As we’ve been doing for several years now, we’ll break down the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponent each week, telling you what to expect from a scheme and individual standpoint. This year, Jonathan Heitritter and I will cover the opposing team’s defense. I will focus on the scheme, Jonathan on the players.
Today, scouting the Baltimore Ravens’ defense.
Alex’s Schematic Report
Ravens’ Run Defense
As usual, Baltimore is a tough front to win against. The Ravens are allowing just 73 rushing yards per game, best in the NFL. More importantly, they’re giving up just 3.4 yards per carry. The longest run they’ve allowed is 21 yards and the Ravens have given up just seven rushing touchdowns this year, a top-10 figure.
Baltimore has given up just 10 runs of 10-plus yards, also best in the NFL. By comparison, the next closest team has given up 16 such runs. And remember the Ravens haven’t had their bye so they’re not benefitting from that either.
Their leading tackler is Roquan Smith, one of the best off-ball linebackers in the game. He has 97 of them and doesn’t come off the field, logging 97 percent of the Ravens’ defensive snaps. Safety Kyle Hamilton is second on the team with 71 tackles while LB Trenton Simpson is third with 58. Simpson is on the field three-quarters of the time.
It’s a 4-3 front though the Ravens mostly play sub-packages, similar to the Washington Commanders last week. They lean on a “big safety” package with three of them on the field, bumping Hamilton down into a primary box role. With his size and physicality, he’s like another linebacker on the field.
Even against two-tight end sets, they’ll remain in this 4-2-5 look with Hamilton down low. If you’re wondering, No. 23 is Simpson, their linebacker, even though he’s wearing a “DB” number.
They mix one- and two-gapping in the run game. There isn’t a clear weakness on these guys, but I’d go with heavy personnel and keep the ball inside. Running on the perimeter isn’t advisable. They’re a fast-flow defense with good speed and secondary support. Even on a 4th and 1 against the Denver Broncos two weeks ago where the Ravens clogged the A-gaps and still stopped a toss play.
I think Pittsburgh can have success with its wham/crunch scheme. The Ravens have been vulnerable to it though they haven’t given up chunk plays off it.
Some other defensive stats. They Ravens are 25th in scoring defense, allowing 25.3 points per game. Baltimore has allowed 20-plus points in eight of 10 games and 25-plus in seven of 10. It is 27th in yards per game, allowing 367.9 a pop, mostly against the pass. Situationally, the Ravens are poor with the 30th-ranked third down (46.7 percent) and 20th-ranked red zone (59.4 percent) defenses. They aren’t forcing a ton of turnovers, with one per game, but they don’t miss many tackles either. Just 49 on the year, seventh-best in the NFL.
Ravens’ Pass Defense
The elephant in the room and biggest weakness of the team. The numbers are troubling. They’re allowing 294.9 yards per game, last in football by about 32 yards entering Week 11. In fairness, no team has had more pass attempts against than the Ravens with 398 because they’re often leading late in games.
Still, the 7.9 YPA they’re giving up is also 29th, the 22 touchdowns the most in football, and a league-high 47 completions of 20-plus yards. That’s five more than any other team and more than Baltimore allowed all of last season.
Baltimore has 31 sacks this season, tied fourth-most in the NFL, with six interceptions. LB Kyle Van Noy leads the team with seven sacks while DT Nnamdi Madubuike (formerly known as Justin Madubuike) has five of them after re-signing this offseason. Four Ravens have at least 10 QB hits this season: Van Noy, Madubuike, Odafe Oweh, and Tavius Robinson.
CB Marlon Humphrey leads the way with four interceptions. It’s worth noting that seven players have forced a fumble this season so they’re a ball-searching group.
Schematically, against 3×1, the Ravens play a mix of Cover 1 and combination coverages. They’ll cloud the single/X-receiver or make a MEG call and man him up while playing zone to the trips side. Examples of each.
The Ravens rotate coverages quite a bit and present different post-snap looks. Russell Wilson and the Steelers’ receivers will have to be on the same page and not get fooled. We’ll see if CB Marlon Humphrey shadows George Pickens. He wasn’t on Ja’Marr Chase exclusively last week, but he can also play in the slot quite a bit.
From a pressure standpoint, the Ravens blitz in all situations. It’s always from the field side. It can come from linebackers, nickel corners, and Hamilton at safety. Examples of those looks. Hamilton is very effective getting his hands up to defeat the quick game, as you’ll see in two of these clips.
Jonathan’s Individual Report
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 7-2 and atop of the AFC North heading into their much-anticipated matchup with the visiting 7-3 Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens look like a legit title contender, ranking first in the league in total offense with a notable defense full of talented players. Their passing defense hasn’t fared well so far this season, but their run defense has been stout, ranking first in the league.
Defensive Line
No. 92 Nnamdi Madubuike has developed into quite the starter for Baltimore after being a third-round pick in 2020. A stout, powerful run defender, he can sit in and anchor at the line of scrimmage to control gaps. Madubuike also brings some pass-rush juice to the table with 13 sacks last season and five so far in 2024. He is an athletic defender who chases the ball with great pursuit.
Baltimore also has No. 98 Travis Jones, whom it drafted in the third round in 2022, nabbing a hulking 6-4 327-pounder who can single-handedly overwhelm interior offensive linemen. Jones has great strength and the size to hold his own at the point of attack, He also has the quickness to get off blocks and push the pocket as a pass rusher.
