Tag: Baltimore Ravens

Texans 100: Facts and Figures for Ravens, No. 26-50

The Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens square off in Week 11, and we take a look at QB Lamar Jackson and coach Bill O’Brien.

The Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens hookup for an early battle for the second seed in the AFC Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT at M&T Bank Stadium.

To get ready for the matchup, we continue our quest for 100 facts with a look at Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Texans coach Bill O’Brien.

Facts and Figures for Ravens, No. 1-25

lamar jackson facts

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

26. Jackson’s 27 scrambles are tied with Josh Allen for the third-most in the NFL.

27. Though Jackson’s touchdown passes are tied for the 10th-most in the NFL with 15, his 5.9% touchdown percentage is tied for the sixth-highest in the league.

28. Jackson’s 8.0 yards per pass attempt is the eighth-highest in the NFL.

29. Jackson’s 101.7 passer rating is the 10th-highest in the league.

30. Jackson’s average depth of target is 9.1 yards, tied with Philip Rivers and Josh Allen for the seventh-highest in the NFL.

31. Jackson’s five quarterback hits are the absolute lowest taken among quarterbacks who have started every game since Week 1.

32. Among quarterbacks who have started every game since Week 1, Jackson’s 11.0 yards per scramble are the highest in the NFL.

33. Among quarterbacks with at least 30 red zone passes, Jackson is 1/10 quarterbacks to have not thrown a red zone interception.

34. Jackson’s 21 red zone rushing attempts are the most among quarterbacks this season.

35. Jackson’s 8.4 yards per pass attempt on third down is the seventh-highest among quarterbacks with at least 50 passes on third down.

36. Jackson’s 113.4 passer rating on third down is the fourth-highest among quarterbacks with at least 50 third down attempts.

37. Jackson has converted the most third downs on the ground with 14.

38. Jackson has rushed 25 times on third down, the most in the NFL. The second-closest is Seahawks running back Chris Carson with 19.

39. Jackson’s 198 rushing yards on third down are the most in the NFL. Second-closest is Jameis Winston with 100.

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Titans RB Derrick Henry is FedEx Ground’s NFL Player of the Week

This is the first time Henry has received the award this season, and he is the only Titan to be nominated so far this year.

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry is a key component of the offense, and has made that evident in his latest performances for the team.

Henry was named the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week, following last week’s 35-32 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.

On the victory, he rushed for 188 yards on 23 attempts, with an average of 8.2 yards per carry. He also accounted for two Tennessee touchdowns on Sunday.

This was Henry’s second 100-yard rushing game of 2019 and his sixth career 100-yard rushing game in the regular season.

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The performance also accounted for the former Alabama standout’s second consecutive 100-yard game against the Kansas City, with the first being a 2017 playoff game.

This is the first time Henry has received the award this season, and he is the only Titan to be nominated so far this year.

FedEx will also donate $2,000 to The USO in Henry’s name.

On the season, Henry has racked up a total of 187 carries for 832 yards and eight touchdowns. He averages 4.4 yards per carry.

The Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson was awarded the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week on the same week for his 223 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, 0 interceptions and perfect 158.3 passer rating in the team’s 49-13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Henry and the Titans will look to add another big win when they face the division rival Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 24 at 3:05 p.m. CT in Nissan Stadium.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh doesn’t see a hole in Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins’ game

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh gives his scouting report on Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

Very few wide receivers give defenses as many fits as DeAndre Hopkins does. A back-to-back All-Pro for the Houston Texans, Hopkins has the attention of whoever he plays. The Baltimore Ravens are no exception to the rule.

Hopkins, who is second in the NFL in catches (68), presents the Ravens defense that Baltimore coach John Harbaugh won’t undersell.

“Everybody is on the same page, but number 10 (Hopkins) is one of the best, if not the best, in the league,” said coach Harbaugh on a Wednesday conference call. “He’s right there.”

On the season, Hopkins has 68 receptions for 665 yards and four touchdowns. Recently, he has seen an uptick in targets, receiving at least 11 in his last four outings, as compared to one instance of 11+ in his first five.

In his previous three games against Baltimore combined, Hopkins has tallied 18 receptions for 223 yards. He has yet to face the Ravens with Deshaun Watson taking snaps.

Known for his physicality, Hopkins is often described as a nightmare to defend on the line of scrimmage. He boxes as if he were Mike Tyson to beat cornerbacks. His large catch radius, chemistry with Deshaun Watson and experience rounds out a full-fledged force.

