John Harbaugh can't keep letting misfiring starter steal rising force's shine

The Baltimore Ravens looked atrocious in pretty much every way imaginable in their Week 14 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The players failed to show up down-to-down, the game plan was off from the first quarter, and the playcalling was questionable all day.

Countless starters had plays that led to the loss on Sunday, but perhaps no player had a rougher showing than right guard Daniel Faalele. He continued his horrific stretch in 2025 with some of the worst reps he has put on tape all year.

Faalele was embarrassed one-on-one against cornerback Brandin Echols early, whiffed on a block against defensive lineman Esezi Otomewo, and was seen on the ground on several other occasions. Otomewo, a 2022 fifth-round pick who is with his third team and has played just 16 games in his career, got the best of Faalele on multiple downs.

Ravens fans have been begging Head Coach John Harbaugh to bench Faalele all year, and it looked like that may take place with rookie offensive lineman Emery Jones Jr.’s return. However, not only is Jones expected to play left guard only this year, but he also failed to log a single snap against the Steelers.

In the case of possibly benching left guard Andrew Vorhees, it made some sense, but Vorhees had some encouraging moments against Pittsburgh. With Faalele faltering again and again on the other side, though, Jones deserved a chance.

Ravens must give Emery Jones Jr. a chance at right guard

Jones played on the right side of the offensive line at LSU. He was a standout right tackle. Sure, the task of practicing at both right guard and left guard can be more daunting for a rookie who looks to play a major role in the future, but they need to give him a chance at right guard. They cannot survive any longer with Faalele starting.

According to Pro Football Focus, Faalele ranks as the 47th-best offensive guard in the NFL. He owns a 57.2 overall grade, including a 59.3 pass-blocking grade and 54.5 run-blocking grade. The line as a whole has been awful, but Faalele’s inability to hold up in pass protection has played an unfortunate role in quarterback Lamar Jackson’s health issues in 2025.

While Jones was not great in his debut against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13, he looked fine for a rookie. Although a tough assignment against a strong Pittsburgh defensive front likely played a role in keeping Jones off the field, not giving him a single snap with the offensive line is a head-scratching move, especially given how Faalele played.

Following Week 14, the Ravens are once again reeling. Their season is on life support, and they need to do everything in their power to correct their glaring flaws. That might include starting Jones and benching Faalele.