Tag: Justice Hill

Derrick Henry had his way too, but meddling Ravens OC Todd Monken

Baltimore Ravens HB Derrick Henry had just 16 carries in the most important game of the year but meddling OC Todd Monken sees no problem.

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry had just manhandled the Pittsburgh Steelers with 26 carries for 186 rushing yards in the 28-14 Wild Card victory. So common sense would tell Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken to give Henry more than 16 carries in the AFC Divisional round versus the Buffalo Bills, right?

Tied 7-7 to begin the second quarter, the Ravens had gained chunks on four consecutive rushing plays for 46 yards on the Bills defense. That’s when, on 1st & 10 from the Bills’ 45-yard line, Monken decided to get cute and sequence in a few passing plays to try and cap the drive off in style. 


Jackson’s second-quarter fumble on 2nd & 10 from the Bills 28-yard line was the fourth consecutive pass play called by Monken on the drive. Perhaps center Tyler Linderbaum was preoccupied with having to pass block so many successive times and rushed the snap. Yet, it doesn’t end there.

Monken used the exact same recipe on the ensuing drive, a drive that stalled out with a field goal by kicker Justin Tucker. With the Ravens on the Bills 2-yard line, Monken called a reasonable run-play out of 21 personnel, and rightfully so. The Ravens successfully used the I-formation in the red zone all year but were stuffed for losing one on first down.

No big deal, Monken still had 2nd & Goal from the 3-yard line with 4:38 to go in the second quarter. Monken could’ve forced the unstoppable Henry or even sequenced in the QB inside zone play. Fans had seen the Ravens succeed with Jackson all season. Instead, Monken tried to use play-action with the same 21 personnel and tackle Ronnie Stanley, reporting as an eligible receiver! Take a look below, Jackson’s eligible targets on the play-action play that led to a five-yard loss (sack) were Stanley, fullback Patrick Ricard, tight-end Mark Andrews, Henry and wide receiver Tylan Wallace. 

While Ravens head coach John Harbaugh defends Monken, it’s obvious that Monken’s play calling always favors passing the ball over running it in the most important games. For perspective, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had three more passing attempts than Bills quarterback Josh Allen in the AFC Divisional Round.

Monken’s genius sometimes suggests that he tends to be overwise. Yet, his wisdom doesn’t seem to prompt him to do the most obvious thing: give Henry the ball. 

Sights and sounds from first half as Bills hold a 21-10 lead over Ravens in divisional round

Sights and sounds from first half as Bills hold a 21-10 lead over Ravens in divisional round

The first half appeared to be a reverse of Week 4, and two Lamar Jackson turnovers played a pivotal part in Baltimore trailing 21-10 after 30 minutes of football in Buffalo. The Bills held the Ravens to 73 yards rushing in the first half and 28 offensive plays. According to Next Gen Stats, Jackson has been under pressure on over half of his dropbacks (54.5%) for the first time since Week 4, 2023. He’s been pressured 6 times and sacked once on 11 dropbacks (as of Damar Hamlin’s strip sack).

With the second half underway, here are seven takeaways from the first 30 minutes.

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Lamar Jackson is the real MVP, Bills’ Bobby Babich better know it

Buffalo Bills DC Bobby Babich better know Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson isn’t coming to play around at Highmark Stadium.

Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Bobby Babich might hang his hat on stopping rookie quarterback Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos in the AFC Wild Card. However, they’ll face Baltimore Ravens all-pro quarterback Lamar Jackson this week. In case you didn’t know, there’s a big difference.

Jackson has been inhuman this season, tallying over 4,000 yards passing and eclipsing 915 yards rushing. Babich and his Bills have shown signs of prestige in 2024, but in a battered AFC East, the competition has not been near the potency that the Ravens and Jackson deal with in the AFC North.

That said, expect Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken to focus on using rollout plays and crossing routes to force Babich out of zone coverage. Once Babich is forced into playing man, Monken can sequence those quarterback zone-read plays with Jackson and running back Derrick Henry.

Allowing roughly 113 rush yards per game in 2024, Babich and the Bills are ready to prove they can follow up their AFC Wild Card performance in style. However, against Jackson and the No. 1 rushing offense in the league, it would be pretty unrealistic for Babich to think things will be a cakewalk. If the Bills defense takes the wrong angle on Henry or Jackson, Babich will likely face nightmares about it all off-season long.

AFC Wild Card: Ravens HC John Harbaugh is just a hero with a headset

Baltimore Ravens HC John Harbaugh has ignited a focus into his team that is leading to pure execution on the field.

Focus, execution, and pure resilience are being infused into the team locker room, thanks to Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. The Ravens blasted the Pittsburgh Steelers 28-14 last night, and from the first quarter onward, the Ravens seemed determined not to let the Steelers steal the momentum at home in the AFC Wild Card.

Harbaugh’s offensive unit totaled 41 plays for 21 points in the first half, which prevented the Steelers from scoring a single point for 30 minutes. With a straightforward recipe for success, Harbaugh ensured his offensive coordinator, Todd Monken, prioritized the running game. For reference, stats indicate that the Ravens totaled 50 rushing attempts compared to just 21 pass attempts in the entire game.

After clinching the No. 1 seed in the AFC last season, Harbaugh hit the locker room and pulled out a few dance moves. This season, he alternatively led the team in collective prayer, a suggestive gesture that indicates his current state of mind. A poised, postured, and professional demeanor is pulsating throughout the Ravens locker room right now, and Harbaugh is at the heart of this late-season surge. Hopefully, the team can conjure up another win in the Divisional round.

