It won’t show up in the stat sheet but the Baltimore Ravens offensive line has been key to their success the second half of the season.
The Baltimore Ravens have had an up and down season. Mid-season they were 4-5 and it was looking more like a top-10 pick than playoffs. However, the team completely turned it around and can end up 10-6 with a win and playoff berth on Sunday. The Ravens can attribute that to great defense, special teams, and Joe Flacco coming alive. Most of all, the offensive line play has been the biggest key to the Ravens’ success.
Before the season, right tackle Rick Wagner was signed by the Lions for a fat contract. Starting center Jeremy Zuttah was traded, starting guard Alex Lewis was ruled out for the season with a labrum injury, and rookie fourth-round pick Nico Siragusa was also ruled out with a dreadful knee injury. Along with injuries, center/guard John Urschel chose to step away from the team and retire.
Ozzie Newsome brought in veteran Austin Howard to replace Wagner. Second-year undrafted guard Matt Skura and James Hurst battled for the starting left guard job. Hurst, who was known for struggling at left tackle in the 2014 playoffs, ended up winning the battle. However, in Week 2, All-Pro and Raven great Marshal Yanda was lost with a fractured ankle. Skura then stepped in there to get his chance.
Mostly everyone assumed that the O-line would be a weakness, especially after the injury to Yanda. Those assumptions were proven true in following weeks. It wasn’t until Week 8 against the Dolphins that the unit hit their stride. In that game, the Ravens ran for 168 yards en route to a 40-0 victory.
Following that game, this unit hasn’t looked back. They have continuously put together great games. Ronnie Stanley is the future at left tackle, Ryan Jensen is the future at center and Howard should stick around a few more years. Hurst and Skura have filled in nicely for the injured starters.
Running back Alex Collins is a gem, but he can thank the offensive line for much of his success. They have been excellent all year and Collins has a chance to hit 1,000 yards this Sunday. Credit that to Greg Roman, too. Joe Flacco can also thank the offensive line for keeping him upright. The Ravens are top 10 in sacks allowed this season. The improvement of this unit has been astonishing and a ton of credit goes to new offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris.
It will be interesting to see what the Ravens do with Hurst, who is a free agent at the end of this year. He’s a quality starter but the Ravens have a very talented player in Alex Lewis coming back to claim his spot. But on the other hand, Marshal Yanda’s days are getting numbered after his injury. He will be 34 next season and I’m all for him playing until he’s 50, but the team needs to be realistic.
Regardless of what the Ravens decide to do in the offseason, I do know the offensive line will be good for years to come. They have been good all year with a makeshift unit, imagine what they can do when they stay healthy.
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We need this unit to be good Sunday and the next Sunday and the Sunday after that and so on. They struggled last week against the Colts but I fully expect them to bounce back in an all-important game against the Bengals. It all starts in the trenches, and the Ravens are fortunate to have good units on both sides of the ball. This team’s goal every year is to make the playoffs and get to the Super Bowl. The offensive line and their improved play has given the Ravens a golden opportunity to do both.