Preparing for unknown in season opener vs. Browns
Lack of preseason games has birds flying semiblind into Week 1
“I think the reason why I’m here, the reason why [defensive end] Derek Wolfe and [linebacker] Patrick Queen is here is because we play that zone scheme very well. It should be a great challenge.”
A lack of preseason games left intrasquad practices as the sole teaching items for the Ravens this summer. It also means they’re a bit in the dark when it comes to their Week1 opponent.
The Cleveland Browns enter the 2020 season with a new head coach and staff, leaving the Ravens scouring different types of film for preparation.
“We’ve looked at everything we’ve got,” coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday on a video conference call. “There are no preseason games, so obviously we couldn’t look at those. So you go back and you look at of course Cleveland tape from the past, our games and other games. And then you also look at tape from all the places that the coaches who are now in Cleveland have been. We try to study all that and put it together as best we can.”
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski served as offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings last year and Minnesota used personnel groupings with at least two tight ends on over 50% of their plays, according to Sharp Football Stats. Cleveland last season used such personnel groupings on a little over a quarter of their plays. The acquisition of tight ends Austin Hooper and rookie Harrison Bryant in the offseason also foreshadows a potential shift in philosophy.
“I know [Stefanski is] very much a believer in multiple-type personnel group, certainly multiple tight end personnel groups,” Harbaugh said.
Harbaugh added there isn’t a large volume of data on Stefanski or Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt as play-callers. His team will “play against the system and the players, and whatever plays are called, hopefully we can defend them.”
He also noted the team is expecting a heavy dose of outside zone runs, a scheme that the Ravens defense struggled to contain at times last year.
In the teams’ first meeting in Week 4, Browns running back Nick Chubb rushed for 165 yards and three touchdowns, including an 88-yard score. The Ravens held Chubb to 45 yards on15 carries in their second matchup in Week16.
The duo of Chubb and fellow back Kareem Hunt will be the first test of the year for a remodeled Ravens’ front seven.
“I think the reason why I’m here, the reason why [defensive end] Derek Wolfe and [linebacker] Patrick Queen is here is because we play that zone scheme very well,” defensive end Calais Campbell said. “It should be a great challenge. They have a new coach, new system, but they’re going to do things that play to their strengths.”
— Calais Campbell, Ravens defensive end
Injury report
The first injury report of the 2020 season includes three Ravens who didn’t practice Wednesday: running back Justice Hill (thigh), defensive tackle Justin Madubuike (knee) and wide receiver Chris Moore (finger). Right tackle Orlando Brown Jr. was a full participant.
For the Browns, offensive tackle Chris Hubbard (ankle), cornerbacks Kevin Johnson (liver) and Greedy Williams (shoulder) and linebacker Mack Wilson (knee) did not participate Wednesday. Defensive back MJ Stewart Jr. (hamstring) and center JC Tretter (knee) were limited.