If you Google the word “domination” today, there’s a good chance that your search will produce a link to the Ravens v. Seahawks recap. It was a thorough Baltimore Beatdown (tip of the cap to Kyle Barber and the boys at BB).
Entering the game, the Seahawks fielded the league’s 8th best rushing defense, yielding just 19.7 PPG. Starting at 1PM and ending at 4PM the Ravens produced 515 yards of offense, 298 of them on the ground and 37 points. But the game wasn’t just about the offense. This was one of the Ravens most complete team wins ever, coming at the expense of the NFC West division leaders. The defense was lights out and special teams clicked on all cylinders.
Want some perspective on this dominating effort? Consider the following:
• The Ravens outgained the Seahawks 515 yards to 151.
• Baltimore controlled time of possession, 40:04 to 19:56
• Todd Monken dialed up 75 plays to Seattle’s 47
• Lamar & Co. produced 29 first downs to the Seahawks six.
• The Ravens rushed for 298 yards (7.3 YPA) while Seattle managed just 28 (1.9 YPA).
• Seattle was just 1 of 12 on third down.
Early on, the game looked like it might be a slugfest between two stout defenses. The Ravens first two drives produced just 17 yards. Seattle’s opening two possessions yielded 32 yards. But by the time the Ravens took control on their third series, going 81 yards in 12 plays, control of the game began to shift and despite a couple of hiccups, the strip sack of Lamar and the careless fumble by Odell Beckham, Jr., the game’s outcome was never in doubt.
Over the past three weeks, the Ravens have hosted NFC division leaders twice, the Lions and Seahawks. And they’ve been rude hosts, skull-dragging their guests by the combined score of 75-9. (not a misprint)
Today, the comparisons to the Ravens 2019 season are being made. But for me, there are differences. Offensively, the Ravens are more balanced, and they have a variety of ways to beat you. Eliminating the run, doesn’t doom the Ravens offense. During the playoffs in 2019, the same couldn’t be said. The players still with the Ravens from that 2019 squad are more battle tested – readier for the big stage. And they’re complemented by leaders who weren’t part of the landscape 4 seasons ago. It may sound cliché-ish to say, but this team really seems to take the season in, one game at a time. The businessman’s approach is a sign of maturity that might not have been part of the 2019 squad.
Time will tell.
Now, they’re on to Cleveland but until then, let’s look at the Good, Bad & Ugly – and this week, I’ll start with the less desirable events from yesterday to get them out of the way and then turn our attention towards the good stuff.
THE BAD
The Ravens screen game is still a disaster. I don’t know if their offensive linemen tip off the play; if Lamar doesn’t sell it effectively; if the timing is off or the spacing is a mess (looks like all of the above). Todd Monken needs to either fix it or ditch it. And Lamar needs to do a better job knowing when to cut his losses. On the screen to Keaton Mitchell, the play was DOA. The best quarterbacks will dirt the ball at the receiver’s feet instead of trying to complete it for a 4-yard loss.
THE UGLY
Geno Stone had just picked off the other Geno to give the Ravens the ball at their own 41. Three plays later, facing a 2nd and 4 from the Seahawks 30, Seattle edge defender Boye Mafe blew by Ronnie Stanley as if the Ravens LT was blindfolded while his shoes tied together. It was as clean a strip sack as you can draw up. Ronnie has to play better, particularly this coming Sunday.
Lamar Jackson’s 9th fumble of the year 😬
Seahawks take over!
pic.twitter.com/KQDm09N6vw— Sideline Daily (@sideline_daily) November 5, 2023
Leading 14-3 with 59 seconds left in the half, Lamar hit OBJ with a pass near the right sideline for a gain of 15. Beckham haphazardly held the ball out with one hand, fully exposing the ball. It screamed turnover. And it happened. Fortunately for the Ravens and OBJ, the Ravens defense not only prevented Seattle from narrowing the lead to 8 points (or worse), they forced a turnover, allowing them to add another 3 points before the break.
Here’s the fumble by Odell Beckham Jr.
HAS to do a better job of protecting the football #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/MMbn33mX8G
— Rocco DiSangro (@RoccoDiSangro) November 5, 2023
THE GOOD
Outside of a few long balls that were overshot from the jump, Lamar was outstanding. He looked more decisive as a runner while delivering darts inside the numbers. His passer rating was 96.6 and he added 60 yards on 10 carries…Mark Andrews hauled in 9 balls for 80 yards…OBJ reeled in 5 balls for 56 yards and a score on his 31st birthday…Gus Edwards had two scores by ground and while his workload was that of a part-timer, he gained 52 yards on just 5 carries. During a day when the team rushed for 298 yards, the Ravens still managed to keep The Bus fresh and fully fueled. And that’s a plus for the next game, one that promises to be a divisional slugfest.
During the offseason when I learned that one of the Ravens UDFA signings was Keaton Mitchell, I must admit that I got a bit excited. On film, his skill set was complementary to the talent the Ravens already had on offense. His size suggested that he’s not the bell-cow that Gus is, but this smallish back from East Carolina looked like a potential home run hitter. And when I saw him live during OTA’s and training camp, his explosiveness was obvious. The challenge would be to know how and when to bring him into the offensive mix. But without question, Mitchell has what can’t be taught – innate speed.
