It’s over. The Ravens are now on their bye. Tyler Huntley is the starter in place of Cooper Rush because Lamar Jackson hasn’t played yet. The Ravens have a good chance of going from 3-5 to 4-5 if they win. If they lose, their season will be over. They’ll fall to 1-6. What can they do to prevent that?
Turnovers would have likely led to the Ravens being 3-3, or even better. Derrick Henry’s turnover against Buffalo was the catalyst for the Bills’ massive comeback in a Ravens game they should have won. Henry’s fumble in Detroit ended any hope of beating the Lions. Multiple turnovers in Kansas City prevented the Ravens from competing at all. The Ravens had six turnovers between the two last games, with Jackson absent. This is not a winning formula for a backup quarterback. Turnovers are a major reason for the Ravens’ struggles and record this season.
Chicago has the NFL’s best turnover differential thanks to the Bears defense, which leads the league in takeaways with 16. Baltimore is not in a good position to win this matchup. This game is the first of many steps that the Ravens must take to return to the playoffs. Huntley must keep the ball simple, the running backs must hold onto the ball and play clean football.
This is arguably the most serious problem facing this Ravens squad. The Ravens can’t reach the quarterback whether they rush or not. Edge rushers were non-impactful throughout the season and their best defensive linesmen are out for the year. Madubuike, despite only playing in two games, is tied for first place in the Ravens’ sacks, despite the fact that the team has six games left in the season. Tavius Robinson is the other player, and he is currently on IR.
Zach Orr, the Ravens defensive coordinator, said the team spent the entire bye week re-evaluating their ability to reach the quarterback. They spent a lot on recreating the pressure plan and blitzes they use to affect opposing quarterbacks. They can focus on a number of things: Travis Jones, who has the potential to become a monster; a breakout performance from rookie Mike Green after the bye week; Kyle Hamilton playing in the box; Trenton Simpson, who is now playing more at the edge. And they have just signed Carl Lawson. Williams should be able to hit the ground a lot, as he has more time to prepare.
Derrick Henry, who is the #22, will be the focus of attention with Jackson out. The Bears have made some improvements in recent weeks but still allow 5.3 yards a carry. This is the second highest in the NFL. T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds, and the rest of their linebacker group are back, and that’s a good thing. But they’ll be missing Kyler Gordon, a defensive backup who is a major player in their run game and plays everywhere.
The Ravens will be awaiting the debut of Patrick Ricard. He should be a huge asset in both the run game and helping the team to convert in the end zone, which has been a major problem this year. Ricard and Henry punching in the goalline could make the difference, as opposed to the Rams game. The Ravens are also anticipating the return of Ronnie Stanley at left tackle, who they should be able run behind. Tyler Huntley is also a key player in the Ravens’ run game. Huntley will give the Ravens a boost. While they ran the ball very well with Cooper Rush as the starter last week, his ability to influence the defense and add the option-game will also be an asset.
The Ravens should focus on long drives to drain the clock and give the defense some rest. They are looking to score 21-24 points while limiting the Bears’ scoring to 17-20. The Ravens should be able, if they can stick to their run game and establish it, to get something going through the air when three of Bears’ best defensive backs are down. It has to begin on the ground, with a back-up quarterback.
Ben Johnson’s offenses have a reputation for creativity and deception. Ravens wide receivers D.J. and Luther Burden, as well as Olamide Zaccheaus or Moore are likely to be involved in the Ravens’ offense against the Bears. Moore, Luther Burden and Olamide Zaccheaus. Rome Odunze, their best wide receiver and multiple tight ends will also be a concern. The Los Angeles Rams defense, which has struggled this season, had a bit more to deal with against them. They also showed some aggression for the first week in weeks.
Shutting down D’Andre Swift is one way they can ease their lives. Ben Johnson is also known for his reliance on the run-game. He did this a lot in Detroit, where he relied on many backs during that time. This hasn’t altered as the Bears rank in the top 10 for rushing attempts. In Week 6, the Ravens’ defense held down the Rams’ rushing offense to 74 yards and 3.2 yards per carry. A similar performance could set up the Ravens’ defense for success on third-downs, and prevent Ben Johnson and his Bears teammates from unleashing their arsenal of unique plays.