In a season where the Baltimore Ravens' defense has struggled, Travis Jones has been a rare bright spot. The 26-year-old defensive tackle earned a three-year $40.5 million contract extension earlier this month, and he has quickly proved to be worth every penny. Jones especially made his impact felt in a massive Week 17 win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. He recorded four combined tackles and 1.5 sacks. Additionally, Jones posted a fantastic 90 PFF grade, which led all Ravens' defensive players.
Jones put some much-needed pressure on Malik Willis and helped shut the water off of the Packers' typically quality run game. The Packers rushed for just 79 yards, with 60 yards coming from Willis. On the season, the Packers average 119.7 rushing yards per game.
This helped the Ravens get a massive 41-24 win over the Packers. After the Cleveland Browns upset the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ravens can still win the division and make the playoffs with a win over Pittsburgh next Sunday.
Derrick Henry's 216-yard four-touchdown performance will (rightfully) be the lasting memory of this game. Nevertheless, Jones' expectational performance was also a key factor in keeping the Ravens' playoff hopes alive, especially since Baltimore's secondary struggled for most of the game.
Travis Jones helped save the Ravens' season
Since this extension, Jones has leveled up his already stellar play. In the three games since earning the extension, the UConn product has notched eight combined tackles and 2.5 sacks. That's even more impressive since Jones is typically more of a run stopper than a pass rusher. Jones' ability to both stop the run and generate pressure makes his new contract well worth the price.
On the season, Jones has 42 combined tackles (19 solo), a team-leading four sacks, one forced fumble, and 38 pressures. Furthermore, Jones' season-long PFF grade of 76.4 ranks seventh among defensive linemen. While Jones has been impressive all season long, Week 17 was certainly his best game of the season, and it couldn't have come at a better time.
As the Ravens fight to make the playoffs next week, pressuring Aaron Rodgers and containing the Steelers' run game will be key factors in their success. Thankfully, Jones has proven to be effective at doing both.
The Ravens have four defensive starters entering free agency, so it's awesome to have some certainty with one of their better defenders, Jones, locked up. Overall, Jones' performance since earning his new contract and performance on Saturday night help validate his deal.