Short weeks are tough on the players.\u00a0 But they are even tougher on your humble blogger.\u00a0 A complete film study of the Broncos victory was not possible, so I focused only on the Ravens \u201cdefense\u201d for the week.\u00a0 Some quick thoughts on that, and trade deadline activity, follow.<\/p>\n
Who wouldn\u2019t be eager to read a post about improvement all across the Ravens defense?\u00a0 We are all looking (hoping) for it.\u00a0 Against the Broncos mediocre offense, the defense continued to allow too many chunk plays, particularly in the first half.\u00a0 But there were a couple of \u201cglimmers\u201d inside of this mess.<\/p>\n
Simpson simply played lights out.\u00a0 He executed his coverage responsibilities at a high level, brought more strong tackling, and was an effective blitzer.\u00a0 He handled both tight ends and running backs in pass coverage.\u00a0 Perhaps most importantly, he understood \u2013 and executed \u2013 his zone transitions almost flawlessly.\u00a0 Simpson adjusted on the fly on several plays, locating and blanketing late-releasing running backs.\u00a0 As a generalization, I would not take Simpson off the field at this point.\u00a0 He\u2019s bringing everything you want and with an upward arc to his play.<\/p>\n
The almost always-overlooked Washington had a brilliant game, and the thin defensive front really needed it.\u00a0 Washington handled double teams, ran down running plays, stuffed runners, blocked a pass and even (crazily) dropped into coverage once.\u00a0 It was by far his most effective game of the year.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, the practice squad elevations (Chris Wormley and Josh Toupu) offered very little other than their bodies.\u00a0 Toupu was effective getting low on several run plays.\u00a0 Travis Jones can\u2019t get back quick enough.<\/p>\n
Although there were a few subtle mistakes in his play, Hamilton was largely dominant against the Broncos.\u00a0 He made several \u201csaving\u201d plays, but the Ravens defense simply can\u2019t be so reliant on Hamilton\u2019s production.\u00a0 And it’s so obvious that they need to play Hamilton in the box as often as they possibly can.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, there\u2019s still too much to write about here.\u00a0 Probably the worst of what I saw came from Arthur Maulet, Brandon Stephens, and \u2013 regrettably \u2013 Roquan Smith.<\/p>\n
Yikes!\u00a0 In Maulet\u2019s second full game things only looked worse.\u00a0 Maulet is a liability at this point.\u00a0 It started on Denver\u2019s fifth play of the game, when Maulet, looking in at the quarterback, failed on a simple out pattern.\u00a0 On Denver\u2019s third series, Maulet was way too slow turning his hips and running on a go route and was easily beaten for what should have been a touchdown.\u00a0 Luckily, Bo Nix overthrew the receiver.<\/p>\n
On the same series, Maulet failed to pick up a crossing receiver in the end zone but was again bailed out by a bad pass from Nix.\u00a0 Later in the game I noted him failing to get into his zone in the flat where he left a tight end wide open (Nix didn\u2019t see him).\u00a0 And in the fourth quarter he again allowed a wide open receiver in the end zone but was saved by Trenton Simpson\u2019s blitz forcing an early toss.\u00a0 It was an ugly day for Maulet.\u00a0 Frankly, at this point I don\u2019t trust him.<\/p>\n
Stephens struggled mightily in this effort.\u00a0 On one play in the second quarter, he came off of his man to help in the slot, for reasons unknown.\u00a0 His original man was wide open for a nice gain.\u00a0 In the second quarter Stephens was isolated on a wide receiver on a fade to the pylon.\u00a0 But he failed to get there or even turn his head (no surprise) and was easily beaten.<\/p>\n
Stephens was saved again the third quarter when he immediately yielded inside leverage on an intermediate pass but Nix made an errant throw.\u00a0 This repeated itself one play later.\u00a0 And more.<\/p>\n
Want to know why the Ravens traded for a corner?\u00a0 Well, it\u2019s not because of Marlon Humphrey\u2019s play.<\/p>\n