Mitchell showcased his speed against the Seahawks. At times he got lost in traffic amongst the mass of humanity. That combined with the ability to run through arm tackles and burst into daylight provides Monken with yet another weapon that helps to spread the field. The challenge for the Ravens OC will be to know how and when to distribute the ball between Gus, Keaton and Justice Hill. The rookie racked up 138 yards on just 9 carries (15.3 YPC) plus a score from 40 yards out.
FIRST CAREER TOUCHDOWN FOR @_KeatonMitchell ❗
Tune in on CBS! pic.twitter.com/G20hxbg8Fc
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 5, 2023
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tune in on CBS! pic.twitter.com/Bv6jrldTnk
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 5, 2023
Keaton Mitchell (40-yd TD run)
🔹 Expected Rush Yards: 5
🔹 Rushing Yards Over Expected: +35
🔹 Mitchell Top Speed: 20.99 mph**Fastest play by a Ravens ball carrier this season.#SEAvsBAL | #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/qi2sDgObQX
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 5, 2023
Like father, like son. 💜@BigMitch42 | @_KeatonMitchell pic.twitter.com/I1APPnpBkF
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 6, 2023
The Ravens defensive front held the Seahawks to an anemic 28 yards rushing, and they pressured Geno Smith throughout. If they weren’t sacking him or hitting him, they forced Smith to get off his spot and throw under duress. The 49.3 passer rating was his worst as a Seahawk…Kyle Van Noy had a standout series just after OBJ’s fumble. He sacked Smith twice on back-to-back plays, the second of the strip sack variety…Justin Madubuike pushed his sack total to 7 ½ with a takedown of Smith. Justin added another QB hit and 2 tackles for loss…Odafe Oweh, despite missing an earlier sack, chipped in with another drop of Smith behind the LOS. His development as a pass rusher has been impressive…Jadeveon Clowney and Tavius Robinson did a nice job holding down the edge. Clowney also knocked down two of Smith’s passes while Michael Pierce and Travis Jones had one each.
The Ravens secondary was outstanding. According to Next Gen Stats, Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens were targeted a total of 4 times. The result: 1 catch for 7 yards…Stone added his 6th interception of the season and quickly diagnosed a short pass in the left flat to drop the receiver for no gain…Kyle Hamilton’s ability to read and react is special. He nearly had a pick and closed quickly in run support…
"He needs to do some pushups for dropping that one."
– @tonyromo watching Kyle Hamilton punish himself after the dropped INT 😂 pic.twitter.com/4IObqn0dRG
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 5, 2023
The Ravens ILB’s were fast to the ball again, complemented by textbook tackling. Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen were also adept in coverage forcing Smith to pull down some short-to-intermediate opportunities thanks to adept drops. The only gaffe of the day took place on a crossing route to DK Metcalf who managed to find a gaping hole in the zone. Looked like Roquan was the culprit but the Ravens limited the damage to 3 points.
FEED DK METCALF
pic.twitter.com/9RulKdUihB— PFF (@PFF) November 5, 2023
Special teams were flawless. Devin Duvernay had a 24-yard punt return while Justin Tucker was perfect on three FGA’s. Jordan Stout hit an absolute bomb when it was needed most. The Ravens punted from their own 11 after their second possession and Stout crushed a 66-yard missile to help flip the field.
THE MEGAN FOX AWARD
Save a couple of plays during which Ronnie Stanley was abused, the Ravens offensive front was terrific. They kept Lamar clean, and they created some gaping holes for the backs to navigate. Heading into the game the Seahawks gave up just 96.9 YPG by ground. They gave up THREE TIMES THAT TOTAL on Sunday. Twice this season they had given up 46 yards or less to opposing runners. And then they just added Leonard Williams at the trade deadline, one of the league’s best interior defenders who happened to be the major culprit during Tyler Linderbaum’s most unimpressive performance of his career while a member of the Giants. Adding Williams was supposed to make things more difficult for O-Line Coach Joe D’Alessandris’ gang. It didn’t.
Just look at what Leonard Williams does to Ronnie Stanley Cole.. pic.twitter.com/V7efkbrqgp
— 𝑫𝒐𝒎🦈 (@PreGameDom) November 5, 2023
The guys up front propelled the victory, and their efforts were largely responsible for keeping Seattle off the field. Collectively, they ripped the hearts out of the Seahawks defensive front; stole their souls and traded them in for first downs; and beat their will into submission. The star of the group was Linderbaum.
Cant stop watching Tyler Linderbaum on this. pic.twitter.com/RilQ2BnrBz
— The Exit 52 Podcast (@Exit52Podcast) November 6, 2023
COACHING
Malleability is the quality of something that can be shaped into something else without breaking, like the malleability of clay. Malleability — also called plasticity — has to do with whether something can be molded.
Malleability is a highly desirable trait for a team. Achieving it is only possible with a good coaching staff, one that can adapt a plan to win by placing the dynamic core competencies of a team in position to succeed. And fortunately for the Ravens, they seem to have coordinators who understand how to do that.
