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          NFL Nation

          With banged-up line, Ravens hope Jadeveon Clowney doesn't feast on Joe Flacco

          • Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterNov 24, 2017, 12:01 PM
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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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          OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- For quarterback Joe Flacco, this isn't the best time for both Baltimore Ravens offensive tackles to be banged up.

          Houston's Jadeveon Clowney, one of the NFL's hottest pass-rushers, comes to Baltimore on Monday night, and the Ravens are dealing with injuries to left tackle Ronnie Stanley (concussion) and right tackle Austin Howard (knee). Stanley missed Sunday's game with a head injury, and Howard didn't practice Wednesday.

          If Stanley is sidelined again, the Ravens would go from a former first-round pick to one of the worst-graded left tackles in recent years by Pro Football Focus. In moving from left guard to tackle, James Hurst allowed two sacks, two hits and one hurry in Green Bay.

          "You have to take guys out of their position and ask them to do a little bit more, just because they’re in a different spot on the field," Flacco said of missing Stanley. "Then you take that, coupled with the fact that you’re a first-round-draft-pick-type talent isn’t out there -- it definitely all adds up."

          Ravens coach John Harbaugh pointed out after Sunday's 23-0 win in Green Bay that the offensive line was "in a big-time flux" without Stanley.

          Harbaugh has been noncommittal about whether Stanley will be able to play against the Texans. Stanley was limited in practice Wednesday, but he was limited all last week and didn't play at the Packers.

          "We will cross our fingers to get Ronnie back," Harbaugh said. "If we don’t, for some reason, then we will go with the guys we have and those guys will continue to improve."

          Baltimore's blind-side protection really has to improve against Clowney, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2014 draft.

          With the loss of top pass-rushers in J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus, Clowney has drawn all of the attention from offenses and has still put together the best season of his four-year NFL career. He already has totaled a career-best eight sacks, and there are six games left.

          Clowney is on quite the tear heading into Monday night. He has five sacks in his last four games, which rank second to Atlanta's Adrian Clayborn (six sacks) over that span.

          "Fulfilling promise," Harbaugh said of Clowney. "He's a game-wrecker. He's all over the field. The defensive coaches do an outstanding job of hiding him and moving him around and making it tough to find him. He's been tremendous."

          If Clowney moves from the right side of the defense to the left, he will line up against either Howard, who is not a full strength; Hurst, who has struggled at tackle previously; or Maurquice Shakir, an undrafted rookie out of Middle Tennessee State.

          Feeling pressure has been a way of life for Flacco this year. There have not been many plays when Flacco has had time to progress through his reads, set his feet and fire the ball downfield. His average time in the pocket this season has been 2.21 seconds, which ranks 30th in the NFL.

          Now, with Clowney coming to town, Flacco will have to get the ball out as quick as ever, especially if one or both starting offensive tackles are sidelined.