Stopping the pass has been a major problem for the Baltimore Ravens in 2024, but Kyle Hamilton doesn’t believe Brandon Stephens is at fault. In fact, All-Pro safety Hamilton believes struggling cornerback Stephens deserves more respect for what he’s putting on film.
Hamilton called Stephens “one of the most underrated players in this league – not just corner. That’s his job week in and week out; we ask him to do it a ton, and he does it. … If you know football and you watch it at a close level, you can appreciate what he does. He’s really one of the most technical corners in the NFL that we have in our league. It’s impressive to see how patient and how composed he is on a play-in, play-out basis. His technique never changes, and he’s a one-play mentality kind of guy, and it’s fun to play with him,” per Ravens.com Editorial Director Ryan Mink.
That’s lofty praise for a corner who has been burned regularly through six games this season. Unfortunately for the Ravens, Stephens’ issues aren’t an anomaly in a secondary routinely being picked apart every week.
Despite the problems, some other numbers provide an unlikely silver lining for Stephens and Baltimore’s faltering pass defense.
Brandon Stephens Playing Better Than Advertised
On the surface, Stephens is struggling mightily. The fourth-year pro has surrendered 13.2 yards per completion and a pass rating of 100.8 when targeted, according to Pro Football Reference.
Those numbers reveal tough times for Stephens, but underlying statistics suggest otherwise. Hidden stats like Stephens yielding “less than a yard of separation on 50% of his targets as the nearest defender this season, tied for the highest rate in the NFL,” per Mink.
There are other metrics in Stephens’ favor. Including this one outlined by The Baltimore Banner’s Giana Han: “Among defenders who’ve been targeted at least 20 times this season, Stephens ranks third in the lowest average distance from the receiver when the pass arrives (1.7 yards).”
Stephens appears to be making things tough for receivers. The problem is wideouts and quarterbacks are responding to the challenge by meeting pinpoint throws with special catches to beat sticky coverage.
Both things left Stephens beaten after Jayden Daniels found Terry McLaurin for an improbable touchdown when the Ravens beat the Washington Commanders 30-23 in Week 6.
Sometimes a cornerback can do everything right and still lose his matchup. This was one of those times, but bad luck alone doesn’t explain all of the struggles endured by Stephens and the Ravens’ defensive backfield.
Kyle Hamilton a Lone Bright Spot in Struggling Secondary
Hamilton is perhaps the only member of this secondary who has emerged with any credit from the first weeks of the campaign. The Ravens have still allowed 1,789 yards, second-most in the NFL, as well as a league-high 28 completions of 20-plus yards, but Hamilton is still bringing the heat.
He’s been the enforcer who’s made sure receivers pay a heavy price for getting behind Ravens coverage. Hamilton has also performed admirably defending passes in front of Baltimore’s last line of defense, grading highest “against screens since 2022,” according to PFF BAL Ravens.
Hamilton is getting the most out of this defensive scheme, but others are struggling to execute its core concepts. Others including fellow safety Marcus Williams, who has been touted as a breakout candidate by head coach John Harbaugh, but continues to get lost in key moments.
Williams was out of position when McLaurin reeled in his first touchdown catch. As “Ravens Talk” podcast host Samuel Njoku pointed out, being in the wrong spot is “A running theme for 32 so far this year.”
This play, including the part where Stephens got lost in traffic, is typical of the breakdowns the Ravens are experiencing on the back end. Individual performances are solid, but collective competence is still eluding this secondary.
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