The 2021 season will go down as one of many strangest in NFL historical past, particularly in Baltimore.
The Ravens misplaced their high three working backs, J.Ok. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill, and Professional Bowl cornerback Marcus Peters earlier than the beginning of the season. After which they misplaced Ronnie Stanley, one of many high left tackles within the NFL, after the season opener in opposition to the Raiders in Las Vegas.
Regardless, the Ravens saved plugging by the season even because the accidents saved mounting. Some video games they received on their very own; in others, they have been fortunate. It didn’t matter. Followers will let you know, “a win is a win is a win.”
That’s true, not less than within the early a part of the season, however not going into December and January. Contending groups need to win, however additionally they need fashion factors as a result of which means they're getting higher. The thought is to peak going into the postseason, not preserve surviving.
After bettering to 8-3 after a 16-10 win in opposition to the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 28, the Ravens went on a six-game dropping streak. They went from being the highest seed within the AFC at one level to not making the expanded subject after a 16-13 loss extra time loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
It was solely a matter of time earlier than luck or destiny turned its again on the Ravens. A workforce can’t rely on an NFL document 66-yard subject purpose, a fumble, a blocked subject purpose or missed 2-point conversion performs to win each week. Ultimately, expertise takes over, particularly when the opposing quarterbacks are, in succession, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Burrow, Matthew Stafford and Ben Roethlisberger, and the receivers are Davante Adams, Ja’Marr Chase, Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr.
If the Ravens completely study their program — trainers, offseason conditioning applications, docs, coaches — and make the right modifications, they need to be a severe contender in 2022.
“I actually solely have one message for the entire questions, you already know what I’m saying?,” Ravens security Chuck Clark mentioned after the season-ending loss to Pittsburgh. “So, each query that's going to come back after this, as respectfully as I can say as attainable, simply watch how we bounce again. That’s all I've to say.”
That’s all we wanted to listen to.
However earlier than we transfer away from 2021, right here is my remaining report card of the season:
Quarterbacks
Starter Lamar Jackson performed effectively for practically half the season however began to have accuracy issues in Week 7, a 41-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals that signaled the start of his downward spiral. The 22-10 loss to Miami on Nov. 11 confirmed that he had issues studying blitzes, dealing with strain and with the ability to eliminate the ball rapidly. In contrast with 2020, Jackson regressed a bit regardless of finishing 246 of 382 passes for two,882 yards and 16 touchdowns. He was additionally sacked 38 occasions and threw 13 interceptions, each profession highs. Tyler Huntley proved he was serviceable as a backup, finishing 122 of 188 passes for 1,081 yards and three touchdowns, but additionally confirmed he wants extra expertise. He has to study to undergo his progressions. Josh Johnson was a late-season addition and was spectacular through the restricted time he performed, finishing 28 of 40 passes for 304 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in his solely begin in opposition to the Bengals. Grade: B-
Working backs
The Ravens have been with out their high three performers all season due to accidents, and so they received as a lot out of this group as attainable. Neither Devonta Freeman nor Latavius Murray had the constant pace and acceleration to bounce outdoors, however sometimes would idiot groups. Each received higher within the second half of the season. Freeman completed with 576 yards and 5 touchdowns on 133 carries and Murray had 501 yards and 6 touchdowns on 119 carries. The participant who had the pace to get outdoors was Ty’Son Williams, however he fell out of favor with coach John Harbaugh. Williams had 35 carries for 185 yards and one landing and may need gotten extra enjoying time if he labored and practiced tougher. Grade: C+
Offensive line
This was a bunch basic supervisor Eric DeCosta hoped to enhance through the offseason, however it didn’t work out. Quarterbacks have been typically underneath duress and sacked 57 occasions. Stanley was anticipated to be the cornerstone however performed in just one recreation as a result of he wasn’t totally recovered from an ankle damage suffered final November and needed to bear one other surgical procedure. The Ravens anticipated that Alejandro Villanueva would supply stability at proper deal with however needed to transfer him to the opposite aspect to switch Stanley. It didn’t make a distinction. Villanueva, the long-time Steeler, had issues with knee bend and lateral motion and struggled with pace rushers. Kevin Zeitler, a free agent acquisition, performed effectively at proper guard and Bradley Bozeman was strong at heart, though he sometimes struggled snapping out of the shotgun formation. The Ravens tried a number of gamers at left guard, however none labored. General, this group might run block, however an absence of athleticism was an issue in cross blocking. Grade: C-
Receivers
