Ravens Must Prepare for Another Dominant Front

The Baltimore Ravens will face yet another strong pass rush on Christmas Day.

Nov 24, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) rushes Tennessee Titans offensive tackle JC Latham (55) in the third quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

It seems like the Baltimore Ravens face a great pass rush almost every single week, and sure enough, this week is no exception.

While C.J. Stroud attracts most of the attention for the Houston Texans, their defense, and specifically their pass rush, has been the main reason for their success this year. Will Anderson Jr. and newcomer Danielle Hunter form arguably the best edge-rushing duo in the league, as both rank in the top 10 for sacks with 10.5 and 12 respectively.

Those two are undoubtedly the focal point of the Texans' pass rush, but as Ravens head coach John Harbaugh pointed out Sunday, the unit is far deeper than just two players.

"They have the two top guys, of course, but then I look at the roster, and it's not just them," Harbaugh told reporters. "They have a whole bunch; they have six guys – six guys that can get to the quarterback off the edge that we're going to have to contend with."

Indeed, there are others making an impact up front for the Texans. Defensive tackle Tim Settle Jr. and defensive ends Derek Barnett and Denico Autry have been able to get after the quarterback consistently this season as well, just to name a few.

The Ravens will need to be sharp up front for this matchup, and luckily, they're coming off a strong performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in thich they essentially manhandled a good defensive front. That success is owed in large part to rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten, who completely shut down star edge rusher T.J. Watt, albeit while the latter was battling injury. The second-round pick from Washington has improved throughout the season, and Wednesday's game will be another good challenge for him.

"He was learning and had a couple tough lessons there, especially in the first game," Harbaugh said. "Nothing really phases him. 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 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."

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