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They aren't making the playoffs now. I would feel differently had they lost fighting, as I've said, 1-3 can be overcome. But the way they played, nope, this team is done. Oh they will go through the motions to avoid injury or to fulfill a contract. But just like that pass Flowers caught in the 3rd along the sidelines on 4th and 3; oops, did I do that? They may win 5, 6 games now just because... but they will lose the next 2 weeks as Lamar sits out with a hamstring injury. After the bye, eak out a few wins...

A good, thorough look at the make up of the team would show that injuries are not the cause of the ineptitude, apathy of some of the players, several, top paid "leaders". The drafting of injured unproven players at position of need. The signing of aging, injured or injury riddled players. All of whom do not live up to even the minimum contract. The continued in game, piss poor, in game management, the terrible play in the post season even when fully healthy. Yes, this and more all add up to coaching. I would love to know if 3 players on the same team ever had the same injury occur in game, hamstring most especially? I suppose we will never know that answer. I do agree, the Biscuit is not likely to make a move, yet, sadly.

Done for the yr. Read between the turds lines and it sounds like he may never play again.

We were winning in 2015? Were we winning the first 6 weeks of 2018? That lying asshole has brought nothing to this team.

We will limp into Jan and 1 and done.

Yes. He said he wasn’t leaving the team to his kids. He negotiated the renovations that will produce a lot more revenue. He is maximizing value now. The only reason is to get the largest return on a sale.

Is Steve trying to sell?

They aren't doing shit.

A day after Ravens quarterback and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson suffered a hamstring injury in a 37-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, coach John Harbaugh on Monday did not say if Jackson would miss any time. “I got a pretty good feel with all the injuries,” he said, “but not commenting on them today.” Jackson suffered a hamstring injury midway through the third quarter Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium and did not return. Harbaugh also said that he could not say with certainty on which play Jackson suffered the injury but hinted that it could have been an accumulation of plays. He also said that Jackson was unable to go back into the game. “There was no way he was gonna go back in the game,” he said. “The injury precluded it. “I know Lamar. If he could have gone in the game, he would have been in the game. That’s how Lamar is. But I can assure you that he would not have been able to go back in the game under any circumstance.” Jackson was not made available to reporters after the game because he was receiving treatment, a team spokesperson said. He was sacked from behind by Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis on his final play of the game and remained on the bench, occasionally flexing his right leg. Though Jackson did not speak afterward, he was seen leaving the locker room with a significant limp. Even before being injured, Jackson struggled against Kansas City’s blitz. He was pressured on 48.1% of his dropbacks, according to Next Gen Stats, the highest rate since Week 4 in 2023. That pressure helped result in a pair of turnovers, with Jackson throwing an interception in the first quarter and losing a fumble in the second when he ran into center Tyler Linderbaum. Related Articles Ravens DT Nnamdi Madubuike will miss rest of season with neck injury READER POLL: What’s most to blame for the Ravens’ 1-3 start? The Ravens are 1-3. History says they’re a Super Bowl long shot. 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 37-20 loss to the Chiefs Mike Preston: Ravens’ Lamar Jackson disappears in pivotal moment | COMMENTARY Before Sunday, Jackson had not turned the ball over this season. Jackson, 28, also hasn’t missed a game because of injury since 2022 when a knee injury kept him out of the final five games of the regular season as well as a wild-card playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. If he can’t play Sunday against the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium, Cooper Rush will make his first start for the Ravens. Rush, 31, completed 9 of 13 passes for 52 yards in relief of Jackson on Sunday. He appeared in 12 games and started eight for the Dallas Cowboys last season, going 4-4 while throwing for 1,844 yards with 12 touchdown passes and four interceptions. Jackson’s injury comes at a particularly concerning time. The Ravens (1-3) are off to their worst start since 2015 when they also lost three of their first four and went on to finish 5-11. Only 35 of 252 teams that have started a season with one win in their first four games have gone on to make the playoffs, and only the 2001 New England Patriots, who switched to Tom Brady as their starting quarterback, started 1-3 and won the Super Bowl. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

We've been winning. You honestly hate stuff then too.

