Behind Enemy Lines: With Roquan Smith
H-Town Football goes 'Behind Enemy Lines' with Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith, as the Texans get set to travel to Baltimore for Week 1 kickoff.
Welcome to H-Town Football’s ‘Behind Enemy Lines’ column, where each week, we will examine the Texans upcoming opponent. Houston opens up the 2023 season on the road against the Baltimore Ravens. With an influx of new talent on offense such as former All Pro wideout Odell Beckham Jr. and first round pick Zay Flowers, first-year offensive coordinator Todd Monken is expected to attack the Texans through the air, in addition to running the ball up the gut. Another marquee addition for Baltimore occurred at last year’s trade deadline when they acquired All Pro middle linebacker Roquan Smith. Earlier this summer, H-Town Football contributor Ric Serritella had a chance to catch up with Smith and discuss all things Ravens. Check out the interview below, as they preview what to expect from Baltimore in 2023. Plus, a detailed look at what to expect come Sunday.
One-on-One With Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Roquan Smith
Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith ranked third in the NFL with a career-high 169 tackles in 2022, becoming the first linebacker since 2009 with 150+ tackles, 4+ sacks (4.5) & 3+ INTs (3) in single season. He had 16 tackles and one interception in his last game versus Houston (9/25/22 with Chicago).
Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens | Week 1
All-Time Series: Baltimore leads 9-2 (won past 3) | Postseason: One Meeting - Baltimore 20, Houston 13 - 1/15/12) | Factoid: Baltimore has won six of past seven Kickoff Weekend games, outscoring opponents 228-68.
Baltimore Offense vs Houston Defense
(2022 Regular Season)
Baltimore 20.6 | Scoring | Houston 24.7
Baltimore 338.8 | Total Yardage | Houston 379.5
Baltimore 178.8 | Passing | Houston 209.3
Baltimore 160.0 | Rushing | Houston 170.2
"When I tell you a guy who can stop on a dime and change direction like nobody's business, I haven't seen many people do it like him in and out of his cuts. There were a lot of doubters saying he's too small, he's too this, I think he's willing to prove the doubters wrong." — Roquan Smith on Zay Flowers
Baltimore Defense vs Houston Offense
Baltimore 18.5 | Scoring | Houston 17.0
Baltimore 324.3 | Total Yardage | Houston 283.5
Baltimore | Passing | Houston 196.7
Baltimore | Rushing | Houston 86.8
"There's a lot of special things in place for us in Baltimore. We're willing to get the job done by any means necessary and I can feel that. For me personally, I think it's going to be my best year ever.” — Roquan Smith on 2023 outlook
Baltimore Defense vs Houston Defense
Baltimore 48 | Sacks | Houston 39
Baltimore 25 | Takeaways | Houston 27
Baltimore +4 | Turnover Differential | Houston -1
Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is one 50-yard field goal shy from tying Sebastian Janikowski (58) for the second most all-time. Only Matt Prater (71) has more.
Head Coach: John Harbaugh, 16th Season
The third longest tenured head coach in the NFL behind Bill Belichick (2000) and Mike Tomlin (2007), John Harbaugh arrived in Baltimore in 2008. Since then, the Ravens have posted the NFL's fourth-most total victories (158, including playoffs). A special teams and secondary coach with the Philadelphia Eagles prior to becoming the headman in Baltimore, Harbaugh spent 14 years coaching at the collegiate level. He was raised in a football family; his father, Jack, also served as a longtime college coach, while his brother Jim is currently the head coach for the Michigan Wolverines.
"It's about us. It's about the team. It's about the players, the coaches, Steve [Bisciotti], Ozzie [Newsome], Eric [DeCosta] and the scouts. It's about Dick [Cass], Sashi [Brown] and the support staff. It's about all of us pulling together to win – to be the best." — John Harbaugh
Offensive Coordinator: Todd Monken, 1st Season
After helping guide the Georgia Bulldogs to back-to-back National Championships, Monken joins the Ravens in his 35th season of coaching, his ninth at the pro level. His offense is based heavily around a zone gap running scheme. While Baltimore will look to pound the rock, Monken has also been notorious in using multiple tight end sets, in order to create mismatches. With some bonafide deep threats currently on the roster, Monken will look to utilize the speed, so that quarterback Lamar Jackson can maximize his skill-set. We could see the return of vintage ‘Action Jackson,’ who took home the NFL MVP Award in 2019.
Defensive Coordinator: Mike Macdonald, 2nd Season
A familiar face, Macdonald re-joined the Ravens as defensive coordinator in 2022 after spending the 2021 season as Michigan's defensive coordinator. Known for great pre-snap coverage disguises, Macdonald likes to employ multiple fronts and keep opposing quarterbacks guessing, a tall task for CJ Stroud in his first career NFL start. Don’t be surprised to see the Texans rookie under duress early in often during his debut. In fact, the only defensive coordinator to blitz more frequently than Macdonald in 2022 was his predecessor, Wink Martindale (Giants).
X-Factor: Odell Beckham Jr.
Surprise. OBJ suddenly appeared on the injury report late in the week on Thursday, listed as an ankle. However, he was seen the next day participating in practice and even kicking a soccer ball around, which means the freshly minted offseason acquisition is set to make his Ravens debut this Sunday. That last time we saw Beckham Jr., he was on his way to a potential MVP performance in Super Bowl LVI.
"Talking with guys who played with him and how he busts his tail day in and day out, people don't pick up on those little things. We all know the type of things he can do when he's healthy.” — Roquan Smith on Odell Beckham Jr.
Injury Report
Did Not Participate:
Wednesday: CB Marlon Humphrey (foot)
Thursday: CB Marlon Humphrey (foot)
Limited Participation:
Wednesday: TE Mark Andrews (quadricep), T Ronnie Stanley (ankle)
Thursday: TE Mark Andrews (quadricep), WR Odell Beckham (ankle)
Full Participation:
Thursday: T Ronnie Stanley (ankle)
Ravens Notes (via BaltimoreRavens.com)
Ravens tight end Mark Andrews is officially questionable for Sunday's season-opener against the Houston Texans. Andrews has been dealing with a quad injury that kept him out of six practices last week and spanning into Monday. He practiced on a limited basis Wednesday through Friday.
Cornerback Marlon Humphrey has been ruled out, as expected, after not practicing this week. Humphrey is still rehabbing after his foot surgery on Aug. 16, which reportedly was expected to sideline him for a month.
Rashod Bateman returned to Ravens practice on Aug. 9 after rehabbing from foot surgery. J.K. Dobbins took the field for the first time in training camp on Aug. 14. While the late start for two of Baltimore's top offensive players was not ideal, Harbaugh said they have no snap-count limitations heading into Sunday's game.
Left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle) was also removed from the final injury report and is good to go.
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