The Ravens knew that they needed to make changes going into the Week 8 game. The Ravens’ playoff hopes were in danger at 1-5 and Lamar Jackson was still not back behind center. The team worked hard over the bye and made several adjustments that were evident in the Bears’ victory on Sunday. Here’s how Baltimore saved its season:
Tyler Huntley took over for Cooper Rush, who had replaced Lamar Jackson following his injury against Chiefs. Huntley also started the games against the Texans, and the Rams. Huntley’s Ravens offense was able to get Derrick Henry and Zay Flower involved and never turn the ball over. Rush’s offense never had a rhythm like this in its previous three games.
Keaton Mitchell’s involvement offensively was a welcome surprise to Ravens fans, who had been (rightfully pleading) for his use.
John Harbaugh said, “Over bye we said that we had to tag plays for Keaton Mitchell.”
Mitchell gained 43 yards in just four carries over seven offensive snaps. He also contributed a kick return of 39 yards to the fourth quarter. Mitchell was the man on the Ravens final scoring drive. He helped move the chains, drained the clock and pushed the offense into red zone.
Patrick Ricard made his season debut and helped the passing game as well as the rushing game get started. Ricard played just 14 snaps but it was no surprise to see that the Ravens scored two touchdowns with him in the game.
Roquan returned after a two-game break and brought his usual leadership and presence to the team, as he led in tackles.
Chidobe awuzie returned to the field after a two-game injury, but with a smaller role. Awuzie played just 20 snaps out of 63, or 31.8%. Awuzie was on the field for 83.9% defensive snaps in the first four games.
Alohi Gillman, a safety acquired from the Los Angeles Chargers, marked a shift in the Ravens defense. Since his arrival, Kyle Hamilton played closer to the line-of-scrimmage while Gilman and rookie Malaki starks have been playing deeper. Hamilton’s move was clearly evident in the win on Sunday.
Next Generation Stats shows that Hamilton was in the box for 61.3% snaps in his defense against the Bears. This is his highest percentage in a match since Week 8 2022 against the Buccaneers. Hamilton rushed Williams ten times, got a pressure on the quarterback and a hit.
Gilman’s rapid rise to the top of Ravens defensive snap leaders was the result of a switch to the ‘big-nickel’ scheme. Hamilton was never off the field and Gilman, Starks and Starks missed just five snaps. Awuzie was reduced in importance as defensive coordinator Zach Orr decided to use three safetymen instead of three corners on most downs.
The Tyler Huntley offense, on the other hand, saw a shift in snaps from Isaiah Likely to Rashod Bateman. Bateman’s snap rate increased by 23% since the Rams loss, while Likely saw a 23% decrease. It is possible that this shift was a coincidence.
The biggest difference between these two teams was their turnover differential. The Bears were the top team in the league, with a margin of +11; the Ravens ranked 31st overall with a margin of -7. The Ravens were able to win the turnover battle by a 1-0 margin, thanks to a Nate Wiggins interception and a clean performance on offense.
Huntley was excellent, handling the ball with care and being a threat in the air as well as on the ground.
Henry’s two touchdown runs of two yards were the difference maker, despite his relatively inefficient performance. This season, the Ravens’ goal-line struggles have been a common occurrence. Both players and offensive coordinator Todd Monken have come under scrutiny. Monken is likely to be happy with the Ravens’ performance in Sunday’s red zone.
The Bears’ D’Andre Swift was held to only 45 rushing yard after two 100+ yard games.
Mike Green, who recorded his first career sack, led the Ravens defense with 13 pressures against Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. The Ravens’ blitzers, despite only a single sack, were very effective. They forced Williams to commit two intentional grounding penalties. One led to a field goal miss and the other resulted in a punt.