ExtremeRavens

Each week of the NFL season, The Baltimore Sun will recap the best and worst from around the league. Here are our winners and losers from Week 14: Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers With a 27-14 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, the Steelers took a two-game lead over the Ravens in the AFC North and improved to 6-1 with Russell Wilson as the starting quarterback. A five-point loss in a snowy Thursday night game in Cleveland a few weeks ago is the only blemish for the 36-year-old veteran since he took over for Justin Fields. While Wilson isn’t playing at nearly the same level as Most Valuable Player candidates such as Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes, he’s done what coordinator Arthur Smith has asked him to do. According to ESPN, Wilson ranks fourth in QBR on passes 20 or more yards downfield and is hitting 2.5 of those throws per game, more than any other quarterback. It’s been enough to push Pittsburgh to wins over high-powered offenses in Washington, Baltimore and Cincinnati, as well as a Cleveland attack that had Jameis Winston throw 41 passes Sunday. The Steelers rank 10th in scoring at 24.8 points per game, which sits above much more highly regarded offenses in Kansas City, Houston, Seattle, Arizona, Atlanta and Los Angeles (both the Rams and Chargers). Pittsburgh has more field goals (36) than touchdowns (31) this season, but that’s a testament to kicker Chris Boswell, who is 36-for-39 overall and 11-for-13 from 50-plus yards. Imagine how many points the Ravens would score with a kicker like that. That’s before getting to the Pittsburgh defense, which leads the league with 28 takeaways and is allowing just 18.3 points per game. T.J. Watt is still playing at a Defensive Player of the Year level, while fellow edge rushers Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig and defensive tackle Cameron Heyward are thriving. The Steelers are 4-0 this season against teams with a winning record and have held those opponents to an average of 14.8 points. For all of coach Mike Tomlin’s wizardry during the regular season, it hasn’t extended to January. The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016 and haven’t hosted one since 2020. But during a final stretch against the Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs and Bengals, we’ll find out just how good Pittsburgh really is. Loser: New York football Before the Giants’ game Sunday, a small plane circled MetLife Stadium carrying a banner that read, “MR MARA ENOUGH – PLZ FIX THIS DUMPSTER FIRE.” If only it were that easy. President and CEO John Mara has the unenviable task of rebuilding a team that fell to 2-10 with a 14-11 loss to the New Orleans Saints. The game ended with Bryan Bresee blocking Graham Gano’s potential game-tying 35-yard field goal attempt after a woeful performance by New York that included 12 penalties for 112 yards, a holding penalty that negated a 56-yard punt return for a touchdown and a personal foul that wiped out a field goal. The Giants have now missed the playoffs in 11 of the past 13 seasons, but that’s not quite as bad as their fellow tenants at MetLife Stadium. With a 32-26 overtime loss to the Dolphins on Sunday, the Jets dropped to 3-10 and will officially miss the playoffs for the 14th consecutive year, extending the longest drought in the four major American pro sports leagues. The Giants lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Saints, adding to the misery of their 2024 season. (John Munson/AP) After a magical three-year run that included back-to-back AFC championship game appearances by the Rex Ryan-led Jets in 2009 and 2010 and Eli Manning and the Giants’ stunning Super Bowl victory over Tom Brady and the Patriots in 2011, the teams from the Big Apple have combined for just one playoff victory: the Giants’ wild-card round upset of the Vikings in the 2022 season. There isn’t much hope for the future, either. Daniel Jones is now on the Vikings’ practice squad, while Aaron Rodgers just turned 41 last week and is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career. Both teams will have high draft picks, but this year’s quarterback class is one of the least exciting in years. Hey, at least the Mets and Yankees are good. New York is a baseball town, anyway. Winner: The NFC playoff race The 12-1 Lions might seem like a shoo-in to win the NFC and reach the Super Bowl, but the crop of teams behind them is fascinating. On Thursday night, the Packers (9-4) nearly knocked off Detroit on its home turf before a bold fourth-down call by coach Dan Campbell led to a game-winning field goal as time expired. On Sunday, the Seahawks (8-5) beat the Cardinals, 30-18, for their fourth straight win and extended their lead in the unpredictable NFC West. Sam Darnold continued his breakout season with five touchdown passes in the Vikings’ (11-2) impressive 42-21 win over the Falcons, while Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua put on a show in the Rams’ (7-6) thrilling 44-42 victory over the red-hot Bills. Even the 49ers (6-7) showed signs of life, rolling to a 38-13 win over the Bears to keep their faint playoff hopes alive. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 2 recap: Ravens step offstage for bye week Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens need to rediscover franchise’s historic toughness | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Inside the Ravens’ defensive meeting that sparked a ‘dramatic’ turnaround Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ playoff seeding to be determined by final 4 games, including Steelers rematch Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: How would you grade the Orioles’ signing of Tyler O’Neill? The Eagles (11-2) also won their ninth straight, though it almost felt like a loss considering how close Bryce Young and the Panthers came from pulling off the upset as rookie Xavier Legette dropped the potential go-ahead touchdown pass with seconds remaining. A “bad day” at the office still featured 124 rushing yards from Saquon Barkley and two touchdown passes from Jalen Hurts. The Commanders (8-5), meanwhile, have one of the most exciting players in football in rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, while the Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield (7-6) knocked off Philadelphia in the playoffs last year and nearly took down Detroit in the divisional round. The Lions have been dominant at times, but they are far from perfect. No matter how well Jared Goff plays, there will always be questions about whether he’s good enough to lead his team to a championship. Mounting injuries on defense have not derailed Detroit’s 11-game winning streak yet, but it’s only a matter of time. The Lions need Alim McNeill, DJ Reader and Brian Branch at full strength to make a deep playoff run. With the NFC West race coming down to the wire — and perhaps decided in a Week 18 game between the Seahawks and Rams — and the NFC North continuing to impress week after week, the final playoff push will be fun to watch. If the season ended today, we’d get Eagles (No. 2 seed) vs. Commanders (7), Seahawks (3) vs. Packers (6) and Buccaneers (4) vs. Vikings (5) in the wild-card round. Sign me up for that. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

Maybe the Ravens discovered during the bye week that this franchise was built on a philosophy of toughness. That’s been the missing ingredient this season, and for the team’s sake, Baltimore will need to develop some in the final four games of the regular season and the postseason. Let’s call it an identity crisis, one that isn’t just physical but also mental. Pittsburgh has the physical attributes, and they have beaten the Ravens in eight of the past nine games. Both Cleveland and Philadelphia had it, especially the Eagles, who simply outmuscled the Ravens in the final eight minutes of the fourth quarter on Dec 1. Then there is the psychological part of the game. Ravens fans will point to conspiracy theories and the influence of gambling on the Chiefs having won 15 straight one-score games, but that’s ridiculous. They want to forget that Kansas City has the NFL’s best coach in Andy Reid, the top tight end in Travis Kelce and possibly the best defensive coordinator in Steve Spagnuolo. Then there’s quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has led the team to four Super Bowl appearances since becoming the starter in 2018. Kansas City could become the first team to three-peat if it wins another title in February, and Mahomes is 4-1 against Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. In other words, the Chiefs don’t flinch in crunch time. The Ravens? They’ve blinked in the fourth quarter of all their losses. Some of it can be blamed on coaching, but coaches in the NFL are supposed to get their teams to the final four minutes of each game and rely on playmakers making plays. That’s when the tough guys take over by either wearing down an opponent or forcing them into submission. That hasn’t worked for the Ravens, either. In the past, opponents feared that most about the Ravens. If you played Baltimore, they’d either beat you or the fatigue would carry into the next game. The Ravens still thrive on that style against teams like Jacksonville, Houston and even Buffalo. But it doesn’t work in the AFC North or against teams like Philadelphia. The Ravens have lost their way. When the team first moved to Baltimore from Cleveland in the mid-1990s, they brought in giant offensive linemen like Orlando Brown and Jeff Blackshear. Those guys had reputations as maulers and had brawling nicknames like “Zeus” (Brown) and “Big Black” (Blackshear). Even the “smallest” of the group, center/guard Wally Williams, liked to fight because he was an undrafted free agent from Florida A&M. From 2013 to 2017, the Ravens even had a center, Ryan Jensen, who his teammates called “Big Red” because of his red hair. I called him “Big Red” because he got into a fight almost every week. He went on to start six seasons in Tampa Bay, winning Super Bowl 55. The Ravens don’t have guys like that on their offensive line. We’ll call them intimidators. They don’t have that type of player at receiver either, someone who could stir emotions like Michael Irvin did with Dallas in the 1990s or Steve Smith with Carolina from 2001 to 2013. The best they have is the emotional Zay Flowers. That’s not enough. Gene Sweeney Jr., Baltimore SunRavens linebacker Ray Lewis helped the franchise win a Super Bowl by bringing a physical presence to the field each week. (Staff file) Jackson causes excitement with his electrifying plays, but even he doesn’t fire up an offensive line like Buffalo’s Josh Allen when he runs over a linebacker or Mahomes after he trucked San Francisco 49ers safety Malik Mustapha several games ago on a short touchdown run up the middle. The Ravens have mauled teams on occasion with running back Derrick Henry, but it came against lightweight defensive lines like the Bills, Dallas and Cincinnati. It didn’t happen against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Browns or the Eagles. Tough guys on defense have been the Ravens’ calling card for years. They’ve had two Hall of Famers in middle linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed, and possibly a third in outside linebacker Terrell Suggs. But the Ravens have also had enforcers, players who did the dirty work. They were the blue-collar workers like defensive tackles Haloti Ngata, Tony Siragusa, Sam Adams, end Rob Burnett and safety Bernard Pollard. They’d either take you out or knock you out. Your choice. The current Ravens have some tough players like safety Kyle Hamilton, cornerback Marlon Humphrey and middle linebacker Roquan Smith. Smith is borderline dirty but at least he has a presence. The rest are good players, but not the menacing type. Teams don’t fear the Ravens anymore. In Pittsburgh before a game with Baltimore a few years ago, the Steelers showed coach Mike Tomlin shadowboxing while coming out of the players’ tunnel before the game. The crowd went crazy. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 2 recap: Ravens step offstage for bye week Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 14: Are the Steelers the best team in the AFC? Baltimore Ravens | Inside the Ravens’ defensive meeting that sparked a ‘dramatic’ turnaround Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ playoff seeding to be determined by final 4 games, including Steelers rematch Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: How would you grade the Orioles’ signing of Tyler O’Neill? As I watch the current Ravens, they can win the AFC. The Chiefs are weak at both offensive tackles and are having cornerback problems. Buffalo plays virtually no defense and the Ravens already ran through them with Henry earlier this season. That leaves Pittsburgh and maybe Houston, but the Texans have had some struggles this season. Against the Steelers, the Ravens will need to get their swag back. I’m not just talking about wins and losses, but being in that tough guy mode again. That’s the way it used to be when Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe would make derogatory remarks about Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward or when Steelers running back Jerome Bettis feared playing against Lewis. That’s when the Ravens had an edge. That’s when they played with reckless abandon and smacked other teams around. That’s when they knew who they were. Now, they need to find their way back. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

The meeting lasted about 90 minutes on a Tuesday in November. It included the entire Ravens defense. Walking out, Ar’Darius Washington felt a renewed sense of energy wash over the team. A turning point, perhaps? “Excuse my language,” the safety said, “but it was really like, ‘[Forget] everybody. [Forget] everything else that’s going around. Let’s play together as one.’ That was the main focus, for sure.” Until that point, Baltimore’s defense had sunk to the bottom of the league. They were 32nd in pass defense and the bottom 10 in points allowed per game. They were a maddening partner to the league’s most prolific offense. The catalyst for the meeting was a narrow “Thursday Night Football” win over the Cincinnati Bengals, having given up 470 total yards and five touchdowns. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr didn’t sleep much. He was back at the Owings Mills facility early the following morning. Four days later was the open-forum meeting that, should the Ravens defense finish the year on a high note and prove this statistical turnaround isn’t a fluke, could come to define their season. There were a lot of hard truths shared between those four walls, linebacker Malik Harrison remembers. Guys were more willing to take accountability and hold others to the standard. Linebacker Tavius Robinson said energy and accountability were the two main themes. Such meetings are commonplace but this one came with a greater sense of urgency. “We had to do some deep soul-searching,” Orr said. “And it was a long meeting.” “I think it was good — from a player and coach standpoint — that we expressed what we wanted to get done; they expressed how they felt, and we were able to come together and figure out solutions, because that’s all we’re about,” Orr continued. “Everything that we do is trying to come to that solution, [and] I definitely think that meeting had a part in it.” For one, Orr changed the parameters of how his defense congregates. Where they used to focus their time trickling down film study and dialogue to positional groups, now everything has become group-oriented. One or two guys being out of position on a given play can snowball the entire defense. Linebacker Roquan Smith has talked about that frustrating trait this season. Defensive end Brent Urban doubled down, saying one guy taking a risk to make a play can put someone else’s job in jeopardy. Each frustrating Sunday cast more doubt on the group’s ability to turn things around. They often cited communication impeding execution. Hence, more panoptic film study. “The meetings were kind of changed in a way that we’re going through every single detail. It’s not like we’re passing things off to individual position meetings. We’re all gonna focus on what each guy needs to do,” Urban said, noting that’s not common to this degree in the NFL. “And that’s kind of brought about a bigger amount of accountability, too, just in terms of, we’re all there hearing what each other’s job is supposed to be. Because a lot of times it’s set up, we’re all in our individual position groups and that type of thing. [Orr] has done a good job of bringing us all together. I think that’s made things more cohesive.” Orr took some onus, too. “It’s not just them,” he said. The first-year defensive play-caller asked what he could do better or if there was anything he could cut out to help solve why what they were doing in practice wasn’t translating into games. Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr, right, asked his players for constructive criticism soon after a win over the Bengals in early November. The unit’s turnaround since has been stark. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Over their first 10 games, the Ravens allowed an average of 25.3 points and 367.9 yards per game. Weeks 5 through 10, Baltimore’s strongest defensive performance was holding the Washington Commanders to 305 yards. Over those six weeks, the defense’s best day, in terms of total yards, was still worse than any game since the meeting that Harrison described as ushering in a “dramatic change.” The corner-turning stretch included three games giving up 21.7 points and 280 yards allowed per game. And of the 23 passing touchdowns scored against the Ravens defense, 22 of them happened before the meeting. Humphrey, Smith and Kyle Van Noy were some of the vocal leaders mentioned. “I think for certain guys, that hits home more,” Urban said, as it’s a different voice from the coaches they hear harp on issues every day. “Marlon, he was the one who said the energy thing,” Robinson said. “It was big for him, just playing with that energy. … When your boy makes a play run in there and hype him up. We all just feed off each other. I think it just makes us closer and makes us play with that swagger.” Humphrey picked off Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson in the back of the end zone days later. There was a little extra juice in his step as he got up. Robinson remembers everyone on the defense coming over to share in the elation. They’re chasing more moments like that, he said. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ playoff seeding to be determined by final 4 games, including Steelers rematch Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: How would you grade the Orioles’ signing of Tyler O’Neill? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens coach John Harbaugh mum on suspended WR Diontae Johnson Baltimore Ravens | Ravens roundtable: What are the biggest concerns as postseason nears? Baltimore Ravens | Shedeur Sanders embraces spotlight, accepts Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in Baltimore That’s part of the Ravens’ defensive standard, which Humphrey admitted after the Bengals loss he felt like they lost. “Something has got to change,” he said on Nov. 7. Baltimore has four more games on its regular-season schedule before the scintillating lights of playoff football. Two of which will be against top-12 scoring offenses. It remains to be seen whether 90 minutes on a Tuesday in November truly rewrites the Ravens’ season. But walking out of that room, something felt different. “For me,” Washington said, “I’m thinking like, ‘Damn, I need to do better. Imma go out there and let it out for these guys ’cause they’re gonna do the same thing for me.’ After that meeting, I’m like I’m gonna do whatever I can for the rest of the 10 guys knowing they’re gonna do the same thing.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. Week 15 Ravens at Giants Sunday, 1 p.m. TV: CBS Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 14 1/2 View the full article

A thick layer of clouds hung over the Ravens’ practice facility in Owings Mills as players returned to work Monday for the first time since their Dec. 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but it wasn’t an omen. At least not yet. “We’re excited to get back to work,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We have a four-game season in front of us right now. “The season kind of begins now. The season is important to determine the important outcomes for the rest of the way.” Even with a month remaining in the regular season, Baltimore’s playoff picture has become much clearer. Questions remain — about whether the defense has turned the corner, about the consistency of the offense, about the shocking and sudden unreliability of kicker Justin Tucker — but the path to the goal is obvious. How the Ravens will navigate it will play out in short order, particularly with three games in 11 days beginning Sunday against the New York Giants, ending with a Christmas blockbuster in Houston against the Texans and with a titanic and potentially season-altering AFC North showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 21 at M&T Bank Stadium in between. One thing that should help, at least, is that the Ravens are finally rested after playing 13 straight games before having the second-to-last bye week in the league. “We been playing for a long time now,” wide receiver Rashod Bateman said. “I think we all did need [the bye].” It gave players a chance to heal. That includes defense tackles Travis Jones, who has been playing through an ankle injury, and Michael Pierce, who late last month was designated to return from injured reserve from a calf injury that has kept him out since late October, as well as outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who missed the Eagles game with hamstring and back injuries. Bateman was nicked up, too, exiting the same game with a knee injury in the third quarter and not returning before practicing fully on Monday. The only players absent were suspended wide receiver Diontae Johnson and rookie safety Sanoussi Kane (hamstring). It also allowed for what a few players called a mental reset. Wide receiver Zay Flowers threw a pool party for family and friends in South Florida. Fellow receiver Nelson Agholor also retreated to the Sunshine State, heading home to Tampa while also getting some R&R in Miami. The message was clear once they returned. “I think everybody, without verbal communication, understands, ‘Hey let’s get back to work,’” Agholor said. “We’re trying to be better than we were the week before when we lost.” “I think everybody, without verbal communication, understands, ‘Hey let’s get back to work,’” Ravens wide receiver Nelson Agholor said. “We’re trying to be better than we were the week before when we lost.” (Kevin Richardson/Staff) For the coaching staff, the time provided them the opportunity to do a deeper dive, a self-scouting of what they feel is needed to get to where they want to go. “Everything that has to do with these next four weeks and past that is what we’re looking at in terms of finding ways to make plays, score points, get stops,” Harbaugh said. If the season ended today, the Ravens would be the No. 5 seed and travel to Houston to play the Texans in the wild-card round. Of course, had they not dropped five games by a combined 22 points, they could be vying for the top seed in the AFC for a second straight year. Instead, they are two games back of the Steelers in the division and have at least some work to do to lock up a wild-card spot. With the AFC West champion Kansas City Chiefs at 12-1, which includes a win over the Ravens, Baltimore can forget about the top seed in the AFC. Next up are the AFC East champion Buffalo Bills and the North-leading Steelers, both at 10-3, with the Bills holding the No. 2 spot by virtue of strength of victory. There will be a lot of jockeying between the AFC South-leading Texans, Ravens, Chargers and Broncos all having the same record. According to ESPN Analytics, Baltimore has a 97.2% chance to make the playoffs, a 19.1% chance to win the AFC North and even lower odds for for securing the No. 2 seed (4.5%), No. 3 seed (12.4%) or No. 4 seed (2.2%). Yet, if they beat the Steelers — who have won eight of their past nine against Baltimore but also have a schedule that includes the 11-2 Eagles and 12-1 Kansas City Chiefs — in two weeks and win the rest of their games to finish 12-5, they could, with some help, capture the division, which would at least guarantee them a top-four seed and a first-round home playoff game. But with the Bills playing the New England Patriots twice and New York Jets once along with the 12-1 Detroit Lions this week, Baltimore can’t count on Buffalo winning fewer than 13 games. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: How would you grade the Orioles’ signing of Tyler O’Neill? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens coach John Harbaugh mum on suspended WR Diontae Johnson Baltimore Ravens | Ravens roundtable: What are the biggest concerns as postseason nears? Baltimore Ravens | Shedeur Sanders embraces spotlight, accepts Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in Baltimore Baltimore Ravens | Ravens bye week reset: Revisiting 5 storylines from this season That means the next-best outcome, barring any surprises, would likely be as the No. 3 seed as AFC North champs. Anything beyond a No. 4 seed, however, means having to hit the road and could mean a return trip to, most likely, Houston, Pittsburgh or Buffalo. But the Ravens aren’t worried about all of those scenarios. “We are worried about the playoffs but we’re not worried about what game is gonna get us there and the losses and this and that,” Bateman said. “We’re just worried about winning.” That starts this week against a woeful Giants team that has lost eight straight. “From here on out, there’s eight weeks left in the season,” Flowers said. “Four regular season, four to the Super Bowl.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Week 15 Ravens at Giants Sunday, 1 p.m. TV: CBS Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 14 1/2 View the full article

The Orioles on Saturday agreed to a three-year, $49.5 million contract with free agent outfielder Tyler O’Neill. The former Red Sox and Cardinals slugger is likely to slide into the middle of the lineup after he hit 31 home runs with 99 RBIs for Boston last season. We shared our thoughts on the move, and now we want you to tell us what you think. After you vote, tell us what you think by clicking the comments button and we might publish 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

Diontae Johnson remains a Raven — for now. Whether the wide receiver’s one-game suspension for “conduct detrimental to the team” for refusing to enter Baltimore’s Dec. 1 game against the Philadelphia Eagles becomes a larger distraction, or if he’s even still with the team once it ends, remains to be seen. Either way, coach John Harbaugh had little to say about it Monday in Owings Mills after general manager Eric DeCosta’s statement last week during the bye announcing the suspension said there would be no further comment, even if there are still plenty of unanswered questions. “I think the statement said there would be no further comment on that so we’ll just kind of leave it at that and see where it goes,” Harbaugh said when asked if there was a path back to playing for Baltimore. In the short term, Johnson, whom the Ravens acquired from the Carolina Panthers in a swap of draft picks ahead of last month’s trade deadline, will not be available for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. But beyond that, would teammates even welcome back a player who refused to go into a game? Fellow wide receiver Zay Flowers said he would. “It ain’t a distraction,” he said. “That ain’t my decision to make. “Diontae still one of my guys. He one of our guys. I don’t really have much to say about it.” Receiver Rashod Bateman also said the situation wouldn’t become a distraction for Baltimore (8-5), which is currently the No. 5 seed in the AFC but still has a chance to win the AFC North with four games left. “Obviously we all know what happened,” said Bateman, who exited the Eagles game with a knee injury in the third quarter and did not return. “We all understand both sides. There’s consequences that come with this game. I know he’ll be back soon. It’s more so a situation for him to figure out more rather than me. He’ll figure it out and he’ll be back with us. “Everybody in here grown men. We all know we all got a task at hand individually and he knows that, too.” Johnson, however, has been seemingly unhappy with his role since joining the Ravens. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens roundtable: What are the biggest concerns as postseason nears? Baltimore Ravens | Shedeur Sanders embraces spotlight, accepts Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in Baltimore Baltimore Ravens | Ravens bye week reset: Revisiting 5 storylines from this season Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Does the offensive line need a shake-up? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s what fans are saying about replacing Ravens K Justin Tucker After leading the Panthers in receiving with 30 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns through the first seven weeks of the season, the 28-year-old one-time Pro Bowl selection has played sparingly for Baltimore. He has logged just 39 snaps on offense and has one catch for 6 yards across five games. Whether he adds to those numbers, becomes a lingering distraction or is released once the suspension is up isn’t clear, but players are trying to carry on as usual. “I been in this league long enough, man,” veteran wideout Nelson Agholor said when asked if the matter could derail the Ravens. “A lot of things has happened in my career. You still gotta do your job.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Week 15 Ravens at Giants Sunday, 1 p.m. TV: CBS Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 14 1/2 View the full article

