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Filmstudy - FILMSTUDY: Ravens New Faces Fall to Dolphins

Posted On: 12/19/07
Written By:  
Ken McKusick
FILMSTUDY: Ravens New Faces Fall to Dolphins
Lots of new faces were in the Ravens lineup and for all the wrong reasons.  The defense barely resembled that of 2006 in the 3rd and 4th quarter, being relegated to a group of rookies and special teamers.  Here are the stats, and I’m sure I don’t need to remind you that none of these include kneels or other non-defensive (special teams) sets:
 
Overall:  72 plays, 361 yards, 5.0 YPPA
Best:  Lewis 38/136, 3.6 YPPA
Worst:  Prude 22/188, 8.5 YPPA, Winborne 12/112, 9.3 YPPA
 
Vs. the Rush:  28 rushes, 73 yards, 2.6 YPC
Best:  Jones 9/10, 1.1 YPC, Greisen 14/19, 1.4 YPC
Worst:  Lewis 14/54, 3.9 YPC
 
Vs. the Pass:  44 pass plays, 288 yards, 6.5 YPP
Best:  Lewis 24/82, 3.4 YPP
Worst:  Greisen 20/206, 10.3 YPP
 
By number of Defensive Backs:
3:  1 play, 0 yards
4:  49/173, 3.5 YPPA, 2 sacks
5:  11/76, 6.9 YPPA, 1 sack
6:  11/112, 10.2 YPPA, 2 sacks
 
By number of Pass Rushers:
3:  4 plays, 19 yards, 4.8 YPP, 1 sack
4:  26/183, 7.6 YPP, 2 sacks
5:  11/69, 6.3 YPP, 2 sacks
6:  2/11, 5.5 YPP
7:  1/6, 6.0
 
Notes:
 
·          By the end of the game, the Ravens were giving significant playing time to 3 backup corners (Ivy, Prude, Gaston), 2 special teams players (Stills, Greisen), and a rookie lineman (Jones).  They had 6 UDFA’s Ivy, Prude, Scott, Jones, Winborne, and Gaston all on the field at the same time.  I’m guessing that’s never happened to the Ravens before.
 
·          Suggs missed significant 2nd half playing time.  He was on the field for just 20 of the team’s last 43 defensive snaps.  Was he injured? (*)  I think giving Suggs some plays off might really makes him a more effective pass rusher, but this year we have not been able to afford to have him sit.
 
·          The team fell apart defensively without Ray Lewis.  If you have ever wondered about his value as the defensive QB, look no further than this game.  The team gave up 6.6 YPPA without him in and 3.6 YPPA with him.  Greisen did fine assisting on the run, but he contributed very little on the passing plays that killed the Ravens after Lewis departed.  What am I expecting from Greisen that Ray accomplished?  Well for starters, he has to get his hand on a pass once in a while.  Lewis had a tip to Suggs that should have been ruled an INT.  When he departed, the Dolphins were merciless with their use of the middle of the field and the Ravens had no answer.  Peyton Manning has been quoted as saying you look for the defenders and throw the ball where they aren’t.  I can’t imagine anything that would be more disconcerting to a young QB than looking downfield and seeing 52 looking straight into his eyes.  That would have to make most move to the next read.  If Greisen was able to read the QB’s eyes, he was not instilling that same fear. 
 
·          Beyond McAlister, Rolle, and Ivy, the Ravens don’t seem to have a depth chart at corner, it’s more like a ouija board.  Martin, Pittman, Gaston, and Prude have all been slotted differently on a game-by-game basis.  Martin has been on top much of the season, but Gaston and Prude were both ahead this last game.  Pittman moved to the top of this list after Martin’s 3rd TD allowed at Pittsburgh, but was injured 3 plays later and is now clearly last.  Gaston was last for Cincinnati, but still played due to injuries, then dropped back to the practice squad, before reemerging at the top this week.  Prude has played sparingly after a good rookie year and it would be fair to say he’s been every spot but the top of these 4.
 
·          Kelly Gregg had one of his best games as a pro with 11 tackles and a sack.  He dominated his man matchups in the middle and registered a very fine 3.8 YPPA for the game.  He diagnosed a screen pass and ran the receiver down near the sideline, a fantastic play for a DT.  For the season, Gregg has been at the team average for YPC (2.9), but the Ravens have allowed 7.6 YPP with him in vs. a team average of 6.8.  Nonetheless, because opponents have run much more with him in, he has been .3 YPPA better than the team overall (5.0 with him, 5.3 without him).  He’s definitely a player the Ravens need to try to rebuild the defense with.  Notice the subtle difference here.  Gregg is a player you rebuild a defense “with” as opposed to “around”.  He’s a veteran player that will surely decline soon, but he brings a work ethic and motor that you want your younger players to learn from.  Please excuse the fact that 3 of the last 4 sentences ended with prepositions.  I’m someone you write a grammar manual in spite of (damn, 4 of 5).
 
