The Ravens made some midseason changes at safety that paid off. Now they're shuffling their inside linebacker personnel with similar results.
Roquan Smith had his highest-graded game of the season by Pro Football Focus (PFF) Sunday against the New York Giants, scoring an 87.0.
While he only had five tackles, Smith got high marks in pass coverage, where he was targeted twice and gave up zero catches with one pass breakup. After the game, Smith said he feels "really, really good" after an "awesome" bye week, and it shows.
Part of his improvement may also be attributable to changes made next to him. Since the Week 12 game in Los Angeles, which Smith missed due to a hamstring injury, the Ravens have used more of Malik Harrison and Chris Board.
Harrison played a season high 79% of the defensive snaps Sunday against the Giants and led the team with eight tackles, including one sack. Board continued to play about 50% of the defensive snaps.
Second-year inside linebacker Trenton Simpson didn't start for the first time this season and didn't see any defensive action until late in the fourth quarter, when he had five snaps. His snaps have sharply declined since the Week 11 loss in Pittsburgh.
"I have a lot of respect for 'CB' [Board]. He's been a great [special] teamer his entire career, and when he's asked to play linebacker, he plays linebacker pretty good as well," Smith said. "Malik, I love that guy's physically. The guy will knock your facemask off; it's pretty crazy. But I just enjoy being out there with those guys – veteran guys. I have a lot of respect for them, and when they see things, they don't let the same thing beat them twice, so it's awesome just being out there with those guys.
"I have a lot of respect for them, and they're just going to continue to keep getting better, as well as Trenton. I have a lot of respect for him and who he is as a person as well as a player. He's a young player, does all the right things and has a bright future in this league. So, I'm just excited for our room."
Here are more takeaways from the Ravens' PFF grades and snap counts:
- The Ravens' move to Ar'Darius Washington continues to pay off, as the safety was the second-highest graded defender (76.9) behind Smith. After not traveling with the team due to personal reasons, Washington played 100% of the snaps and iced the game with a late leaping interception.
- Several Ravens reserves got valuable snaps late in the game when it had been decided. Rookie running back Rasheen Ali, rookie wide receiver Devontez Walker, and offensive linemen Ben Cleveland, Andrew Vorhees, and Josh Jones all came into the game.
- Walker led all Ravens players with a 92.0 PFF grade on his 11 snaps, which included a 21-yard touchdown on two routes run. Ali rushed for 32 yards on eight carries and got a strong 72.6 grade. Vorhees had the highest marks of the reserve lineman at 67.2 and Cleveland received a 63.0.
- Rookie first-round cornerback Nate Wiggins saw his most extensive action of the season, playing 90% of the defensive snaps. He was targeted twice in one-on-one goal-line matchups against fellow first-round pick Malik Nabers, and the talented receiver caught neither of them.
- Daniel Faalele's 77.7 grade is his highest of the season (and strangely enough matches his jersey number). His 75.8 run blocking grade was his best of the year. Rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten also continues to improve, as he allowed zero pressures on 29 pass blocking snaps.
- Lamar Jackson got a high grade of 86.2 after throwing five touchdowns, but he actually had better grades in four other games this season (vs. Buffalo, Tampa Bay, Denver, and the second matchup with Cincinnati).
- Rashod Bateman's 85.6 grade was his highest of the season and not a surprise after scoring two long touchdowns.
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