Ravens Rookie Review: Struggles All Around

The first-round safety struggled throughout the game, with his primary issues being missed tackles, poor angles in run support, and lapses in coverage positioning. These struggles led him to give up more plays than he made. He was one of the few regular starters remaining as his partner, All Pro safety Kyle Hamilton, missed the game with a groin injury. Starks was one of three rookie players to play all 70 defensive snaps, tying for second on the team in tackles with a new single-game career-high of 10, including 3 solos. Among his worst plays were a missed angle on Nick Chubb's 27-yard touchdown run and a 47-yard completion allowed to Christian Kirk, which helped set up a red zone opportunity for the Texans.

OLB Mike Green

Even with Pro Bowl veteran Kyle Van Noy back in the lineup, the second-round edge defender not only got to see the field early and often once again but also made his first career start. His 42 defensive snaps were the fifth-most among all rookies, second only to Tavius Robinson among outside linebackers and nearly 20 more than Odafe Oweh, who played just 26 and was traded on Tuesday . Going up against one of the worst pass-protecting offensive line units in the league with fellow second-rounder Aireontae Ersery starting at left tackle, Green failed to make much of an impact once again. His ineffectiveness was glaring both as a pass rusher and run defender as he struggled with missed tackles, finishing with just two assisted takedowns. Even on the plays where he was able to muster up a good rush, it didn't matter because CJ Stroud was getting the ball out to open targets with relative ease.

LB Teddye Buchanan

The fourth-round rookie made his fourth straight start and first at the MIKE linebacker spot with three-time All-Pro Roquan Smith out due to a hamstring injury, and played 100% of the total defensive snaps. Since Hamilton was out as well, he was entrusted with the green dot to relay the defensive playcalls to the rest of his teammates. Communication seemed to be a problem at times, with some third-level defenders looking like they didn't know what the play call was at times and being out of position as a result. He got picked on in coverage over the middle regularly, struggled to get off blocks and secure tackles and although he kept Stroud from scoring on a 30-yard scramble, it wouldn't have happened had he no noticed him escaping the pocket sooner. Buchanan recorded a career-high and game-high 15 total tackles, including 8 solos and one for a loss.

K Tyler Loop

For the first time this season, the sixth-round rookie missed a field goal attempt—going 1-of-2, making his first from 27 yards out in the first quarter and missing a 55-yarder to close out the first half. He made his lone extra point and made his second career tackle on the opening kickoff of the game, his first takedown since the season opener.

WR LaJohntay Wester

For the second week in a row, the sixth-round rookie played more snaps on offense (4) than he did on special teams (1) since the Texans' lone punt came in the fourth quarter and he was able to return 16 yards to the Baltimore 33-yard line.

DT Aeneas Peebles

For some head-scratching reason, the sixth-round rookie continued to see limited action once again on a day where the pass rush was woefully ineffective. He barely cracked double figures in snaps on defense with 10, which was just 14% of the team's total, and he tied his career-high in snaps on special teams with 8.

CB Keyon Martin

The undrafted free agent out of Louisiana-Lafayette got to make his first career start with veteran All Pro nickel Marlon Humphrey out with a calf injury. He played more snaps on defense than special teams for the third time in the past four weeks, with a career-high 49 defensive snaps compared to 14 in the third phase of the game. He recorded the same amount of total tackles and solos as he did last week, with 5 combined and 4 by himself but he had a trio of huge penalties that cost the team dearly. Martin negated what would've been his first career sack by being called for a debatable offsides penalty, was flagged for defensive pass interference later that same drive and negated a 60-plus-yard punt by Jordan Stout by going out of bounds on his own and not getting back inbounds fast enough.

Reuben Lowery

With Hamilton out, the undrafted rookie out of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wasn't just active for the third time this season, but he got to make his first career start. He set new career highs in both defensive and special teams snaps in a single game by playing 100% of snaps on defense with 70 and 12 in the third phase of the game. Unfortunately, it was a rough outing for the preseason star as he also gave up multiple plays in coverage, including the first touchdown of the game, and finished tied for the fourth-most total tackles on the team with a career-high 5 with one solo.

ILB Jay Higgins

The undrafted free agent out of Iowa played exclusively on special teams for the fourth week in a row, with 18 snaps, which tied fourth-year tight end Charlie Kolar and second-year running back Rasheen Ali for the third-most on the team, accounting for 62% of the total. Higgins recorded an assisted tackle for the third week in a row, with this one coming on the Ravens' third punt of the game, where he joined forces with second-year wide receiver Devontez Walker to bring down the returner after a gain of 12 yards to the Houston 29-yard line.