“He’s really tough to cover, he bodies people up, he’s got great body control, he’s got great hands, he’s very strong, excellent after the catch,” continued Harbaugh. “I don’t see one hole in his game, and that’s what we’re confronted with and we’re going to try to do our best against him.”

Though the Ravens boast defensive secondary playmakers, Hopkins could be in-line for a big game against the coach that praises him. Baltimore is 22nd in the NFL in wide receiver catches (125) and yards allowed (1,654).

Harbaugh is prepared to face Hopkins. He has the scouting report. However, on Sundays, a scouting report will only get a team so far.

Through 16 starts, Lamar Jackson’s stats prove he’s the real deal

Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has now played a full season’s worth of games, so now is the time to analyze how he’s done so far

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has hit a benchmark in his career. With nine regular-season games down in the 2019 season added to the seven he started last year, Jackson has finally started a full 16 games in the NFL. A full season’s worth of stats now on his resume allows us to better review how he’s done thus far.

Take a look at Jackson’s regular-season stats during his first 16 career starts:

Lamar Jackson passing stats:

Comp Att Comp% Yds TDs TD% INTs INT% Rating
267 425 62.8 3,237 21 4.9% 8 1.9% 94.8

Lamar Jackson rushing stats:

Att Yds YPC TDs
225 1,258 5.59 10

While the amount of passing yards isn’t spectacular in today’s NFL, considering quarterbacks regularly throw for over 4,000 yards a season, Jackson’s passing stats are still impressive overall. It’s the best TD percentage since Joe Flacco’s 2014 campaign and the best passer rating of any Ravens quarterback in franchise history (with more than three games started). Considering Jackson was held back a bit by a more conservative offensive scheme during his rookie season, it’s even more impressive.

And that’s before we even get into the notion of Jackson as a runner. While Jackson often sees his rushing ability used to critique him as a quarterback, Jackson’s stats on the ground are impressive by themselves. If he were a running back, he’d likely be up for a Pro Bowl nomination on those stats alone. But when combined with his passing yards, Jackson would actually rank 50th in NFL history in single-season total offensive yards (rushing and passing yards combined) ahead of Peyton Manning’s 2004 campaign in which he was both a Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro quarterback.

Not too bad for a guy Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian said should switch to wide receiver. Or for a guy that’s only 22 years old and in the first 16 starts of his NFL career. Or even without any of those caveats . . . as Jackson compares favorably to some of the best players in NFL history.

What’s the important takeaway here — and something so many of Jackson’s detractors seem to forget — is he’s still getting his feet underneath him in this league. Just like Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers, Jackson is still getting accustomed to playing quarterback in the NFL and he’s steadily improving while putting up solid early results.

In seven games last season, Jackson had a 58.2% completion rate. That number has jumped to 65.9% in the nine games he’s started this year. He’s thrown 15 touchdown passes this year (5.9%) compared to just six last season (3.5%). He’s improved his passer rating from 82.6 last season to 101.7 this year. He’s averaging 1.25 more yards per attempt while being sacked 2% less. That’s not even getting into his rushing numbers, which have also improved from last year.

It’s also important to look at what Jackson has meant for the entire team as well. While stats are a huge benchmark of individual performance, the reality is no team makes it to a Super Bowl without winning games. Though no team picks up a win thanks solely to one player, Jackson has been among the league’s best through his first 16 games, going 13-3.

Jackson has now been under the microscope for a full season’s worth of starts and it’s clear he’s here to stay.

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Texans-Ravens Thursday injury report: Will Fuller, Laremy Tunsil limited

The Houston Texans unveiled their Thursday injury report for Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens. Will Fuller and Laremy Tunsil were limited.

The Houston Texans continue to regain their health ahead of Sunday’s AFC showdown with the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CT.

On Thursday, the Texans did not see a change on the injury report. All six limited participants from Wednesday remained limited, while rookie cornerback Lonnie Johnson and guard Greg Mancz continue to practice in their return from concussion protocol.

Houston did not have players who were non-participants or deemed as full participants.

Limited participation
ILB Dylan Cole Knee
WR Will Fuller Hamstring
S Tashaun Gipson Back/Wrist
G/T Tytus Howard Knee
CB Bradley Roby Hamstring
OT Laremy Tunsil Shoulder

The Ravens had three players who did not participate, including wide receiver Marquise Brown (ankle), defensive tackle Michael Pierce (ankle) and defensive tackle Brandon Williams (NIR).

