ExtremeRavens

Watch the “Overtime” segment of the eighth episode of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law. The longtime sports columnist answers reader questions from Baltimore Sun subscribers after the Ravens fell to 1-5 with a 17-3 loss to the Rams. Missed the eighth episode of the pod? Watch here. Have a question for Preston about the Ravens? Message us at sports@baltsun.com. You can watch the BMore Football Podcast weekly, posting every Tuesday during the NFL season on YouTube and The Baltimore Sun, and listen on Spotify, Apple, Amazon and iHeart. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

He wears brown collared shirts underneath his shoulder pads, practices left-handed putting despite being right-handed, and once lived in a camper as a multimillionaire. Those quirks are just part of why Marlon Humphrey isn’t your typical NFL player. “A lot of the veterans that I’ve had here, a lot of different guys that come from different teams, none of them are like Marlon,” said former Ravens edge rusher Odafe Oweh, who was traded to the Chargers earlier this month. Humphrey has played nine high-level seasons at one of the most turbulent positions in the league, become a leader in Baltimore’s locker room and is “uniquely himself.” His teammates say that they’ve never played with anybody like him. T.J. Tampa said that he “shut the room down” when he first met him. Jaire Alexander said, “There’s nobody like [Marlon].” Nate Wiggins said, “You really can’t explain him. He just does Marlon things.” The cornerback has endeared himself to Baltimore with his popular Instagram Live videos that show the relationships inside the Ravens’ locker room. He’s also frustrated them with his podcasting after losses this season. His teammates appreciate his authenticity. Humphrey declined to comment for this story, saying he only wanted to talk about football. “He’s just a genuine person. He’s gonna be himself. And that’s what we love about him,” said rookie safety Reuben Lowery III, who was cut by Baltimore earlier this month and later picked up by the Colts. That originality shows up in many ways. Humphrey wears distinctive clothing — Alexander said that he’s never seen anyone put a dress shirt under their practice gear — publicly holds teammates accountable after tough losses, and even owns a massive farm in Alabama, where he raises a variety of animals. Wiggins, an animal enthusiast, said that he’s waiting to visit the farm. One of Tampa’s first interactions with Humphrey came in a defensive meeting. Tampa watched as Humphrey entered the facility with sweatpants, a towel wrapped around his body, and a hat and durag on his head. Everyone seems to remember their first encounter with Humphrey. Former Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix recalled the cornerback visiting Tuscaloosa as a high school recruit. Humphrey, a former five-star prospect, was slated to sit down with the Crimson Tide’s defensive backs and defensive staff. Related Articles Watch ‘Overtime’ of Ep. 8 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law Funeral plans set for Ravens superfan Captain Dee-Fense Ravens release C.J. Gardner-Johnson after 1 week with team Watch Episode 8 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law The Ravens are 1-5. These 5 stats help explain the slow start. | COMMENTARY Clinton-Dix, a senior at the time, anticipated a routine meeting with a high schooler. But that was far from the case with Humphrey. Humphrey was quiet. He wasn’t brash, nor shy. Clinton-Dix and he spoke, and the Crimson Tide safety came away impressed with the 18-year-old’s maturity, Clinton-Dix told The Baltimore Sun. The two stayed in contact during Humphrey’s career, and when the freshman recovered a critical onside kick during Alabama’s national championship game against Clemson, Clinton-Dix made sure to call him. The Ravens drafted Humphrey with the 16th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft. He entered a secondary with cornerbacks Jimmy Smith and Brandon Carr and safeties Eric Weddle and Tony Jefferson — a combined 49 years in the league between the four of them. Not an easy situation for a rookie to find playing time. But Humphrey carved out a role as a nickel back and then started the final four games as an outside cornerback after Smith tore his Achilles tendon. Humphrey has switched between the slot and boundary cornerback throughout his time in the league. At 29 years old, he’s playing some of the best football of his career. Humphrey played 500 snaps in the slot last season and 316 on the outside, according to Pro Football Focus. He turned in a career-high six interceptions and was named a first-team All-Pro. “He’s just a workaholic. He really cares about his craft. If he’s doing something wrong, he’s going to get to the bottom of what he’s doing wrong,” Wiggins said. Ravens fans clamor for autographs from cornerback Marlon Humphrey in 2024. Humphrey's teammates say he's unique personality among his NFL peers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) He’s also become a leader for Baltimore’s defense. Humphrey said the Ravens “weren’t mature enough” and players would face repercussions for poor performances after their loss to the Buffalo Bills. But Humphrey’s frankness occasionally frustrates fans, too. After the Ravens’ defense was shredded in a 38-30 loss to the Detroit Lions, the cornerback said, “We’re not good enough.” The next day, he released a YouTube video titled “Marlon reacts to Lions-Ravens MNF loss.” The comments were unforgiving. “I’m stunned by your lack of self awareness, almost in admiration,” one user wrote. “Marlon read the room,” another commented. “Stop with the podcast [crap] and go win some games first.” Humphrey’s not going to change, though. His channel description reads like a personality promotion: “Marlon Humphrey has a lot on his mind … The Marlon Humphrey Show is not another player podcast pumping out PR-approved talking points — it is a one of a kind experience led by one of the most curious minds in sports.” That last line rings true. Ask anyone around the Ravens about Humphrey, and you’ll hear the same response: there’s nobody like Marlon. “He’s not scared to [speak up]. It’s different in that aspect,” Oweh said. “He’s gonna say whatever’s on his mind. He doesn’t care who you are. He wants you to know who he is.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Jane at sjane@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Sam_Jane230. View the full article

The life of late Ravens megafan Wes Henson, known as Captain Dee-Fense, will be celebrated at a funeral service next week, which will be open to the public and livestreamed online. Henson died of cancer last week, after spending years as one of the Baltimore Ravens’ most prominent ambassadors. Before becoming a Charm City icon, Henson served in the Navy for 15 years as a cryptography technician. His funeral is set to be held by March Funeral Homes at its tribute center in Randallstown on Oct. 23, with a wake at 10 a.m. and funeral following soon after at 11 a.m. A visitation is scheduled for the day before at the same location from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., and on Oct. 21 at March Funeral Home West from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. A news release Tuesday from March Funeral Homes said Henson’s family urged “everyone to celebrate his legacy by wearing purple in his honor.” The services will be livestreamed at March Funeral Homes’ website. Have a news tip? Contact Mathew Schumer at mschumer@baltsun.com, 443-890-7423 or @mmmschumer on X. View the full article

