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The Baltimore Ravens ended their home losing streak with a 19-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday Night Football to take the lead of the division. No rookies headline this week for Baltimore, but several still played important roles in the divisional win.
Kyle Hamilton, S
Kyle
Hamilton continues to be on a limited snap count as the No. 14 overall pick
played just 14 defensive snaps against the Bengals. According to PFF,
Hamilton did not allow any catches on his 14 snaps but was flagged for
defensive pass interference against tight end Hayden Hurst on a third down in
the red zone. Due to the flag and a limited number of snaps, he finished with
an overall grade of 34.8.
With
starting free safety Marcus Williams expected to miss significant time with a
dislocated wrist suffered against Cincinnati, Hamilton could see his
opportunities increase going forward. Third-year safety Geno Stone took over
for the injured Williams during the game and will likely see more time on the
backend of the defense than Hamilton for now, but Hamilton’s path to the field
may be easier.
Tyler Linderbaum, C
Tyler Linderbaum continued his strong
start to the season in Week 5. According to PFF, the No. 25 overall pick allowed one pressure on 36 pass-blocking
snaps, bringing his total of pressures allowed for the season to four.
Linderbaum finished the game with an overall grade of 64.2. The Ravens’
offensive line has been one of the better units in the league through five
weeks, and Linderbaum’s
consistency in the middle should not go unheralded.
Travis Jones, DT
Third-round
pick Travis Jones played in his third game of the season in Week 5. Jones did
not make the stat sheet on his 22 defensive snaps, with zero tackles and zero
pressures, according to PFF. He
finished with an overall grade of 61.1. However, Jones’ play cannot be measured
by a stat sheet alone, as defensive tackles are often unsung heroes on many
plays. Expect Jones' snap count to increase as the season progresses slowly.
Damarion “Pepe” Williams, CB
Damarion
“Pepe” Williams played his most defensive snaps of the season with 47 against
the Bengals. The Ravens appear to have found their starting slot corner, as 45
of Williams’ snaps came in the slot in Week 5. According to PFF,
Williams allowed seven catches on seven targets for 65 yards while recording
two defensive stops. The rookie fourth-rounder was also flagged once for
defensive holding on Cincinnati’s final drive of the game that ended in the
endzone. Williams finished with an overall grade of 50.4.
Williams
vastly out-snapped cornerback Brandon Stephens against the Bengals. Stephens
played just 15 snaps, 13 of which came in the slot. It is possible that
Baltimore will use the two cornerbacks interchangeably at the position
depending on the matchup.
Isaiah Likely, TE
Isaiah
Likely had a quiet performance as a pass catcher in Week 5 as he hauled in just
two catches for seven yards on 15 offensive snaps. Likely is having less of an
impact than many had hoped for following an impressive training camp and
preseason. However, there is still plenty of time for the Coastal Carolina
product to find a bigger role in the offense, specifically in the passing
attack. Likely finished the game with an overall PFF grade
of 61.4.
