Ravens News 10/11: Scouting report, the Joker and more

QB Index, Week 6: Russell Wilson catches Patrick Mahomes! - Ali Bhanpuri

11. Lamar Jackson

Jackson’s quest to prove he’s a legitimate starting quarterback in this league is over. Done. The answer is (and always was) a resounding Yes! The bigger question dogging the former Heisman Trophy winner is whether he can play at an elite level week after week.

Jackson was never going to sustain the absurd stat lines he put up to start the year. But his last two games have brought out some of his worst tendencies: inaccuracy, indecision and impatience. Can he find the right balance between taking aggressive shots downfield while also having the discipline to work underneath? Will he truly embrace his unique speed/elusiveness skill set that makes him an absolute nightmare to defend, and run all over the opposition when opportunities arise?

Jackson has the tools to rule among the NFL’s QB nobility, to have a seat at the small council with Patrick Mahomes and Russell Wilson. But the two-eyed Raven has to be far more consistent if he’s to take the gridiron throne by season’s end.

The Joker, DeShon Elliott, Is Ready for His Premiere - Ryan Mink

Elliott flashed as a rookie but a broken forearm suffered late in the preseason knocked him out for the entire year.

“[It was] extremely tough because I know what I can do and what I bring to the table. I know I can help this defense,” Elliott said. “So that was really hard for me for a while.”

The Joker acts like how Elliott plays the game – spreading chaos. Elliott got the “Joker” nickname from his college position coach, who took notice of the large Joker tattoo Elliott has on his left forearm.

“To me, football is football. I’m a baller, so I’m going to go out there and play football like I always do.”

Ravens vs. Bengals scouting report for Week 6: Who has the edge? - Childs Walker

RAVENS PASS DEFENSE: The Ravens did not give up as many “chunk” plays against the Steelers, who looked mostly for short and intermediate passes. But they still rank 29th in the league in pass defense and have allowed opponents to average 7.8 net yards per pass.

Fellow cornerback Maurice Canady has quietly earned a starter’s workload with his solid work in coverage. Safety Earl Thomas III hasn’t made a ton of spectacular plays (he had an interception wiped out by a teammate’s penalty in Pittsburgh) but still grades as an excellent cover safety, according to Pro Football Focus.

BENGALS PASS DEFENSE: As was the case with the Steelers and Browns, Cincinnati’s strength lies along the defensive front. Defensive tackle Geno Atkins has not played at his peak level but remains a dangerous interior pass rusher. Atkins is the rare player who’s consistently given Ravens guard Marshal Yanda problems over the years.

Defensive end Sam Hubbard leads the team with three sacks, and his partner, Carlos Dunlap, is also a threat coming off the edge. The Bengals have ranked among the league leaders in reaching opposing quarterbacks without blitzing.

EDGE: Bengals

Week 6 NFL picks, predictions - Todd Haislop

Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens

NFL’s worst rushing defense, meet NFL’s best rushing offense. If this game is not as ugly as (or uglier than) expected, we can only chalk it up to the NFL being weird and unpredictable. We’ve already reached the point of the season when Baltimore fans are contemplating their team’s playoff chances, and Cincinnati fans are picturing Tua Tagovailoa in a Bengals uniform.

Prediction: Ravens 38, Bengals 21

NFL Week 6 odds, picks: Eagles edge Vikings, 49ers overtake Rams, Chargers rebound vs. Steelers - Cody Benjamin

Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens

Are the Ravens worse than we all thought they were after the first few weeks? Yes. Are they bad enough to lose to Cincy? No. This will probably be closer than it should be, but John Harbaugh’s got far too much speed on his side to drop this one.

Prediction: Ravens 27, Bengals 14