One of the worst cliches in football media is when a pundit lists one of his keys to the game as “winning the turnover battle.” However, it is a cliche for a good reason, as it’s true.
Quarterbacks who turn the ball over often do not win many games. Ball security is especially important with rookie starting quarterbacks, and the Baltimore Ravens will face one Sunday in Bo Nix.
The Denver Broncos QB1 had an up-and-down first month of his rookie year, but he is definitely on an upward trajectory now, as he was just named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie Player of the Month for October.
Nix led all rookies in passing completion percentage (66.7%), passing yards (870), and TD passes (seven). In leading the Broncos to a 3-1 record over the month that just concluded, he also finished second in passer rating (102.7) among first-year signal callers.
That’s an impressive feat when you consider how loaded and deep this rookie class of quarterbacks is. Outperforming Washington’s Jaden Daniels, who’s having a stellar season, is difficult right now.
So, how do the Ravens slow him down and stunt his career development a bit on Sunday? Simply put, they must apply a lot of pressure, get him rattled, and force him to make mistakes.
As NFL passing legend Drew Brees explained, the Broncos have had some issues, at times, protecting their franchise QB.
“I think the O-Line for the Broncos has probably not performed as well as they’re going to,” Brees said in an exclusive with RG.org. “I feel like Bo Nix has been under duress more than they would like. I think their ability to know where their outlets are, know where they can get rid of the ball.
“It’s great when you can scramble and make some plays. But there are times when you just have to stay in the pocket, deliver the ball accurately and be able to go through progressions very quickly and concisely.
“That’s where those guys will continue to grow as they develop.”
Brees, who holds multiple NFL records, including the most 5,000+ yard passing seasons, is right about the 12th overall pick in this year’s draft—he won’t always be able to scramble and make plays when the protections break down.
The rookie will need to maintain the composure of a veteran and stay in the pocket when protections start to break down. So, it’s on the Ravens’ defensive front seven to ensure that the pocket collapses early and often.
Unfortunately, Baltimore’s defensive line is currently dealing with a severe rash of injuries. So unless the Ravens’ reserve DL can step up and make plays to the best of their abilities, defenders from the other two position groups will bring the heat to the Broncos’ OL.
Given the well-chronicled secondary issues this season, that is a very tricky proposition for defensive coordinator Zach Orr. Baltimore’s best remedy for repeatedly yielding large amounts of passing yards is to pressure and severely rattle the opposing quarterback consistently.
If you can do that to a rookie quarterback, it could more easily result in forcing some turnovers.
