The LA Rams visited M&T Bank on Sunday afternoon in what was a must-win game for the Ravens. For the third time in the last five weeks, the Ravens lost by one point as they fell 20-19 to move their record to 8-8 with one game left. The Ravens playoff hopes were all but sealed against the Rams, they now need to win next week and will also need 4 other scenarios to fall in line if they want to qualify for the postseason. It was only a matter of time until the injuries caught up the Ravens. The Ravens sat atop the AFC with a record of 8-3, but that was 5 straight losses ago. With 33 players on IR, it’s just not realistic to think this team can keep winning despite injuries at so many crucial spots. They had the Rams on the ropes for most of the game, but the Ravens couldn’t manage a touchdown on offense and ultimately felt the wrath of Cooper Kupp and O’Dell Beckham as the pair of wide receivers each scored a touchdown, Beckham’s being the game winner with a minute left. Below I will highlight the 3 highest and 3 lowest graded players of the week according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).
Highest Graded Player of the Week: Chuck Clark
Clark comes in as the highest graded player this week, finishing the game with a PFF grade of 91.8, his highest of the season and his highest game grade of his career. Clark set the tone in the first quarter with a pick-6 of Mathew Stafford which ended up being Baltimore’s only touchdown of the game. He then also had another impressive interception later in the game as he leaped high in the air to snag another errant throw into triple coverage. Clark had 3 total interceptions in his career before snagging 2 in this contest. He was also a force in the tackling department as he had 6 tackles and zero missed tackles. It was a complete game for Clark as he did everything possible to contribute in a must-win game. He’ll look to close out a solid season next week as the Ravens host their rivals, the Steelers.
Second Highest Graded Player of the Week: Devonta Freeman
Devonta Freeman comes in as the second highest graded player this week with a PFF grade of 75.6; his highest of the season. Freeman easily had his best game of the season as he finished with 14 carries for 76 yards, 5.4 yard per carry. Freeman also forced 3 missed tackles in this contest and averaged an impressive 4.71 yards after contact. The Ravens have been decimated by injuries to their backfield and Freeman has played about as well as you can ask a journeyman running back to play. He currently has 555 rushing yards with a 4.3 yard per carry average. Not bad for a guy who was signed a week before the season kicked off. Freeman will look to have another solid contest against a porous Steelers run defense.
Third Highest Graded Player of the Week: Brandon Stephens
Brandon Stephens rounds off this week’s list by finishing the game with a PFF grade of 75.5, his second highest graded game of the season. Stephens’ last 4 games have been a roller coaster, he’s had a 64 grade, followed by a 76 grade (his highest of the year), then followed that up with a 24.3 grade (lowest by any raven this season) and then finishes this contest with a 75.5 grade. You hope as a fan he gets more consistent next season but with the injured plagued Ravens, you’ll take what you can get out of a starter these days. Stephens had an impressive game in coverage, he was only targeted once and allowed that lone target to be caught for 2 yards. A stark contrast from last week when he allowed 3 catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. He also contributed 2 tackles and zero missed tackles. Stephens will look to possibly take over the other safety position next season as Deshon Elliott is scheduled to become a free agent. He will however need to improve in all aspects if he hopes to be a starter next season, his current season PFF grade of 49.7 puts him 88th out of 93 qualifiers.
Lowest Graded Player of the Week: Geno Stone
Stone makes his first appearance on this list, finishing with a PFF grade of 27.7. Stone allowed both of his targets in his zone to be caught for 37 yards. Stone actually had an impressive tackling grade, finishing with a grade of 81.1. But he was mostly a liability in run defense and abysmal in coverage. Stone is being given plenty of playing time at corner and safety due to the myriad of injuries to the Ravens secondary. He’ll look to bounce back next week against the Steelers.
Second Lowest Graded Player of the Week: Brandon Williams
Williams comes in as the second lowest graded player this week, finishing the game with a PFF grade of 30.3, his lowest grade of the season. Williams has had a 2021 season he will want to forget; he is now the 111th graded defensive interior linemen in the NFL out of 126 qualifiers. Williams only had one tackle but also missed another one. He also only had one pressure which puts his season total to 9 pressures. 9 pressures in today’s NFL just won’t get it done considering his high salary. Williams is set to become a free agent after this season and I just can’t imagine the Ravens giving him an extension unless it’s a low, team friendly deal. A declining defensive tackle that provides zero pass rush ability will be a hard sell for the front office. Williams will look to finish strong next week against the Steelers.
Third Lowest Graded Player of the Week: Patrick Queen
Queen rounds off this list by finishing with a PFF grade of 32.3, his third lowest graded game of the season. Queen seemed invisible on the field against the Rams. He played 43 snaps, but only managed one tackle and missed another. He was however visible in coverage as he allowed 4 receptions on 5 targets which led to 63 yards and a touchdown. It’s worth noting, however, that it is Queen’s first allowed TD all season on 54 targets, so not all is bad. Queen has been steadily improving from his horrendous start to the season and will look to have an even better campaign next season. Queen’s rookie season was a nightmare as he finished as the 82nd linebacker out of 83 qualifiers. He is currently the 68th linebacker out of 84 qualifiers. He has flashed a ton this season, but will need to be more consistent if he hopes to command the position in the years to come.
The Ravens are now 8-8 with their playoff hopes hanging on by a thread. They will finish the regular season by hosting their rivals, the Steelers, in a must-win game. But winning the game is only a small part of it. They will need the Colts to lose to Jacksonville, the Dolphins to lose to the Pats, the Chargers to lose to Vegas and the Browns to lose to Cincy. So, I highly doubt we will be seeing these Ravens in the playoffs. For John Harbaugh to get this team to even 8 wins is small accomplishment. 33 players on IR including Their All-Pro Left tackle and Star QB, just shows Harbaugh’s coaching acumen. And if it wasn’t for 2 failed game-winning conversions, we’d be looking at the Ravens as potentially AFC North Champs. Hopefully the Ravens can close out strong next week at home versus the Steelers.
Mirzet was born in Bosnia and raised in upstate NY. Mirzet became a huge fan of the ravens when he first moved to the country and has never looked back. Mirzet is also a former base data analyst at Pro Football Focus. Using advanced metrics and stats has always been a passion of his when discussing anything football-related. Salihovic also lived in Baltimore shortly after he went to college at SUNY Cortland, he currently resides in Utica, NY.