Each new week of the NFL campaign brings new challenges. The Baltimore Ravens aren't exempt. Still, it's made for some exciting football. Their defense has found ways to make critical plays, but getting off the field on third down has been hit or miss.
Questions have been asked about whether that will cost them against better competition, but divisional battles can be just as much an issue. AFC North teams always play each other tough, so here come the Cleveland Browns and, presumably,another slugfest. Marlon Humphrey knows what success should look like, and he believes the problem isn't necessarily the calls, but what happens after the ball is snapped. He discussed that ina recent chat with the Baltimore media.
Baltimore allowed the Atlanta Falconsto
convert nine of 17 third-down attempts in Week 5, extending drives that put pressure on the defense. The Ravens eventually escaped with a 30-23 overtime victory, but their inability to consistently end possessions remains an area that needs attention before they face a divisional opponent. Humphrey offered a revealing explanation for the struggles, pointing to opportunities that the secondary had to make plays rather than a breakdown in the defensive plan.
"The biggest thing is to win your one-on-ones (his answer when asked how the Ravens' defense can be better on third down). I had two opportunities to get off the field on third down. I think Nate [Wiggins] had two opportunities to win on third down, and I think 'Chan' [Chandler Rivers] had an opportunity. So, it really came down to if we can win half of those, I think that game can possibly be a runaway-type game. We were in the right calls. We liked to get up. We liked to play man sometimes. We played some other coverages as well, but I thought there were about six reps between those three guys where we had an opportunity to get off the field by us just winning our one-on-one, and we were close sometimes, but ultimately close does not really get it done. But, that is kind of emphasis on working this week of winning your one-on-ones, because Cleveland gives a lot of… They take those one-on-one opportunities. So, that is key. [We] just have to win them."
Ravens must turn sound coverage into stops
Schemes vary, but one constant across most locker rooms is that third-down defense depends on more than generating pressure or putting defenders in the right positions. Coverage players must prevent receivers from creating separation, particularly when the offense needs only a short gain to extend the drive. When those matchups go the wrong way, a sound defensive call can still end with the opponent moving the chains.
The Cleveland Browns should present another test of that execution. Their receiving corps has players capable of creating explosive plays, and Baltimore cannot afford to give quarterback Deshaun Watson easy answers when the defense needs one more stop.
Cleveland matchup will test Baltimore's discipline
The Ravens also must be prepared for the Browns to use their receiving options in space. Baltimore's tackling, pursuit angles, and ability to maintain proper leverage will influence whether short completions become first downs or opportunities to force a punt. Winning at the catch point is only part of the job; defenders must also limit yards after the catch and prevent receivers from escaping the first tackle.
Humphrey's comments suggest the path forward is not necessarily a wholesale change to Baltimore's defensive approach. The Ravens need their players to finish the opportunities the scheme already creates, particularly on the downs when a single missed assignment or lost matchup can extend a possession.
That will be especially important in an AFC North matchup, where extended drives can wear down a defense and shift momentum. If Baltimore can convert more one-on-one situations into incompletions, tackles for loss, or turnovers, it will give the offense more chances to control the game. The Ravens have shown they can make decisive plays late; now they need to do enough on third down to avoid waiting until the final moments to decide the outcome.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Marlon Humphrey identifies key to fixing Ravens' third-down struggles
