged him as a dark horse. We all knew about the potential, the athleticism, and the explosion he offered. Today was the day he put it on full display as the Packers starting interior line was no match for the quickness and speed of Henry. From a player who could not see the field to start the season to a player you cannot afford to leave off the field, Henry is slowly starting to make a name for himself.
All in all, this was exactly the type of performance that was to be expected of the 2017 Baltimore Ravens. They forced five turnovers, pitched their third shutout of the season, and looked like an offense that the Cleveland Browns would know too well. Is this the recipe for a playoff team? As of right now, it surely appears that way. Is it the recipe for a Super Bowl contender? Only if January Joe shows up.
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