Patrick Mahomes is the face of the NFL for a reason, and he looked the part in the season opener, throwing for 291 yards against a highly regarded Baltimore Ravens defense. Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy consistently made plays on Thursday night, and there was some blame at every level of the Baltimore defense.
Things should improve in week two when the Ravens begin their home slate with a visit from the Las Vegas Raiders.
While the front seven were able to make their presence felt in the Kansas City backfield, the Ravens linebackers, individually, did not grade out too well with Pro Football Focus.
Overall, the defensive backs were disappointing, too. Considering how highly regarded the secondary was entering the season, they ended up with some disappointing marks, and that is to be expected when you get gashed for close to 300 yards.
However, it shouldn’t happen again, as Gardner Minshew is not Patrick Mahomes. The Ravens are the biggest favorites of any team in NFL week two, and the pass defense is expected to have a big bounce-back game.
They will have to contain the very dangerous Davante Adams. The former Packer consistently achieves 1,000 seasons, putting up 1,500+ in 2021 and 2022.
Of course, the best way to stop the pass is with a consistent, fearsome pass rush, and David Ojabo could be an x-factor here.
Given all this guy has been through, with the lack of opportunities he’s had due to injury, Thursday night’s strong was a big win for him individually. He turned in a tremendous performance, which included a sack, and this could be the start of something for the Michigan man.