The Baltimore Ravens had a crucial bounce-back win in Week 8, defeating the Chicago Bears, 30-16. They improved to 2-5 and saw each of their AFC North counterparts lose their matchups, drawing closer to playoff contention.
Much of the focus on Sunday was centered around backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, who started in place of the injured Lamar Jackson. Everyone thought Jackson was due to return, but with a short week ahead, the Ravens relied on Huntley, and it paid off. His standout performance helped get Baltimore’s offense back on track.
On defense, returning linebacker Roquan Smith was just as impactful. In his first game, since injuring his hamstring in the team’s Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Smith shook off the rust and proved why he is the second-highest paid linebacker in the league.
Roquan Smith balled out in Week 8
In Week 8, Smith led the team in tackles with 12 and helped shut down Chicago’s offense after the first quarter. They put up 16 points and 372 total yards, but after the first quarter, their unit was stagnant, scoring 10 points the rest of the way.
It was clear that the defense’s communication was miles better, as well. Smith was a constant communicator and played a key role in the Ravens’ newfound bend-don’t-break mentality, holding the Bears to one touchdown in three red zone chances.
Following the game, Smith graded out as the best player on the field on Sunday, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). No matter which team or unit, Smith was at the top of the list with a 90.7 overall grade. He was elite in several facets, including an 84.7 run defense grade, 83.2 tackling grade, and 89.6 coverage grade.
All this comes after a rough start to the year for Smith. Before his injury, Smith was in the midst of a troubling two-week stretch. In Week 3 against the Detroit Lions, he registered a 27.9 PFF grade, and in Week 4, he had a 42.3 grade before leaving the game in the second quarter. Now, he is looking more like his All-Pro self that has made him one of the most feared defenders in the NFL.
It only took one game, but it is evident that Smith has returned to form. The defense has been taking off in the past two games, and with Smith back in the center of the unit, they could put together another strong midseason turnaround.