Ravens Risers and Fallers After Week 3

For 50 minutes of their Week 3 win in Dallas, the Ravens completely dominated the game.  They were up 28-6, they were doing whatever they wanted on offense and the defense was shutting the Cowboys’ attack down.

Then, you go into the prevent defense, fail to defend an onsides kick, have a really bad roughing the passer call go against you and all of a sudden, we are starting to talk about whether or not John Harbaugh should be allowed on the plane if they lose this game.

Luckily, Lamar Jackson made a play, and the team came away with a much needed win.

We saw more highs than lows yesterday, but just barely. Here are the risers and fallers in our Ravens Stock Report, brought to you by LifeMed Institute. Get ready for the confidence to have an active and healthy sex life with the spark of spontaneity, thanks to our friends at LifeMed.

Stock Up

Right Side of the OL

The much-maligned Daniel Faalele and Patrick Mekari played much better yesterday. Micah Parsons was quiet for most of the day and the run blocking was much better. Those two deserve credit for not listening to everyone bashing them and for stepping up. I am still not convinced they are the team’s best right side options, but they were good yesterday.

Derrick Henry

Derrick Henry had his first signature Ravens game yesterday. He ran through that defense like a knife through hot butter. They could barely touch him until he was down the field. He showed burst and strength. He caught one pass, and I hope they get him into the screen game more going forward.

Justice Hil

Justice Hill ran and caught the ball well.  The newly extended back up RB fills a solid role on this team and will be counted on, at least a few times a game, to make big plays to help extend drives.  He came through yesterday once again with seven touches and at 7.7 yards per touch.

Kyle Hamilton

Kyle Hamilton was all over the field yesterday. He made a few big hits, applied pressure on Dak Prescott and was big in the run game. He continues to be an elite defensive player and is a tough guy to scheme against because he plays everywhere.

Lamar Jackson

Lamar was in total control yesterday. He didn’t throw the ball a lot but he was extremely efficient and was excellent running the ball, including getting the big first down to ice the game.  What he is doing off the field is great stuff. In the press conference last night, Harbaugh was talking about unheralded guys stepping up and Lamar yelled out Faalele’s name. Then he’s on the field in a post-game interview essentially calling out the coaches about not keeping the foot on the gas. That is leadership and this team desperately needs it.

Stock down

Roquan Smith

Has Roquan Smith made any impact plays this season? He had the interception in Kansas City, but the Ravens are getting attacked in the middle of the field in the passing game. Teams aren’t getting a lot of yardage outside the numbers. Yes, they are shutting down the run game but a lot of that is the front four stonewalling these opposing linemen. Smith needs to play better.  He has been great since getting here but they can’t have him be just “good” with the money he is making.

Coaching (again)

Every week the coaching staff is making this list. Even Todd Monken, who came into this game with a fabulous game plan, deserves some blame for how he managed the second half after the first TD right out of the half. Yes, they did get into easy FG range and Tucker missed it.  But ater scoring the TD, they had three possessions where they gained a total of 59 yards, and it took 18 plays to get those yards.  As I mentioned, Lamar essentially called out the coaching staff for doing this.

In the fourth quarter, the defensive game plan was also suspect. They stopped what was working, went into a prevent defense and allowed Dallas back in it.  And special teams continues to be a real problem.

All of this comes back to Harbaugh. It’s an ongoing problem and he is the constant.

Justin Tucker

How is Justin Tucker the worst kicker in the NFL right now? Tucker is the only kicker with three missed FGs.  Four other kickers have missed two. Some of the long FG stuff is a bit exaggerated when you look at how far some of those misses have been from but still, we are seeing guys making big kicks every week and Tucker isn’t getting it done. Missing as badly as he did (by his standards) from just 46 (after we’d seen Dallas kicker Brandon Aubrey split the uprights from 65) pushes many from from “cautiously watching” to “concerned.”

Officiating

The Ravens are getting too many penalties. It is costing them points.  They are the most penalized team in the league.  According to EPA, they have taken a TD off the board for the offense and given one to the defense per game. That is like being down 14-0 to start the game, and it’s completely unacceptable.

The other side to that is these major game changing calls going against the Ravens have to stop. The roughing call on Odafe Oweh in the fourth was a major call.  If you don’t call it that, Dallas faces 3^rd and long. Sure, they may still get a TD but obviously it would be harder to do so.

“ROUGHING THE PASSER”

are you serious pic.twitter.com/2PDcvDE5OS

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 22, 2024

Prior to that, they missed what should have been an intentional grounding call on Prescott in the end zone leading to a Ravens safety.

WHERE IS THE SAFETY?

how is this not intentional grounding??? pic.twitter.com/ZjrkKsMlPz

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 22, 2024

The NFL has to figure out a way to fix this.

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