This group has potential however was underused. Jackson struggled with strain and the modifications at quarterback harm continuity. Tight finish Mark Andrews was among the finest at his place within the NFL, catching 107 passes for 1,361 yards and 9 touchdowns. He was an element everywhere in the subject within the brief, mid- and long-range passing assault. The quarterbacks, although, targeted an excessive amount of on Andrews and rarely went to the second receiver of their progressions. Marquise Brown had 91 catches for 1,008 yards and 6 touchdowns however wasn’t reliable, particularly after Jackson suffered an ankle damage late within the season. The Ravens drafted Rashod Bateman within the first spherical in April however he typically disappeared after the primary half in lots of video games. Bateman nonetheless completed with 46 catches for 515 yards and a landing. The Ravens had lots of pace in Brown and Devin Duvernay however by no means took benefit of it with Duvernay catching solely 33 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns. Sammy Watkins had 27 catches for 394 yards however turned one other free-agent wideout who contributed little on this run-first offense. Grade: C+
Defensive position
Few groups can run in opposition to the Ravens and 2021 was no exception. The Ravens allowed just one,436 yards and three.8 per carry. Regardless of accidents, each finish Calais Campbell and deal with Brandon Williams have been forces within the center, though Williams didn’t play effectively till the second half of the season. Campbell was eighth on the workforce in tackles with 49 and Williams was twelfth with 35. The issue for each is their age, as Campbell is 35 and Williams is 32. The Ravens want an infusion of younger expertise. Campbell will in all probability be invited again if he chooses, however the Ravens would possibly half methods with Williams. Justin Madubuike, who completed his second season, would possibly be capable of step right into a beginning place. He had 36 tackles final season however it’s questionable if tackles Justin Ellis (18 tackles) and Broderick Washington (16 tackles) are able to turn out to be full-time starters. The Ravens would possibly look to the draft to search out starters, particularly cross rushers, as a result of solely Madubuike and Campbell offered strain. Derek Wolfe, anticipated to start out at finish, by no means received onto the sector in 2021 due to accidents. Grade: B-
Linebackers
If this protection was going to play effectively, the linebackers and linemen needed to take management and dominate. The linemen did their jobs. The linebackers struggled. Outdoors linebacker Tyus Bowser (59 tackles) was enjoying effectively up till the final recreation in opposition to Pittsburgh when he suffered an Achilles tendon damage. Veteran Josh Bynes (76) got here in and did an honest job taking on for Patrick Queen (team-leading 97) within the center. Bynes, although, was a legal responsibility in cross protection. No linebacker had extra of a disappointing season than Queen. He performed poorly at center linebacker to start out the season however was moved to the weak aspect a number of video games into the schedule. He flourished for a recreation or two however then went again to lacking tackles and never with the ability to cowl in passing conditions. Queen typically tried to arm deal with as an alternative of placing his physique on the ball provider. Justin Houston had 34 tackles and 4 ½ sacks however didn’t give the Ravens the kind of cross rush they wanted. Third-year outdoors linebacker Jaylon Ferguson gave the Ravens little and veteran Pernell McPhee gave them even much less. Grade: C-
Secondary
The Ravens will level to accidents being the issue for the miscommunication on the backend, however this unit struggled even when it had three of its 4 starters. There's something lacking when receivers persistently run huge open, particularly in the course of the sector. The Ravens began the season with out Peters, after which it simply saved getting worse with season-ending accidents to cornerback Marlon Humphrey and security DeShon Elliott. Humphrey wasn’t enjoying effectively earlier than he suffered a torn pectoral muscle in a Week 13 loss in Pittsburgh. Security Chuck Clark (80 tackles) was enjoying effectively on the finish of the season and was beginning to emerge as a workforce chief. However the Ravens couldn’t match up bodily on the finish of the yr, not with cornerbacks like Chris Westry and Kevon Seymour. Who? That’s my level. The season finale may need been the final for veteran cornerback Jimmy Smith security Anthony Levine Sr. Grade: D
Particular groups
Justin Tucker continues to show he is likely to be the most effective kicker in NFL historical past. He made 35 of 37 field-goal makes an attempt, along with his two misses coming within the 40- to 49-yard vary. However he was 6-for-6 from past 50 yards, together with the NFL-record 66-yard game-winner in Detroit. General, the Ravens’ kicking recreation was sound. Punter Sam Koch averaged 44.4 yards on 71 makes an attempt and put 26 contained in the 20-yard line. Koch didn’t get as a lot distance within the remaining 4 video games as he did earlier within the season, nevertheless. Duvernay averaged 24.1 yards on 28 kickoff returns and had a 13.9-yard common on 26 punt returns to earn Professional Bowl honors. Grade: B+
Teaching
Harbaugh and his workers deserve lots of credit score for conserving this workforce collectively regardless of a depleted roster. They performed arduous, competed each week and got here inside a recreation of going to the playoffs. A head coach’s job is to get his workforce inside hanging distance within the remaining 4 minutes of a recreation after which let his playmakers take over. Properly, the Ravens didn’t have many playmakers left, so the teaching workers needed to come up massive. On recreation days, this workers didn’t. “We fell brief in quite a few video games right here down the stretch within the sense that we simply couldn’t discover a play,” Harbaugh mentioned. “We couldn’t discover a play that we wanted. We couldn’t discover a solution to put them in place to make the play that might make the distinction within the recreation, and that’s what I really feel worse about as a coach.” He received that one proper. Grade: C