C.J. Garnder-Johnson’s time in Baltimore lasted one week. The Ravens signed the polarizing safety to their practice squad last Tuesday in an effort to bulk up their secondary on the heels of disastrous, injury-riddled defensive showing versus Houston. A week later, the team released Gardner-Johnson, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told The Baltimore Sun. Gardner-Johnson joined the practice squad but was not elevated for Baltimore’s Week 6 game versus the Los Angeles Rams. He told The Baltimore Sun that, after being let go by the Texans last month, the Ravens were his “only option.” Gardner-Johnson’s agent told ESPN that they were “looking for a clearer path to play.” That’s a reference to the Ravens making a trade the same day for Alohi Gilman. The former Chargers safety suited up days after arriving in Baltimore and played 44 snaps against the Rams in what coach John Harbaugh called a “good dynamic” for their defense. Gardner-Johnson has a history of short-lived stints. He joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024, tallying six interceptions en route to a Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs. A month later, he was traded to Houston in a salary dump. Gardner-Johnson disagreed. He told “The Pivot” podcast that summer it was because the Eagles were “scared of a competitor.” In Houston, the 2019 fourth-round draft pick logged 15 tackles in three games without a pass breakup. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters it was his decision to move on, citing communication issues and “what’s best for my team.” The Texans released him after three games. Baltimore signed him before Week 6. And he was let go seven days later. Baltimore Sun reporter Brian Wacker contributed to this article, which will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. Related Articles Watch Episode 8 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law The Ravens are 1-5. These 5 stats help explain the slow start. | COMMENTARY Ravens season has been ‘test,’ coach John Harbaugh says as he eyes fixes Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh react to Joe Flacco being traded within division Former Ravens pass rusher Za’Darius Smith abruptly retires View the full article

Episode 8 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law is here. Preston and Coleman break down the Ravens’ latest loss to the Rams. Baltimore is just 1-5 on the season as it enters a much-needed bye week. You can watch it weekly, posting every Tuesday during the NFL season on YouTube and The Baltimore Sun, and listen on Spotify, Apple, Amazon and iHeart. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

The Ravens (1-5) enter their bye week with an alarming set of numbers that define their season-long struggles. “Our focus is going forward,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “We still believe we can do it.” Zero: Quarterback hits from Ravens edge rushers Just days after trading Odafe Oweh to the Chargers, Baltimore’s depleted edge group produced … nothing. Over 54 combined pass-rush snaps in Sunday’s 17-3 loss to the Rams, Kyle Van Noy, Mike Green, David Ojabo and Tavius Robinson failed to register a single quarterback hit against veteran Matthew Stafford. To make matters worse, Robinson, who is tied with defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike for the team lead with two sacks, fractured his foot in the second quarter and will miss between 6-8 weeks, according to Harbaugh. That leaves a pass rush already thin on production scrambling for answers. Among the trio of healthy pass rushers, only Van Noy has registered a single sack this season. Van Noy’s 14.3% pass-rush win rate ranks 42nd in the NFL, according to TruMedia. Green, a second-round draft pick, has just a 5.7% win rate, ranked 107th among 131 qualified pass rushers in the NFL. Across 122 pass-rush snaps, Green has six pressures, two quarterback hits and zero sacks after he led college football last season with 17 sacks at Marshall. Ojabo’s 6.7% win rate would rank 96th if he qualified. If general manager Eric DeCosta truly believes the Ravens are bound for a post-bye turnaround, it’d be within his best interest to acquire external help to beef up the edges. Baltimore’s eight sacks – four of which are from injured players Robinson and Madubuike – are tied for third fewest in the NFL. “It’s been a challenge all year to generate pressure,” Harbaugh said. “We’re going to have to manufacture pressure … but our guys are going to have to step up and create pressure on the four-man rush.” 44.4%: Red-zone touchdown percentage The red alarm should be blaring when it comes to the team’s issues in the most critical part of the field. Baltimore went 0-for-3 inside the red zone against Los Angeles, including an ugly three-play sequence at the goal line before halftime. The Ravens have now converted just 44.4% of their red-zone trips into touchdowns this season, ranking among the bottom dwellers in the league and a steep fall from their efficiency in recent seasons. Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley lies on the turf after being sacked in a 17-3 loss to the Rams. The Ravens' offense has struggled in recent weeks, especially in short-yardage situations. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Short-yardage failures have become defining moments in several of the team’s losses. On Sunday, the Mark Andrews tush push failed on consecutive attempts with the offensive line lacking the push needed, while backups Cooper Rush and Tyler Huntley were unable to compensate for the lack of physicality up front. “We should be way better than we are,” Harbaugh said. “We’ve been talking about fixing it for weeks, and we haven’t done a good job. That’s like the No. 1 thing in my mind on offense – short yardage and goal line.” 80: Season-high penalty yards For the second straight week, the Ravens were buried by penalties. After they were penalized a season-high nine times in Week 5 against Houston, the Ravens were penalized seven times for a season-high 80 yards against the Rams. Baltimore’s 36 total penalties through six games rank 13th in the league. But the timing of its flags has been brutal. A pair of penalties on offensive linemen Daniel Faalele and Ronnie Staley proved to be detrimental on the team’s opening drive. The Ravens had reached the Rams’ 11-yard line, but committed two penalties within three plays to set up third-and-18. Rush, who never completed a pass longer than 10 yards, then connected with Zay Flowers for a four-yard reception, leading to the Ravens’ only points of the day off Tyler Loop’s 37-yard field goal. The Ravens won the coin toss, but insisted they start with possession given the defense’s recent struggles. Had Baltimore come away with seven points rather than three on the opening drive, maybe the result would have been different. But for the second consecutive game, penalties torched the home team. “It feels that way,” Harbaugh said of the momentum effect from self-inflicted mistakes. “You just have to fight to play clean football and do the best you can to play clean football, so they just can’t call you for something … You have to find a way to just keep coaching those things, talking to the guys about those things and drilling those things, because the momentum does start to swing if you keep coaching, and you keep teaching, and the guys want to get better, which our guys do. “That’s all you can do. You just have to keep after it and try to do things the right way.” 439: Derrick Henry rushing yards There was at least one bright spot Sunday. Derrick Henry looked like Derrick Henry again. After four straight sub-50-yard outings, one of the worst stretches of his brilliant career, the All-Pro running back ripped off 122 yards on 24 carries. His 439 rushing yards now rank seventh in the NFL behind Jonathan Taylor, Javonte Williams, Rico Dowdle, Travis Etienne, James Cook and JK Dobbins. “I wish we could play tomorrow,” Henry said. “Anytime you have a couple weeks [like the ones] that we’ve had, I always wish we could play the next day, but that’s not how it goes. It isn’t basketball, so you have to wait. The bye lets guys rest up who need it and come back next week ready to go to work. [We will] get better through this week, through the bye week, and then hit the ground running when it’s time to go.” Related Articles Ravens season has been ‘test,’ coach John Harbaugh says as he eyes fixes Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh react to Joe Flacco being traded within division Former Ravens pass rusher Za’Darius Smith abruptly retires READER POLL: Who had the more disappointing start to their season: The Ravens or Orioles? 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 17-3 loss to the Rams 10: Total turnovers, tied for second most in the NFL The Ravens have committed 10 turnovers through six games, including three more against the Rams. Baltimore’s 10 giveaways are tied for the second most in the NFL. During a game in which the Ravens finally ended their four-week takeaway drought, the team’s offense wasted that effort. Sloppy execution and timely mistakes continue to play a major role in Baltimore’s disappointing season. Wide receiver Zay Flowers, who was involved in two fumbles lost on consecutive possessions in the second half, was a quick departure from the postgame locker room, declining to discuss his critical mistakes. “You can’t win by turning the ball over,” Harbaugh said. “You want to look at why the record is the way it is – start with that. That’s the main thing.” Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. View the full article

