Let’s get a few things out of the way first:
- The Ravens are better than 1-5
- Their losses have come against playoff contenders (Bills, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, and Rams)
- They have been without their All-Pro QB Lamar Jackson for two of those games.
- We do not know if Jackson will be suiting up on Sunday, but the Ravens appear to be getting Roquan Smith back after he missed their most recent game against the Rams on 10/12.
While I am sure that it is at the center of Ben Johnson’s mantra this week, the Bears cannot sleep on the hobbled Ravens. It is crucial that Chicago maintains
pace with Detroit, Green Bay, and Minnesota in an ultra-competitive division. All the while, despite their record, the Ravens will be coming out swinging as their playoff lives are on the line with or without Jackson at QB.
The Bears should be preparing as if the Ravens are fully healthy and need their leader to take the reins.
Caleb Williams has had some really high highs to start the season, but had his worst game this past Sunday against an average New Orleans pass defense.
The Ravens defense has been gutted to start the year as they have missed time from notable players like Nnamdi Madubuike, Kyle Hamilton, Roquan Smith, Tavius Robinson, among others. I still do not think it would be wise to discount this defense – especially Kyle Hamilton.
Caleb Williams vs. Kyle Hamilton
This week, I think that Caleb needs to keep the versatile Hamilton from leading an otherwise underwhelming Ravens defense.
Hamilton, the Ravens’ ultra-talented young Safety, redefines the position at 6’-4”, 218 lbs, and elite speed. While he has had an underwhelming season by his standards, he has still shown enough in his young career to prove a playmaker all across the field.
Hamilton’s unique ability to make plays on the ball deep (5 career INTs) and perform in the backfield (7 career sacks and 22 career pressures) makes him a difficult player to play against. Chuck Pagano, Baltimore’s secondary coach, even noted the plan to sprinkle him in at NB, a testament to his versatility.
Caleb Williams has to do a good job of locating Kyle Hamilton pre-snap and getting the ball out accurately and on schedule, otherwise Hamilton can affect Williams anywhere across the field. It would behoove Williams to pick on Baltimore’s other Safety, Malaki Starks, who has given up a whopping 150.9 passer rating during his rookie campaign. Even the seasoned veteran Marlon Humphrey has been bad this season with a 137.7 passer rating allowed.
If Caleb can be decisive and on target, the Bears ought to win the game. If Hamilton can find a way to disrupt the game like other dominant defenders have against the Bears this season (like Maxx Crosby and Aidan Hutchinson have) it might be a long day for Williams and the Bears.
