Humphrey a game-changer
Cornerback ‘super excited,’ relishes first field goal block of his career against 49ers
Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey had never blocked a field goal on any level of football entering Sunday’s 20-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Special teams coach Chris Horton still insisted on placing Humphrey on the edge of the field-goal block unit, hoping one of the team’s top defensive playmakers could make an impact on another side of the ball.
Horton’s faith was rewarded, as Humphrey jumped out of a four-point stance and went untouched as he slightly grazed 49ers kicker Robbie Gould’s 51-yard field goal attempt at the end of the first half, which came up short.
“I was really excited for him,” said Horton, who was seen embracing Humphrey after the block. “It’s our first blocked kick as a staff, so it was just a real exciting moment and deserving of a hug.”
Coach John Harbaugh on Monday pointed to Humphrey’s block as one of three “game-changing plays” on special teams, noting how the play made a difference in what turned out to be a three-point win.
“I was super excited, I’m not going to lie,” Humphrey said Thursday. “[Horton] believed in me, even though I was like, ‘Yo, I don’t think I can.’ He was like, ‘Yes, you can. You can do it.’ He tells me from the sideline, dip that edge like wepracticed the other day and you can go get it. I was able to barely tip it and take it off its path.
“It’s not an interception or a touchdown or anything, but it’s definitely one of the most exciting moments of the season for me.”
Response to analyst
A day after a San Francisco 49ers radio color analyst was suspended for saying Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had an edge on faking handoffs Sunday because of his skin color, wide receiver Willie Snead IV called the broadcaster a “sore loser.”
As two prominent black 49ers players came out Thursday in support of Tim Ryan, saying they didn’t believe his comments to be racist or offensive, Snead took a more derisive tone. Told that Ryan had said in a radio interview Monday that Jackson’s “dark skin color with a dark football with a dark uniform” had given him an advantage in the Ravens’ win Sunday, Snead said he should “take the ‘L’ and move on.”
“It is what it is, bro,” he said. “They got the Saints this week. They couldn’t tackle [Jackson] even if they knew he had the ball, so it’s like … it don’t matter.”
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, 49ers team officials said in a statement that they were “disappointed” in Ryan’s comments and that they called the Ravens to apologize. Ryan, 52, a former NFL defensive lineman who has worked for the team since 2014, has been suspended for the team’s game Sunday against New Orleans.
San Francisco cornerback Richard Sherman and defensive end Dee Ford said Ryan was at the team hotel in Sarasota, Florida, on Thursday, where he apologized to players.
“It’s a play where he’s talking football and he could have used better verbiage,” Sherman told reporters. “But I don’t think anybody in this locker room has taken it offensively. He’s apologized. And we know his character. Hopefully, this can blow over and we can move past it.”
Said Ford: “We know what he was trying to say. It’s just the era we live in. It’s just messed up. But internally we’ve got his back.”
OC Roman, teammates impressed with Mekari
Right tackle Orlando Brown Jr. can relate to the circumstances that center Patrick Mekari faced making his first NFL start last Sunday against the 49ers.
As a third-round rookie last season, Brown was inserted into the starting lineup in Week 7 when starter James Hurt was sidelined with a back injury.
Brown played well, and kept the starting role for the rest of the season, even after Hurst was healthy and able to return.
Mekari will do the same, with center Matt Skura on injured reserve with a season-ending knee injury.
“We expected [Mekari] to play well,” Brown said Wednesday. “He’s a guy that came in and [has] been stout since day one since he’s been here. He picked up the offense really well. I’m incredibly proud of him, being someone who’s in his second year. I’ve been in that position before, obviously, coming in a little bit later in the season and taking over for a guy. But he’s playing really well.”
Mekari made his first start against one of the top defensive fronts in the league in the 49ers. The undrafted rookie’s start was tougher given that the constant rain throughout the game made ballhandling difficult but he avoided any major mishaps snapping the ball to quarterback Lamar Jackson in the team’s win.
“There’s some things to clean up, like everybody, but he did a very good job,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said. “Pat’s the kind of guy that he’s only going to get better. It’s how he’s made up. It’s how he’s wired. But that was no easy task. … The center handles the ball every play and it’s very important that he’s an expert at his job, and he was.”
More honors for Jackson
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Month, the NFL announced Thursday.
Jackson becomes the first quarterback in franchise history to win the monthly award.
In four games in November, Jackson completed 64 of 84 passes (76%) for 777 yards, 13 touchdowns and no interceptions. He rushed 41 times for 300 yards and three touchdowns.
Extra points
Horton also praised the play of returner De’Anthony Thomas, who is averaging 10.71 yards per punt return in four games with the team.
“That’s why he’s here,” Horton said. “We talk about efficient yards and getting efficient yards. … From a kickoff return standpoint, man, we are working and we are trying to hone in on the little details. At some point, we’ll get one and he’ll give us a spark there.”
Defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale said some of the problems defending the run against the 49ers resulted from offensive looks that rookie outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson had not seen.
“We worked on it, because we know how this league is,” Martindale said. “Once they see a scab scratch, they’re going to keep trying to attack it and we’ve worked on it.”
Defensive tackle Brandon Williams (non-injury related) did not practice Thursday. Rookie wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown (ankle), cornerback Marlon Humphrey (thigh), linebacker Patrick Onwuasor (ankle) and wide receiver Seth Roberts (knee) were limited.