OWINGS MILLS — The Ravens have the most prolific offense in the NFL. And that is a good thing because their defense is giving up a lot of big plays and points.
Behind quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry, the Ravens are beating teams by running the ball and throwing the ball, with Jackson showing a command for offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s balanced offense.
Entering Week 8, the Ravens lead the NFL in yards (461.4), points (31.1) and rushing yards (210.9) per game. The team has needed that production because the defense has continued to struggle.
Baltimore is ranked 32nd against the pass, allowing 282.1 yards per game, and 27th with 25,7 points allowed per game.
There continue to be breakdowns and miscommunication on defense, with receivers finding themselves open and defensive backs looking at each other as if to say, “I thought you had the coverage.” Although there’s a long way to go, it invites a question of whether the Ravens can make the Super Bowl with a defense that’s as inconsistent as the offense is consistent.
“There’s a lot of things that we can get better at, and we can improve upon certainly, and we will keep striving for that for sure,” coach John Harbaugh said after a 41-31 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night that shouldn’t have been that close. “Even though all three phases could have done some things better certainly, and we’ll talk about those, all three phases came through when they had to in a big way.”
Jackson is doing his part to keep the Ravens winning. Over seven games, Jackson has thrown for 1,810 yards and is second in the NFL with 15 touchdown passes. After losing the first two games of the season, the Ravens have won five straight and are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) for first place in the AFC North.
Jackson has downplayed the production of the offense, saying the only thing that matters are victories. But the Ravens need to keep scoring until the defense finds a way to stop opponents.
“I’m chasing something right now, so each and every game is going to be the same thing for me,” Jackson said. “I’m going to be the same person. Every game, I’m trying to win.”
Each week, Ravens defensive coordinator Zachary Orr and the players pledge the pass defense will play better. While there have been signs of improvement, such as Marlon Humphrey’s two big intereceptions on Monday night, the unit was gouged by the Buccaneers, who scored 21 points in the fourth quarter and amassed 481 total yards.
The secondary continues to have communication issues that lead to the breakdowns in coverage. The Ravens will strive to play better Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, who will have a new starting quarterback after Deshaun Watson ruptured his right Achilles.
“I’ve said it before, but anybody can beat anybody in this league, so we’re going to prepare for this game accordingly,” safety Kyle Hamilton said. “I think the Browns are a very physical team. They don’t have the best record right now, but I think on tape, when you watch them, they have talent, and they can cause some issues if you don’t take them seriously. [It’s] a division opponent; [I have] a lot of respect for them. [We’ve] got to go in there and do what we do.”
