The Ravens were able to mask some of their challenges at quarterback with the return of three players and the emergence of Roquan Smith on defense.
They were down to their rookie third-string quarterback against the Steelers for almost the entire second half and still emerged with a 16-14 victory.
With Lamar Jackson still sidelined with a knee injury and Tyler Huntley in concussion protocol, the Ravens might have to follow the same blueprint against the Browns on a short week.
However, the return of left tackle Ronnie Stanley, running back J.K. Dobbins, and safety Marcus Williams has been a huge boost to the lineup. Each of those players had a key role in the win against Pittsburgh.
Smith has changed the entire complexion of the defense. The Ravens have allowed 14 points or fewer in four of five games since he was acquired from Chicago.
“I’m very impressed with him,” coach John Harbaugh said. “Roquan has played at a very high level … All the guys have played at a high level on defense of late. He’s obviously been a little bit of a spark for us too, I think you could say that for sure. I love him; I love the fact that he’s here and love his attitude and everything, and [I] feel that way about all our guys on defense.”
Hearing some labeling yesterday’s #Ravens win as “ugly”. I think quite the opposite from a team knowing what it needed to do to win and then executing!
— Tony Lombardi (@RSRLombardi) December 12, 2022
Williams was also a boost to the defense after being sidelined since Week 5 with a wrist injury. He had an interception just outside the end zone that kept the Ravens in the lead and helped set the tone of defense. Despite missing seven games, he leads the Ravens with four interceptions. Williams is a calming influence in the secondary, which has given up several big plays this season.
Stanley helped revitalize a running game against Pittsburgh that has been inconsistent over the past few games. With Stanley back in the lineup, the Ravens ran for 215 yards and were more physical than Pittsburgh.
Despite coming off an injury, Stanley played 100 percent of the offensive snaps.
“He’s one of the top tackles in the game,” Harbaugh said. “He’s an elite left tackle, and when you put the tape on, you see why. He’s just capable of doing so much. Ronnie is a tough guy; he’s a physical player; he plays very hard; he’s a very smart player. So, all those things add up. He’s a versatile player; he can pass-block, you can put him out there on his own. He did a really good job against a really good pass rusher.
“Ronnie didn’t get any help out there. He was on his own the whole game and did a really good. [In the] run game, the pulls, the gap-scheme double teams that we use, the backside where he’s taking two guys off the backside pursuit. All those things, he just does really well.”
Finally, Dobbins revitalized the running attack and finished with a season-high 120 yards on 15 carries. He played just 43 percent of the snaps and he’s an impact even if he’s not fully up-to-speed.
“It feels good, it feels good,” Dobbins said. “It’s still not me all the way yet. I’m going to continue to get better, and hopefully those 100-yard games will start turning into 200-yard games, maybe. I’m just going to keep getting healthier, and like I said, I’m going to keep getting better. I got the 100-yard game [today], and I’m just going to keep stacking on that.”
It might not matter who the Ravens have at quarterback as long as these players continue to dominate the game.