I can’t take credit for the term malleability today. That goes to The Baltimore Banner’s Kyle Goon who asked the following of John Harbaugh during the postgame presser:
What makes this Ravens’ defense so special and unique as compared to all of the team’s dominant defenses throughout your time here? Is it the malleability?
John’s answer…
“That’s a good question. I think that’s a great word for it, really, to be honest with you. That’s excellent. I wouldn’t have thought of that, but there’s a lot of truth in that. I think we have the ability to morph the way we need to morph week to week, series to series. That’s one thing. The other thing is the guys. The guys have been on point. The guys are doing what they’re supposed to do as hard as they can every play. Now, it’s not perfect all the time, but when you do as hard as you can and as well as you can every play, you get pretty close. I like it, but it’s never as good [and] never as bad as you think it’s going to be. We’ll go to work. We’ll get on the tape. I’m sure we’ll find plenty of things to work on.”
Monken called a terrific game with a blend of short, intermediate and long tosses (Lamar needs to do better on the go balls) and a nice mix of inside-out runs, effectively employing the posse of running backs…Mike Macdonald created confusion at the LOS with stunts, bluffed blitzes and effective drops from the seven guys up front, while the secondary clearly locked down an impressive trio of receivers who often own the boundaries. And the scary thing is, that defense might only get better when Marcus Williams and David Ojabo return to action (no I didn’t forget Tyus Bowser but why count on the unaccountable?)
RANDOM THOUGHTS
* The Ravens are (7-2) for the fourth time in franchise history (also 2019, 2012 & 2006), earning a playoff berth in each of the previous three such seasons.
* The defense posted 4 more sacks vs. Seattle (2 by OLB Kyle Van Noy; 1 each by DT Justin Madubuike & Odafe Oweh), moving the seasonal total to 35. That figure also marks the most through nine games of any season in franchise history. A league-best 13 different Ravens have recorded at least 1 sack this season.
* The Seahawks have played 237 games under Pete Carroll. They have never had fewer first downs in a game than they had today (6). No team in the NFL has had fewer than 6 first downs in a game this season.
* I would be remiss if I left out a tip of the hat to GM Eric DeCosta and his staff. There’s no denying that Kyle Van Noy and Jadeveon Clowney have made significant contributions to the Ravens defense. And the pair weighs just $3.8M on the Ravens cap – COMBINED. Madubuike is developing into a poor man’s Aaron Donald. His cap number? $3.02M. Patrick Queen? $3.9M. Geno Stone? $600,000. Brandon Stephens? $1.31M. Keaton Mitchell? $672,667. That’s value! And these are the kind of personnel moves that enable the team to retain the Lamar Jacksons, the Mark Andrews and the Marlon Humphrey’s of the world. Every now and then, we need to be reminded of such things.
9 Responses
Right now, the Ravens look like the best team in the NFL! But, that also has been subject to change weekly! They will finally play a team with a good QB when the play the Bengals with a healthy Joe Burrow a week from Thursday…..
Let’s not forget that EDC has had some impressive finds on draft day: Linderbaum (maybe LinderBOOM after rewatching those blocks), Zay… it’s a decent list. Maybe those are obvious moves, but someone has to make the call.
Can’t wait for Cinci but lets get business with the Browns done properly.
Linderbaum is plenty good and only half of the best recent draft with K Hamilton as the other gem that was had for Hollywood, the dropmeister, Brown. EDC has done a fine job and I hope he continues, as trying to retain many of the young players will be a heavy lift.
Dear Santa,
I want Armchair smiling at 11 pm on the 16th and Tony to eat some “Firebaugh” humble pie.
Get a clue. “Firebaugh” was written in John’s defense. Humble pie? No need for it.
Dear Santa, please add a reading comprehension class to the Greek philosopher’s wish list. That cynic could really use it.
Well Tony,
Upon a re-read, you are correct. It was not exactly a rousing defense but more of a not so fast on dumping Harbs. My memory of the article was a negative take associated with the title and your byline that was a month old. So I guess I’ll have a slice of that pie.
All good. Admittedly, the title was intended to be a catchy play on words and if you were to draw conclusions about the article’s tenor from the title alone, I can see why you might draw the conclusion that you landed on. Enjoy your day.
Tony called it on Mitchell busting off a long run in Bold Predictions. Linderbaum headed to all pro.
We joke every week about how bad the Ravens are at screens. They should bring Suggs in to show ’em how cause he was the best at sniffing them out. Will be interesting to see how Stanley figures in next season with his $24 Mil cap hit, but who else do they have? Fumbles have to become a bigger priority for Harbs – the mesh point one and OBJ’s were both careless.
Curious to see the RB snap distribution vs Browns. Keep Gus for short yardage and Red Zone, but we have to see more of Keaton and less of Hill (who has also looked good). Very hard to nit pick after that game, but that’s what we do.
Odell Beckham Jr. is an accomplished American football wide receiver known for his exceptional athleticism and dazzling one-handed catches. He gained fame during his tenure with the New York Giants and has continued to excel in the NFL , contributing his talents to various teams, including the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams.