I can confidently say that the All-Pro middle linebacker Roquan Smith has been a consistent target for opposing offenses this year. Under the leadership of defensive coordinator Zach Orr, the Ravens’ defense, which was historically dominant just a season ago, has become one of the NFL’s worst.
Despite the team’s 41-10 blowout win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Roquan Smith once again struggled, particularly against the pass. Despite performing at an All-Pro level in each of the past two seasons, Smith, whom the Ravens acquired in a trade with the Chicago Bears midway through the 2022 season and later signed to a five-year, $100 million deal to become the highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the NFL, hasn’t even come close to achieving the same level, let alone being particularly good.
Pro Football Focus ranks Smith 59th overall out of 83 qualifying linebackers through the first nine games of this season. He is surrendering 9.4 yards per target and allowing the most expected points added among linebackers, per TruMedia.
While Smith’s run defense has mostly been strong, he ranks 67th in coverage and has allowed the third-most yards receiving among linebackers at 343, with 229 of those coming after the catch.
“We’ve had a lot of conversations,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We engage in constant communicationWe discuss plays, specifically those in practice, in the meeting room. We discuss how we’re handling a cover, a rush, or a play. These are the small, in-depth discussions that occur on a daily basis.of the time.”
So far, there haven’t been a lot of clear answers for the Ravens’ on-field play caller. But Harbaugh remains unfazed, saying, “We understand that we can get better. We work hard to get better every single day at everything we do. You encounter challenges and circumstances, and you adapt to them by meeting them where they are.
The Ravens will need Smith to step up on Thursday night at M&T Bank Stadium against the AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals. When the teams met last month in Cincinnati, the Ravens won a wild 41-38 shootout in overtime. A similar consequence could emerge if Baltimore can’t protect the middle and shallow areas of the field, an area where the Bengals excel.
Quarterback Joe Burrow has been stellar on throws inside 10 yards, completing 122 of 145 for 948 yards and 10 touchdowns with one interception. Over the middle in that range, he is 70-for-85 for 567 yards with five touchdown passes, and between 10 and 20 yards in the middle, he is 17-for-28 for 362 yards and two scores.
In other words, Smith will face pressure once more. But the Ravens, and Smith himself, remain confident that he will turn things around. “We’ll look back at this interview pretty soon, and you’ll be like, ‘You were right,'” Smith said four days before the Broncos game. The Ravens’ faithful are hoping that prediction comes true sooner rather than later.