Tag: Todd Monken

Ravens OC Todd Monken needs to stop trying to be Albert Einstein

Baltimore Ravens OC Todd Monken is a genius. but his pass-play obsession almost cost his team big time versus the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is a genius. Still, his obsessive need to devise the most dynamic pass play almost cost his team big in NFL Week 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.


With a 24-17 lead, the Ravens had just yielded a 44-yard run with running back Derrick Henry, with the team looking at 1st & 10 from the Steelers’ 11-yard line. Still, Monken had to revert to a passing play, even in the most apparent running scenario.

A shortened field made it relatively easy for the Steelers’ defense to sink into zone coverage. Monken’s shallow crosser concept led to an interception by safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who undercut wide receiver Rashod Bateman.

Sure, quarterback Lamar Jackson threw the interception, but he operated in a sequence provided to him from upstairs. Jackson’s rhythmic play style and humility won’t ever lead him to combat the play-calling, but I’m sure he didn’t like having a bloody hand after having to tackle Fitzpatrick on the interception return.


Monken’s eagerness should remind us that this is only his second season as an offensive coordinator in the NFL. Hopefully, head coach John Harbaugh will seize from the clouded charismatic speeches and finally directly address Monken before decisions become too costly. If not for defensive back Marlon Humphrey’s epic interception, the Ravens might have dropped this critical game.

Todd Monken needs a good game plan against Texans’ Will Anderson Jr.

It will be interesting to see how Todd Monken utilizes Lamarr Jackson in a way that counteracts Will Anderson Jr. and Danelle Hunter.

Certain individual NFL players are just so dominant that you label them “game-changers.” The Houston Texans’ defensive end, Will Anderson Jr., is a great example.

In college, he won the Nagurski, Bednarik, and Lott awards, which honor the nation’s best overall defensive player. He also won the Lombardi Award, which recognizes the best overall lineman.

The third overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Anderson made the Pro Bowl and won the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award last season. And it feels like he’s only just getting started.

Ravens Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken is obviously prepping on how best to try and slow down Anderson, as well as Danielle Hunter, the Texans’ other Pro Bowl defensive end, who plays opposite him.

In a dozen games (he missed the other three with an ankle injury) this season, Anderson has registered 10.5 sacks, 32 tackles, 14 TFLs, and 15 quarterback hits. While he specializes in getting into opposing backfields, he can also change the game with QB hits, hurries, and knockdowns.

“As a rusher, one thing you love is getting sacks, but it’s so much more than just getting in sacks, you know, affecting the quarterback can come in various ways,” Anderson said exclusively to RG. “We are talking about just pushing the pocket. We want to penetrate.”

Anderson stuffs the stat sheet, whether it be traditional or next-generation stats. Pro Football Focus currently grades him at 85.4, ranking him ninth best out of 205 NFL Edges.

This Christmas, we’ll (as long as you have Netflix or a ticket or media credential to the game) all get the gift of seeing Anderson in pursuit of arguably the most outstanding runner the quarterback position has ever seen.

Jackson, who is as mobile a QB as you will ever see, will become the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing yards for a quarterback on Wednesday if he rushes for 87 or more yards.

It will be interesting to see how Monken utilizes Jackson to counteract Anderson and Hunter. If used effectively and strategically, rollouts can quickly negate the impact of an aggressive blitz.

Of course, the best way to eliminate edge rushers or dominate the run is for Monken to do a lot with Jackson and Derrick Henry’s zone-read pairing.

While Monken isn’t perfect, his work has received much praise this season, and deservedly so. It may not be long before he is in the main seat somewhere.

You cannot doubt that he’s drawn up something special in this week’s game prep.

 

 

Ravens WR Diontae Johnson wants to complain so let Tylan Wallace work

While Baltimore Ravens WR Diontae Johnson act unseemly, WR Tylan Wallace has already proven himself to be an asset on offense.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson might think he’s cooler than the other side of the pillow, but the team won’t lose sleep in his absence.

Instead, the Ravens should be focused on developing rookie wide receiver Devontez Walker and playing reserve Tylan Wallace more frequently.

Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken has had both Walker and Wallace operating in reps with the starters, yet Walker hasn’t played much throughout the season. Could that change in the upcoming weeks?

Wallace had a big play against the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 7 and may be an adequate target for quarterback Lamar Jackson on underneath throws. Walker, on the other hand, is more sizable and may work to take the top of the defense off on vertical route concepts. 

