Tag: Ravens

Jun 9, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees talks to cornerback A J Terrell (24) during OTA at Falcons Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Ravens bring back former DC Dean Pees as senior advisor

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The Baltimore Ravens have hired former longtime defensive coordinator Dean Pees as a senior advisor to help bolster a struggling defense under first-year DC Zach Orr.

Pees, 75, was the DC in Baltimore from 2012-17 and coached Orr, then a linebacker, for three seasons.

“I said, ‘Hey, it would be good if you wanted to come up here and be an advisor, be another set of eyes, just be a help to us,’” Orr told The Athletic. “If you get a guy I’m real close with and a guy who knows the culture and is a great football mind, and he’s down for it, to me, it’s a no brainer.”

The Ravens rank 26th in points allowed (25.2) and 31st in pass defense (280.2 yards per game). Under Orr, the Ravens have allowed the second-most points ever through the first five weeks, according to ESPN.

Under Mike Macdonald last season, the Ravens became the first team in NFL history to allow the fewest points, record the most sacks and most takeaways in a single season, per ESPN.

Macdonald left to become the new head coach in Seattle.

Pees came out of retirement to be the DC for the Tennessee Titans in 2018-19 and then the Atlanta Falcons from 2021-22.

The Ravens (3-2) host the Washington Commanders (4-1) on Sunday.

–Field Level Media

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) leaps away from Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard (94) on a keeper in the first quarter of the NFL Week 5 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. The Bengals led 17-14 at halftime.

Lamar Jackson, Ravens rally past Bengals in OT

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CINCINNATI — Lamar Jackson threw four touchdown passes and led a comeback from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit on Sunday as the visiting Baltimore Ravens rallied for a 41-38 overtime win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Derrick Henry’s 51-yard run in overtime set up Justin Tucker’s 24-yard game-winning field goal with 3:33 left in overtime.

Holder Ryan Rehkow bobbled the snap on Evan McPherson 53-yard field goal attempt that would have won the game with 4:31 left in overtime.

Joe Burrow threw a career-high five touchdowns and Ja’Marr Chase caught 10 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns as the Cincinnati Bengals couldn’t protect three different 10-point leads.

Burrow, who during the week said he’d have to play “damn-near perfect,” finished 30 of 39 for 392 yards.

Chase had touchdown catches of 41 yards and a catch-and-run of 70 yards in the fourth quarter to give him five touchdowns in three games.

The Ravens won the coin toss to start overtime and drove into Cincinnati territory before Jackson fumbled the shotgun snap and Cincinnati linebacker Germaine Pratt recovered at the Baltimore 38.

Henry, who ran for 199 yards in a win over Buffalo a week earlier, was held to 40 yards on 14 carries before the 51-yard run.

Jackson made a spectacular stiff arm of Cincinnati rusher Sam Hubbard and threw across his body to tight end Isaiah Likely for a 6-yard touchdown as the QB was running out of bounds to cut Baltimore’s deficit to 38-35 with 5:24 left in regulation.

Marlon Humphrey intercepted Burrow with 3:07 left in the fourth to give the Ravens the ball at their 28. Jackson drove the Ravens 34 yards and Baltimore tied the game, 38-38, on Tucker 56-yard field goal with 1:35 remaining.

Henry ran it in from one yard out with 8:54 left in the first quarter for his 100th career touchdown from scrimmage, giving the Ravens an early 7-0 lead. Henry would cross another career milestone in the second quarter when he surpassed the 10,000-yard career rushing plateau.

The Bengals defense turned the momentum of the game when Hubbard tackled Henry in the end zone for a safety to draw Cincinnati within five, 14-9, with 5:47 left in the second quarter.

The Bengals took possession with 34 seconds left in the half and Burrow drove them over midfield before lobbing a 41-yard touchdown to Chase, giving Cincinnati a 17-14 halftime lead.

As they did last week in Carolina, the Bengals took the opening drive of the second half and forged a two-score lead at 24-14.

The Bengals lost starting cornerback Dax Hill to a right knee injury midway through the first quarter on Sunday. Hill attempted to stay with receiver Zay Flowers on a third-and-8 when his right knee buckled.

