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Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterSep 28, 2024, 06:00 AM ET
- Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — When Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton was asked what impressed him the most about Josh Allen, he didn’t talk much about the Buffalo Bills quarterback’s strong arm and powerful running. That’s obvious, he said.
What stands out to Hamilton is how Allen performs his best when the circumstances are at their worst.
“It’s his belief that he’s going to make a play out of nothing,” Hamilton said. “If somebody misses a block, he can escape out of a sack. He can escape a DB or a D-lineman, and then roll to his left and fire the ball 60 yards downfield on a rope.”
When the Ravens (1-2) play host to the undefeated Bills (3-0) on Sunday night (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), the underachieving Baltimore pass defense can show its level of confidence to a national audience. This is a prideful defense — making NFL history by ranking first in fewest points, most sacks and most takeaways last season — but it has lacked playmaking ability this season, especially late in games.
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The Ravens, who have given up the most passing yards per game (291.7) this season, believe they are up for the challenge against Allen, an early MVP candidate.
“I think this week is a great week to prove ourselves, but it’s also every week in this league,” Hamilton said. “I think it’s [about] us more so being consistent out here in practice and carrying over to the field with communication, execution [and] all that stuff, which I know we’re more than capable of.”
Baltimore has given up 875 yards passing, 108 more than any team and the third-most passing yards ever given up by the franchise after three games. Teams have thrown 117 times against the Ravens, second most in the league, because opponents have struggled to run the ball and have fallen behind early.
The Ravens have had trouble slowing down No. 1 wide receivers. Las Vegas Raiders‘ Davante Adams and Kansas City Chiefs‘ Rashee Rice each recorded 100-yard games against them: 110 and 103 yards, respectively.
Baltimore has struggled to contain tight ends over the middle. Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers (98 yards) and Dallas Cowboys‘ Jake Ferguson (95) combined for 193 yards.
“We don’t let the numbers get us to waver from what we do,” Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens said. “We’re really playing good ball. We just got to continue that into the fourth quarter. Once we do that, man, it’s going to be lights out.”
Baltimore’s defense has given up 875 yards passing, 108 more than any team in the league through three games. Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
In Sunday’s 28-25 win at Dallas, the Ravens gave up 379 yards passing and two touchdowns to Dak Prescott, but they didn’t play as poorly as the statistics show. Baltimore forced Prescott to throw into a tight window (less than one yard of separation at the time of the throw) on 35% of his pass attempts, the third-highest mark of any game in Prescott’s nine-year career.
“We’re in a league where guys on the other side are getting paid millions of dollars, too,” Hamilton said. “So, they’re good, [and] we’re good, and you’re going to have bang-bang plays like that sometimes. Sometimes they go your way, [and] sometimes they don’t; it’s just part of the league.”
There are other times when the Ravens haven’t been in sync. In the season opener at Kansas City, Hamilton acknowledged he played the wrong call, allowing Xavier Worthy to be wide open for a 35-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
On Sunday, Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert was left uncovered for a 15-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. It appeared Ravens middle linebacker Roquan Smith was expecting cornerback Marlon Humphrey to trail Tolbert on the play, but defensive coordinator Zach Orr took responsibility for the misstep.
“We definitely have a sour taste in our mouth, even after the way we finished last week,” Smith said. “[We] just [want] to show the world exactly who we are as a defense. We’re excited about the matchup, and we know exactly what we bring to the table, and it’s about playing four complete quarters. And if we do that, we’ll like our chances. I can promise you that.”
The Ravens have previously stifled Allen despite losing two of three meetings, including the playoffs. Allen has averaged only 154.3 yards passing against Baltimore, throwing four touchdowns and four interceptions.
But Allen is off to the best start of his career this season, completing 75% of his passes for 634 yards. He has thrown seven touchdowns and no interceptions for a 92.6 QBR, the highest through three games by any player since ESPN began tracking the stat in 2006.
“He’s one of the very best in the business at what he does,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s unique; he plays his style; he does it his way. They build the offense certainly around him [and] all the attributes that he has — throwing, running, running the offense, the read stuff [and] reading things out in terms of the passing game — he throws it to every level. And he has a really good cast around him, so [it’ll be a] big challenge.”