Wide receiver Chris Moore (thumb) was a limited participant in Baltimore. Running back Mark Ingram (NIR), cornerback Jimmy Smith (NIR), safety Earl Thomas (NIR/knee) and cornerback Brandon Carr (NIR) were full participants.

Texans’ Deshaun Watson thinks it is ‘cool’ to lead the next generation of QBs

Houston Texans third-year quarterback Deshaun Watson is leading the next generation of quarterbacks, which includes Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson.

Quarterbacks aren’t what they used to be. No longer are pocket passers dominating the NFL. Corresponding with a league-wide uptick in passing efficiency is a Big Bang effect of scrambling, dual-threat quarterbacks.

Houston Texans’ Deshaun Watson, along with the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, the Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott, and the Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray and others, are ushering in the new generation of quarterbacks bound to take over the NFL, with each more of a two-way threat than the previous kings of the hill.

Watson, who is at the forefront of the MVP debate, sees that as only a positive. There are no guarantees in football, the leaders of the early 2010s are fading out, while the pioneers of the 2020s are pouring in.

“It’s good to have the generation that’s behind legendary Hall-of-Fame quarterbacks like Tom (Brady), (Drew) Brees, Aaron (Rogers), Ben (Roethlisberger), (Philip) Rivers, all of those guys. Who knows how long they’re going to continue to play and continue to be around. ”

On Sunday, Watson, 24, will face Jackson, 22, in an AFC showdown highlighting their MVP resumés. It will be the first of a potentially budding professional — previously, the two thrilled in a 42-36 Clemson over Lousiville win in 2016.

Watson — in his third year in the NFL — has the Texans at 6-3 and in the thick of the hunt for a first-round bye. He has passed for 2,432 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions on a 70.2% completion rate, culminating in a 107.1 passer rating. With his legs, he has fought for 279 yards and five touchdowns.

Jackson — now a professional sophomore — has Baltimore at 7-2 and in possession of a first-round bye. With his arm, Jackson has 2,039 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions on a 65.9% completion rate, worth a 101.7 passer rating. He leads the Ravens in rushing with 702 yards and six scores.

“So, you want that next generation to continue to have this league and have the NFL very exciting and have a lot of good teams and a lot of points being scored. It’s encouraging,” concluded Watson. “It’s very cool to be a part of that.”

Like Mahomes vs. Watson in Week 6, Jackson vs. Watson isn’t just a matchup between two of the NFL’s best. It’s an ushering in of the new NFL.

Robert Griffin III has funny story about imitating Tom Brady on scout team

Tom Brady is a hard man to imitate. But not for the reasons you’d expect.

Tom Brady is a hard man to imitate.

There are all sorts of issues with emulating his game: his pinpoint accuracy, his speedy and on-point decision-making, and his general command for an opponent’s game plan. But there’s one more thing: his speed. He’s slower than most quarterbacks, which can make life difficult for the opposing scout-team quarterback who is pretending to be Brady and is also likely faster than the 42-year-old.

When Robert Griffin III was tasked with preparing the Baltimore Ravens for Brady before Week 9, RG3 resorted to running in slow motion in order to properly simulate Brady’s speed. Ouch.

Here’s what RG3 told NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo in the video below.

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Doug Pederson discusses comparisons between Patriots and 2000 Ravens defense

The Patriots have put up historic numbers through nine games this season and they’ve drew comparisons to many elite defenses. 

The New England Patriots have put up historic numbers through nine games this season and they’ve drew comparisons to many former teams.

One of the most talented and dominant defenses that they’ve been compared with is the 2000 Baltimore Ravens. This team included Ray Lewis, Rod Woodson, Sam Adams and many other elite defenders. They went on to win the Super Bowl and they opposing teams only averaged 10.3 points per game in the regular season.

Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson played against them as the Cleveland Brown’s quarterback, so he has a vivid memory of the unit. Fast-forward to 2019 and he’ll face a similar defense with New England, one that has opposing teams averaging a league-low 10.9 points per game.

Pederson talked to reporters about the similarities while on a press conference on Wednesday.

“It is an interesting conversation, and you can obviously draw some parallels with those two defenses,” Pederson said, transcribed by NESN. “I think the biggest thing that jumps out to you right now, the glaring thing, is the turnover ratio. I mean, the fact that they’ve got six defensive scores this season, the interceptions, the fumbles they’re causing — it’s a brand of defense where they just smother you. They just corral you. They’re OK with giving you 2, 3, 4 yards, but they’re right on top of you. Their secondary is that way aggressively, and their front seven are that way.

