There was a school of thought, not completely irrational, that the Jaguars could make things interesting with their passing game. Their quarterback, Gardner Minshew II, is a certified gunslinger, and the Ravens were without injured cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Jimmy Smith. But the storyline never developed. Anthony Averett started at cornerback in his return from injured reserve and was solid, a testament to the importance of depth. But Minshew’s biggest obstacle was the Ravens’ pass rush, which was aggressive and physical in its best outing in several months. The tone was set almost immediately, when Matthew Judon sacked Minshew for a safety on the Jaguars’ second offensive snap. As the game wore on, Yannick Ngakoue was all over Minshew, contributing a pair of sacks, a quarterback hit and a forced fumble. Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale had predicted Ngakoue was on the verge of a breakout, and Ngakoue surely was happy it came against his former team. Going forward, the Ravens will hope to see their pass rush build on Sunday’s performance. The defense needs it.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Baltimore Ravens, Week 15, December 20, M&T Bank Stadium, John Eisenberg, Breakdown – BaltimoreRavens.com