Smith was sluggish on several occasions turning his hips and running.\u00a0 He looks a bit stiffer and is not clean with his lateral agility.\u00a0 Smith was not much of a factor in this game, and I just didn\u2019t see anything in his play that was noticeably better than what we\u2019ve seen all year.\u00a0 This is all the more reason to keep Simpson on the field.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been very disappointed by Oweh\u2019s recent play.\u00a0 Over the last three weeks, Oweh is way under-performing where he should be.\u00a0 It\u2019s as if his energy light has gone \u201coff.\u201d\u00a0 Oweh looks sluggish on too many occasions.\u00a0 I\u2019ve noted too much \u201cstand up\u201d in his play where he simply lacks any bend, get-off, and power.\u00a0 Oweh is stalling out way too early and way too often.<\/p>\n
Now there are still flashes as, for example, when he brought a high level dip move in the fourth quarter to create a pressure.\u00a0 But the quickness and speed I saw earlier in the year (and last year) via spins and excellent bend have largely disappeared.\u00a0 And it\u2019s puzzling.\u00a0 Is he injured?\u00a0 Is he poorly conditioned?\u00a0 Does he lack focus from play to play?\u00a0 Oweh should be at a sustainably higher level of play to this point.\u00a0 But he isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Yannick Ngakoue was completely invisible last week.\u00a0 David Ojabo is wearing street clothes.\u00a0 Kyle Van Noy is still bringing it.\u00a0 Tavius Robinson brings effort.\u00a0 Something needs to give here.\u00a0 If the players aren\u2019t effective \u2013 and they often aren\u2019t \u2013 then perhaps adjust the rush scheme to improve their probabilities of success.\u00a0 The Ravens have not turned to Adissa Isaac, and I\u2019m not suggesting they should as he\u2019s a complete unknown.\u00a0 But in the aggregate, there\u2019s an awful lot of mediocrity among this group to this point.\u00a0 Mr. Ojabo better find his way back into the lineup very soon or he won\u2019t be around in 2025.<\/p>\n
Is it really worth trying to fool quarterbacks by letting \u201cA\u201d gap linebackers blitz while dropping back defensive linemen into coverage?\u00a0 And this happens four to five times per game (I counted five last week).\u00a0 The funniest of all was watching Tavius Robinson back pedal into his zone on the second play of Denver\u2019s first possession in the second half.\u00a0 Hilarious!\u00a0 But it\u2019s actually not funny.<\/p>\n
As much as the Ravens need help in the secondary \u2013 and they do \u2013 passing on Marshon Lattimore was the right thing to do.\u00a0 The Commanders paid a steep price and I wouldn\u2019t have gone beyond them.\u00a0 But it\u2019s a shame, because Lattimore would have become the Ravens top outside corner.<\/p>\n
Tre\u2019Davious White?\u00a0 He was once an excellent cover corner.\u00a0 He was terrible in four starts for the Rams before they benched him.\u00a0 Major injuries have taken their toll on White.\u00a0 We are years-removed from the Pro Bowler that White once was.\u00a0 This was a depth trade only.\u00a0 Can miracles happen?\u00a0 Well, at least the price for White was virtually nothing.<\/p>\n
Otherwise, the Ravens are locked into their current defensive personnel.\u00a0 Say it ain\u2019t so, Eric!\u00a0 Can we hope that Nate Wiggins improves?\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 Can the oft-targeted Brandon Stephens?\u00a0 Probably less likely so.\u00a0 Will Ar\u2019Darius Washington, a player who can make an impact, reduce his mistakes with increased playing time?\u00a0 Will the unspoken embarrassment of a benching prompt better play out of Marcus Williams?\u00a0 Is he physically capable of it?<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t the same group as last year, that\u2019s obvious.\u00a0 There are way too many question marks half-way through the season.\u00a0 It\u2019s important that Zach Orr alter his schemes to improve the pressure rate on quarterbacks.\u00a0 And find a way to maximize whatever Roquan Smith can bring.\u00a0 Because otherwise, it\u2019s all on the offense.<\/p>\n