No. 97 Brent Urban started his career in Baltimore then bounced around the league for a few seasons before coming back in 2022. The 6-7, 309-pounder wins with sheer size and power, overwhelming interior blockers while also having a knack for batting down passes. No. 96 Broderick Washington will rotate in as big-bodied run defender. The 6-2, 315-pounder doesn’t bring a lot of pass rush to the table but holds his own against the run.
EDGE
No. 99 Odafe Oweh has become a full-time starter in Year 4. A first-round pick in 2021, Oweh has 25 total tackles, 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble on the year. Oweh is a long, athletic pass rusher who is still developing and wins more with his freakish athleticism. He has flashed at times this year with his cross chop and ghost moves while also using his blend of size and speed to defeat blocks and chase down ball carriers in the open field.
Baltimore signed No. 53 Kyle Van Noy last year as more of a rotational player, but the veteran pass rusher racked up nine sacks and opted to stay with the team in 2024. Van Noy has continued that productivity to this season, posting 23 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, seven sacks and one forced fumble so far. Van Noy provides solid run defense on the edge as well and can cover in zones.
Baltimore also has No. 90 David Ojabo, who is in his third season after coming off a season-ending injury last year as well as one prior to the 2022 NFL Draft. He is an athletic pass rusher who plays 35% of the Ravens’ defensive snaps and has one sack on the year. No. 95 Tavius Robinson, who rotates on the edge and has 3.5 sacks, is another long (6-6, 262 pounds), athletic edge rusher. No. 50 Adisa Isaac also provides depth for Baltimore on the edge.
Linebackers
The Ravens got their cornerstone linebacker in 2022 after trading for LB #0 Roquan Smith. Since arriving in Baltimore, Smith has been everything the Ravens could have hoped for when they acquired him from the Chicago Bears. He is an athletic, instinctive LB who excels in run-and-chase situations. He reads extremely well pre- and post-snap, flowing to the football with ease and covering ground laterally against the run. He has 97 total tackles, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, three pass deflections, and one interception on the season. Smith a field general in the middle of the field, has stabilized Baltimore at the second level. He can run, hit, and cover with the best of them in the NFL.
Starting alongside Smith is No. 23 Trenton Simpson, who has been tasked with filling Patrick Queen’s shoes this season. Simpson, a third-round pick in 2023, was an athletic player coming out of Clemson if a bit of a tweener between linebacker and safety. Simpson has started all 10 games this season and has racked up 58 total stops, five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and four pass deflections. He has the speed to run well in pursuit, but he can be exploited in pass coverage.
Behind Smith and Simpson is No. 40 Malik Harrison. He used to have a bigger role but has logged just 90 snaps this season. His play as a run defender has regressed while not being a stellar coverage defender either. No.49 Chris Board is primarily a special teams contributor.
Cornerbacks
The Ravens have arguably one of the best in the game in No. 44 Marlon Humphrey. The Alabama product makes plays all over the field as a physical corner who can go toe-to-toe with a team’s WR1 and come downhill against the run and on a designed blitz. He has perfected the Peanut Tillman punch to jar the football free as a tackler and is dangerous in coverage, already having four interceptions on the season. George Pickens will see plenty of Humphrey on Sunday.
No. 21 Brandon Stephens has developed into a serviceable starter opposite of Humphrey. The former third-round pick out of SMU has recorded 47 total tackles, one tackle for loss, and five pass breakups this season. He is the one to pick on in coverage, having allowed 635 yards and three touchdowns so far.
No. 29 Ar’Darius Washington plays in the slot and has been an impactful contributor. Logging three starts, he has 25 total tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, six pass deflections, and an interception. Washington is a shorter, quicker defensive back who can make smooth transitions in coverage and stick with slot receivers step for step. No. 2 Nate Wiggins has also been impactful thus far in his first season in Baltimore. The first-round draft pick has eight pass deflections along with a 41.9% completion rate allowed and zero touchdowns allowed in coverage.
No. 10 Arthur Maulet has seen less time this season for Baltimore, playing just 72 defensive snaps in sub packages. The Ravens traded for No. 25 Tre’Davious White at the trade deadline from the Los Angeles Rams, but he has yet to log a game for Baltimore after starting four games started in September for the Rams. No. 5 Jalyn Armour-Davis primarily plays on special teams.
Safeties
No. 32 Marcus Williams was one of Baltimore’s key additions in 2022 and has been a mainstay in the secondary ever since. A certified ball-hawk, Williams has the instincts and range to roam the back end of the defense and make plays on the football with 20 career interceptions. He has 33 total stops, one tackle for loss, and two pass deflections on the year, an all-round safety who can cover and will come up in run support.
No. 14 Kyle Hamilton was brought along slowly as a rookie but became a force in Year 2, earning Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors after a stellar 2023 season. A hybrid defender, Hamilton can play near the line of scrimmage as a strong safety/linebacker as well as in the slot over tight ends. Hamilton has the size, athleticism, and closing speed to be a menace against the run. He has 71 total stops, three tackles for loss, on forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and seven pass deflections on the season. The 6-4, 220-pounder has the size and athleticism to be a chess piece in Baltimore’s defense.
Providing depth at safety are No. 24 Beau Brade and No. 39 Eddie Jackson. The latter has seen more action recently after being a longtime starter in Chicago. Playing more of a centerfielder role in coverage, Jackson lacks the speed and playmaking skills he had in his earlier years. No. 28 Sanoussi Kane also provides depth in Baltimore’s secondary.