“That’s something I think when you look back, if I remember correctly with that Baltimore team, the same structure, the same style of defense. It was a smothering style of defense, and they played fast and they played aggressively. They may not do a whole lot schematically, and I think that’s a positive because it does allow your guys to play free, and to play fast and to play smart. I think that’s a similarity that I see with this Patriots defense today.”

The Patriots struggled against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens coincidentally before the bye week, but Bill Belichick has always had trouble with running quarterbacks. New England had an extra week to gameplan for Philadelphia and to get the players rested up.

New England still leads the league in defensive yards allowed per game (249.3) and they’re second in passing yards allowed per game (150.2). Aside from the hiccup in Week 9, the Patriots should be right back to elite form against the Eagles.

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Baltimore coach John Harbaugh raves about the Texans offensive line

The Houston Texans have built themselves an offensive line. Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh is all too aware of that.

The Houston Texans offensive line used to be the butt of jokes. Key words: used to be.

After investing three first-round and two second-round selections to acquire blockers in the offseason, the Texans built Deshaun Watson and the run game an offensive line they can rely on. The league is taking notice, particularly their next opponent, the Baltimore Ravens.

“I think they’re playing really well,” said Ravens coach John Harbaugh on a conference call on Wednesday. “Obviously they’re doing great. They’re running the ball at a very high level, they’re also protecting the quarterback.”

Houston’s 13th-worst 25 sacks don’t do the new-look offensive line —  LT Laremy Tunsil, LG Max Scharping, C Nick Martin, RG Zach Fulton and RT Tytus Howard — justice. In their 176 snaps played together as a unit, they have allowed just two sacks.

The Texans’ offensive line rising from the dwellers to respectability lie within the additions of Tunsil, Scharping, and Howard. Tunsil being a 25-year-old franchise left tackle; Scharping being his trusty sidekick; Howard being the first-round right-side centerpiece.

“They’ve got a first-round pick at right tackle, a top-10 or 12 pick or whatever he was at left tackle — did a great job of getting him in there. I think their guard, they’ve got a rookie guard from Northern Illinois, Scharping, we liked, a big, physical guy,” Harbaugh continued.

The two remaining starters from last year, Martin and Fulton, have played to stay. “Got one of the top centers in the league (Nick Martin), Notre Dame guy, and one of the most physical right guards (Zach Fulton) in football,” said Harbaugh.

Houston, after much-maligning, has their five-man offensive line. Harbaugh won’t doubt that; he knows what he will see on Sunday.

Said Harbaugh: “I just think they’ve done a great job putting that line together and they’re very well coached and they’re playing at a high level.”

Deshaun Watson, Lamar Jackson more than game-changing QBs

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson aren’t just game-changers in the NFL.

Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Dak Prescott share one similarity. They are franchise quarterbacks for their respective teams.

Each is African American. They are, in 2019, pioneers of their position group, a position group that, historically, has been white.

They are the faces of multi-billion dollar organizations which don’t hope to win, but expect to win.

On Sunday, the NFL will get the joy of seeing two of the aforementioned play: Houston Texans’ Deshaun Watson vs. Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson.

Watson and Jackson enter Sunday as bonafide MVP candidates. Watson with his 23 total touchdowns, 6-3 record and 107.1 passer rating; Jackson with his 21 total touchdowns, 7-2 record and 101.7 passer rating.

The two aren’t just talk of B’more and H-town, they are the talk of the nation — in doing so, breaking barriers.

Watson takes pride in that.

“It’s awesome to be a part of it and be one of those guys,” said Watson on Wednesday. “It’s something that we take pride in and continue to change that narrative and just continue to do it the right way.”

Watson can attest to a specific message: it doesn’t matter what the color of your skin is, if you can play, you can play.

Watson and Jackson can play.

“It really doesn’t matter what race you are, what color you are. If you can go play football, you can play football,” Watson said. “If you’re smart, you’re smart, and if you have the right coaching you can go out there and perform, especially playing quarterback.”

Sunday’s matchup between Watson and Jackson could contain never-ending thrills. Watson shines with his escapability, decisiveness and an ability to make the improbable probable; Jackson dazzles with his electricity, ankle-breaking footwork and his pursuit of greatness.

This anticipated showdown is a reminder of one grand truth: football is for everyone.