The Ravens arrived at their bye week in need of a reset. Coming off a 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore is 8-5 and 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North. While the Ravens are a virtual lock to make the postseason — owning a 97% chance according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats — two losses in three games have raised concerns about the feasibility of a long-awaited Super Bowl run. With only four games left in the regular season, Baltimore Sun reporters Brian Wacker, Childs Walker and Sam Cohn and editor C.J. Doon answer questions about the most-scrutinized right leg in Charm City, the team’s biggest concerns entering the postseason, the AFC North race and what to expect from Lamar Jackson. Will Justin Tucker’s struggles lower the Ravens’ ceiling as a contender? Wacker: No. Of the various concerns the Ravens have, Tucker’s woes are climbing the ladder but are still not among the top two or three concerns. Baltimore’s pass rush has been better but is inconsistent. The defense, while improved, is not close to dominant. Cracks in the offensive line could be starting to form. And the offense still too often lets opponents off the hook (of which Tucker is certainly part of the problem). But if the Ravens don’t reach the Super Bowl, it won’t be because of Tucker’s struggles. Walker: Tucker’s inconsistency isn’t likely to be the nail in the Ravens’ coffin because kicking is a relatively small part of most games. But it’s yet another reason for them to get tense in big games, and that’s not what this team needs given its history of postseason disappointments. John Harbaugh acknowledged the other day that he’s already less apt to send Tucker in for an exceptionally long attempt, and that in turn could change the way the Ravens manage drives in close games. For years, they knew that as soon as they crossed midfield, they were close to scoring at least three points. That confidence is no longer there, and it does matter, as we saw against the Eagles. Cohn: Certainly, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make a run despite his struggles. Tucker is a coin flip from 50-plus yards and even worse from 40-49 the past three games. When points are a premium, his uncertainty of a single-season career-low 70% make rate can be a momentum killer. But lowering the Ravens’ ceiling isn’t a death knell for their Super Bowl aspirations. In 2022, the Kansas City Chiefs won with Harrison Butler converting a career-low 75%. The Green Bay Packers won in 2010 despite 78.6% from Mason Crosby. And in 1990, Matt Bahr made 73.9% of kicks en route to the New York Giants winning the Super Bowl. Doon: Could it end up being a blessing in disguise? Kicks from 40-plus yards are now tense moments rather than an opportunity for a bathroom break for Ravens fans. Maybe Tucker’s struggles force Harbaugh to be more aggressive and keep his offense on the field in opposing territory. If you surveyed opposing fans in the heat of the moment, most would prefer to see Tucker trot onto the field than Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. Perhaps that makes the difference in the postseason. Aside from the kicking game, what is this team’s greatest concern as the postseason nears? Wacker: Pass rush. The Ravens’ 41 sacks are third-most in the NFL, but that doesn’t paint the full picture when it comes to getting to or pressuring the quarterback. In pass rush win rate — which measures how often a pass rusher is able to beat his block within 2.5 seconds — Baltimore ranks just 26th, per ESPN analytics. They’re also 20th in pressure percentage per dropback and 28th in hurry percentage, according to Pro Football Reference. They’ve been better of late, but 33-year-old outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who is tied for the team lead with eight sacks, has just one sack over his past five games and is now dealing with hamstring and neck injuries. Odafe Oweh, who also has eight sacks, continues to make progress but remains inconsistent. Defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike is well down from the 13 sacks he had last season with just five this year, and fellow interior disruptor Travis Jones has played through an ankle injury. The Ravens can scheme up pressure and are trending in a better direction than earlier in the season, but too often opposing quarterbacks have time to throw, and that will be a problem come the playoffs if it continues. Walker: Their seeming discomfort in grimy slugfests like the ones they lost to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Ever since their first Super Bowl season 24 years ago, the Ravens have gone into most games assuming they would be bigger and meaner than the opposition. They’re still a tremendous running team with a world-class finisher in Derrick Henry. Their defense still dishes out its share of vicious hits. But there’s a sense now that the Ravens are most comfortable in a shootout with their offense in a quick-strike flow state. If the score is tight, with penalties, turnovers and disruptive rushes throwing their elite offense out of rhythm, they seem to lose their way. They don’t always win the trench warfare on other side of the ball. Will this dynamic change if say, they pull out a tense win over the Steelers four days before Christmas? Perhaps. But for now, this is an atypical Ravens team. Cohn: The way the offensive line has fared against playoff-caliber teams isn’t particularly inspiring. They’ve accounted for 36 penalties for 284 yards. That’s 10 more penalties for 22 more yards than any other position group. It’s a hitch the offense can’t afford come the postseason. Doon: The offense’s recent dip is noteworthy. Over the past few weeks, the Ravens are generating fewer big plays, taking more sacks and not playing nearly as efficiently as they did during their record-setting start. Jackson is not without blame, either. Over the past three weeks, according to ESPN, Jackson is converting 28.6% of his pass attempts into first downs, which ranks 30th out of 33 passers. He’s missed some easy throws he usually makes. With less margin for error because of problems on defense and special teams, Jackson and the offense have to be nearly perfect to lead the Ravens to the Super Bowl. Right now, they aren’t. Is the Ravens’ defensive turnaround from the last few weeks for real? Wacker: Yes, but it had only one way to go, especially against the pass. Baltimore’s secondary has improved thanks to addition by subtraction, with Ar’Darius Washington taking over for now-benched safety Marcus Williams. All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton is being deployed more often on the back end, and cornerback Marlon Humphrey is playing well in the slot and outside. Still, don’t expect this defense to start playing like the 2023 version. The Ravens have also struggled mightily in takeaways. After recording a league-leading 31 last season, they rank 25th with a measly 11 this year. Recent adjustments by coordinator Zach Orr have the Ravens playing better defense. (Amy Davis/Staff) Walker: They really