Right guard Daniel Faalele is the Ravens’ biggest question mark up front, and Ben Cleveland, for at least another week, does not appear to be the solution.
“If Ben had earned the job at right guard,” coach John Harbaugh said at his Monday news conference, “he’d be the starting right guard.”
But the Ravens’ pecking order shouldn’t disqualify Cleveland from appearing altogether. There is perhaps an elegant workaround to the team’s offensive line shakiness and run game struggles, especially this week: Deploy Cleveland situationally as a sixth offensive lineman.
A smattering of snaps Sunday could have broad appeal, inside and outside the Ravens’ facility. The move would mollify fans clamoring for Cleveland — for a time, anyway. It would give Cleveland a chance to prove himself in a game. It would keep Faalele at right guard. And, maybe most important, it could help the 0-2 Ravens in a nearly must-win game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Six-lineman plays are already in coordinator Todd Monken’s playbook, and he said Thursday that they’re an option moving forward. “Those guys are good football players,” he said. “We’re just not able to get them all on the field at once.” The Ravens ran 21 such plays last season, according to TruMedia, averaging 3.1 yards per play, with a success rate of 47.6% — several ticks above their seasonlong rate (44%, which ranked sixth in the NFL). Cleveland appeared in 15 of those jumbo looks, most of which came in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
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But the Ravens don’t have to wait for the red zone to give Cleveland his first offensive snaps this season. Across the NFL, as defensive fronts have become smaller and more willing to concede easy yardage up front, some offenses have leaned into six-lineman looks. Twelve teams have run a play out of the grouping this season, and eight have run a play between the 20-yard lines. The success rate of those plays (40%) isn’t far behind the overall success rate for between the 20s (41.3%).
Opponents with weak run defenses, like the Cowboys, can be especially vulnerable. The Buffalo Bills, who are averaging an NFL-high 53.5 yards per game on six-lineman plays this season, punished the Miami Dolphins in Week 2 with their size. Running back James Cook’s 49-yard touchdown came behind the strong side of the Bills’ formation — the side that got three offensive linemen matched up against a solitary Miami defensive lineman.
The Ravens shouldn’t need an invitation to run the ball Sunday. The New Orleans Saints rushed 39 times for 190 yards (4.9 per carry) and four touchdowns in their blowout win over the Cowboys. Dallas allowed 2.44 yards before contact per carry, the third-worst rate in the NFL in Week 2.
And now the Cowboys will be down not only reserve defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, but potentially also starting defensive tackle Mazi Smith, who hasn’t practiced this week because of a back injury. Two of Dallas’ healthy linemen, Linval Joseph and Osa Odighizuwa, are among Pro Football Focus’ lowest-rated run defenders. The Cowboys’ other available lineman, Carlos Watkins, was signed off the Washington Commanders’ practice squad Wednesday and has played just three defensive snaps this season.
With quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry in the backfield, the Ravens might not need Cleveland — or anyone else — to get their ground game going. But there is at least an opportunity, and possibly a blueprint in certain situations.
The Cowboys have seen just one six-lineman snap this season. It came late in the second quarter against New Orleans. On first-and-goal at Dallas’ 1-yard line, the Saints called for a quarterback sneak. Derek Carr plowed ahead easily for the score. New Orleans took a 35-13 lead and never looked back.