You may very well be right on that one.

Now that I've puked, metaphorically, I feel better. I think someone on the coaching staff has to be jettisoned. The team flat out quit in the second half, including Lamar, who when things don't go well can always be found sulking on the bench off by himself. Was it just me, or did anyone else notice some defenders just standing around like statues in the third quarter, neither attacking or pursuing the ball. Even 'street' defenders should know better than that. Yes. It is time for someone to be held accountable. C'mon, Steve, make some kind of move here.

The Ravens’ injury news has gone from bad to worse. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike will miss the rest of the 2025 season, coach John Harbaugh said Monday. The confirmation came two days after Baltimore placed the 27-year-old on injured reserve with a neck injury and less than 24 hours after Harbaugh said he could not provide insight on the decision to put the former third-round pick on injured reserve. When asked if the neck injury could be career-threatening, Harbaugh said, “Yeah, that’s a good question. … I’m trying to explain it in the best way I can, in terms of what I’m allowed to tell you. A lot of that are things that he needs to address with you guys, you know, in his time. I really can’t speak for him. Wouldn’t want to. Those are questions that would be best answered by him going forward, and he may be still getting some information on that as well, but leave that for him to answer.” Losing Madubuike for the season is a crushing blow to a defense that is already the worst in the NFL, allowing 33.3 points per game. It’s just the latest in a series of injuries that have depleted Baltimore’s defense. Roquan Smith (hamstring), cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey (calf) and Nate Wiggins (elbow) were all knocked out of Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, while defensive tackle Broderick Washington Jr. (ankle) was also placed on injured reserve on Saturday. Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy (hamstring) and Travis Jones (knee) were inactive. Madubuike, whom the Ravens drafted 71st overall out of Texas A&M in 2020, has been an ascendant force in recent years with 5 1/2 sacks in 2022 and a team-high 13 a year later, which was also tops among all interior linemen in the NFL. Last season, Madubuike’s sack total dipped to 6 1/2, but he was one of the most double-teamed linemen in the league. Through two games this season, he had a team-high two sacks along with 10 pressures. Madubuike has also been a stalwart, appearing in 55 straight games before suffering the injury. His last start came Sept. 14 against the Browns. Harbaugh said adding a defensive lineman to the roster is “always something that would be on the table.” This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Related Articles READER POLL: What’s most to blame for the Ravens’ 1-3 start? The Ravens are 1-3. History says they’re a Super Bowl long shot. 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 37-20 loss to the Chiefs Mike Preston: Ravens’ Lamar Jackson disappears in pivotal moment | COMMENTARY Fire John Harbaugh? Ravens are too beat up for drastic measures. | COMMENTARY View the full article

Or as JLC thinks Steve won’t make any major moves until the team is sold. That won’t happen until after the stadium improvements are done and pulling revenue.

This could have been dealt with long ago.

The Ravens’ season is teetering. Baltimore got crushed by the Chiefs, 37-20, in Kansas City to fall to 1-3, and lost two-time NFL Most Valuable Player quarterback Lamar Jackson to a hamstring injury in the process. Several other prominent Ravens are injured, too. What is most to blame for Baltimore’s disastrous start to the 2025 season? We want to hear from you. After you vote, leave a comment and we might use your take in The Baltimore Sun. The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To read the results of previous reader polls, click here. View the full article

Worst case, no one gets fired because of 'all the injuries', but we NEED a reset.

Are you happy? We suck. Go enjoy your chubby elsewhere.

Let’s trade a coach.

I wonder if the Biscuit could lure Jordan Hudson, I mean Billy B away from his failed NC team?

