Getty Lamar Jackson's injured, but the Ravens still have reasons for optimism thanks to a top rookie.
Lamar Jackson’s knee injury cast a shadow over the Baltimore Ravens beating the Denver Broncos 10-9 in Week 13. Jackson’s not done for the season, according to head coach John Harbaugh, but the Ravens will still worry about their playoff chances as long as the franchise quarterback is on the shelf.
Jackson being out even in the short-term puts the spotlight on backup Tyler Huntley. The latter scored the winning touchdown against the Broncos, and Huntley can rely on one of the Ravens’ top rookies to help him continue to look good moving forward.
This promising first-year pro enjoyed a breakout performance of sorts in one key area that provided plenty of reasons for “optimism” for the wounded Ravens.
Rookie Dominates in Important Phase
Tyler Linderbaum’s debut season in the NFL has been defined by his run blocking, but the young center showed his worth dealing with pressure against Denver. Linderbaum “had one of his best games in the NFL as a pass-blocker, according to our initial grading,” according to Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus.
The numbers show how Linderbaum was one of the few Ravens’ offensive linemen who stood strong against the Broncos’ pass rush: “From 48 pass-blocking snaps, he allowed zero sacks, zero hits and three hurries. Run blocking had been the strength of his season so far, and he was solid again in that facet this week, but his pass blocking provides real signs for optimism.”
As McGuinness correctly pointed out, Linderbaum has been making an impression clearing lanes in the running game. The signature highlight of his rookie campaign to date is this awesome second-level block against inside linebacker Devin White of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8, highlighted by Nate Tice of The Athletic:
nice zone run from the Ravens with the Center Tyler Linderbaum getting on Devin White in the blink of an eye
Plays like this have helped the Ravens maintain their reputation as a physical offense built on bullying opponents on the ground. Yet, keeping the pass pocket clean has now become a bigger concern following Jackson’s latest setback.
O-line Must Raise Its Game Without Jackson
Jackson has never completed a full season in the pros, partly because of how much running he does and the extra hits he takes. Pass-protection has also been a problem, as No. 8 took sacks from Broncos’ defensive tackle DeShawn Williams and edge-rusher Jonathon Cooper, with the latter hit forcing him off the field.
The Ravens have allowed 28 sacks through 12 games, numbers that must improve with Huntley in the lineup. Linderbaum’s growing comfort against the pass offers hope Huntley can be kept clean.
Linderbaum was becoming proficient against pressure even before he faced the Broncos, per numbers from NFL Rookie Watch:
Tyler Linderbaum since week 9:
• 106 pass blocking snaps
• 0 sacks allowed
• 0 penalties
The Ravens found a STUD in their rookie center 👀
It was the former Iowa standout who helped Huntley complete 27 of 32 passes against a talented Broncos defense ranked second in points and third in yards. Huntley needs Linderbaum to continue performing at a high level, even though the Ravens’ offense will still go through the running game.
Fortunately, Huntley already appears to trust Linderbaum in that area, at least based on the winning score, when the deputy signal-caller ran behind blocks from his center and right guard Kevin Zeitler:
D-O-DOUBLE G❗️
Tune in on cbs!
It’s up to Linderbaum, Zeitler and the rest of Baltimore’s O-line to push their collective game to even greater heights as long as Huntley is filling in for Jackson.