Baltimore Ravens Defensive Review: Week 4 vs. the Buffalo Bills
Since the start of the season, the Baltimore Ravens defense has shown signs of being an elite unit but has also had moments where they can throw games away.
This past Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills was no different. The Ravens showed signs of being a force to be reckoned with, but they looked suspect for parts as well.
Coming into this Week 4 matchup between two of the favorites in the AFC, the Bills were top-five in every offensive statistic, so the Ravens couldn’t afford any lapses or take plays off on that side of the ball.
The Ravens’ defense started the game as well as you could have imagined with an interception on the first drive of the game to put their offense in the red zone was a dream start.
This continued for the majority of the first half as the Bills’ first five offense drives yielded only a field goal. The Ravens’ defense forced two turnovers (interception and fumble) as well as two three-and-outs.
Although they allowed a touchdown just before halftime, the Ravens’ defense seemed to have an answer for the explosive Bills offense, and they were struggling to move the ball.
The second half saw the Bills move the ball a little more comfortably as the Ravens struggled to deal with quarterback Josh Allen’s legs in the run game — something that head coach John Harbaugh said they had emphasized all week in practice.
It didn’t help that the Ravens struggled on offense themselves, managing no points in the second half. With the defense having to be on the field for such a large portion of the time, they got gassed and lanes began to open for the Bills. The defense was on the field for a total of 34 plays in the second half.
The Baltimore Ravens need consistency on defense
Once again, the Ravens’ defense exemplified both sides of the coin. They were able to completely halt the best offense in the league for one half, only to start missing assignments and tackles in the second. That said, limiting an offense that was averaging 441 yards a game to just 326 total yards is impressive.
Next. Ravens RB Gus Edwards set to return in the very near future. dark
This will need to change if the Ravens want any sort of sustained success this season. They need to find consistency on that side of the ball.