As the Baltimore Ravens head into the bye week, it is a great chance for the team to get some rest. For some players, it will be a time to try to rebound from some poor play. While the Ravens have been dominant in recent weeks, there are a few players who still need to get right in the bye week and show that they can hang in the playoffs.
3. Can Odafe Oweh get things turned around in the playoffs
Odafe Oweh had a four-week stretch where it looked like he was going to finish the season as one of the best rushers in the NFL. He started the season hot but suffered an injury in week two before he could really flash what he was doing.
From weeks seven through 11, we saw the best of Odafe Oweh. Oweh had four sacks in five games. He had 23 pressures. His pass rush productivity score was 11.3, and his win rate was 21%, per PFF. This was excellent stuff. However, in the six games since then, he has had just one sack.
Oweh has a productivity score of 7.7, and his win rate is down to 17.6%. He is still playing well, but he is not performing at nearly the same level. The Ravens played him in week 18, but he tweaked his ankle early and left the game.
He should not have any serious issues from his ankle injury, but the Ravens cannot afford to miss out on the best of Oweh in the playoffs. They have Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy, but it is all three together that make this group dynamic.
What can Oweh bring in the coming weeks?
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2. The Baltimore Ravens have to see what Geno Stone can do
Geno Stone will be fascinating to watch in the playoffs. In the first seven games of the season, it looked like Stone would be an All-Pro. However, despite seven interceptions, it looks like Stone will not only miss the All-Pro, he did not get the Pro Bowl nod.
Stone was picking passes off left and right early in the year when he filled in for Marcus Williams as the free safety. Then, when Williams came back, the team moved Stone into the box more. The results were more missed tackles, more coverage busts, and fewer plays on the ball.
Stone had an interception with Williams on the field against Miami, his one and only. The Ravens have started to find ways to mix and match Williams and Stone playing deep, and they have gotten Stone out of the box more since the 49ers win. However, Stone left week 18 with an injury, although John Harbaugh did say that it was minor. Still, the question of how Stone and Williams play together and whether teams can attack this duo in coverage will remain to be seen until Stone can answer the bell.
1. The Baltimore Ravens' health is starting to become a question
The Baltimore Ravens started the year with their typical health questions, but as they got hot over the middle portion of the year, the team has maintained solid health. That is until recently. Some of this could be precautionary because the Ravens wrapped up a lot, but they also were missing plenty of players against the Miami Dolphins. Some players had serious injuries against the 49ers that have taken time to heal.
Kevin Zeitler has a knee and quad injury, Marlon Humphrey has a calf injury and Kyle Hamilton has a knee injury. All three missed the Miami game due to these injuries, so they are not that minor. Three weeks off is major, and they will all most likely play, but their status is not as strong as it was on Christmas.
Zay Flowers sat due to rest in week 18, but he probably could not have played even if the Ravens needed the win. He had a calf injury. With Oweh and Stone dinged up in week 18, this is not the healthiest that the Ravens have been.
Will the extra time get them just healthy enough for the playoff run, or are these injuries more serious than the team wants to lead on?