Raven Country

Ravens OT Calls Out Officials

Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley was not happy with the illegal formation calls against him.

Jon Alfano

Oct 9, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens tackle Ronnie Stanley (79) blocks Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendricksen (91 in the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
Oct 9, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens tackle Ronnie Stanley (79) blocks Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendricksen (91 in the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images / Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
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There was a lot of laundry on the field during the Baltimore Ravens' season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, and it felt like more often than not, it was for illegal formation.

Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley easily got the worst of those calls, as he was flagged for illegal formation three times, including twice on the opening drive. The first of those calls came on the second play of the game with no apparent warning.

After the game, Stanley was not happy with all the calls against him, even insinuating that the refs weren't calling the game evenly.

"The way it was going through the game, I really feel like they were trying to make an example and chose me to be the one to do that," Stanley said, per the Ravens' site. "As far as I saw, they weren't doing it on both sides of the ball. I know that I was lined up in good position a majority of those calls they made."

Stanley, who was penalized for illegal formation 11 times last season, wasn't the only Raven to receive such calls on Thursday. Right tackle Patrick Mekari and wide receiver Rashod Bateman each got called once for illegal formation as well.

One player who didn't get called for illegal formation was Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who's developed a reputation for both lining up too far in the backfield and starting his kick step less than a second early. He received a false start penalty in the second quarter, but not even one penalty for illegal formation, much to the ire of many viewers.

"I'm looking at their tackles, especially the right side, and I know I'm lining up in front of that guy," Stanley said, per ESPN. "And they didn't call him one time. It's a little bit of making me feel like I'm crazy, [that] I don't know where I'm lining up. I feel like we'll watch the film. They just need to be held accountable if that's what it is. If it's that egregious that they are making those calls -- and they shouldn't be -- they should be held accountable."

By rule, an offensive tackle is lined up correctly if any part of his helmet is breaking the plane of the center's rear. In Stanley's eyes, he was doing exactly what he should've been doing.

"They just kept saying, 'You need to move up.' I was like, 'How much more do I need to move up?'" Stanley said. "It's not my first year playing in this league. I know where to line up. I was lining up a lot ahead of what I usually do. I know my helmet was breaking the center's butt.

Clearly, the league made it a point of emphasis to crack down on lineman lining up too far back, so if it holds up throughout the season, Stanley and the Ravens simply have to adjust.

"They put a thing out that they said they were going to call that differently," head coach John Harbaugh said. "[Not] understanding how differently, we were the first offensive series of the season with that, and I think they saw probably everybody watching it. It'll be interesting to see if they call it the same way the whole season. I'll challenge them to call it the same way they called it tonight the whole season, so hopefully they'll be consistent about that."

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Jon Alfano
JON ALFANO

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