How Can Ravens Stop Bijan Robinson? Film Analyst Greg Cosell Suggests A Radical Change

The goal of Ravens head coach Jesse Minter most weeks is to defend the run with as little manpower as possible.

That needs to change in a very fundamental manner tonight in Atlanta. And after watching every snap the Ravens and Falcons have played this season, longtime NFL analyst Greg Cosell from ESPN/NFL Films who studies every matchup, agrees with me that Minter will have to delve into some looks we have not seen all season in an attempt to mitigate the Falcons dynamic run game, specifically Bijan Robinson, the best back in the NFL, running outside zone stretch plays (7.4 yards/carry).

Minter enters Week 5 having used a four-man front just five times all season and being in nickel or dime (five or more defensive backs) over 90% of the time. That won’t work against this Atlanta scheme and offensive line and a pair of running backs (Brian Robinson also) and requires a total rethink of how they plan to operate up front, especially knowing the offense is limited with Snoop Huntley at quarterback and not Lamar Jackson and with new center Cam Jurgens on the concussion list and carrying serious injury red flags.

In fact, Cosell believes that with top pass rusher Trey Hendrickson out (he is not good against the run, anyway) that Minter could look into using anchors Tavious Robinson and Zion Young on the edge in base looks and lean into perhaps three defensive tackles at times. Minter also has flexibility to deploy hybrid defensive back/linebacker Kyle Hamilton in a multitude of ways at the line of scrimmage.

“They could play a 5-2 front, too, you know, and get the wider defender for the outside zone run game,” Cosell explained in detail on “The Daily Flock Show” this week. “Because that's where it starts with the Falcons with Bojan Robinson and outside zone. I think Bijan Robinson is the best back in the league. So you've got to be able to stop outside zone.”

Ditch The Dime

Minter wants to flood the field with defensive backs of all shapes and sizes and responsibilities but that’s not going to play here. Tight end Kyle Pitts is a glorified outside receiver and he still doesn’t look fully vested in Atlanta’s pass game, Drake London is a bigtime receiver but young quarterback Michael Penix Jr is still feeling his way back from his third ACL surgery and it’s doubtful coach Kevin Stefanski wants him dropping back a ton if he doesn’t have to.

Cosell believes that Minter will devise a plan to get both linebackers Teddye Buchanan and Trenton Simpson on the field at the same time on some early-down looks; Simpson replaced Buchanan as a starter after Buchanan suffered an ACL tear late last season, and is playing the best football of his career by far, with him popping off the film for Cosell, along with Robinson in the front defensive front.

Here’s how some of the new base looks might shape out in a 5-2 framework:

“Hamilton would then be a (box) safety with (free safety Malaki) Starks as opposed to the big nickel where (Jaylinn) Hawkins is the third safety,” Cosell suggested. “So I think you're going to see more of that. But again, it also depends on the personnel. the Falcons put out there.

“You know, if they run out of base personnel (one back and two tight ends), you'll see that. If they run out of 11 personnel, then Jesse Minter has to decide how he wants to play that. Now, they don't have a big-time receiving core. So, you might feel that you can still play in your base even if they put 11 out there depending on distance and field location.

“Nothing, as you know, is 100% in an NFL game. So, other than Drake London, you're probably not necessarily believing that there's someone like, ‘Oh, we better stop that guy or else.’ So we'll see. But if you can widen your front, you have a better chance of setting the edge and dealing with that outside zone run game.”

On the other side of the ball, how will the Ravens try to muster a passing attack without Jackson and with their OL issues? A full breakdown of the Ravens and Falcons game can be found below.

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