Life without Jackson and Ricard

Patrick Ricard missed the Browns game with an injury addition that was added to the report on Saturday.  His absence, combined with Jackson’s injury, and a poor start, changed the Ravens offense dramatically.  Let’s review:

  • The Ravens ran a WR-centric offense with a season-high 2.85 WRs per play.  That created snap opportunity spread among more WRs (among 74 total plays): Brown (70), Duvernay (49), Bateman (48), Watkins (23), Proche (21)
  • The Ravens ran 5 plays with no RB
  • They ran 44 plays with either 4 or 5 lined up wide
  • They had only 12 pulls spread among the OL, which means they effectively abandoned run action on pass plays—a result driven in part by trailing in the game badly prior to the bulk of their offensive snaps
  • For similar reasons, the linemen had just 8 blocks in level 2 and could never get going with inside combination blocks that are often assisted by motion from Boyle or Ricard
  • Despite a voracious pair of edge rushers, the Ravens used their eligible receivers for just 6 set blocks and 12 chip blocks for the game, limiting/eliminating the route options for just 0.41 eligible receivers per play (8%)
  • Perhaps due to Huntley’s limitations, they did not run a fast no-huddle offense until the final drive when more alacrity would have helped on the TD drive that brought them within 2
  • The ball was out quicker (2.47 seconds average time to throw) and targeted shallower targets (8.5 intended air yards per throw) than with Jackson

Roman adapted his game plan to both the game situation and available personnel.  Despite a very poor performance on 3rd down (1 for 12, -12.7 expected points), the Ravens made it a game.

Individual Scoring

The Ravens ran 69 scored snaps (excludes accepted penalties which result in no play, kneels, spikes, and special teams plays that result in a run or pass).

Villanueva:  Alejandro had his worst game of the season.  He was party to 3 sacks (Q1, 12:41, unbalanced by S John Johnson rush; Q2, 0:58, beaten outside by DE Myles Garrett; Q4, 1:11, bulled by Garrett to flush Huntley 2/3 charge).  He was party to 5 pressures (Q1, 7:26; Q2, 0:23; Q2, 0:13; Q3, 12:54; Q4, 9:37).  He was flagged for offensive holding twice (Q1, 0:13, threw DT Malik Jackson to ground after being bulled; Q3, 5:44, Garrett).  He missed 10 blocks, 9 of which were losses at the LoS.  He made 2 blocks in level 2, delivered 1 pancake, and connected on his only pull.  He did not have a highlight.

Scoring:  68 plays, 50 blocks, 10 missed, 4.5 pressures, 2.67 sacks, 2 offensive holdings, 13 points (.19 per play).  That’s an F after a big adjustment for Garrett.

Powers:  Ben played another solid game.  He was party to 4 pressures, (Q1, 7:26, bulled by DT Malik McDowell, ½ charge; Q2, 0:29, beaten inside by McDowell; Q4, 9:53, bulled by DE Jadeveon Clowney, ½ charge, and Q4, 4:29, bulled by McDowell).  He missed 4 blocks of which 3 were losses at or behind the LoS. He made 1 block in L2 and delivered 2 pancakes.  He made 2 of 4 pulls. His highlight was a bull then pancake of DT Jackson, (Q3, 5:38).

Scoring: 68 plays, 60 blocks, 4 missed, 3 (2 + 2*1/2) pressures, 54 points (.79 per play).  That’s a C with or without adjustment. 

Bozeman:  Bradley had his second consecutive fine game.  He surrendered a ½ pressure when he failed to help Powers block Clowney (Q4, 9:53).  He also allowed DT Sheldon Day to knock down a pass at the LoS (Q4, 7:09).  He missed 2 blocks, 1 of which was a loss at the LoS.  He made 2 blocks in level 2 but did not deliver a pancake or make a pull.  His highlight was a combination block on DT Day and LB Jacob Phillips (Q2, 1:43). 

Scoring:  68 plays, 64 blocks, 2 missed, 1.5 pressures, 61 points (.90 per play).  That’s an A- after adjustment.

Zeitler:  Kevin returned to top-shelf play.  He was responsible for a pressure when backed up by DT McDowell (Q3, 2:56), which was his only negative score.  He missed 4 blocks, only 1 of which was a loss at the LoS.  He made 1 block in level 2 block but did not have a pancake. He connected on 4 of 5 pulls.  His highlight included teeing up DT Jordan Elliott then picking up the run blitz of ILB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (JOK) (Q3, 13:48).

Scoring:  68 plays, 63 blocks, 4 missed, 1 pressure, 61 points (.90 per play).  That’s an A after adjustment.

Phillips:  Tyre again struggled vs. Clowney.  He was party to 3 QHs and 1 sack (Q2, 15:00, failed to pick up ILB JOK when he also drifted downfield illegally – charged as penalty, not QH, for scoring; Q4, 10:17, beaten outside by DE Takkarist McKinley, 1/3 share; Q4, 7:07 beaten outside by DE McKinley; Q4, 1:11, beaten outside by DE Clowney despite decent push past pocket, 1/3 sack share).  He was charged with 2 full pressures (Q2, 1:00, allows PD from Clowney; Q4, 5:10, bulled by Clowney).  He was flagged for holding DE McKinley (Q3, 4:27) that helped stall the drive.  He missed 3 blocks, 2 of which were losses at the LoS.  He made 2 blocks in level 2 but did not deliver a pancake. He was credited with points on each of 2 pulls.  His highlight was a combination block on DT Elliott then LB Malcolm Smith in L2 (Q4, 11:30).

Scoring: 68 plays, 58 blocks, 3 missed, ½ penetration, 2 pressures, .83 (1/3 + ½) QH, 1/3 sack, 1 offensive holding, 1 ineligible downfield, 39.5 points (.58 per play).  That’s a D after adjustment.

Colon:  Trystan played 2 snaps and made 1 block.

If you’re interested in seeing scoring trends for the players this season, those charts will be posted in the Gallery section and updated weekly.