I suppose this is the only question left to settle, top 5, top 10, top 15? We know they will need a left tackle, a really good one. Likely a guard as well because frankly neither guard is panning out, really disappointed in Vorhees. Need an edge rusher and some big phat boys for the defensive line. Maybe even an inside backer, while Buchanan is still raw, he doesn't show much game intelligence and he has poor speed to cover. I suppose a lot will have to depend on who the coach is? Can we get one of them in the draft?

One team in NFL history started its season 1-3 and went on to win the Super Bowl. The group was led by perhaps the greatest quarterback of all time. The New England Patriots found themselves sitting at 1-3 in 2001, which is the same situation the Ravens find themselves in this year after an ugly 37-20 loss to the Chiefs. New England overcame an injury to starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe in Week 2 of the 2001 season, as backup Tom Brady led them to an 11-3 record in his starts. Brady, of course, went on to win the first of his seven Super Bowl titles that year. That New England team rallied after starting 1-3 (and 3-4) to put together a spectacular finish to the season. The Patriots won 11 of their final 12 games, including the postseason. Of the 11 wins, seven came by one possession and three came in overtime. Baltimore can certainly point to that New England team as an example for hope after its 1-3 start, which has also included notable injuries. Quarterback Lamar Jackson was among the key contributors to exit the Chiefs loss with an injury, and star defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike landed on injured reserve last week with a neck injury. “I believe we’re going to be a good football team,” coach John Harbaugh said Sunday. “We’re just not a good enough football team yet.” Still, history suggests an uphill climb for this Baltimore team. Since 1990, 35 teams have made the postseason after starting 1-3, with only the 2001 Patriots hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. Since the playoff field expanded to 14 teams in 2020, just five teams have started 1-3 and made the playoffs. One of those teams, the Washington Football Team in 2020 benefited from a woeful NFC East. Washington started its season 1-5 and made the playoffs as a 7-9 division champion. With the Pittsburgh Steelers at 3-1, it seems unlikely the Ravens can count on winning the AFC North with a losing record. Baltimore still gets both of its head-to-head meetings with Pittsburgh, though. The Bengals, expected to be an AFC North contender, are 2-1 (and play Monday night) but without quarterback Joe Burrow, who could miss most of the season with turf toe. The Browns are just 1-3 with a head-to-head loss to the Ravens. Betting odds reflect Baltimore’s sluggish start, but the oddsmakers are far from done with Baltimore. Once the Super Bowl betting favorite this season, the Ravens now hold the fourth-shortest odds to win the title. It’s a notable drop through four weeks, but sportsbooks aren’t ready to say it’s a lost season. Harbaugh isn’t either. “There’s football to be played, and there’s a division to be won,” Harbaugh said. “We’ve got to find a way to become good enough to win it.” Winning the division wouldn’t guarantee a deep playoff run that fans, players and coaches so desperately want. Of the five teams to make the playoffs since 2020 after a 1-3 start, none made it past the divisional round. It’s rare that a legitimate Super Bowl contender opens the season with three losses in its first four games. Related Articles 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 37-20 loss to the Chiefs Mike Preston: Ravens’ Lamar Jackson disappears in pivotal moment | COMMENTARY Fire John Harbaugh? Ravens are too beat up for drastic measures. | COMMENTARY Ravens’ defense is struggling like never before: ‘Got to get it fixed’ The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 37-20 loss to Chiefs Baltimore faces another 1-3 team falling well short of expectations in Week 5. The Houston Texans, who made the playoffs a season ago, started 0-3 before beating the Titans on Sunday for their first victory. “I’m thinking about, ‘How can we beat the Texans?” Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said after Sunday’s loss. Both sides desperately need a win, and history says it’s a championship elimination game, if the teams haven’t already played themselves out of a realistic shot of winning it all. No team has ever won the Super Bowl after a 1-4 start to their season. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

