When the Baltimore Ravens came out of the bye week in week 14, they decided to get Travis Jones more snaps and Michael Pierce a bit less. At first, it looked like a good way for the team to keep Pierce fresh for the playoffs while also getting Jones more experience in case they needed him in a bigger game environment.
The Baltimore Ravens have been playing Travis Jones more than Michael Pierce
Jones had been playing well in the switch in time, though. He has 13 of his 24 total pressures coming after week 14 and has been just as good as Pierce in the run game. Jones was the hot hand so, he ended up playing more than Pierce in the Divisional Playoffs.
Some of this could be because Jones is the better pass rusher, the Ravens had a lead, and with CJ Stroud, they knew the Texans would come out pass first. It makes sense to take the top-run defender off of the field against this Texans team.
At the same time, Jones made a few key plays and has continued his momentum. The Chiefs can run the football, but with Patrick Mahomes, the key to winning remains the pass rush. Does this mean that the Baltimore Ravens will lean on Travis Jones even more next week, or at least in the same degree? Has he officially passed up Michael Pierce on the pecking order, or is this a gameplan-specific thing? Does this show that Jones is ready for a year-three breakout, and the team may be content with Justin Madubuike leaving this offseason?
These are big questions, and we will have a much better look into the big picture when the Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs if the AFC Championship.