'Hard to Imagine Any Team Beating the Ravens'
On Saturday, the Ravens marched their way to victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 28-14 wild-card playoff win.
The combination of the road-grading offensive line, Derrick Henry, and Lamar Jackson bludgeoned the Steelers' defense to the tune of 50 rushes for 299 yards, and pundits believe the Ravens will be a mighty challenge for anyone they face – even the No. 2-seeded Buffalo Bills.
"I will freely admit it's hard to imagine any team beating the Ravens when they look the way they've looked on both sides of the ball over the past month," ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote. "Baltimore should have been able to beat Pittsburgh with one hand tied behind its back."
What the Ravens delivered Saturday was their past and present. The offense steamrolled and imposed its will. The defense, harkening back to Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr's introductory press conference, "playing together as a team, playing physical, playing violent and finishing everything you do."
The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec credited the Ravens for remaining themselves in the first round of the playoffs, and if they continue to do so, it won't be easy for anybody who faces them in the weeks to come.
"[The Ravens] stayed true to their physical roots. They came out running the football and never got away from that," Zrebiec wrote. "They played a fast and physical brand of defense. They were disciplined and aggressive. This is the kind of form that makes the Ravens a dangerous team in the AFC playoff picture. If they get their run game going and Henry takes the pressure off Jackson, they're going to be a tough out."
Ravens Imposed Their Will vs. Steelers
Many speculated how the Ravens would make up for the absence of Pro Bowl wide receiver Zay Flowers. Would they look to Rashod Bateman and depth receivers, or more volume for the tight end unit? Instead, the Ravens turned to running the ball and delivered blow after blow to the Steelers' defense, and pundits gushed about the performance.
NFL.com’s Nick Shook: "One drive explained this game and the direction in which these two franchises are headed: Baltimore's 13-play, 85-yard scoring march in the second quarter in which the Ravens exclusively ran the ball on every one of their baker's dozen of plays. That drive pushed the Ravens' lead to 14-0, but might as well have made it 100-0 because of the fashion in which the Ravens imposed their will on the Steelers. Pittsburgh made it interesting in the second half, but most everyone knew how this one would end once Derrick Henry ran over a couple of Steelers on his way to the end zone."
ESPN’s Dan Graziano: "This Baltimore offense can beat teams a bunch of different ways, and the way it chose Saturday was "physical humiliation." Its second touchdown drive of the game covered 85 yards in 13 plays, all of which were runs. At one point the Ravens direct-snapped it to tight end Mark Andrews and he just ran for three yards. It might have been the most disrespectful drive in NFL postseason history."
Associated Press’ Noah Trister: "Jackson and Henry had the Steelers chasing shadows all night as Baltimore outrushed Pittsburgh 299-29. It was the most yards rushing allowed by Pittsburgh in a playoff game, breaking the mark of 232 set by the Oakland Raiders 51 years ago."
The Baltimore Sun’s Childs Walker: "The halftime statistics took your breath away: 308 yards for the Ravens, 59 for the Steelers; 19 first downs for Baltimore, two for Pittsburgh; 164 rushing yards for the Ravens, more than anyone but them had amassed in a full game against the Steelers this season. The scoreboard said 21-0, but that did not capture the totality of the beating they inflicted on an opponent long viewed as living in their heads like some black-and-gold phantasm."
The Baltimore Banner's Jonas Shaffer: "Without Flowers' explosive-play potential, the Ravens leaned more on their size — and the element of surprise. Over the regular season's first 16 weeks, [Offensive Coordinator Todd] Monken had called just 13 run plays with six offensive linemen on the field… On Saturday, they ran even more. None of Monken's 15 jumbo-style runs featured a single wide receiver on the field — and none of them came at the goal line, either. The Ravens overwhelmed Pittsburgh with their size mostly in the middle of the field, rushing for 72 yards in those six-lineman sets, highlighted by Henry's 17-yard gain on a second-quarter toss play and an 8-yard touchdown one play later."
Pressbox’s Bo Smolka: "When Eric DeCosta signed Henry this past offseason — he initially tried to trade for him midseason last year — he surely had visions of him doing exactly this: Taking control of a game in the postseason against a defense that simply couldn't match his combination of speed and physicality and probably would get discouraged even trying after getting repeatedly pounded by him in cold, playoff weather. But Henry is only half of the equation. No team can completely key on Henry because of the singular threat of Jackson. It's one reason that Henry enjoyed the best per-carry average of his career this season (5.9) at age 30."
