The Ravens are rolling into Sunday’s showdown with Cincinnati without safety Jaylinn Hawkins, who’s officially been ruled out with a knee injury. This is a huge blow for a secondary already prepping for Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins. Coach Jesse Minter did say Friday it’s not a long-term thing, which is some relief, but there’s no timetable for his return.
Hawkins’ Absence: A Gaping Hole in the Secondary
Hawkins has been a steady presence this season, playing in all six games and starting three. He’s racked up 30 tackles, 17 of them solo, and even matched his season high with eight tackles in that tough 13-10 loss to Cleveland last Sunday. You can bet Cincinnati’s passing attack, fresh off their bye week, is licking its chops right now.
So, who steps up? Kyle Hamilton and Malaki Starks are going to be absolutely critical back there. This is where it gets tricky: how Baltimore shuffles those snaps could totally change how Hamilton is used. We know Hamilton is a chess piece, playing 33% of his snaps in the slot, another 33% at linebacker, and 20% at safety, according to Next Gen Stats. That versatility is huge, but replacing Hawkins means Minter has to find the right balance for coverage and run defense assignments. It’s a tough call.
Double Trouble: Robinson’s Season Over, Bengals Are Rested
And just when you thought that was the worst of it, the Ravens got more bad news Friday. Outside linebacker Tavius Robinson is done for the season with a pectoral injury. Yeah, Hawkins’ injury looks less severe in comparison, but suddenly, Baltimore is down two key contributors on defense. They’re missing guys at *two levels* of the defense against a *rested division rival*. That’s brutal. Remember, Baltimore is trying to bounce back from their first division loss last week. This is not the time for defensive question marks.
So, Sunday against the Bengals isn’t just another game. It’s a massive test for this Ravens defense. Can they patch things up and slow down Burrow, Chase, and Higgins without Hawkins and Robinson? We’ll find out if this revamped secondary has the answers when they hit the field.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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