Baltimore Ravens: 3 stats they must improve on from last season
By Joe Schiller
2. Yards allowed per game against tight ends: 57.4
C.J. Mosley finished his second consecutive Pro Bowl season but not everything was perfect on the defensive side of the ball. As strong as the Ravens were defending wide receivers, the same can’t be said against tight ends. Mosley and Patrick Onwuasor were poor against the pass. Dean Pees’ defense allowed 57.4 yards per game against tight ends, good enough for third worst in the NFL.
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While this doesn’t seem like a huge number in terms of receiving yards, it is for the tight ends. The defense allowed at least 50+ receiving yards from tight ends seven times during the regular season. Much like third-down percentage, the tight end targets only increased as opposing teams figured out the Ravens’ struggles. Tight ends were targeted at least seven times each during the final six weeks of the season including 20 against the Steelers.
The increased targets for NFL tight ends will only increase in the coming years. The position is actively evolving into more of a receiving threat. You’ll rarely see players like Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham, and Travis Kelce block. Instead, they’re lined up as receivers. As athletic tight ends only continue to get faster and stronger, the Ravens have to be better at defending them.
Don Martindale will be tasked with this job in his first season as defensive coordinator.