The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker: "The Ravens bullied the Steelers from the start. Behind their league-leading ground game, Baltimore controlled the tempo, the clock and the game. The Ravens also broke the Steelers' spirits with the way Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry overpowered them."
The Baltimore Sun’s Tim Schwartz: "The Steelers looked like they were planning their vacations in the first half while the Ravens simply ran them over with ease. If Jackson can stay upright and healthy — he did have a heating wrap on the sideline and appeared to get kneed in the back in the first half — he should continue to run the ball when the defense allows him. It's nearly impossible to stop when the other option is Henry."
Next Gen Stats Insight from Steelers-Ravens: "Derrick Henry carried the ball 26 times for 186 yards and two touchdowns, generating +79 rushing yards over expected in the Ravens' wild-card win over the Steelers. Henry forced 12 missed tackles on the night (all on the ground), gaining 157 rushing yards after contact, the third-most by a player in a game this season. Henry has accounted for three of the top five games in most missed tackles forced on run plays this season."
NFL Research: "Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry combined for 267 rush yards in the Baltimore's wild-card win. That is the second-most rushing yards by a QB-RB duo in a playoff game in NFL history, trailing only Colin Kaepernick and Frank Gore's 300 combined rush yards in the 2012 Divisional Round."
Early Outlook on Ravens-Bills
With the Buffalo Bills defeating the Denver Broncos, 31-7, the Ravens are heading north in the Divisional round to face Josh Allen and company. Pundits gave their early outlook on the top-tier matchup, with ESPN’s Seth Walder sharing how each team could win.
Why the Ravens will win
"Their running attack borders on unstoppable," Walder wrote. "Baltimore showed it won't hold back from using Jackson's legs in the postseason – he ran 14 times in the Ravens' win over the Steelers (kneels excluded) – and the combination of him and running back Derrick Henry makes life brutal for defenses. ... To beat the Bills, however, it will require a solid effort on both sides of the ball. Fortunately, that's no longer an issue for the Ravens. Since they moved Kyle Hamilton back to primarily deep safety in Week 11, Baltimore ranks first in EPA allowed per play on defense, postseason included."
In Walder's "why the Bills will win," he highlighted Allen and their offensive line, but still expressed confidence in the Ravens.
"The Ravens could be without top wide receiver Zay Flowers (knee) again, and that's certainly a point in Buffalo's favor if so," Walder wrote. "Though Baltimore has shown it is capable of winning on the ground, the Bills' defense was better against the run in the regular season (eighth in EPA per play against designed runs) than the pass (20th against dropbacks). They did struggle against scrambles, which will be an issue facing Jackson. So, the Bills are likely going to need plenty of points to beat Baltimore -- with or without Flowers."
The Baltimore Sun’s C.J. Doon cited the Bills' defense has been top 10 in certain metrics, but there are flaws the Ravens may exploit, including their run defense.
"Buffalo has been solid on defense for most of the season, ranking seventh in DVOA and 11th in points allowed per game (21.6)," Doon wrote. "But there have been some major hiccups along the way, including a two-week stretch in which it allowed a combined 90 points against the Los Angeles Rams and Lions. One of the biggest problems has been stopping the run. Henry took advantage of that weakness in Week 4, and he was not alone. The Dolphins' De'Von Achane (96 yards), Jets' Breece Hall (113), Colts' Jonathan Taylor (114), 49ers' Jordan Mason and Christian McCaffrey (combined 131) and Rams' Kyren Williams (87) have also been able to find plenty of running room."
The Bills' defense also struggles to get off the field on third down, whereas the Ravens' offense was ranked No. 2 in third down conversions (49.51%).
"And whether it has been injuries, miscommunication or a lack of aggression, the Bills have struggled to get off the field on third down," Doon wrote. "Buffalo is allowing opposing offenses to convert 43.8% of their third-down opportunities, tied for the third-worst rate in the league this season. Of the teams that finished 10th or worse in that category, only the Bills and Chiefs made the playoffs. It's going to be asking a lot for Buffalo to prevent Jackson and Henry from moving the chains."
