Tag: Travis Jones

Injuries to key DBs highlight Ravens’ struggles with pass defense in loss to Browns

The Ravens entered this game dead last in the league in pass defense, so the Browns were well aware they could exploit the secondary.

Those who call the NFL a league of parity (not “parody,” OMG! That common malapropism drives me insane) could certainly point to today’s 29-24 win by the Cleveland Browns over the Baltimore Ravens.

Worst beat first in the AFC North division as Baltimore’s five-game win streak ended, as did Cleveland’s five-game losing skid.

Jameis Winston, who many football pundits have declared “washed” for some time, finished 27 of 41 passing for 334 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions while leading the Browns’ offense to heights that had not been seen under their franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson this season.

The Ravens entered this game dead last in the league in pass defense, so the Browns were well aware the secondary was a position group that could potentially be exploited.

And things worsened for Baltimore even before a single pass was thrown, as Nate Wiggins (illness), Marlon Humphrey (ankle), and T.J. Tampa (IR) were all ruled out.

More change was still to come in the defensive backs position group, as Marcus Williams was benched for being largely ineffective this season. The Ravens’ pass defense has been a persistent problem this year, but it’s not as bad as it may seem.

Baltimore is so stout against the run that opponents consistently find themselves having to rely on their passing attacks heavily. Also, the Ravens entered the day in first place, with a 5-2 record, and teams with winning records tend to find themselves ahead, and even well ahead, most of the time.

And what do you do when you’re behind, often well behind?  You pretty much have to pass.

So, while today was undoubtedly a shocking surprise defeat, all is not lost.

Ravens take a step back in shocking 29-24 loss to the Browns in Week 8

Ravens take a step back in shocking 29-24 loss to the Browns in Week 8

Baltimore has a penchant for blowing late fourth-quarter leads, but on Sunday, the Ravens took a step back toward the inconsistent unit that lost two straight to start the season.

In what can only be described as a shocking loss, the Cleveland Browns had their most impactful performance without Deshaun Watson in a 29-24 victory over first-place Baltimore in Week 8.

Lamar Jackson started the game 6-6 passing but finished 23-38 passing, for 289 yards (7.6 avg), two touchdowns, and zero interceptions with a 101.8 rating. Just like Baltimore had their five-game winning streak snapped, star running back Derrick Henry came back to earth, rushing for only 73 yards (6.6 avg) and one touchdown on 11 carries.

After missing two practices during the week with an ankle injury, second-year wideout Zay Flowers posted another 100-yard game, logging seven catches for 115 yards on the afternoon.

Zach Orr’s defense played without two starters at cornerback, and Jameis Winston carved up the Ravens. The former Heisman Trophy winner went 23-38 passing for 334 yards and three touchdowns.

The Browns took the lead when Winston threw a 38-yard touchdown pass — his third of the game — to Cedric Tillman with 59 seconds left as Cleveland erased weeks of frustration.

Baltimore will now look to regroup with Bo Nix and the upstart Broncos heading to M&T Bank Stadium in Week 9.

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Ravens vs Browns injury report: Latest updates on Zay Flowers, news for Week 8

Zay Flowers and Marlon Humphrey miss Thursday practice ahead of matchup vs. Browns in Week 8

The Ravens released their Thursday injury report for Week 8 in Cleveland, and Zay Flowers was again among five players who did not practice.   Flowers, Marlon Humphrey, Rasheen Ali, and T.J. Tampa missed another practice.

Rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins and Travis Jones returned to practice, with the defensive tackle a limited participant.

Ravens injury report

Browns injury report

Keaton Mitchell was a limited participant and could need another week or two to prepare to return to the lineup. In contrast, Jalyn Armour-Davis returned to practice and could be activated for Week 8.

Ravens vs Browns injury report: Latest updates, news for Week 8

The Ravens released their initial injury report for Week 8 in Cleveland, and Zay Flowers was among 11 players with designations ahead of Wednesday’s walkthrough. Ravens injury report We are conducting a late-afternoon walk-through Wednesday, so the …

The Ravens released their initial injury report for Week 8 in Cleveland, and Zay Flowers was among 11 players with designations ahead of Wednesday’s walkthrough.

Ravens injury report

Browns injury report

Other notable Ravens who sat out Wednesday include cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who could miss time with a knee injury. Rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins and defensive tackle Travis Jones were also non-participants.

Ravens vs. Bengals: Top photos from Baltimore’s 41-38 win in overtime at Paycor Stadium

We’re looking at the top photos from the Baltimore Ravens 41-38 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in overtime at Paycor Stadium in Week 5

Lamar Jackson and company rallied from a late fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime with a 56-yard field goal from Justin Tucker. In overtime, the Bengals recovered a Jackson fumble but could not win it after Evan McPherson missed a 56-yard field goal of his win.

At one point in the fourth quarter, Joe Burrow was 27-for-34 for 353 yards and five touchdown passes, while former college teammate Ja’Marr Chase had nine catches for 174 yards and two scores.

Burrow finished 30-39 passing for 392 yards, five touchdowns, and one costly interception. His MVP counterpart, Lamar Jackson, was 26-42 passing for 348 yards and four touchdowns. Jackson also had 12 carries for 56 yards on the day.

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Joe Burrow dominates early, but Ravens rally for a 41-38 win over Bengals in overtime

Joe Burrow dominates early, but Ravens rally for a 41-38 win over Bengals in overtime

After a week of pundits and experts questioning Joe Burrow’s demise, the former LSU star put the NFL back on notice with a dominant, five-touchdown performance against the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium.