–Mike Petraglia, Field Level Media

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) hands off to running back Derrick Henry (22) in the second quarter of the NFL Week 5 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. The Bengals led 17-14 at halftime.

Ravens RB Derrick Henry eclipses 10,000 career rushing yards

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Baltimore running back Derrick Henry crossed two career milestones on Sunday during the Ravens’ 41-38 overtime win at the Cincinnati Bengals.

Henry, 30, became the 32nd player in NFL history to rush for 10,000 yards, and he recorded his 100th career touchdown from scrimmage, only the 26th player and 14th running back to do so.

In his first season with the Ravens, Henry entered the day as the NFL’s active leader in rushing attempts (2,110), rushing yards (9,982) and rushing touchdowns (95). Through four games this season, he led the league with 480 rushing yards, five rushing TDs and 120.0 rushing yards per game, as well as the longest run of the year at 87 yards.

Henry’s 1-yard score with 8:54 left in the first quarter gave Baltimore a 7-0 lead. His 5-yard run in the second quarter got him to the 10,000-yard threshold.

Henry became the fifth player in league history to reach both marks within his first 125 games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Jim Brown, Emmitt Smith and LaDainian Tomlinson as well as Adrian Peterson.

“(I’m) always grateful for the journey and everyone that’s been a part of it,” Henry said this past week on reaching 10,000 rushing yards. “I’ve been blessed tremendously, and I’m very thankful to be able to be able to play this long and be able to reach a milestone that big.

“All the great ones before me that I idolized — they achieved that accomplishment, so for me to be doing something that the ones that I’ve idolized have done is so cool.”

He’s also the first Raven with a rushing touchdown in his first five games, according to the team.

The longtime Tennessee Titan punctuated his memorable day with a huge run during overtime. After Cincinnati’s Evan McPherson missed a 53-yard field goal to clinch the game, Henry ran 51 yards up the left sideline to the Bengals’ 6-yard line, and Baltimore sent Justin Tucker on to kick the 24-yard game-winning field goal.

Henry finished the day with 92 rushing yards on 15 carries.

For his career, Henry has played 124 games (93 starts) for the Titans (2016-23) and Ravens. The Titans picked him in the second round in the 2016 NFL Draft out of Alabama. Henry has been selected to four Pro Bowls and was the 2020 NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

Sunday was a big day for career milestones, as Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers surpassed 60,000 career passing yards in New York’s 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London.

Rodgers, 40, entered the day with 59,904 career passing yards, and he also was the league’s active leader with 5,083 completions, 7,789 attempts and 480 TDs.

He added to those numbers on Sunday by going 29 for 54 for 244 yards and two touchdowns as well as three interceptions in becoming the ninth QB in NFL history to throw for 60,000 career passing yards.

Rodgers has now played 236 games (229 starts) for the Green Bay Packers (2005-22) and Jets.

–Field Level Media

Sep 29, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) runs through Buffalo Bills linebacker Dorian Williams (42) tackle attempt during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Run-happy Ravens visit Bengals for AFC North showdown

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One of the fiercest rivalries in football renews on Sunday afternoon when the Baltimore Ravens visit the Cincinnati Bengals for both teams’ first AFC North battle of the season.

The teams have combined to win the past three division titles and five of the past six. Baltimore (2-2) dethroned two-time AFC North champion Cincinnati last year and is coming off two straight wins to level its record this season.

The Ravens scored a 35-10 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night, a game that featured an 87-yard touchdown run from Derrick Henry on Baltimore’s first play from scrimmage. Henry enters Week 5 leading the NFL in rushing with 480 yards, while the Ravens are leading the league on the ground as a team at 220.3 rushing yards per game.

Henry is on the brink of two major milestones. The 30-year-old back needs just one touchdown to reach 100 for his career (includes rushing and receiving) and is 18 rushing yards shy of the 10,000-yard plateau.

“There’s a lot of things about Derrick that make him unique — talent is one of them for sure, and work ethic is another one for sure,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s just a very tough human being.

“Really, the proof is in the results, and you kind of go by what you see. So, when we were evaluating the possibility of bringing him in here, I just think we looked at how he’s been playing. And to see that continue on obviously is great, but we did expect him to play this way, and we’re excited about it.”