Ravens coach John Harbaugh spoke for 31 minutes Monday afternoon in Owings Mills. Questions abounded. About the lack of pass rush. An offensive line that lacks push and has struggled to block. Goal-to-go foibles. A once-Super Bowl favorite is now the antithesis following a disastrous 1-5 start that included a fourth straight loss Sunday in familiarly ignominious fashion, 17-3, to the Los Angeles Rams. What has it been like? “It’s been a test,” Harbaugh said amid a four-minute response. “It’s been a test of faith, your family, it’s a test for your family, a test for everybody in the building.” Now comes a bye week and another attempt to locate the answers. Players will practice Tuesday and Wednesday before having four days off, as required by the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement. Coaches, of course, will spend the entirety of the week at the team’s facility. One problem for them to figure out is, where will the pass rush come from now? Last week, Baltimore traded Odafe Oweh — who registered his first sack of the season on Sunday — to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for safety Alohi Gilman. Then, the Ravens lost outside linebacker Tavius Robinson, who broke his foot Sunday and will miss 6-8 weeks, Harbaugh said. That leaves just three outside linebackers (veteran Kyle Van Noy, rookie Mike Green and David Ojabo) on the 53-man roster, with Adisa Isaac, who suffered a dislocated elbow during the Ravens’ second preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, not expected to come off injured reserve until at least mid or late November. “It’s been a challenge all year to generate pressure, so we’re gonna have to manufacture pressure,” Harbaugh said of a unit that came into the week ranked 16th in pass rush win-rate, according to ESPN analytics. “Our guys are going to have to step up and create pressure on the four-man rush.” It hasn’t happened. Baltimore has just one current defender on the roster (tackle Travis Jones) who ranks in the top 100 in pass rush win percentage, according to Pro Football Focus. The only other player in the top 150 is Van Noy. The Ravens can try to scheme pressure with simulated pressures or actual blitzes, but they have largely not been effective. Related Articles Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh react to Joe Flacco being traded within division Former Ravens pass rusher Za’Darius Smith abruptly retires READER POLL: Who had the more disappointing start to their season: The Ravens or Orioles? 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 17-3 loss to the Rams Packers overcome Joe Flacco’s comeback attempt and beat Bengals, 27-18 Still, at this point, they just need healthy players. They have Malik Hamm and Kaimon Rucker on the practice squad, and one or both will get a shot. Or, they could look outside the building, something that Harbaugh said is “certainly” on the table. That might not be the only change. Asked if he is further considering changes on the offensive line, where left guard Andrew Vorhees and right guard Daniel Faalele in particular have struggled, he said, “absolutely.” Of course, he has said that before, and the lineup has remained intact. But a bye week should buy some time to at least experiment. One option could be third-round rookie Emery Jones, who began practicing two weeks ago after missing all of the spring and summer because of shoulder surgery. Harbaugh also said Jones hasn’t been able to work on pass protection because of the shoulder, but they are “trying to get him up to speed as quick as we possibly can.” Other possibilities are second-year Corey Bullock, a former Maryland standout, and veteran Ben Cleveland, though Harbaugh has been reluctant to turn to Cleveland on several opportunities in recent years. Of course, the most significant difference for the Ravens the next time they take the field will be at quarterback, with Lamar Jackson expected back for a Week 8 home game against the Chicago Bears. Without Jackson, who has missed the past two games because of a hamstring injury, Baltimore’s offense has struggled mightily and especially at the unit’s most important position. In his absence, backup Cooper Rush has completed 64% of his passes for 251 yards with zero touchdowns and four interceptions in two starts. Ravens quarterbacks Cooper Rush, center, and Tyler Huntley, right, warm up before Sunday's game against the Rams. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Asked whether Rush will remain the backup quarterback once Jackson returns, Harbaugh parsed his words. “Is Cooper Rush still the second-string quarterback?” he said, repeating the question as if pondering a response. “I’m gonna say yes. But I will also say we’ve got two backup quarterbacks.” The other is Tyler Huntley, who momentarily injected some life into the offense on Sunday in relief of Rush. But Harbaugh also said there are some roster decisions that have to be made. Huntley has one practice squad elevation remaining. Injury updates For a second straight week, left tackle Ronnie Stanley has either been inactive or had to leave the game early because of an ankle injury, which he did in the second quarter Sunday against the Rams, retreating to the bench, where he sat with a towel over his head for the duration. “It’s structurally good, or he wouldn’t be out there playing,” Harbaugh said. “It becomes a matter of his ability to perform on it, and the only person that knows that is the player; so you’ve got to go by that. But he’s fighting to get out there and play.” When fullback Patrick Ricard began practicing for the first time since mid-August last week, Harbaugh said the target for his return would be the Bears game. Monday, he was a little less definitive about whether the All-Pro, who has been sidelined with a calf injury, would be ready by then. “I don’t know,” he said. “The way it works — the way the injury is — is it’s pretty much recovered from that kind of a standpoint; it’s just a matter of him being comfortable with his level of strength and his ability to perform. It’s him being able to get out there and push himself through practice and feel like it’s going to stay healthy, feel like he can move and run, change direction and power into people.” On a more positive note for Baltimore, Harbaugh said cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who appeared to be banged up Sunday, is physically OK. