The Baltimore Ravens' Week 8 win over the Chicago Bears was full of surprises. Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley led a standout performance for the offense, and the defense put together another strong showing, finally applying consistent pressure on the opposing quarterback. They even won the turnover battle on Sunday.
Fans could breathe a sigh of relief after the 30-17 win. The Ravens’ season is still very much alive, as they improved to 2-5 and snuck closer into the AFC North race after all three of their rivals lost in Week 8.
There were many encouraging signs from the win. From the performance of the offense and defense, to individual showings against Chicago, there is plenty of reason to believe this team can turn it around as they enter the midseason point.
For offense, one of the most encouraging signs from Sunday’s win was running back Keaton Mitchell’s involvement. It is clear that the coaching staff is finally letting Mitchell loose, and the rest of the NFL should be terrified about the potential offensive breakout that could be on the way.
Ravens unleash Keaton Mitchell in Week 8
Mitchell’s explosiveness was exactly what the Ravens needed in Week 8. He acted as the perfect pairing to Derrick Henry’s physical run style, notching a couple of splash plays to keep the offense in a rhythm. Mitchell finished the day with four carries for 43 yards and a long of 25 yards. He also returned two kicks for 66 yards, including a 39-yard return.
All year, Head Coach John Harbaugh talked about how tough it was to get Mitchell involved with such a stacked running back room. With Henry leading the way, Justice Hill playing a major role on passing downs, and Rasheen Ali impacting special teams in every way possible, Mitchell was at the bottom of the depth chart. That finally changed on Sunday, though.
Harbaugh mentioned the coaching staff took the time over the bye week to get Mitchell more touches. He was active for two games before Week 8, and while he did not get too much run, it was clear he was getting more trust from the coaching staff. On Sunday, they finally found a set of plays for Mitchell to make his mark on.
“One of the many things we looked at over the bye, we said ‘We gotta tag plays for Keaton,’” Harbaugh said in his postgame press conference. “You wanna make sure Derrick gets his reps and Justice is effective, but we said ‘We have got to tag plays for Keaton Mitchell and make sure we get him the ball,’ and that’s what we were able to do.”
This should just be the start for Mitchell. The offense put a stronger emphasis on him in the second half, and that will likely carry into their Week 9 Thursday Night Football game against the Miami Dolphins.