Behind a season-best 141 yards on the ground as a team and a pair of rushing scores from Chase Brown, the Bengals (1-3) earned their first win of the season last Sunday in Charlotte, a 34-24 decision against the Carolina Panthers. Cincinnati built a 17-point lead late in the third quarter, scoring a touchdown at the end of the first half and on the first possession of the second.

Ja’Marr Chase scored on a brilliant 63-yard catch-and-run while Joe Burrow completed 22 of 31 passes for 232 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The Bengals have totaled 67 points in their past two games.

“We’re confident in our group. We’re rolling on offense right now,” Burrow said. “We’ve still left some points out there, which when you score 33, 34 back-to-back and you feel like you’ve left points on the board, that’s a good spot to be as an offense. We’re gonna continue to chase perfection, try to score on every drive. It’s a big opportunity. We thrive in these moments.

“We’re excited about it in front of our fans that we’re gonna need on Sunday. I hope they’re excited, too. We’re putting in the work this week to go out and put our best foot forward.”

The Ravens swept the season series between the teams in 2023 after the squads split a pair of games in 2022.

The Bengals are hopeful to get some defensive reinforcements on Sunday, as defensive end Myles Murphy and defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson began practicing this week and could be activated in time for the game against Baltimore.

Defensive tackle B.J. Hill also returned to practice after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 2. He was limited, as was star defensive end Trey Hendrickson (neck/back). Cornerback Mike Hilton (knee) and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (hamstring) did not participate.

Linebacker Chris Board (ankle) and corner Arthur Maulet (knee/hamstring) were limited when the Ravens practiced on Wednesday.

–Field Level Media

Sep 29, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) celebrates with teammates after scoring during the second quarter against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Ravens’ Derrick Henry runs wild in win over Bills

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Derrick Henry racked up 199 yards on 24 carries and totaled two touchdowns as the host Baltimore Ravens torched the previously unbeaten Buffalo Bills 35-10 on Sunday night.

Henry took the Ravens’ first play from scrimmage 87 yards for a touchdown, marking the longest run in franchise history. He fell a yard shy of his seventh career 200-yard rushing game.

Lamar Jackson was 13-of-18 passing for 156 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 54 rushing yards and a score. His favorite receiver was running back Justice Hill (six catches, 78 yards, one TD).

Baltimore (2-2) won its second straight and improved to 21-3 in primetime home games under coach John Harbaugh.

Josh Allen completed 16 of 29 passes for 180 yards for the Bills (3-1). He was sacked three times, with Baltimore’s Kyle Van Noy registering his third consecutive two-sack game.

Henry’s big run came on a simple handoff behind the right tackle. He cut once to hit the hole and barreled downfield for an astounding first-play touchdown that fired up the home crowd.

Tyler Bass got the Bills on the board with a 50-yard field goal, but Baltimore’s second drive ended in a 5-yard TD catch for Henry, his first receiving score since 2019, on the first play of the second quarter.

Hill made it three Baltimore touchdowns in three possessions when he put the moves on his defender and caught an easy 19-yard touchdown with 7:34 left in the second. The Ravens still led 21-3 at halftime, having outgained the Bills 281-90.

In the third quarter, Allen scrambled right on a third-and-5 and — at the last moment before stepping out of bounds — chucked a pass to a wide-open Khalil Shakir for 52 yards. Ty Johnson ran left on the next play for a 3-yard touchdown.

On the Bills’ next drive, Buffalo tried a direct snap to receiver Curtis Samuel, who swept left to pitch the ball to Allen. But Van Noy stripped the ball when Allen attempted to throw, and Kyle Hamilton recovered the fumble for the Ravens.

Hill’s 17-yard catch-and-run set Jackson up for a 9-yard designed run to the right corner of the end zone, making it 28-10 with 2:45 left in the third.

Bass’ 48-yard field-goal try on the first play of the fourth quarter was wide left.

Henry nearly had himself another touchdown run on the ensuing drive, but Rasul Douglas batted the ball loose at the Buffalo 2-yard line and it bounced into the end zone. The Ravens fell on it, and veteran fullback Patrick Ricard was credited with his first touchdown of the season.

