For the entire season, Baltimore Ravens fans have been begging John Harbaugh to unleash Keaton Mitchell. This Sunday could be the week it happens. Justice Hill missed two days of practice this week and was officially ruled out with a toe injury on Friday. With Hill sidelined, Mitchell feels poised to see a bigger role in the offense.
Even before Hill's injury, Mitchell was (finally) seeing an increased role in the run game over the past three weeks; he has received four carries in each game. Conversely, Hill has received three total carries during this span. Mitchell adds a much-needed explosive element to the Ravens' run game. This will be especially vital against a formidable Cleveland Browns defense in Week 11.
Mitchell could give the Ravens the punch they need against the Browns
Listen, I get that the Browns are 2-7, but they have a dangerous defense. Notably, they give the second fewest yards per game (264.9) and fewer than 100 yards per game. In their Week 2 matchup, the Ravens' run game struggled despite a 41-17 win; they rushed for just 45 yards. The Ravens (4-5) can't afford to lose games as they fight for a playoff spot, and don't be fooled by the Browns' record; they aren't a pushover.
Derrick Henry rushed for just 23 yards on 11 carries. The Browns will be expecting a lot of carries for Henry, and thus, the Ravens need to do something to catch them off guard. Undoubtedly, giving Mitchell a steady diet in the run game would be the perfect way to surprise the Browns. And with Hill out, the chances of Harbaugh and Greg Roman implementing Mitchell into their game plan skyrocket.
The third-year running back is the definition of dynamic, and giving him some responsibilities would unlock another element in the Ravens' offense. Mitchell is averaging 6.2 yards per attempt, and as a rookie, he averaged an insane 8.4 yards per attempt. Last week against the Minnesota Vikings (which is a similar defense to the Browns), Mitchell rushed for 31 yards and averaged 7.8 yards per carry.
For as great as Henry is, continuing to use him as the sole running back makes the offense predictable. Mitchell is a different type of back than Henry, and it would behoove the Ravens to take advantage of this.
Getting four carries in each of the last three games is an encouraging sign, given that Mitchell was (inexplicably) a healthy scratch for the first four games. However, Mitchell still needs more usage, and this is a perfect week to do so. With Hill's injury, Henry's struggles against the Browns, and Mitchell's impressive impact, the stars are aligning for Mitchell to have a big game.