BALTIMORE — After three weeks, the Payments appeared like they had been atop the NFL world. Three straight wins — together with two in a row on a nationwide stage in primetime — the Payments appeared like among the finest groups within the league.
However the Ravens, contemporary off a close to collapse in opposition to the Cowboys the week prior, had been recreation for the second. They dominated the primary half after which, after a short lull, did so once more within the second en path to a 35-10 thrashing of the Payments.
“They got here out with urgency and so they whooped our butt,” quarterback Josh Allen stated.
The loss pushed the Payments to 3-1 on the yr and opened up a number of questions heading into one other large matchup in Week 5.
Why the trick play was a catastrophe from the beginning
The Payments had loads of issues on offense. They got here in realizing that it could be powerful to run in opposition to the stout Ravens defensive position and linebackers. With some reliance on the passing recreation wanted, the Payments had hassle defending Allen all evening and it led to a number of poor conditions for the offense to get out of. However even by these troubles early within the recreation, they had been ready to make it a one-possession recreation with loads of time on the clock. After which, the trick play occurred. Though it wasn’t the rationale the only real motive for the Payments’ loss, it zapped them of all the progress the workforce had constructed as much as start the second half. The play was the worst name offensive coordinator Joe Brady has made up to now, and it was a disaster as quickly because the ball was snapped.
The Ravens weren’t fooled by all of the pre-snap motion to place Allen out extensive, with Samuel in shotgun behind the middle. The Ravens calmly communicated with each other and stayed inside their ideas because the ball was snapped. For the Payments, chaos ensued. Tight finish Dalton Kincaid was lined up simply to the surface of left deal with Dion Dawkins. Dawkins’ probably duty was to get simply sufficient of a block on the sting rusher to permit Allen to get again between the hash marks with some safety in entrance of him. However as a result of the play had Kincaid going from left to proper after the snap behind the offensive line, it prevented Dawkins from getting sufficient of successful on the rusher Kyle Van Noy, and that threw off the timing of the complete play.
.@KVN_03 will get the ball out and @kyledhamilton_ recovers!!!
Tune in on NBC! pic.twitter.com/joofwJAxEw
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 30, 2024
Van Noy careened off Dawkins’ half block and into Samuel after his pitch to Allen, knocking the receiver proper into Allen’s face. It pressured Allen to go again out extensive, prone to each hit conceivable, with a number of defenders bearing down on him because the offensive line had walled off the realm between the hash marks. There was nothing the linemen might do in that second. Then Allen went into hero mode, tried to fling it down the sector and took the most important hit he’s taken all yr as defensive deal with Travis Jones decked him simply after Van Noy stripped the ball.
However the name was borderline asinine for a number of causes, even earlier than realizing the results of the play. For one, the Payments had lastly discovered some offensive success after a whole first half of frustration. They scored on their earlier drive to make it 21-10, and within the early levels of the following, discovered some actual success as a multi-dimensional offense. Allen hit Keon Coleman for a giant acquire. Working again James Cook dinner had just a few good rushes to assist put them in Ravens territory and seemingly closing in on discipline purpose vary on the very least. Then on 2nd-and-7, Brady made that decision.
Plus, the offensive line had difficulties with the Ravens’ defensive strain for lots of the sport, forcing Allen off his spot greater than they want. To take him out of the pocket the place he initially bought the ball within the first place and open him as much as that sort of hit was shortsighted at greatest. After which the topper of all of it, realizing Allen’s tendency to attempt to play hero and put him vulnerable to an open-season hit whereas he’s already nursing a hand harm simply made it an all-time dangerous name from Brady. The offensive coordinator has been good for a lot of the season, and this one name doesn’t undo that, however it was pressured and simply poorly timed as a result of scenario. After the sport, head coach Sean McDermott was comparatively tame in what he needed to say in regards to the play.
“That’s one thing that Joe and I’ll focus on at size, and I’m positive he desires that decision again. I do as effectively,” McDermott stated. “And we’ll be taught from that and transfer ahead.”
