Should the Baltimore Ravens Be Scared of The Browns?

Should the Baltimore Ravens Be Scared of The Browns? by Rocky Friedman

Sep 11, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith (22) looks on prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

For two and a half seasons, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith struggled his way into a dreaded label for first-round picks: bust. I’ll admit it, I used that word several times regarding Jimmy Smith. But after the Ravens Week 8 bye last season, something clicked, and Smith immediately started to play like a top-tier cornerback.

The key was Smith’s ability to track the ball. Early in his career, quarterbacks could throw deep balls against Smith with impunity, knowing he would either give up a big play or interfere with the receiver. He simply struggled to play the ball. On some plays, Smith wouldn’t even turn his head to track the ball at all.

What clicked to make him change that bad habit is beyond my knowledge, but it was obvious in the last half of the season that Smith had progressed quite a bit.

Yet, I hesitated to call him a star just yet. Lots of players have had great stretches of games, only to fall off into obscurity.

So I watched Smith with great interest in the preseason and in the first two weeks of the regular season. Smith is here to stay.

In a preseason win against the Dallas Cowboys (in which Smith was injured), Smith tracked a deep ball along the sideline intended for Pro Bowl receiver Dez Bryant, batting it away at the last second for a big play.

On another deep ball in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Smith did the same thing to A.J. Green.

Last week, Smith tracked Antonio Brown all around the field and held him almost completely in check. Smith often shut down Brown with his excellent ability in press man.

Through two games, Smith has surrendered just 23 yards on passes into his coverage, eighth best in the NFL per Pro Football Focus (subscription needed).

The skills Smith is displaying are the kind that stick around. Expect a very nice contract extension for Jimmy Smith as he continues to ascend into the elite ranks of the NFL’s cornerbacks.