ESPN Analytics Writer: Few, If Any, Teams Are Better Than Ravens at Game Management
A sequence during the final minute of the first half in Baltimore's 41-38 overtime win over the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday left Ravens' fans perplexed.
With the Ravens leading by five points and 55 seconds remaining, they ran for no gain on second-and-10 from their own 25-yard-line. Rather than run out the clock or force Cincinnati to call a timeout, the Ravens took a timeout and then threw an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-10.
That gave the Bengals the ball back with 34 seconds left, and they went on to score a touchdown and two-point conversion to take a 17-14 halftime lead.
ESPN analytics writer Seth Walder agreed that the Ravens' decision-making was questionable, but he said fans need to keep things in perspective.
"Listen, Ravens fans, in terms of game management, you have it very good," Walder said on “Glenn Clark Radio.” "Every team is going to make mistakes, no doubt, but there are very few teams, if any, I would choose ahead of Baltimore when it comes to game management."
Head Coach John Harbaugh said after the game that he decided to be aggressive at the end of the half rather than run out the clock because he thought it was going to be a high-scoring game, which he was right about.
"Was it a little over-aggressive? You could probably already argue that – looking back I probably would argue it," Harbaugh said. "I felt like we needed it, and I thought we'd have a chance to get it."
Walder understood the line of thinking.
"If you're a Raven fan, go watch another team when they just throw away a possession at the end of the first half, when there's like 45 seconds left and they just run the ball with three timeouts because they feel like it, and they don't want to bother trying to score points because they're too scared," Walder said. "That drives me nuts."
Todd Monken Reportedly Among 'Hot Candidates' for Jets' Head Coaching Job
Defensive Coordinator Mike Macdonald left the Ravens this past offseason to become the Seattle Seahawks' head coach. This offseason, Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken could get interest for a head coaching job.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Monken figures to be among the leading candidates to become the head coach of the New York Jets, who fired Robert Saleh yesterday and named Defensive Coordinator Jeff Ulbrich interim head coach.
"You have to look at the offensive side of the football," Fowler said. "They very well could turn to that. So, some of the hot candidates have been Detroit Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson, Houston Texans play-caller Bobby Slowik, Todd Monken in Baltimore is doing a very good job. Those are some names that you'll hear bantered about as we go because they have to fix that side of the ball."
A to Z Sports’ Wendell Ferreira didn't address the Jets' vacancy specifically, but he included Monken on his list of potential new head coaches for 2025.
"With the Ravens since last season, he unlocked a new version of Lamar Jackson and of the Ravens offense, who leads the NFL in DVOA through five weeks," Ferreira wrote.
Ferreira also named Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr as a name to keep an eye on.
Ravens Shoot Down Narrative That They Can't Win a Shootout
One of the criticisms of the Ravens' run-heavy offense since Jackson became the starter in 2018 is that it's not built to come from behind or win a shootout.
The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec said the Ravens slayed that narrative in Cincinnati Sunday, as they rallied from three 10-point deficits in the second half.
"Packing the line of scrimmage, the Bengals held the Ravens' league-best run game mostly in check until Derrick Henry's 51-yard run down the sideline in overtime all but put Zac Taylor's team away," Zrebiec wrote. "The Ravens finished with 175 rushing yards on 34 carries. Take away Henry's one huge gain and Baltimore averaged just 3.8 yards per carry on the ground.
"What the Bengals couldn't do was stop Jackson and the Ravens through the air. While being in obvious passing situations for much of the second half, Jackson completed 26 of 42 attempts for 348 yards and four touchdowns. The Ravens' proving ground this season will be in January and perhaps February — if they make it that far. But Sunday's comeback showed they could win a game when their high-powered running attack is contained."
Among the positive takeaways from the performance was how well Jackson fared against the blitz, which was also covered in Ravens Eye View film review yesterday.
"Jackson was super against the blitz, an area that has been an issue in the past — particularly in a few of the team's postseason losses," Zrebiec wrote. "Against the Bengals, Jackson was 14-of-20 for 183 yards and two touchdowns against the blitz, which equates to a 139.0 passer rating, per the NFL's Next Gen Stats. Versus Cover 0 looks, Jackson was 5-for-8 for 50 yards and two scores."
Ravens Ranked Second-Most-Likely Division Leader to Remain on Top
Three weeks after an 0-2 start, the Ravens (3-2) are in first place in the AFC North, and Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker likes their chances of being there at the end of the regular season.
Locker ranked the eight division leaders by their chances of staying on top, and the Ravens were No. 2, behind only the AFC South-leading Houston Texans, who are the only team in their division with a winning record.
"There are still some lingering imperfections about the defense, which is 20th in EPA allowed per play," Locker wrote. "The Ravens' 40 explosive passing plays allowed are the most in the league, and only one regular starter (Marlon Humphrey) has earned a coverage grade above 70.0. At the same time, the Ravens — having played the hardest schedule in the NFL, per PFF ELO rankings — appear the safest bet to repeat as North champs.
"The 3-2 Steelers have revealed some problematic trends across the last two weeks; the 1-4 Bengals are playing better than their record indicates but have serious climbing to do; and the 1-4 Browns generate little optimism given their offensive situation."
For what it's worth, the Ravens also were 3-2 the past three times they've won the division (2018, 2019, 2023).
