The Baltimore Ravens have had recent troubles, losing back-to-back games to drop to 2-2 at the quarter-season mark. Their defense has been under siege, forcing the offense to try to carry the team. What looked like a Super Bowl contender Week 1 now looks to be in jeopardy for even making the postseason.
While there were a number of duds already this season, we shouldn’t forget the players playing well. Let’s take a closer look at the five studs from the Ravens after four games.
Stud: CB Marlon Humphrey
The secondary’s issues have overshadowed what has been an All-Pro-caliber season from Humphrey. He’s played physical and smart football, covering upper-tier wide receivers well. In Week 4 against the Cleveland Browns, Humphrey held wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to no receptions through three quarters — something that had never happened in Beckham’s career. He finished with just two catches on seven targets for 20 yards, the lowest yardage total in his career.
Humphrey looked like he was on this pace last season and he’s done nothing to disappoint in 2019.
Stud: TE Mark Andrews
Outside of Baltimore, Andrews was largely ignored and got very little press as a potential breakout candidate at the end of the preseason. But he has tapped into the potential he showed as a rookie last year.
Andrews has caught 23 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns. He’s on pace to put up 1,064 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns this season, which would blow all previous Ravens tight ends out of the water and put him with the likes of Shannon Sharpe, Tony Gonzalez and Rob Gronkowski in terms of single-season production.
Andrews has shown an ability to outrace linebackers while being more physical than safeties and cornerbacks matched up against him. He has solid hands, catching nearly everything that comes his way and he knows how to get open when quarterback Lamar Jackson extends plays. In just his second season, Andrews looks destined for greatness already.
Stud: RB Mark Ingram
I don’t think anyone expected to get this much out of Ingram so soon when he signed with the Ravens this offseason. He quickly emerged as the top of this rushing attack in an offense that is surprisingly perfectly balanced (140 runs to 140 passes) and he’s been efficient when given opportunities.
Through four games, Ingram has 55 carries for 328 yards and a league-leading five touchdowns. He’s averaging six yards per carry, sitting third in the league behind Jackson and Giants running back Saquon Barkley. Ingram is on pace for 1,312 rushing yards, which would be a personal best. He’s also on pace for 20 touchdowns, would tie for the 11th-most all time.
When considering Ingram came in significantly cheaper than Le’Veon Bell’s contract this offseason and was figured to be nearing the end of his career, he’s been a steal for Baltimore. By any metric, Ingram has been one of the best running backs this season.
Stud: WR Marquise Brown
Despite not getting much time at training camp or in the preseason, Brown came out of the gate running. He leads Baltimore in targets and yards, and is second in receptions behind Andrews. Though he’s been limited somewhat in the last two weeks, he’s done everything the Ravens could have asked of him this season and looks to finally be the first wide receiver the team has drafted that will pan out.
Brown’s season already ranks among the best rookie seasons a Ravens wide receiver has had. He ranks sixth in receiving yards, is tied for sixth in receiving touchdowns and is second in yards per reception among players with at least 18 receptions.
Stud: QB Lamar Jackson
No one expected Jackson to have improved this much. All offseason, Baltimore dealt with questions surrounding Jackson’s mechanics and whether he could improve enough to lead this team. After four games, the only people still doubting Jackson’s abilities and drive are doing so only out of pure stubbornness.
Jackson is on pace to set several Ravens records and to have an MVP-caliber season. Perhaps even more importantly, Jackson has improved as a leader, something no one was even asking him to improve upon. He’s held teammates accountable while holding himself even more accountable. He spent a lot of time this offseason working on his mechanics in order to hold up to his end of the bargain and improve his game. He’s doing everything anyone could have asked from him.
Jackson still has some questions he has to answer over time, but it’s easy to see how he could become the face of the NFL in short order if he keeps improving as he has.