–Field Level Media

Sep 22, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) warms up before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Ravens view Bills as perfect chance to prove they belong

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Buffalo is one of five 3-0 teams in the NFL, while the Baltimore Ravens are hungry to prove they are still on par with teams like the Bills in the AFC.

When the teams meet on Sunday night in Baltimore, the Ravens will have at least one thing going for them: They are hosting their second annual “Darkness Falls” game, a college-style stadium blackout that has Lamar Jackson pumped.

“Hearing the ‘Flock,’ just seeing all black throughout the crowd, it’s like you can’t escape,” the quarterback said with a grin. “It’s something about it, man, I can’t really describe it. Like the dark side.”

The Ravens (1-2) didn’t need home cooking to defeat the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday, though they let a 22-point lead dwindle in the fourth quarter before winning 28-25. Baltimore has been outscored 32-7 in the fourth quarter of its past two games.

Derrick Henry racked up 151 of the Ravens’ 274 rushing yards vs. the Cowboys and scored the third and fourth touchdowns of his debut season in Baltimore. Jackson ran for 87 yards and a score, and Justice Hill added 33 yards on five carries.

“They are kind of a good 1-2 punch,” coach John Harbaugh said of Henry and Hill. “They play off each other really well. They run the same plays, too, but they also run different plays at times. I just think it’s a good change of pace for the defense.”

The Ravens continue to tweak their defense, adding pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue to their practice squad earlier this week. Ngakoue has totaled 69 career sacks for six teams, including nine games for Baltimore in 2020. Baltimore’s Kyle Van Noy is tied for third in the league with four sacks.

As for the Bills, there has been little to nitpick this year.

After creaming the Jacksonville Jaguars 47-10 on Monday night, the Bills have a plus-64 scoring differential, tops in the league. Their turnover differential is plus-5 — only Green Bay’s is better — and they rank in the top 10 in total defense (286.7 yards allowed per game), passing defense (168.3) and scoring defense (16 points per game).

Josh Allen leads an offense that is scoring 37.3 points per game, another league high. He picked apart the Jaguars for four passing touchdowns before halftime on Monday night.

Allen won AFC Offensive Player of the Week, one week after running back James Cook won the honor for his three-touchdown game against the Miami Dolphins. Buffalo’s Gregory Rousseau won AFC Defensive Player of the Week for a three-sack game in Week 1.

“It’s a shame our O-line can’t win Offensive Player of the Week,” Allen quipped, “because they play their tails off. And even going back to Week 2, James was able to win that because of what our O-line’s doing.”

Damar Hamlin grabbed his first career interception in the Jacksonville blowout. It was an emotional moment for Hamlin, who suffered cardiac arrest during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals less than 20 months ago.

“We keep it simple and everybody’s keeping the team first,” Hamlin said on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday. “Buffalo is a special place to be.”

The Bills have ruled out linebacker Terrel Bernard (pec) and cornerback Taron Johnson (forearm) for Sunday, and rookie offensive lineman Tylan Grable (groin) will be out for multiple weeks. Cornerback Kaiir Elam (neck) was limited in Wednesday’s walkthrough.

The Ravens are dealing with a banged-up offensive line. Center Tyler Linderbaum (knee), left guard Andrew Vorhees (ankle) and right tackle Patrick Mekari (neck) missed Wednesday’s practice after they played every snap of the Dallas game. Nose tackle Michael Pierce (shoulder) and cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring) also sat out Wednesday, while linebacker Roquan Smith (ankle) was limited.

The Bills have won two straight meetings with the Ravens, including a victory in the divisional round of the 2020-21 playoffs.

–Field Level Media

Oct 5, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) reacts after the game against the Washington Commanders at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Reports: Ravens add OLB Yannick Ngakoue to practice squad

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The Baltimore Ravens are signing linebacker Yannick Ngakoue to their practice squad, ESPN and The Athletic reported Monday.

Ngakoue, 29, has been a free agent since his one-year contract with the Chicago Bears expired last spring. His lone year in Chicago was cut short by a broken ankle in Week 14.

The Washington, D.C. native and former Maryland star is returning to Baltimore after playing nine games for the Ravens during the 2020 season. The Minnesota Vikings traded him to Baltimore before the deadline for two draft picks.

