Ravens Stock Report: Several Ravens Rise After Bills Cut

The Baltimore Ravens destroyed what many considered to be the best team in the NFL in Week 4 with the Buffalo Bills. Derrick Henry and the Ravens overran an undersized Bills defense; Defensively, they shut down Josh Allen and a Buffalo offense that led the league in points scored for three weeks. We finally saw how many fans and pundits envisioned Baltimore in 2024.

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Derrick Henry, RB

Running back Derrick Henry continues to defy the odds. At age 30, King Henry leads the NFL in rushing and was once again absolutely dominant on Sunday Night Football in Baltimore. On the team’s opening play, Henry ran untouched for an 87-yard touchdown, the longest touchdown run in Ravens history. Buffalo had no answers for Henry, who ended the night just one yard short of its 7^Th Career 200-yard rushing performance.

Offensive line

The Ravens offensive line has gotten better every week. Despite guard Andrew Vorhees being sidelined in Week 4, the Ravens were able to open rushing lanes and keep Lamar Jackson clean for most of the game. Rookie tackle Roger Rosengarten looked comfortable, while the much-criticized Daniel Faalele had solid performances in the last two games. Fullback Patrick Ricard has also been a larger part of the offense in the last two games, which has had a positive impact on blocking performance overall.

Todd Monken, OC

Offensive coordinator Todd Monken has come up with incredible game plans over the last two weeks. Similar to last week’s game in Dallas, the Ravens scored 21 points in the first half and scored touchdowns on their first three drives. Monken uses Henry’s presence and dominance to orchestrate play-action and quarterback runs that have caused serious injuries to the Cowboys and Bills and made life easier for Lamar Jackson. Baltimore’s receivers and tight ends have been used sparingly over the past two weeks, highlighting the talent and options Monken has to work with.

Pass defense

For three weeks, the Ravens had the worst pass defense in the NFL. In Week 4 against Josh Allen and the Bills, we finally got a look at the 2023 Ravens defense that broke multiple records and terrorized opposing offenses last season. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr and the Ravens’ defense completely shut down a Buffalo offense that was posting a league-average 37.6 PPG entering Week 4. The pass defense was strong all night while the pass rush and run defense continued to dominate. It took a few weeks for Mike MacDonald’s defense to find its rhythm, and it looks like Zach Orr and Co. are starting to click. The Ravens defense will look to capitalize on this momentum in crucial games against the Bengals and Commanders in weeks four and five.

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Brandon Stephens, CB

While the Ravens’ pass coverage was great last night, teams are clearly leaning on cornerback Brandon Stephens. Last night, Stephens threw several back-shoulder passes to rookie receiver Keon Coleman, and he seemed to be having a hard time finding the ball.

Mark Andrews, TE

Although the game plan over the last two weeks didn’t warrant big receiving performances, it’s a little shocking to see how little involvement tight end Mark Andrews has had in the Ravens’ passing offense. Andrews has now gone two straight games without a catch and has seen a significant decline in his snap participation compared to last year. Last night, on his only goal, Andrews dropped a wide-open pass that would have been a big gain. As a blocker, Andrews was exceptional, but there must be some level of frustration on his part that he was so underused in the passing game.