·          Edgar Jones played well in his first significant action.  In just 16 snaps he registered his 1st NFL sack (0 yards lost) and assisted on the critical 3rd and 5 play from the 8 yard line with 2:34 left in regulation.  Had the Dolphins made a 1st down on that play, the game would have effectively been over.  We’ve seen so little of him, I didn’t really know what to expect, but he looked alert and athletic against the run and gave sustained effort when rushing the passer.  He does not look like a 1-dimensional pass rusher to me and I think he’s clearly earned more playing time the next 2 weeks.
 
·          From the stats above, it would appear the Ravens fell apart in nickel and dime situations.  The 64-yard play alone is a huge part of that, but since Winborne was in coverage on the receiver, it’s probably appropriate.  Prude, who played in every nickel/dime package, was not picked on much directly (other than by his Dolphin friend after their game-winning TD), but the Ravens were ineffective nonetheless.
 
·          Barnes got consistent pressure as he has for the last several games, but the Ravens simply have not been effective with him in the game.  For the season, the Ravens with/without Barnes have allowed 4.6/2.9 YPC and 7.6/6.8 YPP.  Those are both big differentials.  Lots of excuses can be made, allow me to provide two…Barnes has played more with injuries to key players like Pryce, Suggs, and Johnson so naturally he’s not going to look as good as the team as a whole…He only plays on passing downs when the Ravens have their 5th and 6th corners/ 4th safety in the game.   Sadly, I don’t think this can all be laid off on circumstance.  Barnes has now played 181 defensive snaps and has registered just 4 tackles (his other 5 tackles are on special teams).  While 2 of the tackles have been sacks, that’s just not enough productivity from a 1-dimensional pass rusher.  He’s looked athletic, as did Suggs as a rookie when he was a pure pass rusher.  While Suggs had 12 of 33 tackles as sacks, he also forced 6 fumbles, recovered 4, had an interception and registered 3 PD’s.  We can’t expect a 4th round draft pick to replicate the production of the 10th overall selection in the draft, but I think it’s reasonable that Barnes should have contributed more.  I’d also say the high yards per play totals for Barnes are in part a function of his lack of versatility.  Since he’s been ineffective in pass coverage, it’s easier to determine with whom the Ravens might be blitzing.  I’m not giving up on the guy by any stretch, but the Ravens need him to learn how to do more.
 
·          I’ve criticized Dwan Edwards’ play this season, sometimes without mercy (see the Featured Defender of the Week article about him in my archive), but he’s one of the few Raven defenders who has improved his play the last 3 weeks.  For the season the with/without numbers for Dwan are 3.0/2.9 vs. the rush and 7.4/6.8 vs. the pass.  Is there anyone out there who has played or coached defensive line?  I want to know if there is some training tool to improve speed off the snap.  I’ve got to believe we would be watching a whole different player if he could improve that element of his game.  I recently watched the whole 2000 season again and the most impressive thing about Sam Adams was not the fact that he couldn’t be blocked, because the good O-Lineman could move him some.  Adams’ major contribution was the disruption he caused with his first step off the snap.
 
·          Justin Bannan has had a fine year.  The 2.3 YPC against is by far the best on the Ravens of anyone who has played 15 or more rushing snaps.  He’s improved to better than the team average at 6.6 yards per pass play (team 6.8).  More than any other defensive lineman, a disproportionate number of his snaps come in goal line situations, which will tend to distort numbers downward.  However, he’s probably the most effective Ravens defender there as he seems to get a better jump off the snap when it’s needed in those situations.  After being on the field for just 1 sack on 70 pass attempts for the mighty 2006 defense, he’s improved to 5 sacks on 99 pass plays this season.  He is a salmon swimming upstream against the Ravens decline of 36% in sacks per pass play (60/569 in 2006 to 31/461 this season).
 
·          There were a number of statistical discrepancies in the Gamebook.  In the first quarter, Lewis was credited with a sack and forced fumble.  Based on the TV, the play was between half and 1 and a half yards past the LoS.  Suggs was  also credited with Greisen’s sack (7-yard loss where he pushed Lemon OB in the 4th quarter).  I guess that’s fair since Suggs lost an interception to a failure to challenge.  I would expect some stat shifting in the next week. 
 
* Editor's Note: Terrell Suggs was suffering from the flu during the game.
 
Photo by Sabina Moran

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Posted On: 12/19/07
Written By:  
Ken McKusick

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