How Ravens’ protection of Lamar Jackson was their downfall in Chiefs loss

It’s the fourth quarter. Game on the line in the NFL opener between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs. Lamar Jackson has caught fire on the final drive, and the Ravens are in the red zone with the chance to score. So they have … backup RB Justice Hill block all-world DT Chris Jones?

The final two plays of the Ravens’ season-opening loss to Kansas City were the brutal finishing touch on a poor opener up front. The Ravens had to replace three starters up front, including both guard spots, and it showed. Jackson was on the run all game, with 12 of his 16 rushing attempts coming via scramble (according to Next Gen Stats):

The Raven’s passing game could never settle in and it constricted themselves, a task that you never want to do against this Chiefs’ defense. While there were many occasions where they just got beat up front (that Chris Jones guy is really good), there were some bizarre protection busts that forced the Ravens to turtle in on themselves.

Before we get to that final play, what happened earlier in the game will inform us of why the final protection even happens in the first place. The Ravens’ offense loves to full slide their protection when they see pressure; what that means is whichever side the protection wants to slide, the entire offensive line shifts their eyes and hands over there. It’s great when you’re facing teams that Cover 0 a lot and you have a QB like Lamar Jackson who will make the first free runner off the edge miss. Not as great when you end up wasting guys because you’re adding protection for blitzers that never come.

That’s where Chiefs’ DC Steve Spagnuolo won the battle. For example, on this play the Chiefs walk safety Justin Reid all the way up to the line of scrimmage. Before the ball is snapped, this is what it looks like, with all the potential blitzers labeled:

Lamar sees this and knows the Ravens don’t have enough in protection to account for all 7 guys, so he motions Isaiah Likely into the pass pro and makes him a blocker. From there, the ball is snapped. However…

The Chiefs spin out to Tampa 2 with LINEBACKER Drue Tranquill being the deep ¹⁄₂ defender and SAFETY Justin Reid as the middle runner. On top of that, the Ravens full slide to account for the numbers to the right, but the numbers on the right drop out and they end up sliding to nothing. Because Chris Jones is on the left side, Likely and LT Ronnie Stanley double him and it leaves everyone else with a solo matchup, which they won all game. While full sliding and adding in a blocker is fine, it wastes two potential routes in Likely and RB Justice Hill (who checks and releases) and Lamar has nowhere to go with the ball.

The Ravens full slid again in this game, and were again wasted. This time, Baltimore is in 12 personnel (one RB, two TEs on the field) and the Chiefs match with their base (four down linemen, three linebackers). Tranquill walks out over to the offense’s right edge, and the Ravens full slide to the numbers again, leaving Likely in as a pass protector and RB Derrick Henry as a check and release player (check for any free runners, then run into the flat). The issue here is, with seven man protection only three guys are running any routes and the Chiefs can devote more numbers to the pass. Nobody is open except for maybe WR Rashod Bateman late, but by that time the pressure is there and Lamar is forced to sail it.

Which brings us to the final two plays of the game. I’m not sure why the Ravens felt the need to full slide the protection AWAY from Chris Jones, but let’s look at the personnel here. Derrick Henry isn’t on the field; he probably won’t play much in 2-minute situations. The Chiefs are in a three-down front with Chris Jones lined up over the right tackle. LB Leo Chenal is lined up at the LOS, but he’s just a spy, waiting for Lamar to make his move out the pocket. For some reason, they slide away from Jones instead of to him, leaving Justice Hill with the same task JJ Barea had in 2011: stopping a guy who is at least 100 pounds bigger than you and much, much stronger as well. Lamar has to rush his throw and instead of being able to properly place this throw, he miscommunicates with Bateman (Jackson said after the game the pass was intended for Bateman and the pressure forced him to go quicker; he probably wanted Bateman to break towards the grass) and it’s incomplete.

The same thing happens again on the final play, again Jackson is forced to step up and rush the throw to Likely, who was an inch short of a heroic play. A tough break, but the margins in the NFL are so small that a busted protection like this that leaves Justice Hill on a perennial DPOY candidate can be the difference in a win or loss.

It’s one game, so I’m not going to ring the alarm bells just yet, but last night was a bad start to the year for Baltimore up front. Pass protection was an obvious issue, but the run game couldn’t really generate much push either. Missed angles on some of their gap scheme runs kept potential big plays from being made. On top of that, there were the numerous illegal formation penalties that shot themselves in the foot before they could get going. They knew they couldn’t block up front, which shortens the offense to the screens and quick game we saw from Baltimore last night.

For the Ravens to get to everything they want to be, this inexperienced offensive line is going to have to grow up—fast.