Coverage vs. Pass Rush

**ravens82** · 05-14-2019, 12:05 PM

Enjoyed this article by Luke Jones of WNST:

https://wnst.net/top-story/crabs-n-b...essure-debate/

I think he hits the nail on the head. The Ravens are definitely valuing corners above pass rushers. They could have released Jimmy Smith to create cap space to sign a pass rusher like Justin Houston, but they did not.

The Ravens seem to have the mentality of "an edge rusher getting stonewalled by an offensive tackle typically brings less potential consequence than a defensive back faltering for even a fraction of a second in coverage on a given pass play".

The Ravens have a bunch of guys that have shown flashes of pass rush potential, but only Judon has shown some consistency. I have confidence in Wink, but it will be a challenge for the secondary to cover long enough for the schemed pressure to get there.

**JimZipCode** · 05-14-2019, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by ravens82

The Ravens are definitely valuing corners above pass rushers.

I dunno about all that. They just have better corners than pass rushers now. It would be one thing if we had a young Suggs plus a Dumervil and a Trevor Pryce and an Adalius Thomas. We don't. But we do have Marlon & Tavon & Jimmy & Brandon. So we use them.

It's not like they haven't tried to get pass rushers, and I'm including Tim Williams & J Ferguson. Just haven't panned out (yet).

You guys remember when we played the Giants in '16, and Odell Beckham finished with 220yds and a couple TDs? Not many keep this in mind, but Beckham got all of his stats in the second half. Thru the first half, he had basically nothing.

Jimmy Smith was on Beckham in the first half. Then Jimmy got hurt, either at the end of the half or the beginning of the third Q. The instant he was out of the game, Beckham exploded. Jimmy had Beckham completely under control, and then he went out of the game and Beckham went wild.

Jimmy at 30 is not what he was. But he's not toast either. And now Beckham is in the division. I'm not quite as eager to shove Jimmy out the door this offseason, as a lot of posters on this board are. I want Jimmy on-hand for those matchups against Cleveland, at least. Then after the season we can see what's what.

(Woulda been nice to add Houston, though. Or even Ezekiel Ansah.)

**BcRaven** · 05-14-2019, 12:29 PM

" The Ravens are definitely valuing corners above pass rushers. "

2016 = Kamalei Correa (2nd round), Bronson Kaufusi (3rd), Matt Judon (5th)

2017 = Tyus Bowser (2nd), Tim Williams (3rd), Chris Wormley (3rd)

2018 = Zach Seiler (7th)

2019 = Jaylon Ferguson (3rd)

It looks to me like the Ravens have put draft assets into the pass rush too... Bc

**ravens82** · 05-14-2019, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by BcRaven

" The Ravens are definitely valuing corners above pass rushers. "

2016 = Kamalei Correa (2nd round), Bronson Kaufusi (3rd), Matt Judon (5th)

2017 = Tyus Bowser (2nd), Tim Williams (3rd), Chris Wormley (3rd)

2018 = Zach Seiler (7th)

2019 = Jaylon Ferguson (3rd)

It looks to me like the Ravens have put draft assets into the pass rush too... Bc

A couple of points:

1) The Ravens have had productive rushers on the inside, but none of the DL guys you listed are really getting to the QB very much. I should have been clearer that I was referring more to typical "edge" rushers; from your list that's Judon, T. Williams, and Ferguson. The Ravens defensive scheme doesn't really favor ILBs getting many sacks, either, although it's not unreasonable to assume the Ravens were expecting sack production from Correa and Bowser.

2) The Ravens have drafted a CB every year since 2015, including a 1st rounder (Humphrey). I believe the amount of draft capital expended on CB exceeds EDGE (using something like the Jimmy Johnson chart).

3) Just looking specifically at Jimmy Smith vs. Justin Houston, I would rather have Houston, but the Ravens must have felt differently.

**Jfoh** · 05-14-2019, 02:35 PM

Top sack person is getting 15 sacks on 400 snaps. Add another 25 qb hits which are just as important that’s 50/400. We get almost the same using multiple players. Few sacks but a bunch of qb hits. And some qb are more effected by hits than sacks. They get happy feet and force passes too quickly.

**WrongBaldy** · 05-14-2019, 02:38 PM

I’m with jimmy

if you don’t have good pass rushers load up on corner

**ravens82** · 05-14-2019, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by Jfoh

Top sack person is getting 15 sacks on 400 snaps. Add another 25 qb hits which ar just as important that 50/400. We get almost the same using multiple players. Few sacks but a bunch of qb hits. And some qb are more effected by hits than sacks. They get happy feet and force passes too quickly.

They will definitely need contributions from a lot of different guys, because I don't see any double digit sack guys on this roster, at least this season. Judon, maybe.

**BcRaven** · 05-14-2019, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by ravens82

I should have been clearer that I was referring more to typical "edge" rushers; from your list that's Judon, T. Williams, and Ferguson. The Ravens defensive scheme doesn't really favor ILBs getting many sacks, either, although it's not unreasonable to assume the Ravens were expecting sack production from Correa and Bowser.

r82, I understand your points, it's just that the Ravens targeted and expected BIG things from these two. Correa had 30 TFLs, 19 sacks and 5 FFs in his last two years @ Boise state. Bowser had 19 TFLs, 14.5 sacks, 7 PDs, 2 FRs and 2 FFs in his last two @ Houston. Both players were defensively productive in college, so what happened to them, and Tim Williams, when they became Ravens? ... Bc

**BigPlayReceiver** · 05-14-2019, 05:09 PM

I know how NEP has got it done, which was the opposite of how PHI got it done.

Like most things, it depends...

http://www.profootballfocus.com/news...e-vs-pass-rush

**ravens82** · 05-14-2019, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by BcRaven

r82, I understand your points, it's just that the Ravens targeted and expected BIG things from these two. Correa had 30 TFLs, 19 sacks and 5 FFs in his last two years @ Boise state. Bowser had 19 TFLs, 14.5 sacks, 7 PDs, 2 FRs and 2 FFs in his last two @ Houston. Both players were defensively productive in college, so what happened to them, and Tim Williams, when they became Ravens? ... Bc

Pees played Correa out of position. He atoned for his mistake by bringing Correa to the Titans and playing him at his natural position, where he was able to at least contribute as a situational player. Not sure what's up with Bowser. He looked good as a rookie, but seemed to be lost and getting phased out last year. Williams was listed as injured most of last year. Without Bowser or Williams stepping up this year, it's going to be tough sledding unless Ferguson lives up to his "Sack Daddy" moniker as a rookie.

**ravens82** · 05-14-2019, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by BigPlayReceiver

I know how NEP has got it done, which was the opposite of how PHI got it done.

Like most things, it depends...

http://www.profootballfocus.com/news...e-vs-pass-rush

Good read, thanks for posting this. The analysis seems to lean towards coverage being more important than pass rush, but stops short of fully endorsing that conclusion.

**Ravens4Real** · 05-14-2019, 05:39 PM

It doesn’t matter how good our corner backs are. They can’t cover for 5+ seconds. When a play breaks down, a cornerback is the last position on the field you want to be playing. Almost no chance to defend against broken plays with no pass rush help.

If one of these young guys don’t step up, and in a major way, I promise that we will take a big step back, defensively, this year.