Niumatalolo to meet with BYU about job
With season’s end near, Ravens have pride (and good grades) to play for Mids athletic director says news is an “unnecessary distraction” before game vs. Army As Hill and Lewis cement their relationship, secondary stabilizes
Usually, at this point in the season, the Ravens are fighting for position as they prepare to head into the postseason. This year, all that’s left is pride. The Ravens (4-8) are a shell of the team that started the regular season, a squad riddled with injuries and hurt by big plays and penalties. Most of all, the Ravens have lacked playmakers.
They had a small chance to climb back into the postseason picture during their past five games against the San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, St. Louis Rams, Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins, but they won just three.
Aseason of gradual improvement from the safety duo of Kendrick Lewis and Will Hill has the Ravens not only confident they have their long-term solutions at the position, but also eyeing the safeties on the opposing sideline Sunday as the standard they hope to one day meet.
The Seattle Seahawks safety tandem of Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor has played a large role in the team’s two straight Super Bowl runs, the product of five straight years of starting together. In their first year as a pair, Hill and Lewis know it will take time to get to that level, but believe they’ve earned a chance to grow beyond this season.
The 15-13 loss to Miami on Sunday pretty much ended all playoff aspirations. The Ravens have the Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals left on the schedule. All four are serious playoff contenders.
In the past, there was always debate about how a “win is a win.” But now there is no debate. Any win is a good win, ugly or not.
But before we go into the final stretch, it’s report-card time for the season’s third quarter.
Quarterback: D
Matt Schaub has taken a lot of criticism in the two games he has started in place of the injured Joe Flacco, but the only difference is that Schaub’s interceptions are returned for touchdowns. Schaub doesn’t have enough arm strength to go deep, which has made the Ravens’ West Coast offense even more reliant on short passes. Like Flacco, Schaub isn’t accurate, but Flacco is more mobile. Schaub could be more effective if he had more weapons.
Running backs: B
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Allen has turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Hemakes quick decisions and has cutback ability. Because he can make tacklers miss in space, he finally gives the Ravens a runner with big-play ability. He also has become a weapon as a receiver out of the backfield. Backup Terrance West (Towson, Northwestern High) hasn’t played much but has demonstrated great acceleration and the ability to cut back and run through would-be tacklers.
Receivers: D
Except for Kamar Aiken, you never know which one is going to show up. Aiken has turned into a good No. 2 receiver and has 49 catches for 584 yards and four touchdowns, but there isn’t a consistent receiver on the other side. Chris Givens has speed but isn’t a good route runner. Ditto for Jeremy Butler. Crockett Gillmore has 33 catches for 412 yards and four touchdowns but can’t stay healthy, much like the other tight ends.
Offensive line: D
This group was expected to be one of the strengths of this team but overall has been a disappointment. The Ravens haven’t had any consistency, except for failing in short-yardage situations, where they don’t get any movement. Right guard Marshal Yanda has had a strong season. Center Jeremy Zuttah was solid until he hurt his shoulder. Left guard Kelechi Osemele can be dominant when healthy. Tackle play on both sides has been poor all season.
Defensive line: B
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tackle Brandon Williams has been one of the team’s top performers and is sixth on the team in tackles, with 42. He is the main reason the Ravens are ranked No. 10 in run defense, but needs to provide more pressure on pass plays. Second-year tackle Timmy Jernigan has improved a lot in the second half of the season, and end Chris Canty can make a difference when he is healthy. Tackle Lawrence Guy has been effective as a backup, but the Ravens need young players such as Brent Urban, Carl Davis and Kapron Lewis-Moore to finish the season strong.
Linebackers: C+
Veteran inside linebacker Daryl Smith seems to be a step slower but still is playing at a high level. He leads the team in tackles, with 95. Second-year inside linebacker C.J. Mosley is second on the team in tackles, with 79, and is having a stronger second half of the season. Mosley, though, is still a liability in pass coverage and needs to get off to better starts in games. Veteran outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil has six sacks despite playing out of position, and there might not be any Raven who plays harder. Courtney Upshaw isn’t going to dazzle anyone with his play, but he has been steady holding the edge on running plays. The Ravens can’t afford to drop him into pass coverage.
Secondary: C
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Ravens have yet to meet a tight end they could cover, and it’s ridiculous how tight ends rip up this group week after week. The defense has improved during the past month, but that’s because the opposing talent has been so poor. At least cornerback Jimmy Smith has become more aggressive and fellow cornerback Lardarius Webb might have found a new home at safety. Tackling has improved in the secondary, especially near the line of scrimmage, but safeties Will Hill and Kendrick Lewis’ deep-ball coverage is suspect.
Special teams: B
The Ravens don’t have a return specialist who is consistent. Sam Koch might be the best punter in the NFL. He averages 48.3 yards and is extremely effective landing punts inside the 20-yard line. Justin Tucker is still reliable but has converted just two of eight field-goal attempts outside 50 yards. That’s pretty good for some, but not by Tucker’s standards. Penalties have been a problem for these units.
Coaching: C+
It’s hard to grade the coaches, because the Ravens lack talent. Despite that, they are ranked No. 11 in total offense, with an average of 362.8 yards per game. Offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, though, could be more imaginative. On defense, there seems to be a problem with the communication between the coaching staff and players. There have been just too many times when players seem to be wondering what they are supposed to be doing. Coach John Harbaugh has done a great job of keeping the team together and working hard, but that rah-rah stuff only goes so far in the NFL. Sooner or later, it comes down to making plays in crunch time.