Ravens Week 16 Rookie Report: Nate Wiggins was strong; Rosengarten handles T.J. Watt

The Baltimore Ravens snapped a four-game skid in opposition to the Pittsburgh Steelers courting again to the 2022 season and prevented getting swept by their archrivals for the second yr in a row by notching a vindicating 34-17 victory on Saturday night time and obtained important contributions from a number of members of their 2024 rookie class. Their first two choices continued to face out whereas two of their Day 3 picks noticed motion exterior of particular groups for the second week in a row.

Of the staff’s rookies, solely three—exterior linebacker Adisa Isaac and heart Nick Samac—had been inactive whereas security Sanoussi Kane and cornerback T.J. Tampa had been lively after lacking time with accidents. Right here is how the remainder of Baltimore’s first-year gamers fared of their newest style of regular-season NFL motion.

CB Nate Wiggins

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For the sixth recreation in a row, Wiggins performed over 60% of the staff’s whole defensive snaps with 82% which tied for the third-highest of his profession. With George Pickens out, Wiggins didn’t face a 3rd straight daunting problem however performed properly in protection all the identical with the one massive catch he gave up being a superbly positioned deep ball for 44 yards from Russell Wilson to huge receiver Calvin Austin on the boundary that took and spectacular adjustment toe-drag to finish. Even when Wiggins had gotten his head round, Wilson put the ball in a spot the place both it was going to fall proper in Austin’s breadbasket or drop harmlessly out of bounds.

Wiggins completed the sport with three whole tackles together with two solos and he may’ve had one other after he made first contact on a kickoff following the Ravens first scoring drive of the sport. Though he didn’t make the deal with, his effort slowed up Steelers All Professional return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson sufficient for veteran linebacker Malik Harrison to come back end the job, limiting the return to only 18 yards.

OT Roger Rosengarten

Mitch Stringer-Imagn Photos

The second-rounder went up in opposition to probably the greatest and most disruptive edge defenders within the league for the second time this season and had certainly one of his greatest performances thus far as T.J. Watt was held in examine and with no sack or quarterback. Rosengarten had a number of spectacular one-on-one reps in opposition to Watt who recorded simply 4 whole tackles together with only one solo. It marked the primary time in his final 11 video games in opposition to the Ravens the place the six-time Professional Bowler and former Defensive Participant of the 12 months didn’t log no less than half a sack.

Along with answering an incredible problem in go safety, Rosengarten continued to indicate enchancment and even dominance at instances as a run blocker. He had his fourth straight recreation with an general Professional Soccer Focus grade within the mid-to-high 70s with a 74.9 which was the fifth-highest of all Ravens offensive gamers. Rosengarten scored increased in run blocking than in go blocking for the primary time since Week 9 with a career-high 75.5.

“Nothing really phases him,” Harbaugh stated Sunday. “He’s a very confident guy. At the same time, he understands that he’s … I don’t think he thinks he’s ever going to arrive. He’s the kind of guy that’s just tough. He’s kind of a football … [He has] a football head. He likes football, and he likes to work at it, and he’s a competitive guy, and he wants to do well. He’s very tenacious, and it’s paying off.”

WR Devontez Walker

Photograph by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Photos

Walker was lively for the seventh time this season and noticed his second-highest quantity of snaps on each offense and particular groups of his rookie yr. The fourth-rounder’s 9 offensive snaps had been simply two shy of his career-high 11 that he set final week in a blowout win over the New York Giants. Walker’s 21 snaps on particular groups had been his most since Week 8 when he logged 23 in a slender loss to the Cleveland Browns. Whereas he didn’t file a reception for the second week in a row, he nonetheless made an impactful play on the primary punt of the sport when he downed the ball on the Pittsburgh one-yard line after fellow wideout Tylan Wallace made the preliminary clutch play of holding it from bouncing into the top zone.

CB T.J. Tampa

Photograph by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Photos

After lacking the final seven video games whereas on injured reserve recovering from a hamstring harm, the fourth-round cornerback was again in motion however hardly noticed the sphere as he was restricted to a season-low 9 particular groups snaps and none on protection.

RB Rasheen Ali

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The fifth-rounder was lively for the third straight recreation and never solely noticed some motion on offense however touched the ball as properly. Ali didn’t get an opportunity to return a kickoff however did decide up two yards on his lone carry and ninth of the season to convey his whole to 34 and convey down his common barely to three.8. Even after veteran operating again Justice Hill left the sport with a concussion, Ali nonetheless noticed fewer snaps than he did in final week’s win over the Giants with 9 in comparison with the ten he acquired every week in the past and he performed a season-low six snaps on particular groups. His offensive involvement may very well be poised to extend considerably if Hill is unable to clear the concussion protocol in time for Wednesday’s fast turnaround recreation on Christmas in opposition to the Houston Texans in Week 17.

DB Sanoussi Kane

Photograph by Cooper Neill/Getty Photos

After lacking simply his second recreation of the season with an harm final week, Kane was again in motion in opposition to the Steelers and performed solely on particular groups for the eleventh time in his 13 appearances. His 21 particular groups snaps tied Walker for probably the most amongst rookies and all gamers on the staff.

DB Beau Brade

Photograph by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos

For the ninth time within the final 10 weeks, the undrafted rookie security out of Maryland was lively on recreation day for particular groups duties. He performed 21 snaps within the third section of the sport, which tied him with Kane and Walker for probably the most on the staff on Saturday.