Film Room Addict: How the Chiefs can take down the Baltimore Ravens
By Grant Tuttle
Key offensive players:
TE Travis Kelce:
As indicated earlier, there is a real mismatch for the Ravens when they try to cover Kelce. I would expect the Ravens to try to chip and double Kelce. If they don’t, Kelce may have a career day. Mahomes would be wise to use Kelce as his safety blanket in this matchup.
LT Cam Erving:
Erving played admirably against the Raiders in Eric Fisher’s absence. Erving has some great strength and good athleticism, but it will take everything he has to slow down the pass rush from the Ravens, who love to blitz. The way that Erving plays on the left side will have a direct impact on how the Chiefs perform offensively as a unit.
RBs LeSean McCoy and Darwin Thompson:
With Damien Williams out and poor performance last week, the running backs will need to turn things around against the Ravens. Whether it be in the short passing game, screen game, or ground game, the Chiefs will need some production out of McCoy and rookie Darwin Thompson. If they can’t give Mahomes any relief, they may struggle to move the ball at the rate that they would like to.
Key Defensive Players:
CB Bashaud Breeland:
After a solid game against the Raiders in which Breeland followed Tyrell Williams, the Chiefs will need another good game. While the speed of Marquise Brown may be a mismatch for Breeland, the Chiefs may try to deploy the same strategy against the Ravens. If so, they will need a great game from Bashaud Breeland.
DT Chris Jones:
The interior line for the Ravens is pretty solid. However, Jones may have a favorable matchup against the Ravens center Matt Skura, particularly in the run game. If Jones can penetrate and disrupt the rushing game, the Ravens may have trouble moving the ball with consistency. Jones has also been the most consistent pass rusher to this point of the season.
LB Anthony Hitchens
Hitchens has looked better through two games than he did all of last season. That being said, he has a difficult task in front of him this week. Not only does he need to shoot the gaps and tackle Mark Ingram, but he also needs play in coverage against talented tight ends and be aware of where Lamar Jackson is if he keeps the ball. Sunday will have major implications for Hitchens’s improvement.
Attack these players offensively:
LB Kenny Young:
Kenny Young has not looked particularly strong in any part of the defense for the Ravens. While he shows pretty strong athletic traits, he can be exploited in pass coverage. Against the run, he has taken bad angles and gotten swallowed whole by some offensive linemen. If there is a weakness in the defense, it is in the middle of the field where Young plays.
CB Cyrus Jones:
Jones is a rotational guy, but when deployed, is the weakest corner of the bunch for the Ravens. If the Chiefs use a spread look and Jones is on the field, look for Mahomes to target him. Jones struggles in the initial coverage off of the line and is not a great tackler.
Players to slow down:
WR Marquise Brown
Brown has been a problem for teams in the first two weeks. Brown adds a new threat to the offense and can serve as a decoy. The Chiefs will need to be physical on the outside and not let him become a major factor.
TE Mark Andrews
Andrews is the go-to guy and has been used as a safety blanket for Jackson. The Chiefs cannot allow him to make catches in the middle of the field on third down. I expect the Chiefs may trail him with a safety. Juan Thornhill may be the guy to cover Andrews in this one.
RB Mark Ingram
Ingram is a tough runner and is difficult to bring to the ground. If the Chiefs allow Ingram to run all over them, as they would have last year, the Chiefs may be in for a very close game. The run defense must be at its best to take on Ingram and the Ravens.
Final Thoughts:
This game will be a fun matchup. The Ravens seem like a team trying to make a case for why they belong in the conversation for the AFC championship and rightfully so. The Ravens have an elite defense and have steadily improved their offense. In fact, it seems likely at this point in the season that the Ravens run away with their division. In this matchup, both teams can create interesting mismatches, which will be a fun chess match to watch.
Ultimately, I expect the Chiefs to hang on to win in a close one. The Chiefs cannot allow themselves to get behind early like they did last week. If they do, they will have a tough time climbing back into the game. With that in mind, I would expect the Chiefs to have things figured out for the game opener.