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Joe Flacco started the season with the Cleveland Browns. After benching the veteran in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel, Cleveland traded Flacco to an AFC North rival. The Cincinnati Bengals brought in Flacco, who won a Super Bowl with the Ravens in 2012, to help replace the injured Joe Burrow. Flacco started Sunday in Cincinnati’s loss to the Packers, and he’s expected to start Thursday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Count Steelers coach Mike Tomlin among those perplexed by the divisional trade. “To be honest, it was shocking to me,” he said Monday. “[Cleveland general manager] Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me or us because it doesn’t make sense to me to trade a quarterback that you think enough of to make your opening day starter to a division opponent that’s hurting in that area. But that’s just my personal feelings.” Tomlin made clear his confusion lies solely with the Browns’ side of the decision. “It certainly makes sense from Cincinnati’s perspective,” Tomlin said with a wide grin. The smiles spread through the division. When asked about Tomlin’s reaction Monday, Ravens coach John Harbaugh cracked a smile. He kept his thoughts about the deal mostly to himself, though. “I didn’t think about it that much, probably because we don’t play the Browns or the Bengals for four or five weeks or something like that. … I was surprised,” Harbaugh admitted. “I will say that.” While the Browns’ and Bengals’ moves at quarterback have at least caught the attention of opposing franchises in the division, most people anticipate the division to be decided by Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Steelers (4-1) currently hold a 3 1/2-game lead over the Ravens in the AFC North, but Jackson is expected to return from injury in Week 8 after the Ravens’ Week 7 bye. Even with a 1-5 record, FanDuel gives Baltimore the second-best odds to win the AFC North at +165. The Steelers are finally the favorite (-150) after the Ravens were still the betting favorite at 1-4. The Bengals (+1400) and Browns (+3300) aren’t expected to factor into the divisional race. Despite a growing deficit in the division, the Ravens are banking that Jackson’s return can turn the tide. “If I was on the couch with a psychiatrist right now, if I was spilling it, I’d say I’m leaning really hard into that,” Harbaugh said of Jackson’s expected return. Tomlin didn’t need a hypothetical shrink to share his feelings about the Flacco trade. Related Articles Ravens season has been ‘test,’ coach John Harbaugh says as he eyes fixes Former Ravens pass rusher Za’Darius Smith abruptly retires READER POLL: Who had the more disappointing start to their season: The Ravens or Orioles? 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 17-3 loss to the Rams Packers overcome Joe Flacco’s comeback attempt and beat Bengals, 27-18 His disdain for the Browns’ front office might be caused by Pittsburgh’s upcoming schedule. The Steelers face Flacco and the Bengals on Thursday and again in a month on Nov. 16. Pittsburgh beat Cleveland on Sunday, holding Gabriel to 221 passing yards on 53 attempts in a 23-9 victory. The Ravens don’t face the Bengals until Thanksgiving, although they did beat Flacco and the Browns in Week 2. It’s possible Baltimore could face Flacco three times this season, depending on when Burrow’s turf toe injury heals. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Za’Darius Smith abruptly announced his retirement Monday, five games into his eighth NFL season and first with the Philadelphia Eagles. The 33-year-old pass rusher called it a career in a post on Instagram. The Eagles lost Thursday night at the New York Giants to fall to 4-2 and play at Minnesota on Sunday. Smith signed with the reigning Super Bowl champions the day after their Week 1 win against Dallas. He spent last season with Cleveland and Detroit. “As I step into the newest season of my life, please know this game has meant the world to me,” Smith said. “The lessons learned on and off the field will stay with me forever.” Smith was a three-time Pro Bowl selection, in 2019 and ’20 with Green Bay and again in 2022 with Minnesota. He had 10 tackles in five games with the Eagles. Smith played for Baltimore from 2015 through 2018, with the Ravens drafting him in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft. His best season with the Ravens came in 2018, when he posted 8 1/2 sacks across 16 games played and eight starts. The Baltimore Sun’s staff contributed to this article. View the full article

The Ravens are not who we thought they were. A team with Super Bowl aspirations is 1-5 and losers of four straight after another embarrassing defeat, the latest a 17-3 loss to the Rams at home on Sunday. Yet, somehow their brutal start might not even be the worst for a professional franchise in Baltimore this year. The Orioles, another team that entered the year with a championship on their minds, started 15-28 before they fired manager Brandon Hyde and never recovered to finish with a losing record. Which team had the more disappointing start to their season? We want to hear from you. Are 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

Right now, the only thing that can slow the bleeding of this Ravens season from hell is the bye week. We’ve finally arrived, but not before another Baltimore clunker. This one, a 17-3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Here are five things we learned: If it’s not one thing with this team, it’s another In a postgame locker room largely cleared out by players itching to get home and flush this fourth straight loss — a first for Baltimore since 2021 — there stood DeAndre Hopkins. He’s a 33-year-old veteran who has experienced the many highs and lows football has to offer. Hopkins, a three-time All-Pro in Year 13, is as thoughtful as he is talented. This particular question in a postgame media scrum didn’t warrant much musing. Was Hopkins surprised by the Ravens’ 1-5 start? He shook his head no, “Bad football will get you 1-5.” Unfortunately for these Ravens, that’s not a singular fix. They can’t point to just one facet of their play, six weeks into the season, that consolidates all their “bad football.” It seems every week offers something new. For much of this season, enough of it could be blamed on the defense. Sunday was different. “Our defense did a hell of a job,” running back Derrick Henry said. “But as far as offense, we definitely have to be better.” If it’s not one thing with this team, it’s another. Baltimore returned defensive staples Kyle Hamilton and Marlon Humphrey from injury. Then outside linebacker Tavius Robinson broke his foot. The Ravens forced their first takeaway since Week 2. But they turned the ball over thrice. The defense held Los Angeles’ very good offense to a manageable 17 points. But the offense was held out of the end zone for the first time in three years. Henry clocked his most yards on the ground (122) since Week 1. But the Ravens failed to convert 4 of 6 fourth-down tries. Now, Baltimore’s season enters unsalvageable territory. One win through six weeks matches the worst start in franchise history. Three points marks their fewest points scored in a home game since 2002. Every week, players and coaches try to make sense of what went wrong the previous Sunday. They vow to correct it. Then they find another way to box themselves out of the win column. “Obviously, a little tired of getting up here and having this conversation,” coach John Harbaugh said. The Ravens’ only option is to stack a win streak coming out of the bye, with games against Chicago, Miami then Minnesota. It’s not impossible. “I feel like we still have time,” Henry said. “Just believe in us.” Related Articles Packers overcome Joe Flacco’s comeback attempt and beat Bengals, 27-18 Mike Preston: Ravens need Lamar Jackson to pull off a miracle | COMMENTARY Josh Tolentino: The Ravens look lost. The boos said it all. | COMMENTARY For Ravens fans, apathy is setting in: ‘Vibes are just really bad’ The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 17-3 loss to Rams The Ravens finally lost faith in Cooper Rush With 13:30 left in the fourth quarter and the Ravens trailing by two scores, a No. 5 purple jersey emerged from the bench. Third-string quarterback Tyler Huntley, whom Baltimore signed to its practice squad in late August, refocused all the wandering eyes. Every fan who might have opened the discussion among their traveling party about heading for the exits early was now locked