Rare hiccups on special teams irritate Ravens
Humphrey unaware he was target of Lindsay’s punches
For a team run by a former special teams coordinator in head coach John Harbaugh and assisted by special teams coordinator/ associate head coach Jerry Rosburg, the Ravens’ gaffes on special teams in Sunday’s 27-14 win against the Denver Broncos must have been especially grating.
From a poor blocking assignment that led to a blocked punt to an offside penalty on a kickoff to a blocked field-goal attempt that nearly resulted in a touchdown, the special teams unit endured a rough showing. The unit’s errors did not derail the team’s bounce-back effort after a 34-23 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, but that only partially placated punter Sam Koch.
“We’ve got to look at it and make sure that we adjust right now and make sure we get those fixed so that later in the season, they don’t bite us in the butt,” he said. “We take pride in special teams, and in situations like that, we don’t accept them.”
The unit’s troubles began on the fourth play of the game, when Koch’s punt was blocked by Denver linebacker Joseph Jones and the loose ball was recovered at the 6-yard line and promptly converted into a 6-yard touchdown run by rookie running back Royce Freeman. Replays showed that Jones pushed aside linebacker Tyus Bowser to get to Koch.
“Just made a mistake. Just didn’t work out,” Bowser said. “It’s good to know that my teammates have my back just when everything’s going wrong. I’ve just got to bounce back.”
After Ravens running back Alex Collins scored on a 6-yard run of his own to tie the score at 7, cornerback Robertson Daniel — who had been promoted from the practice squad Saturday for injured rookie Anthony Averett (hamstring) — went offside on the ensuing kickoff.
In the second quarter, kicker Justin Tucker’s 43-yard field-goal attempt was blocked by safety Justin Simmons, and the loose ball was picked up by cornerback Chris Harris Jr., who returned it 58 yards to the end zone. But Broncos guard Billy Turner was flagged for an illegal block in the back that wiped out the touchdown.
Replays showed that Simmons leaped over long snapper Morgan Cox without touching him. That should have drawn a flag because NFL rules prohibit players from running toward and jumping over the line of scrimmage to block a kick.
“We didn’t think you could jump over the line there,” Harbaugh said. “The official had an explanation for it. It’s a new one. I hadn’t heard it. I understood what he was saying. So we’ll just check that out and see what the rule is on that. Maybe we’ll learn something on it.”
The encouraging signs on special teams were Tucker making his eighth consecutive field goal and 36th overall from at least 50 yards, which leads the NFL since he joined the organization in 2012. Tim White also did not fumble a punt as former undrafted rookie Janarion Grant — who was released Saturday in favor of White — had done in each of the team’s first two games.
The Ravens can breathe a sigh of relief that they overcame the mistakes on special teams, but they also understand that similar blunders against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night might not be as easy to stomach.
“Next week, Sunday night against a division rival, we need to be at our best,” Ravens kicker Justin Tucker’s 43-yard field-goal attempt is blocked in the second quarter. Chris Harris Jr. returned the loose ball 58 yards to the end zone, but Broncos guard Billy Turner was flagged for an illegal block in the back that wiped out the touchdown. Cox said. “Coach Harbaugh always says, ‘Be your best when your best is required.’ That’s what we work for each week, and we’ll go to work this week to be our best.” Humphrey unaware of Lindsay’s punches: Marlon Humphrey didn’t know it, but the Ravens cornerback played a direct role in Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay’s ejection from the second quarter of Sunday’s 27-14 win.
After outside linebacker Terrell Suggs sacked and stripped quarterback Case Keenum, Suggs tried to corral the loose ball, but right tackle Jared Veldheer pulled the ball away. Humphrey jumped on Veldheer and was then hit by Lindsay, who began throwing several punches at Humphrey at the bottom of the pile.
Humphrey was unaware he was the target of Lindsay’s jabs until he was informed after the game by a reporter.
“I kept asking the D-linemen who was he punching and nobody said anything,” he said. “I didn’t actually know that. I didn’t say anything to him, but he was definitely jawing off a lot with some of the interior guys.”
Lindsay, an undrafted rookie who finished with 20 rushing yards on four carries, said he was “trying to make a play.” But he acknowledged feeling as if he had disappointed his teammates.
“I feel horrible,” Lindsay said. “I feel horrible because I wasn’t out there for my team, and that’s my fault. I definitely feel like I let my team down today.” Humphrey had some advice for Lindsay. “I know he’s a young guy, but if you want to stay around here long, you can’t be doing things like that,” he said. “I’m sure he’ll learn from that and be a really good player.” Debt to Onwuasor? What would have been inside linebacker Patrick Onwuasor’s first career interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter was negated by an illegal block above the waist penalty on outside linebacker Matthew Judon during the return. The Ravens still won fairly comfortably, but Onwuasor rued Former Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis shows off his Pro Football Hall of Fame ring to fans during a halftime ceremony. missing out on the accomplishment.
“I broke on the ball, and I saw the play in front of me,” Onwuasor said. “I saw Judon put a great block out there in front of me on the return, but it got called back. Judon may owe me some food or something.”
For his part, Judon initially questioned whether his block warranted a penalty flag.
“I feel like that’s a little gray area,” he said. “It was a great play by Patrick. I took his first touchdown away. I don’t know if he’ll be able to forgive me, but that’s my boy.” Young’s first career start: Rookie Kenny Young made his first career start in place of three-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker C.J. Mosley, and the organization’s fourthround pick in April’s NFL draft joked that his team-high 10-tackle performance was aided by sleeping 10½ hours the night before.
“The main thing is that I calmed down, played the game within itself, and tried not to do too much,” he said. “Let the plays come to you and just take it a play at a time. If you play hard and make the plays that come to you, everything else will take care of itself. I learned that from C.J.”
In addition to Mosley (bone bruise in left knee), the Ravens also deactivated defensive tackles Michael Pierce (foot) and Willie Henry (hernia surgery), rookie cornerback Anthony Averett (hamstring), quarterback Robert Griffin III, rookie tight end Hayden Hurst (stress fracture in foot) and rookie wide receiver Jordan Lasley. Ray Lewis honored: Former middle linebacker Ray Lewis was honored as the team’s Legend of the Game and presented with his Pro Football Hall of Fame ring in an on-field ceremony at halftime. Wearing their gold Hall of Fame blazers, general manager Ozzie Newsome, former left tackle Jonathan Ogden and former Colts halfback Lenny Moore joined Lewis in the end zone, as did team owner Steve Bisciotti.
Lewis, who was celebrated by Baltimore in a parade Saturday, singled out Bisciotti and his predecessor, the late Art Modell, and Newsome for taking a chance on him when they used the 26th overall pick in the 1996 NFL draft to select him. Lewis then turned his attention to the city.
“Baltimore, Baltimore, Baltimore, as a city, we made it,” he said. “Baltimore, forever, forever, we can do all things. Thank you.” Extra points: Inside linebacker Brandon Marshall (knee) and Veldheer (concussion) played despite being listed as questionable by the Broncos in their final injury report of the week Friday. Denver deactivated quarterback Kevin Hogan, rookie inside linebacker Alexander Johnson, cornerback Adam Jones (thigh), rookie center Sam Jones, free safety Dymonte Thomas (abdomen), defensive end DeMarcus Walker and left tackle Elijah Wilkinson. … Cornerback Brandon Carr, wide receiver Michael Crabtree, linebacker Albert McClellan and defensive tackle Brandon Williams represented the Ravens for the coin toss, which the Broncos won. The Ravens received the opening kickoff.