Thanksgiving is about food, family, and complaining about the local football team. Who will be the player with the most complaints at Thanksgiving dinner in your town, and will the criticism be fair?
Jeff Zerbiec (Ravens): This is a tough one to start things off with and I’m glad the question stated “player most complained about” because Ravens fans typically call for the head coach, offensive coordinator, and defensive coordinator to be fired by the end of the first quarter most weeks. By far, the Ravens’ most maligned player is right guard Daniel Falele. If you listen to the discussion around here, he’s the only reason the Ravens won’t win a Super Bowl, the only reason Lamar Jackson has been battling a series of injuries over the past two months and the only reason this Ravens offense bears very little resemblance to the highly productive offenses of recent times. Is the criticism fair? There is some of this. A converted tackle, Feleley has struggled since becoming the starter last year. He has some really good reps, but they are overshadowed in favor of plays where he is on the ground, taking a step back or blocking the air. It’s just a mixed bag with that and the bottom lines are really low. However, it also needs to be said that the entire offensive line has not played up to its potential this year and that includes the accomplished duo of Ronnie Stanley and Tyler Linderbaum. And really, the criticism is better directed toward the front office, which hasn’t found a guard they believe is better than Falele and Andrew Vorhees.
Mike DeFabo (Steelers): take your pick. An uncle would complain about Joey Porter Jr.’s penalties. Another will be troubled by Cameron Heyward’s preseason hold-in. Another man about to be fired is 34-year-old Darius Slay, who is about to make $10 million, only to be benched in favor of former undrafted free agent James Pierre. But really, no player will be talked about as much as coach Mike Tomlin. At 6-5, the Steelers are on pace for another non-losing season… and that could be it. Their recent play suggests they are headed for another winless postseason, if they can even get there. For a team that has doubled down on defense and brought in aging veterans to win in this window, it’s fair to be critical of the man at the top.
Dehner Jr (Bengal): Geno Stone. His missed tackles and the lack of effort associated with many of them have made him a symbol of what is wrong with the Bengals’ terrible defense. He’s having one of his best games in stripes, so maybe this will save him some shots on the stuffing. He deserves whatever he gets. It seems like Stone wants to be part of the solution (which is more than you can say for some of these defenders). He probably doesn’t get enough credit for his awareness and communication pre-snap, but the tackling is worthy of a benching. Zac Taylor says everything else is keeping him in the lineup, but fans may get their wish soon unless Stone plays a few more games like he did last season.
Zack Jackson (Brown): Jerry Judy. And yes, that would be appropriate. Pro Football Focus grades Jeudy as having 10 drops, and only two players have more. The Browns moved forward with Jeudy as their No. 1 wide receiver, and have possibly the league’s worst receiving corps. Jeudy lost a fumble last week when he inexplicably slowed down and never saw the Raiders defender coming from behind. This list continues what has been a nightmare season for wide receivers. Browns fans have seen why the Broncos were ready to move on, and they can’t believe their team guaranteed Jeudy $41 million.
We’re at the point in the season where the stats are telling more complete stories about what’s happening with our teams. What is the statistic that tells the most interesting story about where your team is in the division standings and why?
Zrebiec: The five-game winning streak that has propelled the Ravens out of the North basement and into a share of first place has been boosted by turnover differential. In the first six games of the season, including five Baltimore losses, the Ravens committed 10 turnovers and forced only three. It’s impossible to win that way. During their winning streak, the Ravens turned the ball over three times (all in one game) and committed 10 turnovers. It has completely turned around and is the biggest reason why, despite all of their current flaws, the Ravens are still very much on top of this thing. If you’re looking for another reason why the Ravens are just 6-5, their 30th ranking in the red zone is a good place to start.
Defabo: I’ll give you two: The Steelers’ defense has forced the second-most turnovers in the league (20), but they’ve also allowed 30 points or more in five games. Those two figures accurately represent a Jekyll-and-Hyde unit. It seems like every game, they either allow 30 points or force five turnovers. There is very little time in between to allow a group to score maximum points in the Tomlin era.
Dehner Jr: I’ll admit this layup question: According to DVOA, this is the worst defense over 11 games in NFL history. This question was not posed to declare the winner of the one with the best figure, but I will be waiting on the podium for my gold medal.
