Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Roquan Smith is questionable for the Week 12 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers. At 7-4, the Crows might want to roll the dice and dress Smith, but they absolutely need to let him rest and recover, especially as the team prepares for a late-season stretch.
Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr has done his best to accommodate the many digressions in his unit’s depth chart, and Smith has been his anchor. With 101 total tackles, Smith leads the Ravens on defense, but his vocal leadership and pre-game reading ability will be sorely missed by Orr tonight.
Running back JK Dobbins’ physicality poses a huge problem for the Ravens defense without Smith. Perhaps linebacker Trenton Simpson can prove vital by taking over Mike’s position. Safety Kyle Hamilton will need to step up as a cover man for the Chargers’ tight ends and also play as run support.
Attrition could be the deciding factor for the Ravens on the road tonight. If the Ravens’ offense continues to struggle, the defense will be forced to remain steady on the road, where the physicality and that of the Chargers could become too much to bear.
This article was originally published on Ravens Wire: Ravens vs Chargers: Roquan Smith needs rest so DC Zach Orr needs to tweak
