Ravens rookie standout could quietly solve team's biggest problem
After their Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills, one of the Baltimore Ravens’ most glaring issues is their pass rush. The unit sacked Josh Allen just once, and despite numerous pressures, they failed to get home each time. Much of that can be attributed to their inability to contain the quarterback, which ultimately proved to be a backbreaker on Sunday night.
In Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns, they are likely to avoid the same issue, as Joe Flacco, at age 40, may not be able to navigate the pocket as well as he used to. However, it is a great opportunity for the defensive front to find a rhythm heading into the rest of the 2025 campaign. The player who can change it all may just be an under-the-radar rookie who is quickly finding his footing in the NFL.
2025 sixth-round selection Aeneas Peebles made an impact against the Bills in Week 1. While he did not fill up the stat sheet with any sacks, he made Allen feel uncomfortable in the pocket at times. The unit as a whole must be more disciplined when getting after the quarterback, and Peebles can be a massive contributor in that area, rushing the passer from the interior.
Aeneas Peebles could quietly solve Baltimore's biggest problem
In Week 1, Peebles played just 12 snaps. He was impressive in those chances, though. On nine pass rush opportunities, he generated two hurries and also batted down a pass at the line of scrimmage, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). That helped earn him a 62.2 PFF grade, including a 68.9 pass rush grade.
It can be tough for rookies to carve out substantial roles in Baltimore, especially late-round selections like Peebles. He is already starting to be a factor in Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr’s group, though. Although he had just a 54.3 run defense grade on Sunday, per PFF, the Ravens know what they have in the 24-year-old: a potential game-wrecker on passing downs.
Against the Browns, Peebles will be matched up against one of the best interior offensive lines in the NFL. Center Ethan Pocic and guards Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio have long been above-average to elite players at their respective positions. Peebles’ work will be cut out for him. If the game ends up being a blowout like many expect, then the rookie defensive tackle should get plenty of opportunities to prove himself. However, you can never underrate a division rival.
With the current state of Baltimore’s pass rush, Peebles could ultimately be a game-changer. If his penetration can push quarterbacks back deep in the pocket, it should let the trio at outside linebacker, Kyle Van Noy, Odafe Oweh, and Mike Green, feast coming off the edge.
The Ravens have a deep interior defensive line, but with what Peebles showed against an elite offensive line in Week 1, it would be coaching malpractice if he does not see more snaps in the coming weeks.
Vikings RB Aaron Jones Sends Strong Message on J.J. McCarthy’s Leadership
J.J. McCarthy is still just 22 years old with hardly any experience as an NFL quarterback. But he certainly didn’t look it Monday night in Chicago.
McCarthy engineered a thrilling comeback in his first NFL start, impressing teammates with his poise and maturity under pressure as he accounted for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter of the Vikings’ 27-24 win over the rival Bears.
“He’s different up here,” Vikings running back Aaron Jones said postgame, pointing to his head. “It’s just his mentality. … He’s a special guy. I’m blessed to have him here.”
The 2024 first-round pick — who missed his entire rookie season with a meniscus tear in his right knee — finished 13-of-20 for 143 yards through the air to go with 25 yards rushing.
McCarthy Showed His Resolve in 4th Quarter
McCarthy showed his moxie in the second half, shaking off a 74-yard pick six by Nashon Wright that put Chicago up 17-6 early in the third quarter.
Sometime after that, McCarthy offered a message that stuck with Jones.
“J.J. runs into the huddle — I think it was after one of the TV timeouts or something — he looks at us and he’s like, ‘Is there anyplace else you guys would rather be?’” Jones recalled. “We’re all like, ‘Wow.’ … Having that sense to motivate us in that way, it was special.”
McCarthy was nearly flawless in the fourth quarter, completing 6-of-8 passes for 87 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 27-yard strike to Jones that gave Minnesota a 20-17 lead with 9:46 left.
On the next possession, McCarthy added a touchdown of his own, scoring on a 14-yard run to make it 27-17.
As impressive as McCarthy’s performance was, nothing about it seemed to surprise his peers.
“I told him at halftime: ‘You are going to bring us back to win this game, and the look in his eye was fantastic,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “And the best thing was just the belief I felt from that team, and ultimately, that doesn’t get done without him in the second half.”
McCarthy Makes History in Ushering Comeback
McCarthy joined rare company in leading the Vikings back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter of his NFL debut. Per ESPN, the last quarterback to do so was Steve Young in 1985. Since 1950, McCarthy is the only such quarterback to do so on the road.
McCarthy also became the first player, period, to account for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter of his NFL debut.
McCarthy’s ability to win, no matter the circumstances, continues to be evident. Since McCarthy’s sophomore year of high school, his record as a starting quarterback is an incredible 63-4. That, of course, includes a national championship to cap his final season at Michigan.
Said star receiver Justin Jefferson: “We knew he had that dog in him.”
