Ravens Report Card Vs. Broncos

The Ravens beat the Broncos 23-7 on the road in Week 4 matchup and improved to 3-1 on the season.

Here's their Report Card.

Offense

Quarterback — Lamar Jackson has put the team on his back over four games. However, he is taking too many hits trying to extend plays. Entering the game, Jackson had been hit 44 times, the most of any QB in the NFL. He took three sacks and was hit eight times by the Broncos. Jackson also appeared to have gotten hit at least late twice but he did not get a call. Jackson finished with 316 yards passing with a touchdown. It was the second 300+ yards passing game of his career. Grade: A

Running Backs — Jackson got Baltimore over the 100-yard rushing mark on the last play of the game. The Ravens have run for 100 yards in 43 consecutive games, tying the Pittsburgh Steelers (1974 to 1977) for the longest streak in NFL history. The Ravens finished with 102 yards rushing. Latavius Murray led the Ravens with 59 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown. Le'Veon Bell had 11 yards on four carries in his Ravens debut. Jackson finished with 28 yards on seven carries. Ty'Son Williams is averaging 6.1 yards per carry but was inactive against the Broncos. Harbaugh said William will continue to get opportunities. Grade B-

Wide Receivers — Hollywood Brown took a lot of criticism last week for his three drops against the Lions. He said his confidence was not shaken. Brown made the finest touchdown reception of the season with a diving 49-yard grab that gave the Ravens a 14-7 lead. Tight end Mark Andrews is living up to his big contract. He finished with five receptions for 67 yards. Sammy Watkins, Devin Duvernay and James Proche had solid games. Grade: A

Offensive Line — Alejandro Villanueva hobbled off the field with a knee injury in the third quarter and was replaced by Andre Smith at left tackle. Smith cost the Ravens a touchdown because of a facemask penalty. Coach John Harbaugh said after the game Villanueva's injury did not appear to be serious. Nonetheless, the injuries on the offensive line continue to be a challenge. Grade: B-

Defense

Defensive Line — Nose tackle Brandon Williams was back in the lineup and played well. Defensive tackle Justin Madubuike had a sack. Calais Campbell got solid pressure. This unit will be even better when Derek Wolfe is back in the lineup. The Broncos did manage 106 yards rushing. Grade: B

Linebackers — The Ravens got back to playing physical football and did a solid job keeping the pressure on Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who left with a concussion. Rookie outside linebacker Odafe Oweh was exceptional and had his second sack of the season. Tyus Bowser also had two sacks. Justin Houston finished with a sack. Grade: A.

Secondary — Cornerback Jimmy Smith had a key pass breakup. Anthony Averett was questionable with an ankle injury but managed an interception. Safety Chuck Clark is having his best season as a pro. Rookie Brandon Stephens got the start in place of the injured DeShon Eliott and played well. Grade: A-

Special Teams — Devin Duvernay made another mental mistake as a returner. This time, he had a fair catch at the 4-yard line that put the offense at a disadvantage. But each time he makes a mistake, Duvernay makes up for the gaffe. He had a 44-yard return with 30 seconds left in the half that set up a 40-yard field goal by Justin Tucker that gave the Ravens a 17-7 lead. Tucker made all three of his field-goal attempts and Sam Koch averaged 46 yards per punt. Grade: A-

Coaching — The Ravens are 3-1 and have played three games on the road. Harbaugh has steered this team through injuries and adversity. Greg Roman continues to call a solid game for the offense. The tackling was uneven again, but Don Martindale kept the pressure on Denver all game. Grade: A