in, leaning forward in their seats. Even Lamar Jackson stood up to watch Huntley — who replaced the injured two-time Most Valuable Player in 2022 — take over. Harbaugh said he planned to play both throughout the game. He claimed to have not seen an obvious mid-game opening to pull Cooper Rush and give Huntley a try. Those watching such an uninspiring offense seemed to think differently. Fans on a windy October Sunday let Rush hear it. They already saw him throw three interceptions last week. Baltimore’s slugfest rolled into Week 6, and so fans called for Huntley. But not before booing Rush off the field on three straight drives. When Rams kicker Joshua Karty shanked a chip shot in the first quarter that gave the ball back to Baltimore with a lead (something we haven’t seen much of this year), Rush threw his fourth interception in five quarters as a Ravens starter. When the Ravens opted to go for it on fourth-and-3, Rush rolled out to his right and sailed a throw intended for Zay Flowers streaking into open grass. That pulled the plug on any momentum gained from the forced turnover moments before. When Todd Monken’s offense picked up some steam and reached midfield, Rush threw a third-and-8 ball at the feet of an open Mark Andrews. So ensued the negative energy from an antsy home crowd. Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush threw for only 72 yards against the Rams before being replaced by Tyler Huntley in the fourth quarter Sunday. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Rush finished the day 11 of 19 for 72 yards. His replacement finished out the fourth quarter 10 of 15 with 68 yards through the air, albeit against a fourth-quarter defense that was protecting a 14-point lead. Huntley’s magnetism climaxed on a fourth-and-12 try. There were four minutes left, and punting would have been the ultimate white flag. Huntley scampered for 19 yards by himself, extending a drive that reached the red zone but yielded no points. “If I were in ‘Coop’s situation, I wouldn’t want to get pulled when you’re trying to win the game,” Huntley said. “There’s a lot of stuff that, as a quarterback, you just have to be ready for.” Surely, everyone in that locker room is ready to be done with the conversation once Jackson returns after the bye week. Goal-line offense issues haven’t been resolved This offseason, the Ravens were one of 10 teams that voted in favor of keeping the “tush push” — the short-distance set in which a player takes the snap and teammates shove his derrière over the line, made popular by the Philadelphia Eagles. Detractors claim it ruins the product of the game. The play requires “no skill,” one high-ranking Packers front office member said after a playoff loss last season. He called it an “automatic first down.” The Ravens would like to have a word. In the waning seconds before halftime, they failed twice at the sure-thing, then got stuffed trying a regular Henry run on fourth down. While Baltimore has had success pushing Andrews’ tush in the past, this anticlimactic goal-line bust “didn’t get any push,” Harbaugh said. That took the wind out of Baltimore’s sails heading into halftime tied at 3 when they could have been up 10-3. “That sucks,” center Tyler Linderbaum said. “We just didn’t get a yard. They wanted it more than us. When it comes down to it, who wants it more?” The tush push was a new approach to an issue that’s plagued the Ravens all season. There are 22 NFL teams better than Baltimore at scoring touchdowns once they get inside the red zone. The Ravens score at a 53.3% clip. Remember when Jackson fumbled against the Lions after three failed attempts from inside the 5-yard line? Or against Cleveland, when Baltimore needed all four tries to finally punch in a touchdown? Those frustrations resurfaced with the two holding penalties that foiled the Ravens’ opening drive, instead leaving them with a field goal, their only points. Add Sunday’s goal-line meltdown to the growing list. “I mean, that’s just unacceptable,” Henry said. Defense finally showed some life The 6-foot-3, 360-pound John Jenkins lumbered up field, holding the football to the gray sky, wearing a toothy smile under his face mask. His Ravens teammates were right there beside him on a celebratory caravan for the team’s first takeaway since Week 2 vs. Cleveland. That romping against a division foe was the last time Baltimore’s defense showed this much juice. Ravens defensive tackle John Jenkins sacks Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and recovers Stafford's fumble Sunday. The takeaway was the team's first forced turnover since Week 2. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Jenkins’ strip-sack answered the prayers of a defense that spent all offseason touting the importance of takeaways and has since failed to deliver. Not to mention, the Ravens were one of the worst teams in football at bringing down the quarterback. On Sunday, linebackers Teddye Buchanan and Trenton Simpson teamed up for the Ravens’ second of the day on a crucial fourth-and-short. “I thought our defense played pretty darn well against a high-powered offense,” Harbaugh said. It may have cooled the seat under defensive coordinator Zach Orr. With each loss, his job has come into question. Harbaugh continually backed his young coach. But if a staffing change were to happen, this break in the schedule would be the time. And yet, Sunday night, Harbaugh didn’t waiver: “I don’t really have any plans to do that. No, I don’t think there’s any obvious move there that would make us better.” Ravens defensive players have all insisted these shortcomings are on them. Not Orr. At the very least, they held up their end of the bargain Sunday afternoon. Rams running back Kyren Williams’ 50 rushing yards were his fewest this season. Matthew Stafford, the league’s leader in passing yards, threw for only 181 yards, his lowest mark this season (granted, he was without star receiver Puka Nacua for much of the game). And the Ravens’ defense walled up on fourth down for the first time since Week 2 (Lions, Chiefs and Texans were all perfect converting fourth-down attempts). “We needed to see that,” Harbaugh said. The most noticeable difference was the injection of safety Alohi Gilman, whom Baltimore acquired via trade with the Los Angeles Chargers. Gilman learned a “whole new football scheme in three days” and looked right at home in Baltimore’s offense. It allowed for Orr to play around with three safety looks, which means Hamilton can move closer to the line of scrimmage. Sunday was the first time the Ravens’ defense went consecutive drives without allowing points to a team’s starting quarterback since the second quarter in Week 3 vs. Detroit. They pushed around Los Angeles in two such instances in the loss. While all of this is a good sign for the potential course-correction required after the bye week, Baltimore won’t get home scotch free. Robinson’s broken foot is “a bad one,” Harbaugh said. Baltimore is already light on pass rushers. Nnamdi Madubuike was ruled out for the season with a neck injury, and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh was traded in the Gilman deal. Oweh recorded a sack in his Chargers debut, a 29-27 win over the Dolphins. These guys can’t catch a break. Thank goodness for the bye week The Ravens can sigh a bit of relief. They won’t play another game for 14 days. Baltimore is in desperate need of this break. Both for the emotional reset of the team’s worst start since 2015, which chops off another few percentage points from their playoff chances, and to address the unending injury woes that have plagued the first third of Baltimore’s season. Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton warms up before Sunday's game vs. the Rams. Hamilton is one of several Ravens who have battled injuries this season. