Before another game, it is unclear who will start on the offensive line for the Ravens.
Andrew Vorhees, a left lineman, is doubtful to play against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. He participated fully in practice on Friday, having been limited on Wednesday and Thursday.
Last week against the Bills, veteran Patrick Mekari filled in for Vorhees and performed admirably, as did rookie second-round pick Roger Rosengarten at right tackle. That started the discussion over whether they could continue to be the starting lineup in spite of their health.
Four weeks into the season, the Ravens offensive line—which was viewed as a huge concern going into the season—has “good problems.”
Arthur Maulet Has Failed and Is Disqualified
After suffering a knee injury during training camp, nickel cornerback Arthur Maulet returned to the practice field this week, but he will not play on Sunday.
Maulet experienced a “soft-tissue setback,” according to Harbaugh. He has been ruled out due to a hamstring ailment that is on his list.
“He’ll likely be on a day-to-day basis starting next week,” Harbaugh stated. “We’ll just have to see.”
Before taking the field for a game, Maulet would have to be moved to the 53-man roster. There is a slot available for the Ravens. Rasheen Ali, a rookie running back, might take that position instead.
This week, Ali (neck) was also scheduled to return off injured reserve. On Thursday, he was limited, but on Friday, he was fully involved.
The Bengals’ Defense Has Been More Robust
The Bengals’ run defense has been their weak point thus far this season; they are ranked 25th in the league with 145.5 rushing yards allowed per contest.
Cincinnati’s defensive line is at its best point in the season, though the Ravens will test that on Sunday.
Both defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson and defensive end Myles Murphy, a 2023 first-round selection, who both returned from injured reserve this week, will be in action.
Star defensive end Trey Hendrickson of the Bengals and veteran defensive lineman B.J. Hill (hamstring) will both play despite neck and back concerns. Sheldon Rankins, a defensive tackle (hamstring), is unlikely to play after missing all of this week’s practices.
defender for the Bengals who will start against:
Trey Hendrickson, DE
• Myles Murphy, DE
• DT BJ Hill; DT McKinnley Jackson
— October 4, 2024, Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby)
Even though he hasn’t practiced this week, slot cornerback Mike Hilton (knee) is labeled as questionable.
Amid the offensive alterations made by the Ravens, Lamar Jackson fearlessly supports Mark Andrews’ unselfish role.
Although the Baltimore Ravens’ overwhelming rushing game has helped them crush their past two opponents, their passing attack has struggled, especially without star tight end Mark Andrews. Andrews was once a pillar of the Ravens’ offense, but this season he has had a significant role change.
He has only mustered six catches for 65 yards through four games, and Andrews has been remarkably absent from the box score the past two weeks, being targeted only once each game.
A lot of fans and observers are baffled by this production reduction. Is Andrews being eased out of the passing game for Baltimore, or is there another factor at work? Lamar Jackson, the quarterback for the Ravens, addressed the matter right away and gave Andrews full credit for adjusting to his new position in the offense.
Lamar Jackson commends star tight end’s team mentality. Andrews Mark
At his news conference, Jackson stated, “Sometimes you might not get the ball, but we’ve got all these great guys on our offense that’s helping us win games, including Mark.” “Mark is contributing significantly to our team just by blocking, running routes, running men down, and identifying other guys who are available. At the moment, he’s just being a good team player.
Lamar Jackson on if he’s addressed Mark Andrews’ lack of targets and his role in the offense.
“I believe he’s doing his role. Sometimes he might not get the ball. We got all these great guys on our offense that’s helping us win games, including Mark.
“Mark is playing a huge… pic.twitter.com/eBSlpivWSF
— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) October 2, 2024
Derrick Henry, the running back, and Jackson have been key components of the Ravens’ attack; between them, they have amassed an incredible 788 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Although Baltimore’s mainstay has been its running game, Andrews’ typical domination as a pass-catcher has suffered as a result. Andrews’ career average of 4.3 receptions per game is really much higher than his current output of 1.5.
Jackson, though, is still convinced of Andrews’ significance to the group’s success as a whole. “Mark’s on-field impact is not reflected in his stats. Our offense has been clicking because he’s handling a lot of the grunt work, such as running guys out of plays and blocking them,” Jackson continued.
However, one cannot overlook worries regarding Andrews’ diminishing targets. Isaiah Likely has been Jackson’s go-to tight end target this season, leading the club with 13 receptions and 167 yards, despite seeing just one target in the last two games. While Andrews is doing the heavy lifting in the trenches, Likely is the one cashing in with the receptions.
Finding balance in their offensive attack will be crucial as the Ravens get ready to play the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5. Even though their running game has been almost unstoppable, if they want to keep winning against stronger opponents, Andrews has to participate more in the passing game.
Jackson commends Andrews for adopting a team-first mindset, but it’s unclear if it would allay worries. Ultimately, Andrews has been Jackson’s pillar of support for a long time, so having him in the passing game could be essential as the Ravens aim to make the playoffs.