Ngakoue has 69 career sacks in 123 games (115 starts) for six teams since the Jacksonville Jaguars picked him in the third round of the 2016 draft. He put up double-digit sacks in 2017 with Jacksonville (12) and 2021 with the Las Vegas Raiders (10).

In 13 games (all starts) for the Bears last season, Ngakoue tallied four sacks, 22 tackles and seven quarterback hits.

–Field Level Media

Sep 22, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs past Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (7) and scores a touchdown during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Ravens run up big lead on Cowboys, then hang on for first win

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Derrick Henry rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, and the Baltimore Ravens survived a late rally by the Dallas Cowboys to earn their first win of the season, a 28-25 victory on Sunday in Arlington, Texas.

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott scored Dallas’ first touchdown with a 1-yard sneak with 8:53 left in the game to cut the margin to 28-12. Dallas then recovered the onside kick and capitalized with Prescott’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Tolbert with 7:07 left in the game.

Prescott threw a 16-yard touchdown to KaVontae Turpin to pull within 28-25 with 2:53 remaining. However, the Cowboys were out of timeouts, and a 10-yard run by Lamar Jackson after the two-minute warning sealed the win.

Jackson threw for 182 yards with a touchdown and ran for 87 yards and a score. He became the fifth quarterback in NFL history to reach 30 rushing touchdowns within the first seven years of a career, joining Josh Allen (55), Cam Newton (54), Jalen Hurts (42) and Kordell Stewart (33).

Overall, the Ravens (1-2) finished with 274 yards rushing.

Prescott completed 28 of 51 passes for 379 yards with two touchdowns. Tight end Jake Ferguson hauled in six catches for 95 yards for Dallas (1-2).

The Ravens, who entered the game with the NFL’s 32nd-ranked pass defense, held Dallas wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to 67 yards on four receptions.

For the second straight week, Ravens outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy finished with two sacks. Van Noy is playing with a fractured orbital bone.

The Ravens led 21-6 at the half. Jackson (9 yards) and Henry (1 yard) ran for touchdowns in the first quarter, and Rashod Bateman caught a 13-yard touchdown pass.

Brandon Aubrey converted with a 65-yard field goal in the first quarter — 1-yard shy of the NFL record set by Ravens kicker Justin Tucker in 2021.

Henry broke free for a 26-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the third quarter, his fourth in three games to begin the season.

The Ravens have been outscored 32-7 in the fourth quarter over the past two games.

–Field Level Media

Sep 5, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill (43) runs the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Ravens RB Justice Hill signs 2-year extension

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Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill signed a two-year contract extension on Friday.

Financial terms were not disclosed by the Ravens, however, the NFL Network reported it was worth $6 million.

Hill, 26, was due to be a free agent at the end of this season. He has five carries for 25 yards and eight receptions on 10 targets for 62 yards in two games this season.

“Justice has become a really good football player,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “Probably one of the greatest shining examples of coming ready to work every day, ready to go to work every day and be at your best.”

Hill has more offensive snaps (78) than starter Derrick Henry (67), the All-Pro running back who signed with Baltimore as a free agent in March.

“I just come to work every single day. I wasn’t paying much attention to (the contract),” Hill said, per The Athletic. “… I’m a Raven, man. This is where I want to be. Grass isn’t always greener on the other side.”

The Ravens selected Hill in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma State.

A special teams contributor in his first four seasons, Hill has played in 61 games (five starts) and has rushed for 959 yards and five touchdowns on 208 attempts. He also caught 61 passes for 416 yards and one score.

–Field Level Media

Jan 20, 2024; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley (2) warms up before a 2024 AFC divisional round game against the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

Report: Dolphins signing QB Tyler Huntley

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The Miami Dolphins are signing quarterback Tyler Huntley off the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad, NFL Network reported Monday.

Dolphins starter Tua Tagovailoa is in the concussion protocol and Skylar Thompson is preparing to start under center on Sunday at Seattle.

Huntley, 26, was named to the Pro Bowl after the 2022 season. Since joining the Ravens in 2020 as an undrafted free agent, he is 3-6 as a starter and has appeared in 20 games for Baltimore.

Huntley has completed 64.6 percent of his passes for 1,957 yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. He has rushed for 509 yards and three scores.

–Field Level Media