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Most crucially, the Ravens should return their star quarterback from a hamstring injury for Week 8 versus Chicago. They hope to have middle linebacker Roquan Smith and fullback Pat Ricard back. Hamilton, Humphrey, left tackle Ronnie Stanley and cornerback Chidobe Awuzie have all dealt with injuries to varying degrees these past three weeks. The break should offer some solace in that department. These past few weeks have been a sprint, every step weighed down by a loss then the ensuing questions trying to figure out what went wrong. Harbaugh said he doesn’t have “any plans” to make staffing changes over the break. Either way, they’ll spend the next week balancing the urgency to course correct and the obligation to embrace a break in the schedule. “I wish we could play tomorrow,” Henry said. “The bye lets guys rest up who need it … then we’ll hit the ground running when it’s time to go.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Josh Jacobs rushed for two touchdowns and the Green Bay Packers held off Cincinnati for a 27-18 victory in Joe Flacco’s Bengals debut on Sunday. Jacobs had a 3-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and opened the fourth by scoring on a 14-yard burst up the middle. Jordan Love went 19 of 26 for 259 yards with an interception and a 19-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft. Lucas Havrisik sealed the win by making the second of his two field goals, a 39-yarder with 1:52 remaining. Havrisik also kicked a 43-yarder a day after signing with the Packers because usual kicker Brandon McManus had injured his quadriceps. Cincinnati’s final hope vanished when Evan McPherson was wide right on a 56-yard attempt with 41 seconds left. McPherson also made a 45-yard field goal and was well short on what would have been an NFL-record 67-yarder to end the first half. The Packers (3-1-1) returned from a bye week with their first home game since Sept. 11. They bounced back from two straight subpar performances — a 13-10 loss at Cleveland and a 40-40 tie with Dallas. Flacco was Cleveland’s quarterback in that victory over the Packers three weeks ago. He was acquired by Cincinnati (2-4) on Tuesday. The 40-year-old Flacco was 29 of 45 for 219 yards and two touchdowns, but the Bengals dropped their fourth consecutive game. Although Cincinnati never led, the Bengals made it a one-score game on Flacco’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase on a fourth-and-5 play with 4:11 to go. A 2-point conversion pass from Flacco to Chase Brown cut Green Bay’s lead to 24-18. But the Bengals’ defense couldn’t get a stop down the stretch. Neither team punted in the second half. Love threw a 31-yard pass to Matthew Golden on third-and-8 to get the Packers down to Cincinnati’s 29-yard line with 2:24 remaining. That set up Havrisik’s second field goal. Flacco became the eighth quarterback since at least 1950 to start against the same opponent twice in a season while playing for two different teams. The only quarterback to win both games in that scenario was Jack Kemp, who guided the AFL’s Buffalo Bills and San Diego Chargers past the New York Titans in 1962. The Bengals' Joe Flacco throws under pressure by the Packers in the first half Sunday in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) Cincinnati was outscored 10-0 and outgained 240-65 in the first half, marking the fourth straight game in which the Bengals failed to reach the end zone before halftime. The Bengals got back into the game by opening the second half with a 17-play, 78-yard touchdown drive that lasted 10 minutes, 14 seconds. On fourth-and-goal, Flacco threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Tanner Hudson, who entered Sunday’s game without any catches all season. Jacobs’ second touchdown made it 17-7. Cincinnati cut the lead to 17-10 with 10:43 left before Love and Kraft connected for Green Bay’s longest touchdown completion of the season. Kraft caught the ball a couple of yards beyond the line of scrimmage, shed a tackle and lowered his shoulder to get through cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt and land in the right corner of the end zone. Injuries Bengals: TE Mike Gesicki (pectoral) and DE Trey Hendrickson (back) both left the game. Packers: DE Lukas Van Ness was carted into the locker room with a foot injury in the third quarter. WR Dontayvion Wicks hurt his ankle. S Javon Bullard was evaluated for a concussion. Up next Bengals: Host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Packers: Visit the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. View the full article

The Ravens’ season is now down to the return of quarterback Lamar Jackson. That’s because there is no other hope. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player has to pull off another miracle if the Ravens have any playoff aspirations. Can that happen? Probably not, at least not with what we’ve seen from Jackson in the first four weeks of the season. He appeared a few steps slower and was even run down on several occasions, which has never happened to Jackson throughout his eight-year career. His decision making was slow, which might have been from the injured hamstring, or it’s from opposing teams blitzing him and keeping spies around the line of scrimmage, not allowing him to escape. But that’s where this team is right now. The Ravens are 1-5 after losing, 17-3, to the Los Angeles Rams in a game they could have won. That’s the new course chartered by the Ravens. They are staring into the abyss. A team that many predicted as Super Bowl champion has lost it way. It’s sad to see, downright humiliating. The most talented team in the 30-year history of this franchise has gone bust. And now, all hopes are on Jackson. Regardless of the score Sunday, it’s apparent that the Ravens have to score 30 or 40 points to win. They lost, 41-40, in a stunning comeback by the Buffalo Bills in the season opener. They handled Cleveland in Week 2 (after a scary first half) but then gave up 38, 37 points and 44 in losses to Detroit, Kansas City and Houston. There is a trend here. When it comes to the supposedly elite teams, the Ravens are getting mauled. That is where Jackson enters the picture. Before the hamstring injury sidelined him for the past two games, the Ravens had some semblance of a real NFL offense. The team’s best play always consisted of Jackson running around with his scrambling ability. That’s why NFL fans, especially those in Baltimore, are mesmerized by his playmaking ability and his improvement throwing the long ball. With this team, Jackson has to pull another rabbit out of the hat. The Ravens’ backup quarterbacks are awful. No. 2 Cooper Rush completed 11 of 19 passes Sunday for 72 yards and finished with a passer rating of 44.2. Most of his throws were of the dink-and-dunk variety, with nothing more than 10 yards. Question: Is this the NFL or high school football? No. 3 quarterback Tyler Huntley has a skill set similar to Jackson’s, but can’t throw as well. By the time he came into the game in the fourth quarter, he was harassed by the Rams’ defense, which totaled four sacks and 11 hits on the quarterback. Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley passes in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Rams. The Ravens used Huntley and Cooper Rush, but only scored three points in a 17-3 defeat. