Team Notes week 19 2022

NEWS, NOTES, RUMORS AND OTHER GOOD STUFF

Directly from the desk of FlashUpdate Editor Bob Harris. The good; the bad; and yes. ... Even the Bears. There is no better way to jump start your weekend than browsing these always educational -- often irreverent -- team-by-team, Fantasy-specific offerings. ...
Access specific teams by clicking on a team name in the schedule appearing directly to your left or by clicking on a helmet below; return to the helmets by hitting the link labeled "Menu" following each teams notes. ...

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As Baltimore Banner's Jonas Shaffer framed it, "The NFL's strangest dress rehearsal played out here Sunday without anyone knowing for certain that, yes, this would indeed be a preview of Paycor Stadium's coming attractions. There were missing stars and underplayed scenes and dramatic moments throughout, the tension in the Cincinnati Bengals' 27-16 win over the Ravens only building through the final whistle."

Shaffer went on to suggest it was a loss the Ravens could feel good about, all things considered.

But there were a lot of thorny things to consider as the regular season turned into the postseason and a third round of football between these AFC North rivals beckoned.

Without quarterback Lamar Jackson and a handful of starters on offense, the Ravens (10-7) had outgained the Bengals (12-4) by over 100 yards. Without cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Brandon Stephens, they'd kept in check an explosive Cincinnati offense.

Without a great shot at improved playoff seeding, they'd competed from start to finish against maybe the AFC's hottest team, ticking off a couple Bengals players along the way.

The Ravens did not play their best ball Sunday. They also did not play their best players. Head coach John Harbaugh on Friday called the Ravens' regular-season finale part of a "two-game operation," which on Sunday meant going without the team's best receiver (tight end Mark Andrews), best running back (J.K. Dobbins), best interior lineman (right guard Kevin Zeitler) and best ball hawk (Peters), all starters with recent injury histories who were undoubtedly helped by the day off.

No absences were more consequential than those at quarterback, though.

Jackson, who'd led the Ravens to a Week 5 win over the Bengals in Baltimore, missed his fifth straight start with a knee injury. Backup Tyler Huntley, limited all week in practice by tendinitis in his right (throwing) shoulder, was inactive as well, perhaps a tacit acknowledgement that his services could be more urgently needed in the playoffs.

Undrafted rookie Anthony Brown, making his first career start, went 19-for-44 for 286 yards, threw two interceptions that led to two Cincinnati touchdowns and lost a fumble in the end zone that the Bengals pounced on for another score.

But in finishing with one touchdown or less for their sixth straight game, the Ravens might've revealed more about their potential with Jackson than their limitations without him. Against a stingy Bengals defense, the Ravens finished with 386 yards of total offense, led by rookie tight end Isaiah Likely (eight catches for a career-high 103 yards) and a solid running game (110 yards, 4.1 per carry).

Expect the Ravens to lean on their tight ends a lot this week.

"Those guys will be out there together plenty, for sure," Harbaugh said. "We have a lot of options with the tight ends, and we plan on using them."

With Jackson at the controls, it would not have been hard to imagine more open running lanes, fewer dropped passes, more points, fewer third-and-long headaches. The trouble remains getting Jackson onto the field.

Ravens teammates pleaded ignorance afterward when asked how close the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player might be to returning. They were more forthcoming about how important his return could be.

"Obviously, we want him back, but as far as defense, we've been like, 'Whoever plays,'" cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. "I know 'Snoop' [Huntley] is a good quarterback. A.B. is a good quarterback. Obviously, Lamar Jackson is one of one. So if you can have him back, that'd be great. If not, we'll go with who we've got."

Said right tackle Morgan Moses: "I try not to worry about it. Obviously, [Jackson's] a hell of a player, and obviously, he's a game-changer, but no matter what … we have 100 percent faith in that guy [at quarterback], and it's our job as the offensive line to block for him and open up holes on Sunday or Monday or whatever day we play."

On Saturday, ESPN's Adam Schefter cited a source that said Jackson has a "strong chance" of returning in the playoffs. However, Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio reports that Jackson's status remains uncertain.

Florio's report echoed the words of Harbaugh on Friday, who gave an opening statement following practice to say Jackson is working hard to return but the team currently doesn't have an update on his status.

For the last few weeks, Harbaugh has essentially delivered a non-update update on Jackson every Monday.

He did the same this week.

"Well, like I've been saying, I don't really have an update right now to share with you," Harbaugh said in his Monday press conference. "We'll have an injury report out on Wednesday -- because I won't have a chance to talk to you between now and then -- that's kind of where we're at."

