Grading the Ravens’ position groups in their Week 8 loss to the Cleveland Browns.
Offense
Quarterback: B+
335 total yards and zero turnovers would be a great day for most NFL quarterbacks, but Lamar Jackson is graded on a steep curve as he hurtles towards a potential third MVP. He made a couple of great throws under pressure and consistently picked up yards on the ground, but he missed multiple open receivers downfield and struggled to find the right pre-snap answers at the line of scrimmage. Jackson was still great on Sunday, but the Ravens’ deficiencies elsewhere required him to be perfect for the victory.
Running backs: B-
Outside of a 39-yard carry in the second quarter, Derrick Henry averaged just 3.4 yards on his other 10 rushing attempts against a stout Browns front. Justice Hill didn’t have any more success and only recorded one 14-yard catch out of the backfield. He also struggled in pass protection more than usual, though Henry was a positive presence as a blocker. It’s tough to blame the backs too much, though, with a spotty offensive line and inconsistent game plan not putting them in a position to succeed.
Wide receivers: C+
Zay Flowers played through his banged-up ankle for 115 yards on seven catches, bringing him to 11th on the NFL’s receiving yard leaderboard. Nelson Agholor beat Denzel Ward for the cornerback’s first touchdown allowed this year, but ended a potential scoring drive with a third-down drop later in the game. Rashod Bateman went silent after a 28-yard catch on the Ravens’ opening drive with multiple drops in the second half.
Tight Ends: B+
Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely caught all nine of their targets for 83 yards in a solid pass-catching performance from the duo, but they struggled to move the needle in the run game against the Browns’ stacked boxes. Charlie Kolar and Patrick Ricard only combined for 21 snaps, limiting their ability to impact the game as blockers.
Offensive Line: D+
The Ravens offensive line took a step back on Sunday, allowing pressure on a whopping 41.9% of Jackson’s dropbacks, per NextGen Stats. They also failed to dictate control in the trenches and consistently open holes in the run game. Tyler Linderbaum had a costly penalty in the second quarter but otherwise took care of business in pass protection.
Defense
Defensive line: C
Injuries to Brent Urban and Michael Pierce left the Ravens with just three defensive linemen, with Travis Jones already limited due to an ankle injury. That placed a huge burden on Nnamdi Madubuike and Broderick Washington, who each made a few plays but didn’t have the stamina to impact Jameis Winston by the end of the game. The defensive line also struggled to get off their blocks and make tackles in the run game.
Edge rushers: B-
Kyle Van Noy had a solid all-around game with a few stops and a blown-up screen, but Odafe Oweh isn’t making the same impact as his start to the season. Yannick Ngakoue continues to be efficient in his pass-rushing role, and Tavius Robinson played a few quality snaps on the interior after Urban and Pierce went down.
Inside linebackers: C+
Roquan Smith has too many responsibilities across the Ravens defense, lowering the overall quality of his play. He’s being asked to cover too much of the middle of the field from difficult pre-snap alignments and hasn’t been effective as a pass-rusher this season. Trenton Simpson is showing some encouraging signs, looking comfortable in coverage and a number of solid tackles.
Cornerbacks: D
The absences of Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins unsurprisingly took a toll on the Ravens pass defense, with Jalyn Armour-Davis and Arthur Maulet both struggling in their returns from injury. Brandon Stephens also allowed more separation than usual, and overall, it never felt like the cornerbacks were on the same page as the rest of the defense.
Safeties: D+
Kyle Hamilton was a weapon against the run and in the pass rush, as usual, and it remains a mystery why offensive coordinators continue to throw screens to his side of the field. But he dropped a would-be game-winning interception that Winston practically gift-wrapped and hand-delivered on the Browns’ final drive. The best player on the field has to make those plays, as does a veteran like Eddie Jackson who was either completely out of position, or in the right spot and unable to catch the football. Ar’Darius Washington lined up all over the defense and avoided any major mistakes.