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) This offensive line is not very good. Even though running back Derrick Henry had a strong performance, rushing for 122 yards on 24 carries, the Ravens couldn’t pass block. That 14-point deficit in the third quarter was practically insurmountable. And do we really want to talk about defense? The Ravens had nearly a 15-minute advantage as far as time of possession, but still allowed 241 yards of total offense. Rams wide receiver Davante Adams dropped three passes and quarterback Matthew Stafford overthrew him twice in the end zone on the Rams’ first drive, or the score might have been worse. The 8-yard touchdown pass that Stafford threw to tight end Tyler Higbee in the third quarter was the same type of play Houston and Detroit used in previous games. There were signs that the Ravens’ defense improved Sunday, but not to the point where it can be counted on week after week. OK, Mr. Jackson, time to play. The Ravens have no other chance. At least with Jackson and Henry, the Ravens have an inside and outside threat with both players, especially on option plays. They have a quarterback who has improved significantly in the past two years throwing long passes and can roll to his left and hit open receivers. More importantly, Jackson gives this team hope. It’s not phony. They believe in him and that they can win any game with him as the starter. Related Articles Packers overcome Joe Flacco’s comeback attempt and beat Bengals, 27-18 Josh Tolentino: The Ravens look lost. The boos said it all. | COMMENTARY For Ravens fans, apathy is setting in: ‘Vibes are just really bad’ The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 17-3 loss to Rams What Tom Brady said about the Ravens during ugly loss to Rams That’s the key for a team that is void of leadership, especially from the veterans. There are no alpha males on this team, even with Jackson. In 2000, the Ravens had defensive linemen like Tony Siragusa, Rob Burnett, Sam Adams and Mike McCrary. In 2012, they had receiver Anquan Boldin, linebacker Ray Lewis and safeties Bernard Pollard and Ed Reed. Now, they have no one, but only the hope that comes from Jackson. The magic number to get to the playoffs as always is about 10 wins, and the Ravens have 11 games remaining and just one victory. Can Jackson help them go on a nine-game winning streak in a sorry league with games against Miami, Minnesota, Cleveland and Cincinnati? Those are all teams without bonafide starting quarterbacks. No, but at least his return adds some intrigue to a season that has gone south. That’s all there is left. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

The boos at M&T Bank Stadium had already started, but they intensified after the Ravens somehow failed to punch it in from the 1-yard line — an inexplicable three-play sequence that ended with nothing but frustration echoing through the building near the end of the first half. The boos were sharp and unrelenting, loud enough to seep through the thick press box glass. That’s what led me to wander out to the 500 level at halftime, curious to stand among a few family members and the disgruntled 70,000-plus in attendance (paid attendance, anyway), an opportunity to see what this 17-3 loss to the Los Angles Rams looked like through Flock Nation’s eyes and to fully hear the discontent from a fan base that expected much more. Section 529 overlooks the Ravens’ sideline, a perfect perch to take in the unraveling that happened moments later. Even from way up there, nothing felt distant. The Lamar Jackson-less Ravens opened the second half with back-to-back turnovers, shiny gifts the Rams quickly turned into a pair of touchdowns. Baltimore’s top wide receiver, Zay Flowers, was involved in both ugly sequences; he first fumbled while trying to gain extra yards and then botched a handoff from veteran backup quarterback Cooper Rush. As Flowers and company slowly retreated to the sideline, the boos poured in even louder as pockets of fans simultaneously streamed toward the exits. The irony in all of this is that Baltimore commanded the exact type of slugfest it wanted Sunday afternoon. The Ravens dominated the clock, holding the ball for more than 37 minutes compared with the Rams’ 22:05. All-Pro tailback Derrick Henry finally exploded for one of his best outings of the season (24 carries for 122 yards), hammering through the Rams’ first and second levels of defenders and dictating tempo in Baltimore’s favor. This was the type of game the Ravens used to dominate with a bruising rush attack paired with a disciplined and much-improved defense that limited the high-powered Rams to a season-low 241 yards. The Ravens also finally ended a four-week takeaway drought when veteran defensive lineman John Jenkins strip-sacked quarterback Matthew Stafford. According to the franchise’s history and standard, this looked much more like Ravens football. Yet, Baltimore was held out of the end zone, its offense sputtering time and time again, undone by its own repetitive mistakes. “Bad football will get you 1-5,” veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins said. “Whatever you put out there … that’s how football works. When the other team is not playing bad football and doing whatever they need to do, that’s the result, man.” Related Articles Packers overcome Joe Flacco’s comeback attempt and beat Bengals, 27-18 Mike Preston: Ravens need Lamar Jackson to pull off a miracle | COMMENTARY For Ravens fans, apathy is setting in: ‘Vibes are just really bad’ The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 17-3 loss to Rams What Tom Brady said about the Ravens during ugly loss to Rams The Ravens committed three turnovers, seven penalties, and went 0-for-3 in the red zone, unable to capitalize on a much-needed bounce-back performance from their defense. There should be absolutely no place in today’s modern NFL in which Baltimore spends nearly 38 minutes with the ball but walks away with no touchdowns. “When it comes down to it, who wants it more?” center Tyler Linderbaum said. “[The Rams] wanted it more than us.” That failure isn’t just about three poor play calls flaming out within four feet of the pylon. Rather, Baltimore’s latest failure is unveiling a pattern that’s formed over the season’s first six weeks. “We made some critical mistakes that cost us an opportunity to win the game,” Harbaugh said. “That’s what we have to get straightened out. That’ll be the key going forward.” Many seats were empty in the fourth quarter Sunday. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) From my view above the home sideline, the mood on the bench reflected the fed-up crowd. Helmets and heads hung lower with each mistake. Words exchanged between players carried a sense of added frustration. The sense of stability this team has leaned on for years — the trademark calm under Harbaugh — felt like it was disappearing just as it did in the team’s other four disappointing defeats. The Ravens have spent weeks saying that they need to clean things up, that they have too much talent to be where they are. But ceilings and talent don’t matter when Baltimore keeps tripping over itself. This team continues to find new ways to lose, and on Sunday, that played out in front of a restless fan base. To be clear, this isn’t a call to fire Harbaugh as the team enters the much-needed bye. Over the next 14 days until Baltimore’s next game against Chicago, Harbaugh’s renowned stability and longtime messaging need a deep revisit, along with the team’s many issues. Getting Jackson back in the starting lineup will be key, too (you can only imagine the Ravens beat the Rams handily if he’s in the huddle paired with the defense’s rebound outing), as Baltimore approaches a softer part of its schedule. “You can’t allow the weight of the disappointment or the weight of the scrutiny to derail you,” Harbaugh said. “We can accomplish what we want to accomplish. We can do it. We’re the kind of team that can do it.” The Ravens face a herculean task over the season’s final 10 weeks coming out of their Week 7 bye. Only four teams in NFL history have started 1-5 and still made the playoffs. Under the league’s current playoff format that was implemented in 2020, only the 2020 Washington Commanders have accomplished the feat. Back in the upper bowl at The Bank, the boos and expletives directed toward the home team represented a passionate but tired fan base. Down on the field, the skidding Ravens dropped their fourth consecutive game, looking like a lost team in desperate need of direction. Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. View the full article

