Rookie Report – Week 17
The dreadful 2015 season finally came to an end with a disappointing loss to the division rival Bengals in Cincinnati Sunday. In recent history, most first year players who come to Baltimore experience considerable team success in their first year, but this year’s crop of rookies got a taste of something completely different. It was an up-and-down campaign for the team as a whole and for the rookie class as well, but let’s take a look at how these young players performed for the last time as rookies.
Williams Finishes Strong
Maxx Williams shined in the season finale. He made a number of difficult catches, finishing with six receptions for 53 yards. He often worked against Vontaze Burfict or Reggie Nelson, who are both very good in coverage, but Williams nonetheless made several contested grabs that could have easily been intercepted. His best flurry of activity was late in the second quarter when he caught three passes over a span of four plays, facing tight coverage on each. The first of the three was most impressive.
Here we have man coverage and the Ravens are going to run a levels route concept across the field. Kamar Aiken, at the top of the screen, will run a shallow crossing/drive route, with Williams running a somewhat parallel, yet deeper, 12-yard drag where his goal is to get behind the linebackers that fall back into coverage.
Nelson was matched up with Williams and covered him tightly. Just how tight? This tight:
Maxx does a great job getting his body in between the catch point and the defender, shielding Nelson and allowing him to make an impressive grab.
Later, Williams was close to another spectacular completion that would have gained 21 yards but the diving catch was overruled as it looked like the ball moved just a bit too much when hitting the ground after Williams got his hands on it.
He should have caught a third quarter slant on 4th-and-2 that would’ve likely given the Ravens a first down despite a lot of traffic in the area, but Williams nonetheless turned in his best day as a pro, a good sign heading into the offseason.
No Room for Buck
Buck Allen found the sledding tough as the stingy Cincinnati defense limited him to just 38 yards on 15 carries for a measly 2.53 yards per carry. The lanes were simply not there Sunday and Allen was used more in the passing game as Baltimore was forced to largely abandon the run in the second half. He finished with six catches for 32 yards as a dump off option for Ryan Mallett.
Allen dropped one check down pass that hit him in his hands. The rookie runner would have never converted the 3rd-and-15 even if he caught it, but it was a drop Buck would want to have back to be sure.
Smith Again in the Sack Column
Cincinnati’s talented left tackle Andrew Whitworth is always a difficult assignment, but rookie rusher Za’Darius Smith managed fairly well all things considered. He was again busy in the backfield, recording a half sack of A.J. McCarron. Smith also stayed active in the run game, rarely getting caught out of position and shuffling down the line of scrimmage to help finish tackles whenever he was unblocked.
Za’Darius still has yet to show a variety of pass-rushing moves, but has really developed this season and should be a big part of the outside linebacker rotation moving forward.
Rookie Notes
- The Bengals punt and kickoff coverage was very tight Sunday, so Kaelin Clay found very little room to work as the return man. He did card a nice 35-yard kickoff return, but was otherwise quiet.
- Carl Davis again found himself at the bottom of the defensive line rotation and did not make the stat sheet.
- Fourth-rounder Tray Walker was inactive, capping off a disappointing first season for the former Texas Southern cornerback.
Stay tuned for next week’s season recap where we will look back at each rookie’s first year in the league, and evaluate their contributions and development.