Still, it wasn’t enough, as Lamar Jackson and company rallied from a late fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime with a 56-yard field goal from Justin Tucker. In overtime, the Bengals recovered a Lamar Jackosn fumble but were unable to win it after Evan McPherson missed a 56-yard field goal of his win.

Baltimore used a big Derrick Henry run to get into field goal position, and Justin Tucker’s 24 field goals gave the Ravens their third straight win.

At one point in the fourth quarter, Burrow was 27-for-34 for 353 yards and five touchdown passes, while former college teammate Ja’Marr Chase had nine catches for 174 yards and two scores against a Ravens secondary full of first-round picks and high-paid defenders.

Burrow finished 30-39 passing for 392 yards, five touchdowns, and one costly interception. His MVP counterpart, Lamar Jackson, was 26-42 passing for 348 yards and four touchdowns. Jackson also had 12 carries for 56 yards on the day.

After a slow start, Derrick Henry finished things with a bang, rushing for 91 yards on 15 carries, with one rushing touchdown.

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Ravens vs. Raiders: Top photos from Week 2 matchup at M&T Bank Stadium

The Ravens have gone from a Super Bowl hopeful, to a team searching for answers after a shocking 26-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday.

The loss dropped Baltimore to 0-2 on the season, while creating more discourse centered on the offensive line, secondary, run-pass ratios, and Lamar Jackson. The disappointing loss also creates something of a hotseat for head coach John Harbaugh with a difficult matchup against the Cowboys looming.

Here are the top photos from Week 2.

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Ravens’ Michael Pierce sees benefit of bringing back same defensive line in 2024

Ravens defensive lineman Michael Pierce sees the benefit of bringing back their entire offensive line

Over the past few seasons, the Baltimore Ravens have had one of the most consistent defensive line rooms in the NFL. Their mix of veteran and young talent has ensured that they never miss a beat regardless of who’s in the game, and their star power makes them a force to deal with on every snap.

Baltimore defensive lineman Michael Pierce was asked about the benefits of bringing back the team’s entire defensive line from 2023 to the 2024 season. He said there are significant reasons why it’s a big deal, including continuity and having players that contribute to winning on the roster.

“I would believe so. Anytime you can have continuity, more so, bringing back guys who actually impact winning. We brought back ‘Beeks’ [Justin Madubuike] – one of the best D-tackles in the league [and] obviously [an NFL] Top 100 kind of guy. [As far as] myself I played well, obviously Broddy [DE / DT Broderick Washington] will be here again, and Travis [Jones] here again; they’ve taken tremendous steps. [The Ravens] bringing back ‘Urb’ [Brent Urban who is a] solid five[-technique]. They don’t have a lot of those around the league, so [I’m] glad to have him back.” [Additionally] adding a lot of guys like [Deadrin] Senat and Josh [Tupou] and all those guys. Anytime you want to have a great defense, you bring back guys throughout the secondary and in front that I just spoke on. [But] having continuity, having guys who contribute to winning and understand how things go and how things fit together is important.”

Pierce is a crucial cog in the Ravens’ defensive line unit, especially as a player who can both stop the run and rush the passer at a high level. The veteran has carved out an excellent career and should have another productive year in Zach Orr’s defense.

Ravens DC Zach Orr has high praise for Travis Jones, Michael Pierce

Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr had high praise for defensive lineman Travis Jones and Michael Pierce

The Baltimore Ravens house one of the best interior defensive line units that the NFL has to offer. They have a wide array of veteran and young talent that can carry the group far, with stars and promising potential being their calling card.

When defensive coordinator Zach Orr was asked about some of the talent on the defensive line in Travis Jones, he also made it a point to bring Michael Pierce into the conversation. He talked about how he believes both players are going to play a lot of great football for the Ravens in 2024, with their rotation abilities being a big part of how Orr wants to do things defensively.

“I think both of those guys [Travis Jones and Michael Pierce] are heck of players. Obviously, Travis [Jones] is going into Year Three; I mean, we expect big things out of ‘Big Trav.’ With the D-Line [defensive line], it’s great to have guys who can rotate there in and out [and] keep those guys fresh. I think our D-Line is one of the best in the National Football League, and Michael Pierce and Travis are a big part of that. I think both of those guys are going to play a lot of great football for us this year.”

Baltimore will need their defensive front to help them try to repeat their historic success from the 2023 season. Jones is expected to one of the breakout players on the Ravens’ roster this year, while Pierce will likely be a veteran mainstay on the team’s defense once again.

Ravens vs. Packers: Top photos from preseason finale at Lambeau Field

We’re looking at the top photos from the Baltimore Ravens preseason loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field

It’s only the preseason, but the Ravens will head towards the 53-man roster cutdown date with a sour taste after a 30-7 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field on Saturday afternoon. Josh Johnson was 5-7 for 71 yards and one passing touchdown, while Michael Pratt led Green Bay in passing, going 8-12 for 80 yards and one touchdown. The Packers were dominant on the ground, amassing 193 rushing yards, as Ellis Merriweather led all ball carriers with 16 yards for 74 yards. The Packers held the ball for nearly ten minutes longer than the Ravens and out-gained Baltimore by 326 yards to 177 for John Harbaugh’s bunch. With Baltimore now turning its attention toward the Chiefs, here’s an instant analysis of the loss. ***