The Baltimore Ravens' defense hasn't transformed under Jesse Minter as many people (myself included) had anticipated. Despite spending $112 million on Trey Hendrickson this summer, their pass rush has once again been subpar. Specifically, the Ravens rank 28th in pressure rate, and their 17th sacks are tied for 26th.
Unfortunately, the 4-5 Ravens are running out of time to turn things around, and with Lamar Jackson sidelined, they need their defense to right the ship more than ever. Thankfully, a Monday night showdown with the Los Angeles Chargers is the perfect matchup for Baltimore's defense to get back on track.
The Chargers are 0-8, and their lackluster offensive line has been one of the many factors in their disappointing season. Relevantly, the Chargers have given up the second most sacks in the league.
While the Chargers are an ideal matchup for the Ravens' defense, they can't underestimate their opponent. The flip side is that if they can't show out against the Chargers, this defense may unfortunately be a lost cause.
The Baltimore Ravens' pass rush should be able to turn up the heat
What's so frustrating about the Ravens' struggles is that they have the talent to be a ferocious pass rush unit. As noted, they broke the bank to get Hendrickson, who has long been an elite pass rusher. Hendrickson only has two sacks in seven games, though.
Now, I will argue that Hendrickson's impact exceeds the traditional box score. He ranks fourth in pass-rush win rate and draws a ton of attention from opposing offensive lines. Still, he needs to finish plays, and his teammates need to take better advantage of his gravity.
In any event, Ravens' talent on the front seven goes beyond Hendrickson. Nnamdi Madubuike is a monstrous interior pass rusher. Mike Green is a budding young pass rusher. Roquan Smith is talented and experienced. At some point, the results need to match the talent.
While the players need to execute, Minter isn't blameless. He has been far too conservative with his play-calling. For the Ravens to turn things around, Minter needs to turn up the heat against his former team, especially given the Chargers' abysmal offensive line.
At the end of the day, football is a game about exposing your opponents' weaknesses, and the Chargers' main weakness is their offensive line. Yes, the Ravens need to finish plays and successfully bother Justin Herbert, but it starts with Minter calling a more aggressive game. There's simply no reason not to against the Chargers.
By all accounts, the Ravens' pass rush should be able to take advantage of this weak matchup. If they don't, it will be hard to make excuses for them, and it will be hard to believe in a late-season playoff run.
Add us as a preferred source on Google