Ravens News 12/24: Resting starters and more

Big Trouble in Big D as the Cowboys’ Playoff Hopes Take a Massive Hit With a Loss in Philly - Albert Breer

RAVENS KEEP ROLLING

“You’re spot on,” Andrews said. “That’s the MVP of the league. For him to be able to have that humility and to make it about the team, to still remain humble, remain who he is, staying true to who he is—guys in our locker room respect that. We follow him, he’s our leader, and there’s a reason for that.

“Just the way he conducts himself, he’s an incredible teammate, person, leader. I can’t say enough great things about that guy.”

“A perfect play call,” Andrews said. “Lamar threw the ball right away, he knew the coverage, and it was kind of just easy sailing from there. It’s all about Lamar making great reads. He’s probably the best in the league at making quick decisions. That’s where it all starts for us.”

“This team has been through some blowout games, we’ve been through really close games, overtime games and then you see this game where you start slow and have to grind through it,” Andrews said. “I think it’s good for our team to go through all these situations. We’re definitely battle-tested. I think it will prove big for us in the playoffs.”

Defensive Notes at the Browns 12/22/19 - Ken McKusick

Jaylon Ferguson played 13 run snaps on which the Browns gained just 22 yards.

Tyus Bowser had 2 pressures and a QH in 13 pass rush snaps. He was not targeted in 6 snaps dropping to coverage.

Chuck Clark:

Ferguson’s drive-ending tackle of Hunt for a loss of 8 (Q2, 2:09) set up the Ravens first TD. Clark then took over the game defensively with near INT, PD, PD in a 3-play sequence to set up the second TD.

Defensive MVPs

Chuck Clark

LJ Fort

Tyus Bowser

What the Browns Said After Ravens’ Week 16 Win - Ryan Mink

Head Coach Freddie Kitchens

(on RB Nick Chubb being held to just 45 rushing yards)

“I thought [the Ravens] were getting after it a bit up front. At the end of the day, they were covering their gaps and we were not blocking well enough upfront or we were missing holes. One of two things happens in the run game when you do not run the ball. You either can’t block them or you are missing the cuts. I thought they did a good job of getting an extra defender in there. We still want to run the ball because you want to control the ball and keep their offense off the field to a certain extent. We need to run the ball better than we did. We definitely did not do that.”

WR Odell Beckham Jr.

(on the shift of momentum at the end of the first half)

“That was probably the best team in the NFL. It’s tough to beat a team like that if we can’t convert, move the ball and give them too many opportunities. You just have to take your hats off to them. They are a very good team, if not the best in the league.”

Re-drafting the 2018 quarterback class - Michael Renner

1. LAMAR JACKSON

What I think many failed to account for was simply how special Jackson is with the ball in his hands. He got lumped in with running quarterbacks even though we’ve never quite seen anyone else at the position close to him other than Michael Vick. Tyrod Taylor is a running quarterback; Jackson is an explosive playmaker who just so happens to play quarterback. In fact, only Josh Jacobsand Alvin Kamara have broken more tackles per rushing attempt than Jackson this season, and that kind of ability has completely altered the fronts and coverages the Ravens’ offense sees on a weekly basis. Even when teams do get the perfect play call against Jackson, it often comes down to one-on-one matchups in space, and Lamar wins those matchups more often than not. The Ravens’ 97.3 expected points added on the ground are more than double that of the next best rushing offense in the NFL this year.

Ravens to sit Lamar Jackson, key starters in Week 17 - Jelani Scott

With the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage through the 2019 postseason locked up, Ravens coach John Harbaugh announced Monday that Baltimore plans to sit several of its key starters in the season finale against the Steelers on Sunday afternoon.

MVP frontrunner quarterback Lamar Jackson is the most notable albeit expected name on a list that also includes running back Mark Ingram, safety Earl Thomas, guard Marshal Yanda and defensive end Brandon Williams.

Backup QB Robert Griffin III will get the start in Jackson’s place and will try to help the Ravens close the season out with their 12th consecutive win.