Ravens Touted As Biggest Threat to Chiefs in AFC
The purple bandwagon is growing after the Ravens' convincing 34-17 win over the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday.
Some prominent NFL talking heads believe Baltimore has what it takes to win the Super Bowl thanks to a potent offense led by Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry and an improved defense.
"There are not three teams in the NFL better than the Baltimore Ravens when Lamar Jackson is on his game," ESPN's Shannon Sharpe said on “First Take.” "No other team in the AFC – not Kansas City, not Buffalo – has the [offensive] firepower the Baltimore Ravens have.
"If they take care of the football, they can beat anybody. … They have a good enough defense, and they have an outstanding offense."
“Good Morning Football’s” Peter Schrager said the Ravens are the biggest threat in the AFC to the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
"[The Chiefs and Bills] will likely be hyped up as one and the two," Schrager said, "but this Ravens team, even as a Wild Card if they don't win the division, really could give the Chiefs fits because they can score and then late in the game they will keep the ball out of Patrick Mahomes' hands because they've got [Henry] behind them.
"The Ravens when they're at their best are as dangerous a team as there is in the NFL. When they have it going on offense and defense it gets really scary for their opponents. It's Lamar's world and we're living in it right now. He is playing at his all-time best, even better than his two MVP seasons. If you give Baltimore a lead, Derrick Henry's a difference maker. He'll pound it and he will make sure that you don't touch that ball."
As for the AFC North race, even though the Steelers (10-5) control their own destiny – they will capture the division title if they win their two remaining games – ESPN's Stephen A. Smith predicted the Ravens (10-5) will repeat as division champs.
"[The] Baltimore Ravens are going to end up winning the AFC North and the Steelers are going to end up being a wild card team. That's just the situation," Smith said on "First Take."
Zach Orr Praised for Defense's Turnaround
First-year Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr was under scrutiny earlier this season when the defense was having issues, but now he's getting his flowers for the unit's dramatic improvement.
For the defense's strong performance against the Steelers, Orr was named Coach of the Week by Schrager.
"The Ravens defense made big play after big play against the Pittsburgh Steelers offense on Saturday in the biggest game of the season," Schrager said. "Zach Orr and that defense has been picked apart by pundits the entire first half of the season, but when it's mattered most the last few weeks, the Ravens defense has come together."
NFL.com’s Jeffri Chadiha listed Orr among his "Three Up" players or coaches from Week 16.
"The Ravens' first-year defensive coordinator should be much happier about what he's seen from his unit of late," Chadiha wrote. "Baltimore's defense dealt with a variety of issues earlier this season, including inconsistent effort and miscommunication in the secondary that resulted in big plays by opponents. That same bunch has allowed only one team to gain more than 300 yards in the last four games. It also forced two turnovers in Saturday's win over Pittsburgh, including an interception that cornerback Marlon Humphrey returned for a touchdown. Orr's defense is getting right at exactly the right time."
Mark Andrews Reveals How Charlie Kolar Broke His Arm
While singing Henry's praises on "The Pat McAfee Show," Mark Andrews revealed that the broken arm tight end Charlie Kolar suffered in last month's game against the Los Angeles Chargers was due to friendly fire from the bruising running back.
"If he gets running and you're in front of him, get out of his way. I think Charlie Kolar broke his forearm from getting run into by him," Andrews said.
Andrews praised Henry for being a great teammate and having a strong work ethic.
"Derrick's been one of the most incredible teammates," Andrews said. "Immediately when he gets to be a Raven you see how much he really puts into himself and his body and the daily effort just to be the best that he can. It's nonstop, it's every day. It's doing everything that he can to be the best, and he really is."
Tavius Robinson, Tylan Wallace Among Ravens' Unsung Heroes
The Ravens have plenty of star players, but they're also getting significant contributions from less-heralded members of the roster.
The Baltimore Sun’s Sam Cohn identified five unsung heroes for the Ravens. Here's a look at two:
OLB Tavius Robinson
"At the outset of the season, when questions arose about who could make up for lost production among the pass rushers, Tavius Robinson wasn't necessarily a top candidate. When Pass Rush Coach Chuck Smith called him a 'glass eater' during training camp, it raised some eyebrows. Smith — who could be considered an unsung hero himself for overseeing the group with the second-most sacks in the NFL — was right.
"Robinson has started each of the Ravens' past five games, and the 25-year-old is up to 30 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks. He's also second on the team in quarterback knockdowns (eight) and fourth in quarterback pressures (13), trailing three season-long starters."
WR Tylan Wallace
"Tylan Wallace, perhaps more than any of his teammates, epitomizes the 'under the radar' trope. You don't hear his name much until you do. Then the locker room praise is loud. The 2021 fourth-round draft pick with an infectious smile is buried down the depth chart behind wide receivers Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor. He's made a living on special teams.
"It's worth acknowledging he recently lost his job as the lead kick and punt return man on the heels of two muffs against the Eagles. Head Coach John Harbaugh said he hasn't lost faith in Wallace as a backup to Desmond King II. That said, Wallace turned a seemingly trivial pickup into an 84-yard touchdown against the Bengals that proved to be a shot in the arm helping decide the November shootout win. Then on Saturday, he saved a Jordan Stout punt from bouncing into the end zone for a touchback. Wallace leaped over the goal line as if he were clearing an invisible hurdle to tip the ball back and pin Pittsburgh at its own 3-yard line, which set up a Steelers three-and-out."
Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans Says Jackson 'Is Definitely the MVP'
The NFL world continues to debate whether Jackson or Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is the MVP front-runner. Count Houston Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans among those backing Jackson.
"He definitely jumps off the tape as the best player I've seen this year," said Ryans, whose team will host the Ravens on Christmas. "Talk about MVP, he's definitely the MVP in my mind just for what he's doing not only run game-wise, but throwing the football – the accuracy, the decision-making. He's playing unbelievable ball right now."
Ryans and the Texans faced Allen and the Bills in early October. The Texans won, 23-20, and Allen was 9-of-30 for 131 passing yards and one touchdown.
"I really don't care about the talk [and] the [conversations]," Jackson said yesterday. "I'm trying to win."