However having translated McDermott for the previous seven-plus seasons, there was some actual, ‘we’re in a public place proper now however we’ll focus on this after we get house’ dad vitality infused within the reply. Because it occurred, McDermott intently watched the play, and Allen barely hit the bottom from the Jones hit. Mainly, as Allen’s decrease again touched the earth, McDermott seemed to be reaching right down to his waist to the controller for his headset. Given his reply after the sport and total disappointment within the name, it wouldn’t be a shock if he opened up the communication line.
However McDermott is justified in his frustration. It wasn’t the rationale they misplaced the sport, however it was the rationale that prevented them from getting again into it after they lastly appeared to be turning the nook. That play name probably gained’t see the sunshine of day for an extended, very long time. And for good motive.
Derrick Henry carved up the Payments protection for 199 yards dashing. (Greg Fiume / Getty Photos)
How the backup magic on protection lastly ran out
By way of the primary three weeks, the Payments had performed their greatest to persuade the soccer world that any loss to a starter — whether or not it was by the offseason or to an harm during the last two months — they might make it work. And to their credit score, they had been flying round over their final ten quarters, enjoying to their whole-is-greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts fashion that helped masks a few of these particular person weaknesses. They deserve a ton of credit score for these first three weeks. However this recreation in opposition to the Ravens was a actuality verify in each sense.
The Ravens got down to assault these ideas by wanting the Payments to show that they may very well be bodily sufficient to get by one-on-one blocks to get to the ball carriers and make tackles within the open discipline. The Payments struggled mightily in each of these classes. If the Payments had been going to take a seat again as that they had been over their final two video games, the Ravens utilized the fast passing recreation to show that these people in that space of the zone might skate by blockers after which execute the deal with. All too typically, it led to large play after large play.
And that was the place having three backups be the complete second stage of the protection got here again to chunk them. Whether or not it was by Baylon Spector’s incapability to get off blocks, Dorian Williams taking the bait on some misdirection performs, or Cam Lewis displaying to be a transparent downgrade within the run recreation from their beginning nickel, that trio was uncovered in a means they hadn’t been since taking up for his or her respective starters. However having them on the sector introduced on a subset of issues for this particular opponent.
GO DEEPER
Ravens stifle Payments 35-10 behind dominant Derrick Henry, stout protection
As a result of Lewis struggled extra in run defending and is smaller than ordinary starter Taron Johnson, it pressured the Payments’ hand to modify up their personnel a bit greater than they normally would and out of nickel fully. That, coupled with the 2 accidents to Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard meant that Nicholas Morrow — primarily signed for his particular groups talents — was the third linebacker in opposition to heavier personnel packages. It was simply one other small element that led to a much bigger downside, and the Payments had been present in some mismatched conditions. On high of that, it put extra strain on the workforce’s safeties to make performs than they needed to earlier than this recreation, and it confirmed a number of the limitations of Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin. The Ravens didn’t even have to check the perimeter of the Payments’ protection all that always, as a result of all of the success they wanted was proper in the course of the sector.
Within the second half, the protection started to indicate a little bit little bit of life, forcing the Ravens to punt shortly on their first two possessions. A part of that was the changes the Payments made to return off that low blitz charge fashion that had been so profitable whereas leaving the backend lined. As soon as they started to ship some further strain, they briefly discovered just a few extra optimistic outcomes. They deserve some credit score for the way they pivoted, and when tasked with giving the offense an opportunity within the second half, they did so. However after that trick play, it deflated every little thing, they went again to giving up large performs and that’s all of the Ravens wanted to place the sport away. The Payments desperately want Bernard and Johnson again within the lineup briefly order, as a result of the blueprint is now out on assault this injury-depleted unit.
Payments MVP: WR Khalil Shakir — As soon as once more, whatever the scenario, Shakir discovered a strategy to make the 52-yard play that nearly bought the Payments proper again within the contest.
Payments LVP: Run protection — It was powerful to choose with so many candidates. Finally, permitting an 87-yard dashing landing on the primary snap after which one other 184 yards on 33 makes an attempt after that one is a fairly large motive the Payments couldn’t discover their footing.
Up Subsequent: The three-1 Payments proceed with the second of their three-game highway stretch, taking over the 3-1 Texans in Houston on Sunday afternoon.
(Prime picture: Greg Fiume / Getty Photos)