In absence of Zay Flowers, Isaiah Likely and Rashod Bateman step up

When your top receiver (Zay Flowers) is sidelined, you need role players (like Isaiah Likely, Rashod Bateman etc.) to step up

Once in a while, a new popular expression seems to come out of nowhere, and then, almost overnight, it’s excessively overused. Right now, we’re in that stage with “deserves his flowers” or “should get his flowers.”

And given how well the Baltimore Ravens offense performed tonight in a dominant Wild Card round victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, they deserve their flowers without their top wide receiver (you know his name).

They may get WR1 Zay Flowers back from injury next week in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. We’ll have to wait and see what develops regarding his knee sprain recovery during the week.

However, the Ravens offense performed just fine without Flowers on Saturday, racking up over 300 yards of total offense and a 21-0 lead by halftime.

They ended up winning 28-14, although the final score does not tell the game’s true story as much as the 464-280 yardage disparity did.

With Flowers out, seven players caught a pass, with quarterback Lamar Jackson spreading the love around.

At least for the night, Rashod Bateman was the new WR1, and he opened the game’s scoring with a 19-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Counting this game, the Ravens are now 9-0 this season in games where Bateman scores.

Isaiah Likely, who started his season on the right foot with a big game in the season opener at Kansas City, also positively began the postseason.

Tonight, he led the Ravens in receiving yards with 53.

Justice Hill, who had been regarded by some as an injury doubt for this game, caught Jackson’s other touchdown pass. With six carries and four receptions, he had 10 total touches.

And the seldomly used Nelson Agholor and Tylan Wallace each played 20+ yards tonight.

Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry get the headlines, and very much deservedly so, but it takes a whole team to win decisively like this. And when your top receiver is sidelined, you need role players to fill the void.

 

Top photos from Ravens 28-14 win over the Steelers in AFC Wild Card game

Top photos from the Baltimore Ravens 28-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in AFC Wild Card game

The Ravens are peaking at the right time and look like the most complete team in the AFC after a 28-14 win over the rival Steelers on Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium.

Baltimore will now wait for Sunday afternoon’s conclusion of the Buffalo Bills’ matchup against the Denver Broncos. If the Bills win, the Ravens will travel to Buffalo, while a Broncos win will see John Harbaugh’s team host the Houston Texans next week.

Here are the top photos from the win.

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Ravens advance to AFC Divisional Round with 28-14 win over Steelers

Baltimore Ravens advance to AFC Divisional Round with 28-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Wild Card game

The journey isn’t complete, but the Ravens avoided embarrassment and moved onto the AFC Divisional Round of the playoffs with a convincing 28-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday night.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson was 16-21 passing for 175 yards, two touchdowns, and a 132.0 rating. Jackson rushed 15 times for 81 yards, while Derrick Henry carried the night, logging 186 yards on 26 rushing attempts and two touchdowns.

Baltimore’s defense held Pittsburgh to 280 yards of offense, with just 29 yards rushing on the ground. Najee Harris finished with six carries for 17 yards, and Jaylen Warren had two for six yards on the night. The Steelers had the football for just 20:27.

Baltimore will now wait for the conclusion of the Buffalo Bills matchup against the Denver Broncos on Sunday afternoon.

If the Bills win on Sunday, the Ravens will travel to Buffalo, while a Broncos win will see John Harbaugh’s team host the Houston Texans next week.

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Sights and sounds from first half as Ravens hold a 21-0 lead over Steelers in AFC Wild Card game

Sights and sounds from first half as Ravens hold a 21-0 lead over Steelers in AFC Wild Card game

Like a Samantha Pollino Broadway Performance, the Ravens were flawless in the first half and looked like a Super Bowl favorite, jumping out to an early 14-0 lead.

After holding Pittsburgh to a three and out, Baltimore navigated a 13-play, 95-yard drive that ate almost 8 minutes of clock to put the Ravens on the board, 7-0. The Ravens dominated offensively and ended the first half with a 21-0 lead.

Here are sights and sounds from the first half.

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Is Justice Hill playing today? Latest news on Ravens running back

Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill has cleared the concussion protocol and will play against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Wild Card game

The Ravens and Steelers are just hours from kicking off from M&T Bank Stadium, and Justice Hill could have the most significant impact.  Derrick Henry is Baltimore’s bellcow running back, but Hill could give the Ravens an edge in the passing game.

Hill has missed the last two games with a concussion and an illness after suffering the injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers in their December 21 matchup.

Hill has 47 rushes for 228 yards this season, and with Zay Flowers out with a knee injury, he could be the most impactful pass catcher, with favorable matchups on the outside against Pittsburgh linebackers.

Sights and sounds from the first half as the Ravens hold a 14-3 lead over the Browns

Sights and sounds from the first half as the Ravens hold a 14-3 lead over the Browns

Baltimore holds a 14-3 lead over Cleveland in the season finale, but all fans and experts can wonder is whether Zay Flowers sustained a serious injury when he was forced to exit with a knee injury.

Flowers had one catch on two targets before exiting, and his injury came shortly after Rashod Bateman was slow to get up after a big hit. Even with the Browns playing stout defense, the Ravens are 30 minutes from clinching the AFC North.

Derrick Henry has six carries for eight yards, and the Ravens have been held to 76 yards rushing in the first half.

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