If the Baltimore Ravens are going to make it back to the playoffs for the seventh time over the last eight seasons, they are going to need to pretty much win out down the stretch, including a divisional showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 15.
At 6-7, the Ravens return to the .500 mark with a win over Joe Burrow and company, but for that to happen, the team will have to find a way to slow down Ja'Marr Chase, who is one of the very best players in the NFL regardless of position.
A tough ask? You bet, but fortunately for fans in Charm City, Kyle Hamilton believes the Ravens have a scheme that can give the LSU wide receiver fits.
“We do match up sometimes in the slot. They move [Ja'Marr Chase] around so much, and that's part of the reason why they have success; you never know where he's going to be at. You try to scheme your offense and scheme your defense, or whatever it may be, so your best players can shine, and that's what they do very well. Not [just] him, just all the weapons they have on offense. I think a big part of stopping him is just knowing where he is and what they like to do in certain areas where he's at,” Hamilton explained.
“Obviously, Joe [Burrow] is a heck of a quarterback and can get the ball wherever it needs to be and can make reads and not just force-feeding Ja'Marr, but letting everybody else eat. But it's a challenge that people who've had a problem with for the past – what is this, his fifth year in the league? It's something like that. So, he's a good player, and they're a good offense, but I think we have a scheme, and I think effort a lot of the time makes up for mistakes just scheme-wise. So, I think we definitely have that down pat – just run to the ball, playing hard, it covers a lot of things up.”
In Week 15, Chase will play his 10th career game against the Ravens, making his debut against Baltimore in 2021 and playing his most recent game against the team last month. Over those nine games, Chase has actually averaged 32.1 more yards per game than his career average of 87, and has already recorded 567 yards against Zach Orr's defense since he took over as defensive coordinator last season. Could the Ravens have a new wrinkle that shakes things up in their 2025 finale? Fans will find out soon enough.
