The Ravens are 9-3 and sitting atop the AFC at the bye. That’s an excellent place to be.
With several teams nipping at their heels not only for the top seed, but also still in the division, the Ravens need to keep improving and winning.
Baltimore’s coaching staff is working through the week, self-scouting and figuring out what tweaks need to be made to help this team down the stretch.
This isn’t their checklist, but here are some areas of focus:
Pass Protection
The Ravens currently rank No. 14 in the NFL in pass blocking efficiency and had a rough night against the Chargers. Despite Lamar Jackson averaging his fourth-quickest time to throw this season (2.62 seconds), he was pressured at his fourth-highest rate (44.4%). The pressure was a major reason why Baltimore went 4-of-13 on third down. While Jackson is the master at escaping pressure with his legs, the Ravens need him feeling comfortable in the pocket for their pass game to flourish.
While every member of the offensive line can improve, the struggles at left tackle have been most surprising and left Jackson’s backside vulnerable. Ronnie Stanley is an All-Pro talent and one of the best in the league when healthy. The problem is he’s dealt with two knee injuries this season, which may be contributing to his struggles against power rushes. The bye week will help Stanley get healthier, but if he’s still having trouble, the Ravens will need solutions.
Sack-strips have been a problem. Jackson had another against the Chargers that the Ravens recovered, but his 11 fumbles are the second-most in the league. That’s a concern, especially with some of the best pass rushers remaining on Baltimore’s schedule (Jaguars’ Josh Allen, 49ers’ Nick Bosa and Chase Young, Dolphins’ Bradley Chubb, and Steelers’ T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith).
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