The Ravens Need A More Potent Pass Rush, Starting This Sunday

The Ravens continue to strive to become a drastically better defense than they were a year ago.

The need to get more pressure on the quarterback. Physically impacting the QB more than they have in years remains an area of aspiration and perspiration, but is still lacking production. It’s something that may come naturally with $30M edge signing Trey Hendrickson and $20M defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuikke getting to play meaningful reps together – injuries have precluded that to this point – and perhaps it’s just a matter of time.

But it’s something that must emerge as they face better quarterbacks with more regularity, with a dynamic Falcons offense awaiting them in Atlanta Sunday night. Rookie head coach Jesse Minter is already being somewhat defensive and defiant about what’s transpired thus far. The reality of what’s to come is probably somewhere between the picture he paints and where the team ranks in key pass rush metrics.

The Ravens were not able to get hands on young and vulnerable QB Cam Ward nearly as much as expected on Sunday, though he did often resort to chucking the ball out of bounds.

“They were very protection conscious, I would say,” Minter said of the Titans. “If you go back and watch all the third downs, they are in split-back [formations], chipping both edges. When you rush four against seven, it is going to look like what it looks like, so I thought the guys rushed pretty well overall.

“We can be a little bit more coordinated, and then I thought four or five times where we had opportunities to sack the quarterback, we are either leaving our feet too early or not taking that extra step. So again, I think our defensive line — especially some of the interior guys that we missed a lot during camp — working toward that, and I expect us to have really good days rushing the passer going forward."

What Do The Numbers Say?

The Ravens have a 4.9% sack rate for the season, which is 23rd in the NFL. It was 4.6% last season. So, no one is going to be pumped about that. Pressure is more important, and there has been an uptick there. Baltimore has a 35.1% pressure rate this season, 19th in the NFL; it was at 31.7% last season.

Madubuike is their best interior rusher and it’s not close, and he’s only played two games in over a year. He’s still knocking rust off but can take games over week after week at the top of his powers. Hendrickson was probably more impacted by the finger injury than the team let on, we’ll see how quickly he can return from the procedure he had last week, but his resume is legit.

Hendrickson is generating a 17.5% pressure rate, which is bigtime and far superior than anything we’ve seen in this locker room for a long time. One sack on 80 pass-rush reps isn’t ideal, but the best should be to come (though he will suffer against the run). He also leads the team with 10 hurries.

Tavius Robinson, the chief beneficiary opposite Hendrickson when he is going, leads Baltimore with two sacks and six QB hits. He has a motor and sets the edge the way the Ravens demand. What has been lacking is hybrid defender Kyle Hamilton impacting the QB as much as many expected; Minter barely blitzed last week, so not much opportunity there, and Hamilton has just three pressures on 25 pass rushes this season.

Getting more pressure on Michael Penix Jr. will be vital on Sunday. He is still feeling his way back from a third ACL repair and has a tendency to throw off his back foot some and deliver some turnover worthy throws when under duress. Given that the Falcons are the best run stopping team in the NFL, and the most dominant team running the ball, the Ravens are going to need some turnovers.

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