Ball protection critical for Birds against tough Ravens
Against opportunistic Ravens, turnover-prone Eagles need to protect the ball »
PHILADELPHIA » With just one victory through five games, the Eagles aren’t too proud to grab for any lifeline that could save their season.
This Sunday a sprinkling of fans will attend their game against the Baltimore Ravens at Lincoln Financial Field (1 p.m.,
CBS3, WIP 94.1-FM). It beats the alternative, if only because of the hostile reputation of diehard Eagles fans.
“It’s 7,500 fans, right?” Ravens defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale said. “At least it’ll be easier to pick out who throws the – what is it – the D batteries out of the stands? If that happens.”
Martindale can afford to dust off the oneliners because his defenses put up numbers that would intimidate Ravens reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson. The Ravens have at least one takeaway in 18 straight games, the longest active streak in the league. They converge on the ball in packs, which is anything but good news for an Eagles offense with 11 giveaways, tied for the most in the NFL.
“One of the things they do probably better than anyone in the league is they know how to tackle or punch out the football,” Doug Pederson said. “Marlon Humphrey is one of the best in the league at doing that, and that’s something that we’ve coached our players up on this week – even getting our look squads this week to try to simulate that a little in practice. They’re really good at it. They’re really good at getting the ball out, tackling the football, punching at the football, disrupting timing in the passing game.”
Turnovers lead to short fields and a feeding frenzy for Jackson and the Ravens (4
1), who have scored 48 points off takeaways this season. Or, in the case of linebacker Patrick Queen, a first-round draft pick, a fumble return for a score last week in a
27-3 rout of the Cincinnati Bengals. The Eagles tied the Bengals at the Linc.
The Eagles are minus-6 in turnover ratio. Carson Wentz has done much of the damages with nine interceptions on 195 passing attempts. For the sake of comparison Aaron Rodgers has nine picks in his last 1,442 pass attempts dating to Week
3 of the 2017 season, per the NFLonCBS. Wentz has had a tough time getting adjusted to a new starting lineup almost ev
The Eagles have nothing to lose. No one expects them to come out of this weekend with a win. But this is a bad spot for Doug Pederson. The Eagles host the Giants Thursday while the Ravens are off on their bye this week. This could get nasty for the hometown.. ery week. On this Sunday Jamon Brown steps in at right guard for Matt Pryor, who was played on the COVID-19 list.
For whatever reason Wentz has not thrown the ball accurately to tight end Zach Ertz this season. Ertz has just 145 yards receiving yards, his lowest total over the first five games of his eight-year career. He’s caught just 20 of 35 targets. There’s just one drop but a suitcase full of overthrows in that package.
The Ravens allow an average of just 15.2 points. No team has scored on them in the third quarter and they’ve allowed only 23 points after halftime on the season, an average of 4.6 points following intermissions.
To have a chance against the Ravens, who are 6.5-point favorites, Wentz has to get the ball to the tight ends. That’s where the Ravens are vulnerable with their exotic blitz packages and their so-called pass rush from distance, where they get a running start at the quarterback.
“I’m not going to sit here and say Carson is missing me all the time,” Ertz said. “There are times I have to be better. It’s plain and simple. All I can focus on is controlling what I can control and that’s how
hard I’m going to work each and every day. No one is going to outwork me whether it be here or anywhere else. Frustration boils over when you don’t win football games. That’s what I get frustrated about. If we were 5-0 right now and I had the same stats there would be nothing to talk about.”
The Eagles (1-3-1) have a formidable test ahead in limiting Jackson, who rushed for over 1,000 yards last season but with a sore knee ran for just three yards this past week. The Eagles are giving up 29 points a game. They’ve been outscored, 83-45, in second halves.
Last week the Eagles tallied a seasonhigh 29 points but gave up 38 in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Ravens average a healthy 29.8 points. They’re the only team to rush for 100 or more yards and score 20 or more points in 28 straight games.
Though Jackson has thrown nine touchdown passes against just two interceptions this season, he’s still outstanding in the red zone. His career touchdown-to-interception ratio in the red area is 35-to-0.
“A guy like Lamar, he can make one person miss and take it 50 yards or even 100 yards down the field,” said Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, who chased Jackson the past few seasons for the Steelers. “For us it’s all about just kind of swarming the ball and just everybody not giving up on a play and trying to bring him down.”
Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham called for a disciplined pass rush.
“It’s important every week but this week particularly because he can run and he can get out of there fast,” Graham said. “We can’t rush scared. We’ve got to rush responsible and make sure we’re on the same page.”
Tight end Mark Andrews leads the Ravens with five TD’s. Running backs Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins have two TD’s each and head the ground game that uses a fullback.
Wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown is the deep threat, as he leads the Ravens with 22 receptions for 319 yards (14.5-yard average).
The Ravens’ ground game features the misdirection plays that tormented them in Pittsburgh.
If that’s not enough, 38-year-old punter Sam Koch is 7-for-7 for 82 yards and five first downs if the punt coverage team doesn’t play honestly.
Add it all up and the Eagles have a lot of work to do.
Hopefully, the fans will give the Birds a lift.
“We could have used their help in the first two games,” offensive tackle Jordan Mailata said. “We miss these guys a lot. Fans are a big part of momentum and causing third down distractions. So, hopefully, whatever number of fans that we have this week will be rowdy as hell.”