The now 1-3 Ravens found a new nadir, losing to the Chiefs, 37-20, in a game that ended with more questions than answers. Here are five things we learned: Suddenly, the entire Ravens season hangs in the balance There he sat, the two-time Most Valuable Player, sulking on the bench with a hat replacing his helmet and tape swaddling an ice pack against his hamstring. Lamar Jackson looked over his left shoulder, up to the big screen at Arrowhead Stadium, the stadium where so many of his demons live, and watched helplessly. An injury yanked him from a long-shot chance at a comeback. Instead, backup Cooper Rush checked in for the final minute of the third quarter as Baltimore limped to the finish line, dropping the Jackson-era Ravens to 1-6 against the Chiefs and 0-4 at Kansas City. Coach John Harbaugh couldn’t offer much intel postgame. He could only say that it didn’t appear season-ending, while across the hall, his star quarterback limped out of the locker room to get medical treatment. The entirety of this Ravens season — which began with Super Bowl projections for a deep and talented roster — hinges on Jackson’s status. Perhaps Week 4 will be remembered as a blip in time, a loss that proves unsubstantial. Or, there’s a world where it’s immortalized as that fateful September Sunday when the Ravens’ hopes of a playoff run were flushed by an all-too-familiar opponent. Jackson hasn’t missed a game because of injury since 2022, sidelined for the last six weeks of that regular season and a playoff game for a PCL injury in his knee. He has missed one game since — an innocuous Week 18 matchup in 2023 with the division race wrapped up. Baltimore is 4-9 when Jackson has been sidelined over the past six seasons. Even before the injury on Sunday, Jackson didn’t look ready to get the monkey off his back. He fled back from a blitz in the first quarter and flung a duck to Mark Andrews against the right sideline that fell short, into the waiting hands of linebacker Leo Chenal — Jackson’s first interception this season. His turnover woes worsened a quarter later when he bumped into center Tyler Linderbaum and coughed up the football. In all, he completed 14 of 20 passes for 147 yards with one touchdown while taking three sacks. Jackson’s teammates love to lean on the truism that this team can do anything with No. 8 at the helm. If they’re without him for any considerable amount of time, it’s hard to fathom them going anywhere. Related Articles Mike Preston: Ravens’ Lamar Jackson disappears in pivotal moment | COMMENTARY Fire John Harbaugh? Ravens are too beat up for drastic measures. | COMMENTARY Ravens’ defense is struggling like never before: ‘Got to get it fixed’ The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 37-20 loss to Chiefs Ravens lose Lamar Jackson to injury in 37-20 loss to Chiefs, fall to 1-3 ‘Something’s wrong’ with the defense The messaging has spiraled at record pace. Four weeks ago, the Ravens deemed themselves a team capable of striking fear in opposing offenses, returning to the standard set by their predecessors. Before Week 2, Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey bluntly called the defense immature and, after a second loss, “just not very good.” Now, with most metrics showing Baltimore in the cellar of the league, All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton took to the dais inside Arrowhead Stadium Sunday night bearing a new look of despair: “The product that we’re putting on the field right now is not up to par,” he said. “Obviously, something’s wrong.” It was clear in Week 1, when the defense played a lead role in Buffalo’s 15-point comeback. Week 3 showed this team might not have what it takes against the cream of the NFL crop, like the Bills and Lions. Sunday night stamped what we now know to be true, which is this defense doesn’t have what it takes to be a legitimate contender — at least not right now. The Ravens only stopped the Chiefs from scoring twice in nine drives. One was a missed Harrison Butker field goal from 56 yards. The other forced backup quarterback Gardner Minshew into a fourth-and-long inside the game’s final four minutes. And Kansas City converted on all four of its fourth-down tries, one-upping Detroit’s 3-for-3 line last week. Such leaky defense this time culminated in the most lopsided Ravens loss since Oct. 24, 2021, against