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Johnson was never needed, yet the Ravens have become too idealistic in their approach, assuming that Johnson was humble enough to be moderately used. Instead, Johnson’s gesture indicates that he might not have been the player the Ravens needed when they acquired him.

Hopefully, the Ravens will return to using 12 and 21 personnel packages more frequently on offense. Instead of saturating the field with three wide receiver sets, Monken should focus on using tight-ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, coupling them with two wide receiver sets that will force defenses to play more man coverage.

Ultimately, Walker and Wallace have just as much talent as Johnson, and it’s time for the Ravens’ coaching staff to get out of their way.  

Why blame Zach Orr when Ravens OC Todd Monken needs more scores?

Baltimore Ravens DC Zach Orr held the Philadelphia Eagles as long as he could Sunday hoping OC Todd Monken would scheme more touchdowns.

Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr has worked to rebuild tenacity on defense, and he is finally showing results. Sunday, Orr’s defense forced Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore into six punts, yielding four out of 12 on third downs, and allowed just 17 first downs on 54 plays.

Thanks to the work of Orr Sunday, offensive coordinator Todd Monken was afforded 71 total plays, yet he produced just 19 points. Monken’s game plan amounted to a six-for-15 ratio on third down, three sacks allowed, and four punts. Four other times, Monken settled for field goal attempts.

While fans might scorn kicker Justin Tucker, Monken equally squandered possessions in plus territory, finishing NFL Week 13 with a red-zone scoring percentage of 40%. Monken’s mastermind always seems to stray when the strength of competition increases. Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio had an answer for Monken, forcing the Ravens into holding penalties and loss of yards in key moments of the game and stuffing his schemes on third down.

Consider Orr holding the Eagles offense to just ten second-half points, hoping desperately that Monken would turn an offensive opportunity into a touchdown. Instead, Monken’s lack of production would have extended the Ravens’ 9-0 lead, which would have nullified the usage of Eagles running back Saquon Barkley. Instead, Orr had to use many packages and personnel to try to slow down the NFL’s leading rusher, all because he had no scoring lead to work with.

The Ravens’ strength this season was supposed to be their offense, yet the defense played better between the two units on Sunday.

Ravens kicker Justin Tucker cannot be justified at this point

After years of perfection, Baltimore Ravens K Justin Tucker has finally shown himself fallible and potentially expendable in 2024.

In year 13, Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker has become just a shadow of what he once was for his beloved franchise. A missed extra point and two pivotal missed field goals were huge mistakes in Sunday’s 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Head coach John Harbaugh hasn’t indicated that he is going to bench Tucker, but acquiring a new kicker needs to be a priority for the Ravens during the bye week. Tucker’s seven-point lapse would have single-handedly covered the difference versus the Eagles and might’ve greatly impacted defensive coordinator Zach Orr’s strategy.

When the Ravens return to face the New York Giants on Dec. 15, Tucker will likely still be the starter on the team’s depth chart. Harbaugh’s faithfulness may be to a fault, and if Tucker continues to jeopardize the team, Ravens’ fans may lose their jolly spirit this holiday season.

Ravens OC Todd Monken downplays any potential head coaching interest

Todd Monken says he’s focused on the Ravens winning, and scoring points when asked about head coaching jobs

Todd Monken has one of the NFL’s top offenses for the second straight year.

With half a dozen head coaching vacancies expected, Baltimore’s offensive coordinator could draw interest from teams around the league.  While meeting with the media on Tuesday, the 58-year-old play-caller said he’s “focused on scoring points and winning games.”

The Ravens (8-5) are coming off a 24-19 home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and Monken’s offense looked nothing like the unit that entered last Sunday second in offensive DVOA, first in yards per game, third in points and first in red-zone scoring.

Monken’s first year in Baltimore saw MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson post career highs in passing yards and completion percentage. The Ravens finished sixth in yards per game and fourth in scoring, going 13-4 and reaching the AFC championship game.

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Ravens have a catch-22 yet no one can catch 22: Derrick Henry is him

Whenever Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry gets 20 or more carries, the team offense is usually right on schedule and opponents tremble.

Whenever Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry gets 20 or more carries, the team’s offense is usually right on schedule. Henry recorded 140 rushing yards on 24 carries versus the Los Angeles Chargers, and his performance led to a well-needed week 12 win on Monday Night.

The formula seems obvious, yet Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken has complicated the apparent dynamics of run-first and pass-last. In the Ravens’ week 11 18-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Henry had just 13 carries. Doubling his carries in week 12 increased his offensive production and led to an outpouring of 30 offensive points.

