Ravens Unsung Hero of Week 2

In Week 2, star quarterback Lamar Jackson hauled the Ravens to a 23-17 win over the up-and-coming Cardinals. Ascending receivers Mark Andrews and Marquise Brown combined for ten first downs, nearly 200 yards and a score.

On defense, edge rushers Matthew Judon and Pernell McPhee spearheaded a nine quarterback hit and five tackle for loss effort. And steady cornerback Brandon Carr supplied valuable coverage throughout.

In addition to these key performers, a few unsung Ravens deserve mention for their contributions towards the Week 2 victory:

DT Brandon Williams

Many were concerned about the Ravens run defense entering the 2019 season. Through the first two weeks, Baltimore leads the NFL in yards allowed per carry (1.8) and yards allowed per game (20.5), in large part due to their tremendous defensive tackles.

Williams recorded just one assisted tackle against Arizona, yet his run stuffing helped force the Cardinals to almost abandon the run completely, leading to a massive 14 minute second half time-of-possession advantage for Baltimore. ‘B-Will’ also contributed on pass defense with a trio of interior pressures on Kyler Murray.

TE Nick Boyle

Boyle led the tight ends in snaps played and moved the chains with a drive starting 14-yard catch on the Ravens first offensive play. As usual, he was a major asset in the blocking department, assisting the pass blockers with chip blocks and opening up creases for the rushing attack.

His highlight blocks included sealing the edge on Lamar Jackson’s 19-yard first quarter scamper, a blitz pickup on Jackson’s fourth quarter 14-yard run and another angle block to set the edge on Mark Ingram’s 11-yard game icing rush.

FB/DT Patrick Ricard

A rare two-way player, Ricard exemplifies John Harbaugh’s culture - physical, versatile and relentless. Going into motion as a fullback, he knocked defenders off the ball on a handful of the team’s most successful run plays.

During a dozen defensive snaps as a rotational lineman, Ricard made a significant impact by collapsing the pocket on Judon’s sack and later splitting a sack with McPhee. Pat did not find the end zone in Week 2, making him eligible for unsung hero consideration.