Ravens Rookie Report: Week 7

The Ravens went into Seattle and delivered a statement win in a tough road environment. Lamar Jackson put the team on his shoulders and the defense backed him up with their best performance of the year. Four rookies were active and below is a breakdown of their impact on the game.

Miles Boykin

The night couldn’t have started better for Boykin as he was on the receiving end of a 50-yard bomb from Jackson on the first drive of the game. Boykin did a nice job getting behind his defender and adjusting to make the grab, setting the tone for the offense. With Marquise Brown sidelined for the second straight game with an ankle injury, it was time for another receiver to step up and make splash plays. Although he would be quiet the rest of the night, it was the type of play that he flashed in training camp that had coaches excited about his potential in this offense. It wasn’t a game that was won through the air as dropped passes plagued the passing attack, but it was a game that Boykin can use to build off. With the bye week coming up and the return of Brown looming, the passing game should get a big boosts and Boykin will have more room to operate with the attention turning towards Hollywood. He stands at nine catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns on the season after playing 32 snaps on Sunday.

Justice Hill

After seeing his role grow in week 6, Hill was not a part of the game plan in Seattle as he saw a season low four snaps. This was always going to be a game that was decided by the running game as the weather was less than ideal. The Ravens opted to ride their bruisers in what turned out to be a defensive slug-fest until the fourth quarter. The Ravens coaching staff must have decided this wasn’t the ideal game script to get Hill more involved as he did not receive a single carry. Heading into the bye week, the Ravens sit at 5-2 and have not yet opened their playbook all the way. This could be an ideal time to game plan some plays specifically for Hill to catch the Patriots off-guard. It’s safe to chalk this one up as a less than ideal game script as the reason for his lack of playing time. Hill will enter the bye week with 18 carries for 78 yards, adding in three receptions through seven games.

Jaylon Ferguson

Ferguson is beginning to make his mark as an impact player for the defense. On Sunday, he saw a career high 46 snaps, accounting for 64-percent of the total defensive plays. In comparison, Tyus Bowser only saw 22 snaps on the afternoon, a good measuring stick for where Ferguson stands on the depth chart. He effectively stepped in for the injured Pernell McPhee who was forced from the game with an arm injury. Prior to this game, Ferguson had struggled to set the edge in the run game and the Seahawks took notice, running in his direction often. The third-round pick answered the call and held up admirably which helped the defense stall the Seahawks offense in the second half. His best play of the game came when he got off a blocker and blew up the running back in the backfield. He totaled a career high three tackles and registered a quarterback hit. If McPhee is forced to miss some time, Ferguson will have the bye week to prepare for a much bigger role moving forward.

Patrick Mekari

Mekari was active for the seventh straight week but did not record a snap. All five starters accounted for all the offensive snaps.

Inactives

WR Marquise Brown

OG Ben Powers

DT Daylon Mack

QB Trace McSorley

LB Otaro Alaka (IR)