The Ravens’ week 12 win is worthy of celebration, but their 8-4 season start does not truly reflect the team’s potential. Congratulations to John Harbaugh for defeating his little brother Jim Harbaugh on Monday Night Football, but the Ravens have bigger fish to fry in 2024.

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With a Steelers loss in week 12, the Ravens still have a shot at the AFC North. However, to regain ground. They must continue prioritizing Henry for the rest of the season. If the playoffs started today, they’d be No. 5 in the AFC standings. 

Chargers HB J.K Dobbins, Gus Edwards, & OC Greg Roman were once Ravens

The Los Angeles Chargers have a few former Baltimore Ravens players and a coach on staff looking to make an impact on Monday Night Football.

The Los Angeles Chargers have a few former Baltimore Ravens players and a coach on staff looking to make an impact on Monday Night Football.

Furthermore, Chargers running backs Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, and offensive coordinator Greg Roman may have the intel needed to overthrow their former team in NFL Week 12.

With linebacker Roquan Smith ruled out, Roman will likely stick with a heavy volume of runs to establish the Chargers’ offensive attack. Dobbins ranks No. 9 in rushing touchdowns in the NFL this season, with his longest rush of the season being 61 yards. Roman also knows that the Ravens’ secondary has been a horror through twelve weeks, and Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is beginning to catch stride at the optimal time.

Dobbins was inactive during the Ravens’ stretch late last season, but Edwards’ usage was minimized by Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s stubbornness. Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh is unlikely to make that same mistake, already having delegated 52 carries to his No. 2 running back on the depth chart.

Lastly, Roman is very familiar with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s dual-threat ability and may provide his colleagues with intel on preventing Jackson’s scramble ability. The Chargers defense ranks No. 10 in opponent yards allowed per game, right below the Pittsburgh Steelers, who held the Ravens to just 16 total points last week.

Having been dismissed by the Ravens, it’d be delusional to believe that Dobbins, Roman, and Edwards aren’t all seeking to avenge their vitality by defeating the Ravens on Monday Night Football in NFL Week 12

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Todd Monken sat on the wall & Monken did make the Ravens fall

Of course the Pittsburgh Steelers were ready for Baltimore Ravens OC Todd Monken and his very predictable pass attack in NFL week 11.

In NFL week 11, the Pittsburgh Steelers were ready for Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken and his predictable pass attack.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson finished week 11 with just 207 passing yards and completed only 16 of his 33 pass attempts. More incompletions than completions are always a recipe for disaster, but what’s more incomplete is the explanation as to why running back Derrick Henry only received 13 carries on the ground in Sunday’s 18-16 loss.

Monken continues to get into big games just to abandon his strongest player, Henry, who leads the NFL in rushing yards. Henry continues to lurk in the shadows behind Monken, who wants badly to make the Ravens a pass-first offense.

The Ravens’ defense held its ground, granting the team another opportunity with a fourth-quarter interception by defensive back Marlon Humphrey. Still, the Ravens’ offense got stifled in the red zone when Monken called a quarterback sweep from the two-yard line as if the Steelers were going just to let Jackson walk in. 

What about Henry? Why wouldn’t Monken hand the ball to a man ranking No. 1 in the NFL in rushing yards? Ravens fans have been asking these same questions since the team squandered the AFC Championship in January. The saga continues, and thanks to Sunday’s loss, the Ravens are now two games behind the Steelers in the AFC North.

Todd Monken says it’s time to payback the Steelers

Baltimore Ravens superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson has struggled, at times, versus the Steel Curtain defense.

Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken hopes that Sunday’s game against their archrivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, will bring some payback for his team.

“We owe them one,” Monken said, in reference to the 17-10 loss to the Steelers in October of 2023.

“We didn’t play very good on the road [game]. Gave that away.”

While the specific reason may be hard to discern, Ravens superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson has struggled, at times, against the Steel Curtain defense.

Jackson is only 1-3 against the Steelers, and he’s thrown seven interceptions versus four touchdown passes against the intra-division rivals. Against every other team in the league that he’s faced more than once, Lamar has tossed more TDs than INTs, so it’s hard to understand what’s going on here.

Jackson is a two-time NFL MVP who just tied the record (held by Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger) for games with a perfect passer rating. He’s feeling it right now, and this could be the time he bucks the trend and helps bring Monken his payback.

If there is one thing that Jackson has done this season, it’s take care of the football. He has only thrown two interceptions this season and none in his last 136 passes, the third-longest active streak in the NFL.