The tenor of M&T Bank Stadium was encapsulated by two fights that broke out midway through the second quarter. Ten people were ejected from the stadium, stadium employee Asut Ames said. The fights reflected the frustration of a fan base that, for the second straight week, filed out of the stadium long before the final whistle. “Fire Harbaugh” chants broke out, boos rained down as the Ravens went into halftime tied at 3, and a loud “Tyler Huntley” chant echoed through the stands in the third quarter as Baltimore failed to score a touchdown in its 17-3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday afternoon. Even before the game, it was clear Ravens fans were growing frustrated with the team — and, at times, each other. Paid attendance for Sunday’s game was 70,055 — the fifth-lowest at M&T Bank Stadium in the past decade — but the stands weren’t nearly that full at any point on the windy and dreary afternoon as many fans decided to stay home. A year ago, Baltimore averaged 71,052 fans per game, the ninth-highest mark in the NFL. The fans who showed up Sunday were displeased with the team’s effort. “The vibes are just really bad. It’s kind of like a heavy cloud over the stadium,” said 30-year-old season-ticket holder Dakota London, of Abingdon. “It’s just not good, man, there’s a bad vibe going around right now.” Several fans said Sunday’s contest was one of the quietest atmospheres they have attended at M&T Bank Stadium. Glen Burnie native Gage Utz said the stadium “felt more empty than it usually is.” Even fans who did attend seemed not to be focused on the game, Utz said. Season-ticket holder Luke Milliken, 25, said he typically sells his tickets for more than $140. He said the market value for Sunday’s game was much lower than usual. “It’s the whole team. They’re not performing on either side of the ball, and they’re trading guys away,” Utz, 24, said. “You see all these other teams, like the 49ers and all these other teams have backup guys, they’re still winning games, and obviously we’re not doing that.” The Ravens’ play did not inspire much confidence for their fan base. Baltimore’s offense was booed off the field after it failed to score from the goal line in the first half. Quarterback Cooper Rush missed several throws, and Zay Flowers fumbled the ball twice (although one was credited to Rush on the handoff). Related Articles The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 17-3 loss to Rams What Tom Brady said about the Ravens during ugly loss to Rams Instant analysis from Ravens’ 17-3 loss to Rams to fall to 1-5 Ravens’ free fall continues with embarrassing 17-3 loss to Rams Ravens’ Tavius Robinson breaks foot vs. Rams; Ronnie Stanley leaves early Ontario native Tyler Morwood and his friends made the eight-hour drive from Canada to watch their annual Ravens game. The long-time fans said Sunday was a shocking atmosphere to experience, as they watched another blowout loss. “[Teams] used to come here and know they were going to be in a dog fight. That doesn’t happen anymore,” Morwood, 35, said. “It sucks. We didn’t even get to see a touchdown.” “This is the first time I’ve ever seen this. I’ve never seen people leaving this stadium before [fourth quarter] kicks off. I’ve never seen people leaving like this, and that’s the sign of the time. The wheels have fallen off the wagon, and the wagon’s on fire.” For a team that started with such high expectations, a 1-5 record at the bye week is a sobering reminder of how poorly this season has gone. Running back Derrick Henry admitted the record was bad, but asked fans to stick with the team. “We always appreciate the fans through everything. We know it’s rough right now, they want to see a good product out there, and we haven’t been displaying that,” Henry said. “Them leaving early is a given.” Fans head toward the exits early in the fourth quarter of the Ravens' game Sunday against the Rams. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) The upper section of the stadium was nearly 80% empty by the time the game reached the fourth quarter. The concourse was filled with fans exiting early, hoping to beat the traffic instead of watching their team struggle through another loss. Utz and Milliken left their seats in the second quarter, choosing to watch the game from the concourse instead. As the fourth quarter rolled around, they decided to leave, choosing not to spend the remainder of their weekend at M&T Bank Stadium. They made new plans. “Probably just going to try and drown our sorrows at the bars instead of being here,” Utz said. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Jane at sjane@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Sam_Jane230. Baltimore Ravens fans head down to the exits as the Los Angeles Rams continue to dominate during the fourth quarter in Baltimore. The Ravens dropped to 1-5 with a 17-3 loss. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Most fans heave abandoned their seats with the Baltimore Ravens down against the Los Angeles Rams during the fourth quarter in Baltimore. The Ravens dropped to 1-5 with a 17-3 loss. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Seats were empty throughout the afternoon as the Baltimore Ravens play the Los Angeles Rams during the fourth quarter in Baltimore. The Ravens dropped to 1-5 with a 17-3 loss. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Empty seats show in every section as the Baltimore Ravens play the Los Angeles Rams during the fourth quarter in Baltimore. The Ravens dropped to 1-5 with a 17-3 loss. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens fans appear stunned as their team fail to make progress against the Los Angeles Rams during the fourth quarter in Baltimore. The Ravens dropped to 1-5 with a 17-3 loss. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens fans express their disappointment with not attempting a field goal or failing to convert on fourth down as a pass by quarterback Cooper Rush is overthrown against the Los Angeles Rams during the second quarter in Baltimore. The Ravens dropped to 1-5 with a 17-3 loss. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Baltimore Ravens fans are speechless after the team fail to pound the ball into the end zone against the Los Angeles Rams on four downs, failing to chalk up a single point during the second quarter in Baltimore. The Ravens dropped to 1-5 with a 17-3 loss. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Empty seats in M&T Bank Stadium during Ravens Rams game in the first quarter. The Rams defeated the Ravens 17-3 at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Many empty seats can be seen throughout the seating bowl as the Los Angeles Rams kick off to the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter in Baltimore. The Ravens dropped to 1-5 with a 17-3 loss. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Ravens fans leave the stadium in the fourth quarter. The Rams defeated the Ravens 17-3 at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Ravens fans sit quietly late in the fourth quarter as the Rams defeated the Ravens 17-3 at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Dejected Ravens fans late in the fourth quarter. The Rams defeated the Ravens 17-3 at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)A Ravens fan Rams watches late in the fourth quarter as the Rams defeated the Ravens 17-3 at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Fans walk in the concourse at M&T Bank Stadium for the Ravens to play the Rams. (Sam Jane/Staff)There are many empty seats at M&T Bank Stadium for the Ravens to play the Rams. (Sam Jane/Staff)Many empty seats are visible at M&T Bank Stadium during the Baltimore Ravens’ game against the Los Angeles Rams in Baltimore, Maryland. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Many empty seats are visible at M&T Bank Stadium during the Baltimore Ravens’ game against the Los Angeles Rams in Baltimore, Maryland. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Fans shout their displeasure during the Baltimore Ravens’ game against the Los Angeles Rams at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Show Caption1 of 18Baltimore Ravens fans head down to the exits as the Los Angeles Rams continue to dominate during the fourth quarter in Baltimore. The Ravens dropped to 1-5 with a 17-3 loss. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)Expand View the full article