The Ravens' secondary has been the team's Achilles heel this season, but it may have turned a corner after several changes were made Sunday in Pittsburgh.
Baltimore held Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson to 205 passing yards with 23 completions on 36 passes. The Ravens picked him off once and didn't surrender a touchdown.
Tre'Davious White made his Ravens debut Sunday in Pittsburgh and it was one to build off. The Ravens' new cornerback acquired at the trade deadline played 24 snaps (31% of the defensive action) and received the defense's second-highest grade (81.8), per Pro Football Focus.
White broke up two end zone shots to George Pickens, who has a four-inch height advantage, tremendous range, and is adept at making leaping contested catches. White was targeted four times total and gave up two catches for 15 yards, per PFF.
White said he was just "sprinkled in here and there" for this first game because of how complex the Ravens defense is and because the Steelers often get up to the ball fast, which would make communication to him more challenging. Thus, he said he was used on plays where "I didn't have to do too much thinking."
White took snaps off the plate of Brandon Stephens, who played 77% of the snaps after taking more than 90% of them in every other game this season. Stephens was still targeted a team-high nine times and surrendered seven catches for 78 yards, according to PFF.
Here are more takeaways from the grades and snap counts in the Ravens' loss to the Steelers:
- Ar'Darius Washington (73.0 grade) and Kyle Hamilton (78.8) solidified the Ravens' safety play. They combined to play nearly every snap, gave up just three catches for 10 yards, and made 21 total tackles.
- With Marcus Williams on the sideline and Eddie Jackson not on the trip, Hamilton's role changed, as he played 42 snaps at free safety and way fewer in the box (22). Washington made a clutch open-field tackle for loss late in the game and Hamilton body slammed Steelers running back Najee Harris when he tried to hurdle him.
- Marlon Humphrey played 94% of the snaps and lined up all over the secondary but primarily at slot corner (37 snaps) with Arthur Maulet (calf) sidelined. Humphrey notched his fifth interception of the season and yielded just one 4-yard catch. Humphrey now has the highest coverage grade (84.1) of any cornerback in the league with a minimum of 20% of snaps played.
- Rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins also got a bump up in snaps, playing 79% – the second-most of his season. He was credited with giving up two catches for four yards.
- It's not a good day for the offense when only one player has a grade above 70. Tight end Isaiah Likely took the top honor with a 70.1 despite his fumble near the end of the first half. Likely led the Ravens with four catches for 75 yards.
- Derrick Henry and Justice Hill split the snaps evenly (30 each). Henry had 13 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown while Hill saw a team-high seven targets and made four grabs for 28 yards. Fellow running back Keaton Mitchell played just two offensive snaps. He averaged 26.3 yards on three kickoff returns.
- Rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten more than held his own against star Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt, giving up just one pressure on 36 pass blocking opportunities, according to PFF. Lamar Jackson was sacked twice, but neither were credited to any offensive lineman.
- Linebacker Roquan Smith got his highest grade of the season (83.8) but left in the fourth quarter due to a hamstring injury. He still led the Ravens with 13 tackles, including two for loss.
- Outside linebacker Odafe Oweh played a season-low 45% of the snaps and still tied his career-high with 2.5 sacks. Oweh had five total pressures and made the most of them. He also had another sack wiped off due to a late stoppage by the officials.
- Tavius Robinson ate into Oweh's snaps, playing a season-high 53% to utilize his physicality against the Steelers' offensive front and heavy run scheme. Kyle Van Noy played a season-high 76% of the defensive snaps.