Later in the media session, Harbaugh was asked how Jackson has been doing since the media hasn't been able to speak with him since the quarterback suffered the knee injury on Dec. 4.

"Lamar's been in great spirits. He has been. He's been working super hard," Harbaugh said. "He's out there again today. I mean, I don't watch the workouts -- he's with the trainers and hopefully has progressed to the point where he can practice sometime soon. I mean, that's what we're all hoping for, for sure. When we have something to report on that, we will. That's just the truth of it.

"But, he's been great. He's always in good spirits. He wants to play -- there's no doubt. That's my feeling. You know I love Lamar. I love Lamar. I love everything about Lamar -- always have, always will. He's working hard and he's in good spirits."

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said Monday on the "Pat McAfee Show" that Jackson has "told people he thinks he'll be back."

Harbaugh did not indicate if Jackson would be on the field Wednesday when practice resumes.

"Like I've been saying, I don't really have an update right now to share with you," Harbaugh said. "We'll have an injury report out on Wednesday."

If the Ravens are forced to start Huntley or Brown, it will be hard to have much hope in the passing game. Brown went 19 of 44 for 286 yards with two interceptions against Cincinnati.

Huntley hasn't thrown for more than 138 yards in any of his four starts this season -- and those were all against teams that didn't make the playoffs.

However the biggest question of these NFL playoffs resolves itself, the Ravens will head back to Cincinnati with some swagger in their step. For a second straight meeting, their defense kept Burrow from performing his usual magic, holding the MVP contender to 5.1 yards per attempt three months after he managed only 6.2 yards per attempt.

Ravens players couldn't recall ever having to face the same team twice in two weeks, nor could they say how much either team was holding back strategically. Smith, who joined the Ravens via trade after their first meeting with Cincinnati, said the Bengals "did a lot of things they've done all season." Bengals coach Zac Taylor, who had his full arsenal of offensive talent available, said afterward: "You don't want to put it all out there."

As Shaffer put it, "Such is the nature of a dress rehearsal."

Sunday was about getting ready for this weekend, when the playoff curtains would be drawn and the teams would have to hit their marks and prove they had the star power to put on a show worthy of the stage.

"It doesn't matter what my feelings are or how I gauge it," Harbaugh said when asked about playing the Bengals again. "What matters is how we come out and prepare for the playoff wild-card round. Our guys have earned that opportunity, and we're looking forward to it."

Now the Ravens will hope that the extra rest for players like Dobbins and tight end Mark Andrews will help the team turn the tables on Cincinnati this coming weekend. But if Baltimore has to start Huntley or Brown, its seems clear that the offense will be limited.

Beyond that, because there was still a home playoff game hanging in the balance, the Ravens got a good look at Cincinnati's top offensive players. Quarterback Joe Burrow attempted 42 passes, and the Baltimore defense held him to 215 yards through the air. Sunday was only the second time the Ravens allowed more than 16 points since the start of November, but the Bengals were aided by four Baltimore turnovers.

Defensively, the Ravens played well enough to give the team some confidence this weekend.

"It's a division opponent that we know very well. They know us very well," defensive lineman Calais Campbell said. "There's a lot of just passion behind the ballgame. That's what it's all about. It's win or go home."

Beyond the quarterbacks on the injury front. ... The Ravens held Dobbins out of the game, only to have Gus Edwards -- their top running back who did play -- exit after four carries and enter concussion protocol.

I'll have more on Jackson and the QB situation as well as Edwards in the News and Views section in coming days. ...

Kenyan Drake stepped into the void, taking 51 snaps and rushing for 60 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries this past Sunday, but Dobbins' return would almost certainly change that this time around.

Finally. ... The Ravens will be keeping linebacker Roquan Smith around for a while.

Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Smith and Baltimore have agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $100 million.

The deal includes $45 million guaranteed and $60 million in total guarantees.

The Ravens acquired Smith from the Bears at the end of October in exchange for a second-round pick, a fifth-round pick, and linebacker A.J. Klein. Smith had made it clear that he did not plan to sign an extension with Chicago, cutting off contract negotiations with the club before the season.

Smith immediately became a key piece to Baltimore's defense, recording 86 tackles, seven tackles for loss, an interception, 2.0 sacks, and three passes defensed in his nine games.

With the Ravens signing Smith to an extension, they'll now have the franchise tag to use on Jackson to prevent him from hitting free agency in March.

You can access complete stats for the Ravens Week 18 game via our exclusive Fantasy BoxScore.

DEPTH CHART
QBs: Lamar Jackson, Josh Johnson
RBs: Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, Melvin Gordon, Keaton Mitchell
WRs: Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Tylan Wallace
TEs: Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar, Mark Andrews