The Detroit Lions got their season back on track last week with a win over the Chicago Bears, but the celebration didn’t last long. Brian Branch earned a game ball from Dan Campbell for his efforts against the Bears, which included a forced fumble, a sack, a pass defended, two tackles for loss, and posting six solo tackles. But in the Lions locker room, surrounded by his teammates and coaches, Branch was quick to point out in his impromptu speech that a matchup with the Baltimore Ravens was right around the corner.
So we’re back for another installment of “5 Questions,” this time with Nikhil Mehta—Baltimore Beatdown’s newly appointed Site Manager—and some of their other writers on staff (Zach Canter, Dustin Cox) to give us some insight into this week’s matchup with the Ravens.
1. The Baltimore Ravens are the exact kind of football team built to give the Lions a run for their money. We saw the Ravens make short work of them in 2023 when the game felt over before halftime. It’s the last honest-to-goodness, had-no-chance beating Campbell’s Lions have taken.
It starts on offense with arguably the best quarterback in the world, in Lamar Jackson. What about Lamar’s game continues to be so impressive, and how is he continuing to be this dynamic as both a passer and a runner in his eighth (!) NFL season?
“Jackson’s growth can’t be understated. He was an MVP quarterback by his second season and has since added several more tools to his toolbox to become virtually unguardable. Just look at throws he’s made to new teammate DeAndre Hopkins this year; he wasn’t making those in 2018 and 2019, though that was partially due to a less reliable receiving corps. He’s also made significant strides commanding the offense at the line of scrimmage with offensive coordinator Todd Monken empowering his quarterback to make his own calls, checks, and adjustments. Put that all together with his electric skills as a ballcarrier and unreal ability to evade pressure and extend plays, and you have arguably the most talented quarterback the NFL has ever seen.
Jackson is only 28, coming into the physical prime of a quarterback with seven years of experience under his belt. Quarterbacks like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers didn’t hit their peaks until they were nearly 30 with their mental and physical abilities reaching a meeting point. Impossibly, Lamar Jackson could still continue to get better.” (Zach Canter)
2. Derrick Henry was a perfect fit for this Ravens football team, and he looked every bit like the same guy who ran for over 2,000 yards five years ago. If a defense is going to be successful against this Ravens offense, where does that team need to beat them up front against their offensive line–and how much of that can end up not mattering because they have a guy like Henry carrying the ball?
“The place to attack Baltimore’s offensive line is definitely along the interior, specifically the two starting guards, Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele. The Browns successfully neutralized Henry and the run game for the Ravens by consistently hitting him in the backfield before he could get going, and that was largely thanks to their talented defensive front outclassing Baltimore’s offensive line. Cleveland’s game plan was clearly to stop Henry at all cost with numbers in the box and aggressively triggering against the run, but that allowed Lamar Jackson to take multiple deep shots down the field to great success. The Ravens have a true ‘pick your poison’ offense.” (Dustin Cox)
3. Just prior to the start of the season, Baltimore made Kyle Hamilton the highest-paid safety in the NFL to the tune of $100+ million over four years. What makes him so critical to what Baltimore can do on defense? What’s so unique about his game from other safeties in the NFL, and where do you see him consistently making an impact game after game?
“Since breaking out as an All-Pro in 2023, Hamilton’s calling card has been his Swiss-Army-knife versatility. He’s a movable chess piece that most defensive coordinators can only dream about, with the ability to stop the run, drop back in man or zone coverage, and even rush the passer. The Ravens have found plenty of ways for him to attack opposing offenses, but he can also be used to reinforce the defense at all three levels depending on the situation. For example, when Baltimore’s pass defense faltered in 2024, Hamilton’s move to a more traditional free safety role stabilized the secondary for the rest of the year.
Entering his fourth year, Hamilton has taken his game to another level with his play recognition and football I.Q. His ability to diagnose plays and identify route concepts is somehow putting him in a position to make even more plays. Hamilton is particularly effective at destroying screens, to the point that offensive coordinators should probably consider avoiding them altogether when playing the Ravens.” (Nikhil Mehta)
4. Lions fans are very familiar with Kyle Van Noy since he was drafted by Detroit, which feels simultaneously yesterday and forever ago. Looks like he’s bracing to miss some games, including this upcoming game against Detroit. He seems more like a pass-rush specialist at this point in his career, so how big of a loss is the veteran in their ability to generate pressure? Who stands to get more playing time with him out of the lineup, and will they miss Van Noy in other ways?
“Van Noy has been Baltimore’s most productive pass rusher over the last two years with 21.5 sacks. His veteran experience doesn’t only show up in his array of pass rush moves; it’s also evident in his ability to flip inside to execute stunts and even drop off the line of scrimmage as part of simulated blitzes. As a result, he’s a significant loss for the Ravens defense that will lean on a trio of young edge rushers for the next few weeks. Third-year outside linebacker Tavius Robinson is more known for his run defense, but a strip-sack against the Browns will earn him some more pass-rushing reps in Van Noy’s absence. 2022 second-rounder David Ojabo was a healthy scratch in Baltimore’s first two games, but he should be active for rotational snaps for the next few games as well. But the biggest opportunity will likely go to rookie Mike Green. He saw a significant increase in snaps after Van Noy went down in Week 2, and the Ravens will be counting on his opportunity to pressure opposing quarterbacks.” (Nikhil Mehta)
5. So far this season, Zay Flowers seems to be the favorite target of Lamar Jackson. He’s got 19 targets through two games, more than double the next closest pass catcher: Rashod Bateman with seven. Has Baltimore finally found the right mix of receivers around their franchise quarterback? Even DeAndre Hopkins is experiencing a bit of a late-career renaissance with a couple of explosive plays for touchdowns in back-to-back weeks to start the season.
“This is by far the most impressive group of wide receivers Lamar Jackson has had at his disposal in his career. Flowers is looking like a true difference-maker this season and has been uncoverable in the intermediate area of the field. While Flowers is not a typical deep threat or big-bodied contested catch winner on the outside, the Ravens have no shortage of other effective options. Rashod Bateman flashed his savvy route-running and a knack for big plays last season, and offseason signing DeAndre Hopkins has already proven to be a reliable ball-winner for Jackson even if he is covered downfield. Devontez Walker appears to be a legitimate deep threat for this offense now as well, while Tylan Wallace is a strong run blocker and seems to come up with a big catch every few games.” (Dustin Cox).
