The Baltimore Ravens may have a Week 3 game against the Dallas Cowboys, but they are feeling the wrath of the NFL.
On Saturday, the NFL handed out fines to multiple players across the league. The Ravens didn’t escape the NFL’s warpath, with two of their players getting fined.
The Athletic Ravens reporter Jeff Zrebiec said the NFL punished two defensive players during the Ravens’ 24-17 Week 2 loss to the New Orleans Saints: Trey Hendrickson and Roquan Smith.
“Ravens OLB Trey Hendrickson was fined $17,911 for his hit on Tyler Shough just outside the 2-minute mark of 4th quarter. He was flagged for hit. Ravens MLB Roquan Smith was fined $11,941 for his facemask on Shough that wasn’t flagged.”
Two Baltimore Ravens Players Fined By the NFL
Hendrickson is coming off a solid game for the Ravens despite dealing with his finger injury. He had 3 tackles, 1 quarterback hit, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 sack in the loss to the Saints.
Smith also had a nice game, covering the field and making tackles for Baltimore. He finished second on the team in tackles with 8.
The NFL handed out 18 total fines from last week for various reasons. Incidents ranged from excessive celebrations to hard hits.
Ravens Looking to Take Care of the Cowboys in Week 3
The Ravens need their defensive stars, Hendrickson and Smith, to avoid fines and play loose. Of course, they need to be smart about it, but as long as they do their jobs, they can be impact players.
Baltimore is about to face a Cowboys team that is one of the best in the NFL at passing the football. That will fall on guys like Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey to step up in the secondary and make some plays.
Hendrickson will play a role as well, since the Ravens need to create more pressure up front. Don’t be surprised if Smith gets sent out by Ravens head coach Jesse Minter on some blitzes to get to Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
While Baltimore’s defense needs to play well, the Ravens’ offense faces equal pressure. They could be out Ronnie Stanley and Zay Flowers for Week 3.
That would completely change the Ravens’ game plan, as they’d need to lean more on the run. Derrick Henry will be the focal point of the offense, with the running game being a big part of the plan. Lamar Jackson should also be part of the running game.
This is a big game for the Ravens, as they need to move to 2-1 and regain momentum. They just need to hope no fines come to the team.
Ravens Face $29,000 Punishments From NFL Before Cowboys Showdown