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          NFL Nation

          The Film Don't Lie: Ravens

          • Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterSep 23, 2014, 11:00 AM ET
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              Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
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          A weekly look at what the Baltimore Ravens must fix:

          Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has been one of the worst deep passers in the league this season, but he'll be tempted to stretch the field against the Baltimore Ravens' struggling secondary.

          According to ESPN Stats & Information research, the Ravens have allowed four completions this season on passes that have traveled at least 20 yards and quarterbacks have a 120.8 passer rating on such throws against Baltimore. The biggest problem is that Matt Elam fails to keep receivers in front of him when he's playing deep safety. He's allowing an average of 21.9 yards per catch.

          In Sunday's win over Cleveland, Elam got burned on passes of 70 and 43 yards. He's a liability because he doesn't have a great feel in coverage. The Ravens aren't going to bench Elam, a first-round pick from a year ago, and they can't really hide him either. Darian Stewart, the team's other starting safety, isn't a natural free safety either.

          So, how do the Ravens fix this problem? This is a situation where their pass rush has to hurry quarterbacks. If Newton has time, he'll look deep because that has been the best way to move the ball on the Ravens' defense.