Can Jimmy Smith slow down Michael Thomas for Ravens?
Of all the match-ups the Ravens will have vs. the Saints, the most important will be Jimmy Smith vs. Michael Thomas for 60-minutes.
Jimmy Smith has been one of the NFL’s most underappreciated cornerbacks for the last few seasons. Part of this is due to suspensions, but majority of this falls upon his inability to stay healthy for a full 16 game season. Smith, a 30-year old vet drafted in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, will have one of the biggest individual match-ups for the entire NFL this season on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
The man who will cause the Ravens the most trouble all day will be wide receiver Michael Thomas. Thomas, a second round pick out of Ohio State in 2016, has dominated since his rookie season. Going over 1,000-yards receiving in each of his two seasons in the NFL, Thomas has been on an absolute tear in 2018. Thomas is on pace not only for his third-consecutive 1,000-yard season, but is also gunning towards breaking Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison’s single-season record for receptions.
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Jimmy Smith certainly has his work cutout for him, but he can be more than able to step-up to the occasion. After all, Smith has been mentioned numerous times as Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown’s Kryptonite. Additionally, Smith has consistently been a shutdown corner who gets zero love for his level of play. Michael Thomas is certainly going to make Smith earn that title, however.
Considering the Ravens will be without their other lock-down cornerback in Marlon Humphrey (out with a lingering hamstring injury), Baltimore will be counting on Jimmy Smith now more than ever. The Ravens defense has been playing at a historically high-level in 2018, and a lot of that has to do with the team’s ability to limit opposing offenses to minuscule opportunities for big-plays.
We all know how awesome the team’s scoring defense has been, after all the team has yet to allow a second-half touchdown all season long. The Ravens have to be hoping to keep this trend going, especially against one of the league’s best offenses.
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Michael Thomas is an absolute animal in all facets of the game as a receiver. The man is a precise route runner with incredible hands and yards-after-catch ability. Everything to make this man feared is present, and Ravens Flock is hoping that Jimmy Smith can slow him down. But, if there’s any cornerback I trust to slow down Thomas, it would be Smith.