Cincinnati. As Hamilton maturely put it, “there haven’t been a lot of teams in Ravens history, since 1996, to underachieve to the point where fans felt disappointed in the season as a whole.” The latest disappointment marked the first time in franchise history that the Ravens have allowed 133 points four games into a season. Sunday night, those issues didn’t discriminate against any one position group. Xavier Worthy torched the secondary with five catches for 83 yards, the most of any single receiver against the Ravens thus far. Mahomes, who clocked his best outing of the year by throwing 270 yards and four touchdowns, spread the ball around to nine pass catchers. Five of them went over 25 yards. Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco, center, is congratulated by quarterback Patrick Mahomes after scoring a touchdown Sunday against the Ravens. (Charlie Riedel/AP) The secondary couldn’t do much to consistently contain them and the front failed to pressure one of the few escape artists in the same conversation as Jackson. Mahomes looked unbothered, perched back there in the pocket, protected as if his offensive line were a moat. Baltimore sacked him once (Tavius Robinson) and hit him thrice. Mahomes’ average time to throw was 2.70 seconds, according to Pro Football Focus, up four-tenths of a second from his season mark. “There were way too many times in this game where the Chiefs did what they do well,” Harbaugh said, “they get into third-and-short. And our goal was to try to keep them to third-and-six plus, and that just consistently did not happen.” Somewhere along the way, the Ravens must have ticked off the football gods. Their injury luck has been disastrous. By the fourth quarter of a must-win game against a fellow AFC juggernaut, the Ravens defense matched one of the game’s most brilliant quarterbacks with three practice squad elevations, an undrafted rookie and four more non-starters. The Chiefs punished that group, and the subsequent injury-filled one to follow, in total, for 382 yards of offense and four passing touchdowns. By game’s end, the Ravens’ injury report included 10 starters: Jackson, left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle), fullback Patrick Ricard (calf), defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (neck), defensive end Broderick Washington (ankle), nose tackle Travis Jones (knee), outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy (hamstring), linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring), Humphrey (hamstring) and Nate Wiggins (elbow). Not all of it unraveled at Arrowhead. On Wednesday, the Ravens practiced without the entirety of their interior defensive line. By week’s end, Madubuike and Washington both wound up on injured reserve, meaning they won’t return for at least another three weeks. Jones practiced but was later ruled out. Van Noy was unable to go, too. That left Brent Urban, C.J. Okoye and Josh Tupou, all of whom were on the practice squad, veteran John Jenkins, and rookie Aeneas Peebles to hold down the fort. “That’s a part of the game,” said running back Justice Hill, who accounted for both of Baltimore’s touchdowns. “Not everything can be sunshine and rainbows.” It certainly wasn’t this weekend. Humphrey hurt his calf on a touchdown throw to JuJu Smith-Schuster in the second quarter and never returned. T.J. Tampa, who was once a bubble defensive back but has played well in spurts this season, slid up the depth chart. As did undrafted rookie Keyon Martin. Shortly after, Smith limped off the field (under his own power). Trenton Simpson backfilled there, weeks after losing his starting job to rookie Teddye Buchanan. And Stanley, who was limited in practice this past week, exited early after trying to play through an ankle injury. When CBS Sports sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson asked Harbaugh at halftime about the slew of injuries, the longtime coach flashed a fallacious smile, “Next man up. We’re playing well.” By night’s end, his defense leaned primarily on rookies and glorified minor leaguers. Lamar Jackson no longer believes the Chiefs are his ‘kryptonite.’ Steve Spagnuolo might disagree. Fourth-and-1 with three minutes before halftime. Harbaugh took a risk to go for it from their own 41-yard line. The ball was snapped and one-Mississippi later, there were three red jerseys ready to topple Jackson. Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who is considered the mastermind behind rattling this two-time MVP, sent a six-man rush that forced Jackson to his back heel, flinging a no-shot ball out of bounds. Even before the injury, Jackson and the offense appeared as out of sorts and mistake-prone as they have all season. On the drive before, they were flagged three times on a four-play sequence. Two of them were delay of game penalties, no doubt influenced by the roars of Kansas City’s noisy, bright-red pressure cooker. Harbaugh called that “really out of character for us.” The third was intentional grounding on a second-and-long that saw Jackson scramble for his life and dirt the ball 16 yards behind the line of scrimmage. They punted two plays later, and the Chiefs turned it into points. After a first-drive touchdown that looked like an effortless ride upfield, the offense had difficulty getting started. Longer-yardage situations left offensive coordinator Todd Monken straying away from the run, despite the ground game being “a big part of the plan” going into Sunday, according to Harbaugh. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is sacked by Chiefs defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, left, in the first half Sunday. (Ed Zurga/AP) Derrick Henry finished with just 42 yards on eight carries, his fewest attempts and second-fewest yards in a single game as a Raven (at least he didn’t fumble). “Yes, I mean that’s playcalling. I am not going to sit here and say I’m happy about it, at all,” Harbaugh said. “I am sure that Todd is not happy about it either. None of us are. You have to look at that and decide what you want to run there, in some of those circumstances and situations. “Maybe we just need better plays, plays that are going to pop open. Maybe we have to do a better job of game-planning in those plays. That’s what I would say. I think that we need to put our guys in better positions and give them opportunities to make plays in those situations, because in a game like this, you have to be aggressive, you have to go for stuff. We didn’t get it done.” Baltimore’s offense has been at the top of the league for so long because of Jackson. But it seems Spagnuolo still has his number. Ravens are 1-3 with a steep climb ahead of them Take out the panic button. Set it on the table. Flip up the glass covering, like it were the “Deal or No Deal” buzzer. Don’t touch it. But keep it within arm’s reach. The Ravens’ season will be defined by how they respond to this 1-3 start, their worst since 2015. How concerned is Harbaugh? “I’m concerned,” he said, “but I’m not overwhelmed by it. The three losses are against probably three of the top teams in the league, for sure. That’s just the hand we’ve been dealt, but it doesn’t really matter. We have to win the next game. And then once you win the next game, then you have a chance to start stacking some wins.” He’s right. Their schedule eases up from here, staring down three teams with a combined six wins after four weeks. All of which are in Baltimore. And they have the luxury of an early bye to address the unusually cruel health issues. But it’s worth reckoning with the fact that chances like this don’t come along often. The Ravens, who are judged by how they match up against the upper echelon of the league, failed at their last chance to take down a Goliath. They’re now 1-6 against the Bills, Chiefs, Eagles and Lions dating to the start of last season. So yes, they’re right to narrow their view of this season to one week at a time. As Robinson put it, “You have two hours where we could sit here and drown in the water, or we can pick ourselves up.” The overwhelming response out of the visiting locker room was, “There’s still a lot of season left.” “Bring it on,” Henry said. “We are 1-3. Nobody is going to come out and do it for us.” They have to. Their season depends on it. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Maybe, but I think he is just focused on keeping his eyes down field to throw. What was up the the line blocking? Your man doesn't rush hard so you ignore him and help block someone else. As soon as you do, your man rushes.... That happened most of the first half, that is coaching. All of these hamstring injuries, if trueare on the training staff and coaches. Heads need to roll

