Welcome to our Week 5 edition of 'Speaking with the Enemy,' a new weekly feature here at Toro Times where I'll be sleuthing for some intel on each week's Houston Texans opponent.
This week, I had the opportunity to chat with lifelong Baltimore Ravens fan and Ebony Bird site expert Connor Burke to get the scoop on this week's borderline must-win matchup between a pair of 1-3 teams. Let's dive right in!
Sonny Giuliano: Hey Connor, appreciate you taking the time to help me out with this. The Ravens have been pretty tight-lipped regarding Lamar Jackson's status for Sunday afternoon. Is there any reason to think he actually might suit up, or is this just gamesmanship on the part of John Harbaugh?
Connor Burke: Harbaugh usually keeps quiet about injuries, regardless of how significant they are. There's a definitely a bit of gamesmanship involved. Realistically, I don't think Jackson suits up on Sunday. The offensive line has been horrific and with a player like Jackson, you have to be extremely careful handling a hamstring injury.
SG: Lamar isn't the only player the Ravens will be without this Sunday. Which other absence is going to hamper the Ravens the most this week and beyond?
CB: On defense, it seems like Roquan Smith, Marlon Humphrey, and Nate Wiggins are all in danger of missing Sunday's game. Again, Harbaugh has yet to provide too many updates on their injuries, but reports have mentioned Smith and Humphrey could miss multiple weeks. Against the combination of C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins, Baltimore could find struggles in the secondary. If Humphrey and Wiggins are both out, undrafted rookie Keyon Martin and second-year corner T.J. Tampa are expected to take on bigger roles. While both have shown promise, they're still young and teams will likely take advantage of that.
SG: I've seen a smattering of "John Harbaugh should be on the hot seat" chatter since last Sunday. That's not real, is it?
CB: I think there's a level of validity to that chatter. It really started in Week 1 when the team blew that lead to the Buffalo Bills. All season it feels like the coaching staff's gameplan has been questionable, mainly due to the fact that they're not using Derrick Henry as much as they should. Harbaugh also tends to be outcoached against the best teams in the league. At this point, though, the injuries are the main issue, but I do think there is a world where there are serious discussions being had about Harbaugh by season's end.
SG: The Ravens are 4-10 without Lamar in the lineup since 2018... is there any hope that Cooper Rush is a steady enough backup to keep Baltimore afloat, even if that hope exists only within the Ravens organization?
CB: Rush is definitely capable of winning some games. He was a strong backup with the Dallas Cowboys, and I don't think Baltimore should be asking too much of him. With Henry (and hopefully Keaton Mitchell) in the backfield, offensive coordinator Todd Monken should really lean on the rushing attack that was the best in the NFL last season. As long as Rush can keep the ball out of harm's way and let the running game go to work, I do think he can keep this team in close games. But the questions are still going to lie on the defensive side.
SG: Should Texans fans be expecting a heavier than normal workload for former divisional foe Derrick Henry, or will the Justice Hill workload continue to increase after a nice game against Kansas City last week?
CB: This game should be a classic Henry game. Justice Hill is coming off an outstanding game, but (in my opinion at least) he is still mainly a third-down back to use in passing situations. Henry should get around 20 to 25 carries on Sunday, and hopefully Harbaugh lets Mitchell suit up, so we can see the thunder and lightning duo of Henry and Mitchell go to work.
SG: Let's just assume Lamar isn't able to play Sunday... what's the recipe for success for Baltimore to win this game and avoid a 1-4 start to the season?
CB: If Baltimore wants any chance at winning, it's going to come down to winning the time of possession battle. The defense can't stop a nosebleed, and despite the Texans' offense struggling this year, the unit has talent. Several defensive starters are likely to be out, too, so this is a huge opportunity for Stroud and company to find a rhythm, and showcase what we all know Stroud is capable of. To win, the Ravens must run the football, chew clock, limit turnovers, and keep Houston's offense off the field.