On February 2, the Baltimore Ravens officially hired offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. They went out with the old and in with the new, replacing Todd Monken with the 30-year-old Doyle. Now, over eight months later, Doyle will get his moment to prove Baltimore right against Monken’s Cleveland Browns.
Doyle vs. Monken. Monken was a casualty of the John Harbaugh firing; Doyle was brought in as a crucial part of the Jesse Minter era. On Sunday, Doyle faces immediate judgment, squaring off against Monken, with the chance of making every Ravens fan completely forget about the past and be even more excited for the future.
Countless eyes will be on this battle.
Declan Doyle can prove the Baltimore Ravens right against Todd Monken
Declan Doyle was needed in Baltimore, as Todd Monken’s tenure in Charm City didn’t exactly end in the best way possible.
The Ravens’ 2025 offense regressed, grew stagnant, and lacked the explosiveness that made them so dangerous in 2023 and 2024. Reports also alluded to a troubling relationship between him and Lamar Jackson, although everything those two have said since has combated those rumors.
For Doyle, though, it’s about the head-to-head matchup. He had big shoes to fill when he joined the Ravens, and while he’s looked incredible in the first five weeks, the first divisional showdown of the season against his team’s former OC is his most important test yet.
Doyle’s offense ranks 5th in the NFL in total yards per game with 394.2 and 6th in points per game with 29.2. Conversely, Monken’s unit ranks 29th and 27th in those categories.
Based on those stats, it seems like a favorable matchup for Doyle. His group is simply more talented, and Doyle is not just looking like an offensive guru; he looks like a future head coach.
Still, the Browns have looked competitive at 3-2 and are tied for second in the AFC North. Monken has done a tremendous job leading his guys and is working with what he has on offense. Cleveland’s defense ranks 14th in points allowed per game, too, so Doyle might not have the easiest time running it up on the scoreboard.
Extra motivation will come into play in Week 6, as well. Players and coaches don’t view this as a revenge game, but the stakes are obvious. Doyle has a prime opportunity to show he was the right choice to replace Monken eight months ago, while Monken gets his first shot at his former team.
On Wednesday, Monken spoke about facing Doyle and the Ravens.
“Declan’s a tremendous coach,” Monken said. “He's doing a great job with them … Highly intelligent. Doing some more under center with Lamar, which is working.”
That idea of putting Jackson under center is something many clamored for in 2026. It’s fair to say Monken didn’t take advantage of that enough — when Jackson’s under center and works out of play actions, he’s as dangerous as any quarterback who has ever touched a football field. Clearly, it’s working to near perfection for Doyle.
Obviously, Doyle and Monken have immense respect for one another. There’s no bad blood headed into this contest. It’s bound to be a heated competition, though.
Doyle is uber-talented and still out to prove himself; Monken is the veteran looking to turn a franchise around and show he’s still at the top of his craft. When the two offenses clash, it’ll be very telling about which side outclasses the other. Hopefully Doyle holds the winning edge.
Add us as a preferred source on Google