The Baltimore Ravens sit at 2-2 at the quarter mark of the season. After two disappointing and embarrassing losses, to the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns respectively, Baltimore now sits in a tough spot hoping they can get back to their winning ways.
In order to do that, the Ravens will have to get better play from several of their players. These seven players have all been duds in various ways and will need to step up in the final 12 games to get Baltimore back to the playoffs.
LB, Patrick Onwuasor
Onwuasor was so good in preseason. He was fast, decisive and hit like a freight train. But those exact positives have turned into negatives in the regular season.
Teams have used play action to use Onwuasor’s aggressiveness against him as he bites on the run only to get beat with a pass across the middle where he should have been. Onwuasor has also overpursued on run plays, something coach John Harbaugh spoke about following the Ravens’ defense allowing 333 rushing yards over two weeks.
Baltimore switched the mic’d helmet over from Onwuasor to safety Tony Jefferson in Week 4 in an attempt to limit the miscommunication issues they’ve had in the secondary. While that didn’t work, it shows the lack of trust there.
S, Tony Jefferson
The hope was the addition of a more standard free safety like Earl Thomas would allow Jefferson to do what he does best: be an enforcer in the secondary. Though Jefferson has done well in that role, he’s still being tasked with coverage at times as well. And it’s still not going well.
According to PFF, Jefferson has allowed seven receptions on 11 targets his way for 169 yards and a touchdown. He’s also missed five tackles through four games, something that absolutely cannot happen for a strong safety.
Jefferson is being asked to do a lot in this defense but is having a terrible season. If he can step up and play like we’ve seen him play, quite a few of the issues we’ve seen this defense have will suddenly disappear.
OLB, Tim Williams
Williams was called out this offseason and he’s been called out again in the regular season. Everyone has been hoping and expecting him to turn into at least a situational pass rusher, but instead, Williams has been a disappointment.
In spite of playing on 75 defensive snaps (30.86%), Williams has a grand total of no quarterback hits, no sacks and just two tackles. Williams actually has more penalties against him than hits or sacks of the quarterback — a roughing the passer penalty in Week 1.
At this point, Williams should probably be viewed as a lost cause for Baltimore. By continuing to put him into the lineup, they’re taking snaps away from rookie Jaylon Ferguson, who could use the on-field development time.
WR, Chris Moore
Moore had gotten plenty of playing time last season, seeing the field for 39.28% of the offensive snaps but only catching 19 passes for 196 yards and one touchdown. With all the changes on offense this offseason, Moore was given his best chance of becoming a real weapon for Baltimore. Sadly, that hasn’t happened.
This season, Moore has been passed over by newcomer Seth Roberts as well as rookies Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin. Of the five wide receivers with any offensive snaps this season, Moore sits at the bottom of the pile.
But even when Moore has gotten chances to see the field, he hasn’t done anything with them. He has no receptions in spite of playing 61 snaps (20.27%). He had a chance at a long one in Week 4 against Cleveland, being wide open for at least a 26-yard reception, but caught the ball out of bounds in spite of no one being near him.
With Boykin stepping up in Week 4, Moore might see even fewer snaps the rest of the season.
CB, Anthony Averett
Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY SportsAverett looked like an ascending player after stepping up in the second half of last season. But with an opportunity to start and shine after cornerback Jimmy Smith went down just six snaps into the season, Averett has been arguably the biggest disappointment on Baltimore’s roster.
According to PFF, Averett has allowed 16 receptions on 24 targets for 269 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterbacks have a 132.1 rating when throwing his direction.
Because of those errors, Averett found himself effectively pulled from the lineup against the Browns, seeing only 16 total defensive snaps and only 10 in coverage. With Maurice Canady nabbing an interception this week, Averett could be looking at a continued demotion in favor of a guy that was on the practice squad just a few weeks ago.
WR, Willie Snead
While Moore has been the biggest disappointment at wide receiver, Snead shouldn’t be far behind. With all the sweeping changes made at the position this offseason, Snead came into the season as the most experienced receiver and the one with the most chemistry with quarterback Lamar Jackson. You wouldn’t know that after four games though.
Snead has played the most offensive snaps of the wide receivers on the roster (202 snaps – 66.45%) but has been ineffective. He’s been out on 112 routes but been targeted just 11 times and has eight receptions with two drops.
Though Jackson has been spreading the ball around, Snead is almost an afterthought in the passing attack in spite of playing so much. It’s definitely not where anyone thought he’d be this early into the season.
CB, Jimmy Smith
Smith came into this season as one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the league. It’s also a contract year for him. After not playing a full season since 2015, Smith really needed to return to form and stay on the field. But just six plays into the first game and Smith was knocked out for several weeks with a sprained knee.
There’s no denying Smith’s injury and it’s not his fault he suffered it. But with so much on the line for Smith personally and how much Baltimore’s defense clearly needs him, missing several weeks once again does no one any favors. Smith still has a chance to come back this season and make everyone forget about his absence with stellar play. But if he puts up a similar performance as last year, he’ll almost assuredly guarantee his exit next offseason.