Jackson: Offensive success rate: 33.9 percent. That’s a league-worst five-percent mark, and the Cleveland offense is in the bottom three in almost every major offensive category. Last week was the third time the Browns scored more than 17 points this season, and it was the second of three when the defense basically dragged the offense to an almost fail-proof spot. Maybe Shedure Sanders can offer a vertical passing game, but he will need help from his wide receivers.
Could Shadure Sanders be the answer to the Browns’ offensive troubles? (Kirby Lee/Imagen Images)
The Ravens look ready to run away with this thing. What, if anything, gives you pause about their rise to the top?
Zrebiec: A lot of things, starting with the fact that they are still not playing any semblance of complementary football. The defense is still a question, but it has improved significantly and the special teams unit has been good. However, the offense is completely out of rhythm and Jackson is not looking right. He insists the injuries aren’t stopping him and kudos to him for not making excuses, but his argument doesn’t hold up to the eye test. He has been reluctant to run and lacks explosiveness and elusiveness when he does take off. He has played tentatively and is out of rhythm as a passer as well. If Jackson doesn’t play at an elite level, the Ravens have a low ceiling. When Jackson isn’t a threat, their run game doesn’t scare anyone, and their pass game turns into pedestrian. Winning five games in a row is not easy in the NFL and the Ravens deserve credit for turning their season around. However, if they want to sweep this division and have anything to do with the playoffs, Jackson needs to get healthy and start playing better complementary football.
Defabo: I think the Ravens will win the AFC North, but the rest of the schedule isn’t too easy. If the Ravens sweep the Steelers and Bengals and win one of two games against the Packers and Patriots, they will reach nine wins. This may be sufficient if there is a tiebreaker at hand. However, given the quality of the competition, there isn’t much margin for error for a team that hasn’t quite got everything together yet.
Dehner Jr: I would say the Lamar Jackson injury bingo raises at least one antenna every week. He doesn’t fully look back yet, but I can always bet that Jackson will hit his stride. As long as he’s healthy, this seems inevitable, but another extended absence obviously changes the math.
Jackson: They don’t look good at all. The offensive line is shaky. Jackson was never the same. The Ravens were fortunate to win two weeks ago in Cleveland against a Browns team that always keeps its offensive line fit. The same issues will surface in the upcoming games with Pittsburgh and the overall offense seems disjointed. That being said, in this mess of divisions, you don’t have to be a souped-up sports car. You just need to avoid too many flat tires.
Prediction Time: Bengals at Ravens on Thanksgiving, can Shadure Sanders pull off an upset against the 49ers and will Pittsburgh be able to stop Josh Allen and the Bills?
Zrebiec: Man, I think this is a scary game for the Ravens. Both Jackson and their best defensive player, Kyle Hamilton, have been really explosive. Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase are back and the Bengals have at least looked competent defensively the past few weeks. They’re also going to win one of these close games, right? I’d say the Ravens will survive a tough challenge, but I don’t feel good about that prediction at all. The Browns will have very little margin for error this week and I think the 49ers will take advantage of some of Sanders’ mistakes. The Bills offensive line is really explosive and I think the Steelers will take advantage and win.
Defabo: I have been fooled in the past into thinking Joe Burrow would instantly turn the Bengals into a contender. Then I remembered he didn’t even play safety, inside linebacker or defensive tackle. Cincinnati’s defense is too inept for me to pick them. I like the Ravens at home. A Bills team that gave up eight sacks just a week ago will have a backup right tackle to stop TJ Watt. This is a better matchup for the Steelers than the standings suggest. Still, Pittsburgh has been too inconsistent across all three phases to pick them against a playoff contender this week. And I’d go with the 49ers over the Browns.
Dehner Jr: For what seems like the millionth time, I’ll be repeating my favorite statue. The home team has won 10 consecutive AFC North Thursday Night games. This series is from 2015. That includes Cincinnati’s only win in eight games without Joe Burrow against Pittsburgh last month. Lamar Jackson is 10-1 against the Bengals. The trend (and over) is your friend: Ravens win, 31-23. While Baltimore established further control, Pittsburgh and Cleveland also lost tough contests.
Jackson: Burrow could be rusty, and the Bengals’ defense could fix the Ravens’ offense problems, but I’m looking for a wild game to break out at some point. Jackson would eventually have a big play or two and the Ravens would win 30–27. I’d pick Buffalo to win big, but offensive tackle injuries aren’t ideal when visiting Pittsburgh. Still, bill 20-19. I think the Browns will play well defensively but come up a little short 19-16.
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