Unsung heroes from the Ravens’ Week 15 win over the Jaguars

The Baltimore Ravens made sure history didn’t repeat itself in Week 15 by defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars 23–7, returning to the site of one of their most depressing losses of the 2022 year.

The Ravens won for the fourth week in a row, raised their record to 11-3, secured a postseason berth, and maintained their lead in the AFC North and the conference’s top seed.

Once again, the Ravens found a way to pull away late in a game they were supposed to win.

The Ravens won in the end because of some underappreciated but significant play by a few of their less-heralded players who made plays on both sides of the ball, as well as the Jaguars’ persistent efforts to keep the game close.

This piece honors the unsung heroes—the players whose contributions went unnoticed but were nonetheless crucial.

DB Marcus Williams

Despite playing in just the first half of the game, the experienced free safety in his sixth year managed to finish with five tackles, including four solo stops, which put him in third place on the team.

When Williams stopped rookie wide receiver Parker Washington in bounds with less than ten seconds remaining and the Jaguars out of timeouts, it proved to be his last takedown of the game.

It appeared as though Jacksonville could have been able to tie the score after moving the ball down to the Baltimore five-yard line with a 36-yard gain on the previous play, but as the remaining time passed, the Ravens’ first-half shutout was preserved.

WR Rashod Bateman

The third-year pro got off to a hot start to the game with back-to-back catches on the Ravens’ first offensive possession for gains of nine and 18 yards to move the ball across midfield and into Jaguars’ territory.

The drive would eventually stall out in the red zone after quarterback Lamar Jackson tripped over the ankle of running back Keaton Mitchell and avoided taking a sack by throwing an incompletion, only to be called for intentional grounding on the next play.

Bateman tied for the team lead in targets with six but the connection between him and Jackson wasn’t clicking like it was on that first drive the rest of the way.

His third and final reception came in the second quarter and went for 12 yards and first down on another eventual scoring drive.

While three catches for 39 receiving yards doesn’t seem like much, the quality contributions that each of his receptions made were crucial to the success of those drives.

There were also some potential big play opportunities that the two of them just missed out on converting because pressure played a role in Jackson either not seeing him or not allowing him to deliver the ball on target.

CB Brandon Stephens

The third-year pro continued his underrated breakout campaign against the Jaguars and played a massive role in keeping Calvin Ridley in check for the vast majority of the game.

Jacksonville’s top receiver was targeted a game-high 12 times but was only able to haul in five catches for 39 receiving yards.

Even on the play where Stephens got called for bogus defensive pass interference, it was just another example of how well he can mirror and shut down an opposing team’s receiver.

He finished with four total tackles including three solos—one of which was a tackle for loss on Ridley when he dragged him down to the ground before he could get going on a quick slip screen.

WR Odell Beckham Jr.

The three-time Pro Bowler only had three targets, and the first one, after Jackson had just used some escape magic, resulted in a terrible drop that he was unable to control via contact with the ground and stopped a 30-yard gain.

After averaging 2.6 receptions and 82.3 receiving yards in his previous three games, Beckham Jr. only caught one pass for 14 receiving yards, but his clutch grab on a third-and-long on the offense’s first touchdown drive of the half changed the play count.

He was useful as a downfield blocker in the rushing game as well, and he stood out in that regard on a fourth-quarter, 15-yard dash by Jackson up the right sideline.

RB Justice Hill

The fifth-year veteran played the fewest snaps (18), saw the fewest carries (five), and recorded the fewest rushing yards (23), yet was able to have a profound impact on the game nonetheless with his incredible contributions as a pass blocker when their offense needs to move the ball through the air in a hurry.

The way he squares up and often stonewalls or completely levels blitzers from the second or third level is very impressive. Hill has come a long way to become the well-rounded player he is now.

Hill also finished as the fourth highest-graded offensive player on the team according to Pro Football Focus with an overall of 76.6.

With the season-ending injury of electric rookie running back Keaton Mitchell to a torn ACL, expect to see heavy doses of Justice being served the rest of the way

TE Charlie Kolar

The second-year pro played a season-high 25 offensive snaps which was 36 percent of the team total and also a season-high mark.

He nearly scored his first career touchdown and tied his career-long for a reception on his lone target and catch of the game. It came late in the second quarter when hauled in a 15-yard pass from Jackson that advanced the ball just two yards shy of the goal line.

A bone-headed personal foul penalty accompanied by a flop all but nullified the yardage he gained on the next play but the Ravens would still find their way into the end zone on the play after that when Jackson connected with his fellow second-year tight end Isaiah Likely for a 16-yard touchdown strike.

Kolar helped the Ravens take over the game on the ground in the second half with his contributions as a run blocker. He even got in on some ball-carrying action with a cool quarterback sneak—tush push style—on a third-and-inches play.

While it worked to perfection, it technically didn’t count because the Jaguars were flagged for having too many men on the field, resulting in an automatic first down.

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