Rookie tight finish Isaiah Possible has added some intrigue and presumably a brand new dimension to the Ravens’ offense.
The fourth-round choose from Coastal Carolina turned in a second robust efficiency in Baltimore’s 24-17 win in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals Sunday evening with eight catches for 100 yards and a landing whereas taking part in solely the primary half.
In two preseason contests, Possible has 12 catches for 144 yards, however perhaps probably the most spectacular a part of his sport is the yards he will get after the catch. He had 53 versus the Cardinals, which doesn’t occur typically from a 6-foot-4, 235-pound receiver.
“Everyone needs to have the ability to catch the ball, nevertheless it’s what you are able to do after that catch,” Possible mentioned. “And that’s one thing I preach, whether or not it’s in video games or in follow. Simply actually simply getting that burst in follow [and] having that in-game really feel, so once I get within the sport, it’s not the primary time that I’ve ever completed it. It’s repetition, it’s consistency.”
The Ravens have labored onerous to switch and enhance the offense, with emphasis on a two-tight finish look as a result of that was the bottom when quarterback Lamar Jackson was the NFL’s Most Useful Participant in 2019 with tight ends Mark Andrews and Hayden Hurst.
Possible’s greatest drawback is with the ability to block, an space numerous younger tight ends wrestle with throughout their rookie seasons, however placing him reverse of Andrews will create numerous issues.
It forces defenses to stability up the place it turns into onerous to overload a facet, and having both Andrews or Possible matched up exterior one-on-one creates numerous mismatches.
No matter Possible’s potential impression, the Ravens nonetheless want an efficient receiver to develop on the skin and open up the center of the sphere. The Ravens bought a giant enhance from veteran tight finish Nick Boyle, who bought in intensive taking part in time and carried out properly as a blocker. If he can keep wholesome, it simply offers the offense one other dimension so far as taking part in energy soccer.
James struggles
In two video games, left offensive deal with Ja’Wuan James hasn’t been spectacular and he struggled versus the Cardinals in opposition to pace and energy rushes whereas in cross safety.
He's lucky Arizona used exterior linebacker Victor Dimukeje (Boys’ Latin) sparingly or he would have been in for a protracted evening.
The Ravens want Ronnie Stanley again as quickly as potential and for him to anchor the road within the season opener in opposition to the New York Jets on Sept. 11.
Catching Webb
Raleigh Webb, from The Citadel, is my favourite little rookie receiver to control.
Few speak about him, however he retains hustling to make the roster. He had two catches for 46 yards, together with one for a 38-yard landing, and had one other reception of about 15 yards nullified due to a penalty.
He is an efficient blocker within the workforce’s run-oriented offense and performs properly on particular groups. He is a perfect candidate for the slot place, and I wager New England coach Invoice Belichick or the Los Angeles Rams Sean McVay would possibly check out him if he doesn’t make it in Baltimore.
Cross rush potential
Just like the Ravens, the Cardinals didn’t play numerous starters, however there have been indicators of hope that Baltimore will be capable of strain opposing quarterbacks this season.
Second-year exterior linebacker Odafe Oweh has gotten so significantly better utilizing his palms and enhancing hand pace, and the Ravens bought some strain up the center with rookie deal with Travis Jones.
That’s an enormous growth for this workforce. There's a dire have to discover a participant in the course of the road who could make a quarterback transfer or step up within the pocket when dropping again.
The Ravens haven’t had a prime pass-rushing deal with since Sam Adams on the flip of the century. Haloti Ngata was efficient, however extra as a run stopper.
Pepe in place
There are specific defensive gamers that actually do have “a nostril” for the ball, and rookie cornerback Demarion “Pepe” Williams is certainly one of them. And he’ll let you recognize about it when he makes a play; there have been occasions at practices the place he has strutted round at follow just like the NBC Peacock.
Williams picked off a Hint McSorley cross and it wasn’t as a result of he made an ideal play, however as a result of he was proper the place he was speculated to be in protection and McSorley threw a foul cross.
As former Baltimore Blast coach Kenny Cooper used to say: “You need to be able to be in place.”
That’s Williams.
Phillips’ penalties
Memo to left guard Tyre Phillips: You'll be able to’t develop into a starter with three penalties, two of these false begins and one other for being an unlawful lineman downfield.
Penalties are part of the sport and a few, like cross interference or face masks, are extra acceptable, however coaches get irritated by presnap flags. These are clearly avoidable.
A Stout efficiency
One of many keys to the Ravens’ success in choosing punters is that they no less than appear like good athletes.
Former Ravens punter Sam Koch was 6-1 and 220 kilos, a former tight finish and linebacker at his Nebraska highschool. Very seldom did opposing groups return punts for touchdowns in opposition to the Ravens as a result of Koch, whereas an ideal punter, was additionally an excellent tackler and athlete.
New punter Jordan Stout is 6-3, 210 kilos. I don’t know if he's as athletic as Koch was, however there isn’t a lot physique fats on that body. Towards the Cardinals, he averaged 51.3 yards on three punts, together with a protracted of 58.
He can even kick further factors and kickoff.
Time to step up
I wasn’t too impressed with the within linebacking play of Kristian Welch or Malik Harrison. Harrison, in his third 12 months, bought higher as the sport went on and completed with 5 tackles.
One other participant who appeared to return up late or quick was defensive again Brandon Stephens. He was flagged for pointless roughness early and allowed a first-down completion on a third-and-long. Later within the sport, he had a cross interference penalty that value the Ravens 37 yards.
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