Stopping Ja’Marr Chase is usually near the top of the Baltimore Ravens’ to-do list whenever they face the Cincinnati Bengals, but they rarely manage to keep the All-Pro wide receiver under wraps, so Kyle Hamilton believes the Ravens must follow a simple plan when the AFC North rivals meet at M&T Bank Stadium on Thanksgiving.
Hamilton, who eased concerns about his health for the Week 13 game by participating in practice on Tuesday, November 25, believes there’s a straightforward method for stopping Chase.
That method revolves around Hamilton’s belief “Tackling is probably the No. 1 thing with him and No. 30 [running back Chase Brown]. Those two guys, you’ve got to get them on the ground. Being in position, eyes in the right spot, playing leverage on different things like screens and things like that are going to be very important,” per Ravens.com Editorial Director Ryan Mink.
It’s a deceptively simple approach, but Hamilton is onto something after Chase burned the Ravens for 21 catches, 457 yards and five touchdowns last season. As many as 200 of those yards came after the catch, according to Pro Football Reference, so Hamilton is the right person to put a more physical strategy into practice.
Especially when the All-Pro is spending more time at a key position this season.
Kyle Hamilton the Right Matchup for Ja’Marr Chase
Chase’s return from a one-game suspension presents a major challenge to the impressive defensive revival the Ravens are enjoying. Particularly when it’s combined with Bengals’ Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow also returning to the field.
The Burrow and Chase double act has been the bane of Baltimore’s defense in recent years, but the Ravens have the right matchup thanks to Hamilton. Assuming he’s fully healthy, of course.
Fortunately, Hamilton was at practice on Tuesday, albeit on a limited basis. The 24-year-old still looks on track to stage a rapid recovery from the toe injury he suffered during Week 12’s 23-10 win over the New York Jets.
That’s good news because Hamilton is playing more snaps where Chase does a lot of his damage. Specifically, as Mink pointed out by citing statistics from Pro Football Focus, Hamilton has played “Slot cornerback: 168 Linebacker: 162 Free safety: 146 Outside linebacker: 98 Strong safety: 52 Wide corner: 13.”
Putting Hamilton over Chase, where the wideout has played 193 snaps this season, according to Player Profiler, can give the Ravens their best chance to shutdown Cincy’s main big play threat. Hamilton hitting Chase at the line, while a safety plays over the top, will be the best way to bracket Chase.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh admitted “Chase certainly does merit double coverage. He’s one of the premier receivers in the league for sure. It’s hard to get to that because you’ve got other weapons out there. As soon as you pull the coverage too far away from other guys, then other guys start making plays on you. We’ll have to balance all that out with what we do,” per Mink.
The reference to “other weapons” won’t apply as strongly in this matchup. Not with Chase’s fellow receiver Tee Higgins expected to miss out because of a concussion.
It means doubling Chase is now a viable option, but Harbaugh’s greater concern may be about how his own offense performs.
Ravens Need Major Boost on Offense
They have their own star back on the field, but two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson is playing like anything but a franchise quarterback. Jackson insists lingering injuries aren’t hampering his effectiveness, but what was once a high-powered offense is still underachieving.
A matchup against the Bengals, owners of the league’s last-ranked defense, should be enough to get Jackson back on track. That’s the theory, but the Cincinnati defense showed signs of life against the New England Patriots and star QB Drake Maye last week.
Jackson must show his dynamic dual-threat skills remain intact. Along with his ability to spread the ball around and stop the Ravens from relying too heavily on an opportunistic defense and high-performing special teams.
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