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Ravens were down 20-10 at halftime, and it was the perfect time for quarterback Lamar Jackson to finally escape the encompassing shadow of Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes. Then he disappeared. Poof. Gone. Jackson left the game late in the third quarter and was replaced by backup Cooper Rush because of a hamstring injury, and there is no doubt about Jackson’s ailment. But imagine the headlines on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” if Jackson had brought the Ravens back and they won in Kansas City, where the Chiefs are nearly unbeatable. Hold the presses! Instead, the Ravens were blown out, 37-20, at Arrowhead Stadium. Now, Mahomes has a 6-1 record against Jackson, and this was really a beatdown. As for the highly anticipated showdown between Mahomes and Jackson, Mahomes was the winner, completing 25 of 37 passes for 270 yards and four touchdowns. He finished with a passer rating of 124.8. As for Jackson, he was 14 of 20 for 147 yards with one touchdown, one interception, one fumble and a passer rating of 86.9. “No, I don’t have any updates on the seriousness of injuries right now. There’s nothing that looks like it’s [going to be] season-ending, by any stretch, for anybody,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “But we’ll have to look at those injuries tomorrow and see where we’re at going forward.” Jackson started the game off strong as the Ravens went 70 yards on nine plays in an opening drive that lasted 5:25. It was finished on an 11-yard screen pass in the middle of the field to halfback Justice Hill as the Ravens took a 7-0 lead. That must have annoyed Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who started calling blitzes and keeping a spy on Jackson if he escaped through the line of scrimmage. Throughout the game, Jackson was sacked three times and hit on eight other occasions. Then he started to unravel, much like he did against Detroit last week on “Monday Night Football.” Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is sacked by Chiefs defensive tackle Jerry Tillery. Jackson was sacked three times after taking seven sacks in a loss to the Lions. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player completed 12 of 18 passes in the first half for 108 yards, but he didn’t appear comfortable. Twice he was called for delay of game penalties, and once he was called for intentional grounding. That should never happen, not if the coach or the quarterback are paying close attention. Despite those problems, there was a belief that Jackson would overcome those setbacks and that this offense would become magical again with Jackson leading the way. It never happened. Mahomes opened the third quarter with a six-play, 65-yard touchdown drive, connecting on an 11-yard touchdown pass with Tyquan Thornton. Jackson answered with an eight-play, 56-yard march that was finished by a 32-yard field goal from Tyler Loop. This appeared to be a shootout, and maybe with a turnover or two, the Ravens might get back in the game. That was wishful thinking. Throughout the game, and even last week against the Lions when they sacked him seven times in a 38-30 loss, Jackson never took over. In that time, he has been hesitant, holding the ball too long. There were times when he could have run but chose not to. There have been times in those games when he should have just thrown the ball away instead of taking a sack and losing yards, but he certainly isn’t the same Jackson I’ve seen in his first seven seasons. His feet appear slower, but that might all come down to the decision-making process. Instead of a shootout, it was the Mahomes show again. He now appears comfortable in that offense, especially with receiver Xavier Worthy back on the field after missing virtually the first three games with a shoulder injury. Related Articles Fire John Harbaugh? Ravens are too beat up for drastic measures. | COMMENTARY Ravens’ defense is struggling like never before: ‘Got to get it fixed’ The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 37-20 loss to Chiefs Ravens lose Lamar Jackson to injury in 37-20 loss to Chiefs, fall to 1-3 Instant analysis from Ravens’ disastrous 37-20 loss to Chiefs The expectations are just as high with Jackson because he is the best dual-threat quarterback in NFL history, and the Ravens have loaded him up with top receivers such as Rashod Bateman, Zay Flowers and DeAndre Hopkins and tight end Mark Andrews. Yet, something is missing. It’s obvious that the running game has been lacking with Derrick Henry, who had only 42 yards on eight carries Sunday against Kansas City. The offensive line has struggled in the past two weeks, especially guards Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees and right tackle Roger Rosengarten. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley tried to play on a bad ankle but only lasted a quarter against Kansas City. Despite all of those problems, including the defensive line missing three starters, I just expected more from Jackson because he has been carrying this team for years now. Regardless of Andy Reid being a better big-game coach than Harbaugh or Spagnuolo always coming up with some new defensive maneuver that throttles Jackson, I thought it was the perfect time for him to step out of Mahomes’ shadow. But it never happened. Mahomes showed why he is the best quarterback in recent history, possibly only second to Tom Brady. And Jackson showed that he still has some growing pains, even though he missed the perfect chance to replace Mahomes at the top of the proverbial food chain, much like Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen did against Jackson in the Ravens’ season-opening loss to the Bills. Allen showed up. Jackson didn’t. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, left, and Patrick Mahomes meet after the Chiefs' 37-20 victory over the Ravens on Sunday. (Charlie Riedel/AP) View the full article