have tightened up their coverage on the back end, in part by simplifying their plan and in part by removing underperforming safeties Eddie Jackson and Marcus Williams. Coordinator Zach Orr has adapted his rotations and sets to make best use of his personnel, getting more cornerbacks on the field and switching linebackers based on game situations. We’ve seen it work against quality teams over the past month. Orr and his top players seemed genuinely dismayed after the Ravens surrendered 34 points and 470 yards in a Nov. 7 win over the Bengals. The frank meeting they held afterward and the culture of accountability flowing from it have led them to a better place. As Orr said recently, they still need to take the ball away more (and apply steadier pressure, he could have added). But the defense no longer feels like a reason they’d go in at a disadvantage against the AFC’s best. Cohn: It would’ve been hard to get worse, but it sure seems like this is more than a fluke — less because of the production and more because of how personnel changes align with the step forward. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr spent all season shuffling the back end. Communication was an issue, players said, but so was continuity. Since sticking with Ar’Darius Washington as a safety partner for Kyle Hamilton against the Steelers, the Ravens have allowed only one passing touchdown against three respectable offenses. And take this for what it’s worth, but Marlon Humphrey has been more transparent about the feeble group than anyone. After losing to the Eagles, he still felt like they’ve “turned that corner” even if “it’s not perfect.” Doon: It certainly feels like it is. We knew the defense was talented, so it’s not surprising to see the Ravens playing closer to their preseason expectations. Since Week 11, according to ESPN, Baltimore’s defense ranks eighth in expected points added per play after ranking 28th over the first 10 games. It was always going to take time for Orr to adjust and learn on the fly as a first-time play-caller. With the return of adviser Dean Pees and some notable personnel tweaks, the defense has stabilized, but it’s not going to become a true strength like it was in 2023. Will the Ravens win the AFC North, and does it matter? Wacker: No and yes. The Steelers will (probably) win at least three more games this season, which will get them to 12-5. The only way Baltimore can get to that is by running the table with wins over the Giants, Steelers, Texans and Browns. It’s not unfathomable the Ravens could sweep their remaining games, but that would mean figuring out a way to beat Pittsburgh, which has won eight of its past nine against Baltimore, including earlier this year in Pittsburgh. If both finish with the same record, things could get zany. The first tiebreaker for the division title is head-to-head record, followed by, if needed, best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division, best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference and several more after that before landing on the 12th option: a coin toss. As for whether it will matter, it will if the Ravens have to go to Pittsburgh again, or Buffalo to play the Bills, in the first round. Walker: They have a better chance than meets the eye of making up their deficit in the division. The Ravens will likely be favored in each of their last four games, heavily against the Giants and the Browns. A Christmas visit to Houston won’t be easy, but they pack considerably more firepower than the Texans. So much will come down to that second meeting with the Steelers in Baltimore, and the guess here is the Ravens will finally turn the tables after losing eight of their past nine to Mike Tomlin’s crew. The Steelers also have dates upcoming against the Eagles and Chiefs, so it’s not hard to imagine them finishing 11-6. To the second part of the question, it’s not at all clear an AFC North title would increase the Ravens’ chances of making a deep postseason run. In fact, they might rather visit the Texans as a No. 5 seed than host the Steelers or Chargers as a No. 3 seed. As Lamar Jackson said after the Eagles loss, it will be far more important how they’re playing than where they’re seeded come January. Cohn: No, they will not. Yes, it matters, because it means they have to play another game in the playoffs to get where they want. And that game is very likely to be on the road against a team Baltimore has lot eight of its past nine meetings with. Those Pittsburgh Steelers can clinch the division with a win over the Ravens on Dec. 21. That outcome means a murky playoff path for the Ravens. Doon: Let me put on my tinfoil hat for a second. Don’t the Ravens want the No. 5 seed? That guarantees a wild-card matchup against the AFC South winner, which will be either the struggling Houston Texans or the inconsistent Indianapolis Colts. That seems preferable to a home game against either the Steelers, Chargers or Broncos. A divisional round matchup against the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium is also compelling given how vulnerable Kansas City looks right now. Home playoff games are great and AFC North champion flags fly forever, but in terms of the easiest path, the No. 5 seed looks tasty. (And to actually answer the question, yes, the Ravens go 4-0 down the stretch to finish 12-5 and the Steelers go 2-3 with losses to the Eagles, Ravens and Chiefs to slip to 11-6.) Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Shedeur Sanders embraces spotlight, accepts Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in Baltimore Baltimore Ravens | Ravens bye week reset: Revisiting 5 storylines from this season Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Does the offensive line need a shake-up? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s what fans are saying about replacing Ravens K Justin Tucker Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 14 of 2024 NFL season: Bills vs. Rams, Chargers vs. Chiefs and more Is Lamar Jackson really more ready than he ever has been to lead the Ravens into the postseason? Wacker: Yes. He has taken steps forward in both his leadership and with his ability, including his accuracy, decision making and ball security. But there are not 21 other Lamar Jacksons on the field for Baltimore. The pass defense has improved but is still not great. The pass rush has flashed but is still inconsistent at best. The offense still has too many spurts when it doesn’t finish off drives. Justin Tucker continues to miss too many kicks. The Steelers still find ways to frustrate Jackson and the Ravens. And even if Baltimore can navigate all of that, the Chiefs are still better, especially when it matters the most. Walker: Yes. He has greater command of the offense. He’s processing more efficiently, making fewer errors and connecting on more big-time throws than in any previous season. His running will become a greater weapon in the postseason. He’s seemingly healthy and energized for what’s to come. His teammates look to him as a north star. The Ravens might not break through this year, but Jackson appears as ready to lead them as he could possibly be. Cohn: Absolutely. Last week, we talked to quarterbacks coach Tee Martin, maybe the third-most qualified person to speak on the inner workings of Jackson’s mind, behind the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player himself and his mom. Martin corroborated what we’ve all seen. Jackson took leaps and bounds in the passing game after making it a priority in the offseason. And his mind is “on another level.” Last year, Jackson was a bit timid in voicing how he wanted to attack defenses. Jackson has been much more direct in putting his foot down — in the best way possible. That’s exactly what the Ravens need from Jackson if they’re going to make a postseason run. Doon: Of course. How can he not be? There’s been plenty of time for Jackson to learn from his mistakes and understand what defenses are trying to do to stop him. The only question is whether he can settle down and avoid hunting for big plays, which gets him and the offense out of rhythm. When the protection breaks down, he should rely on his legs to move the chains. There are few, if any, playmakers more dangerous than Jackson, and this season might be the best version of him. He’s ready. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

Most people’s memories of their experiences at 3 years old eventually escape them. But Shedeur Sanders’ is clear. Ray Lewis can stand out in that way. Deion Sanders, the star quarterback’s father and coach at Colorado, played the final two seasons of his Hall of Fame career with the Ravens in 2004 and 2005. Shedeur spent much of that time hanging out in the team’s locker room, watching Lewis and others get treatment after games alongside his father in his twilight years. “That was my favorite memory,” Sanders said, pausing to look to the ceiling of the Four Seasons Hotel ballroom in an attempt to recall more, “that I can kinda remember.” Sanders returned to Baltimore on Friday to accept the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given annually to the top upperclassman quarterback in college football. It was another moment in the spotlight for the 22-year-old who’s spent nearly his entire football career in it. But such is life for the son of Deion Sanders, a reality Shedeur knows and has mastered how to prevent it from hurting his play on the field. “You know how my dad is — every day of his life is in the spotlight,” Sanders said. “Growing up that way and understanding the nuggets he dropped on us from Day 1, it helped us a lot.” Sanders was a three-star recruit out of Trinity Christian High School in Texas, where Deion Sanders was the team’s offensive coordinator. When Deion became coach at Jackson State, a historically Black college at the FCS level, in 2020, Shedeur followed and became the school’s fourth-highest rated recruit ever. The father-son and coach-quarterback tandem stuck together again and moved to Colorado to embark on reviving a dormant program. They needed just two seasons in Boulder to accomplish that. Now, Sanders is destined for the NFL and an expected top pick in April’s draft. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders holds the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award alongside, from left, John Unitas Jr., Gino Torretta and John Unitas III during a ceremony Friday in Baltimore. (Taylor Lyons/Staff) Sanders threw for 3,926 yards, a Colorado single-season record and third most nationally this season, leading the Buffaloes to their most victories in eight years and a five-win improvement from last season. His 35 passing touchdowns and 74.2% completion rate both rank second in the country. “This is a trophy that represents me going in the right path,” the senior quarterback said with Unitas memorabilia surrounding him on stage. “Knowing the history of the award and the player he was, it’s amazing that they picked me.” He’s already been named the Big 12 conference’s Offensive Player of the Year. Sanders is a finalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, also given to college football’s top signal caller. And he’s a possible finalist for the Heisman Trophy, although his teammate and two-way sensation Travis Hunter is the favorite to win. Sanders and Colorado will miss out on the College Football Playoff, but Deion Sanders said he expects both Shedeur and Hunter to play in the Buffaloes’ bowl game later this month. “As a quarterback, you carry the weight of the team on your shoulders,” said Gino Torretta, the 1992 Golden Arm winner and keynote speaker Friday. “You’ve demonstrated the qualities that make a quarterback great.” “There’s more to Shedeur than his statistics,” John Unitas Jr. said. “He’s known for his work ethic and commitment to community service. He actively participates in outreach initiatives and has become a role model for many, many athletes. This is something my father felt passionate about. “Candidates for the Golden Arm are judged not only for their athletic achievements, but also for their character, sportsmanship, integrity, citizenship, scholastic achievements, teamwork and leadership qualities. Shedeur clearly epitomizes all that my father envisioned.” Related Articles College Sports | Army-Navy Game 2024: President-elect Donald Trump reportedly to attend College Sports | Zion Elee, 5-star recruit from St. Frances, commits to Maryland football College Sports | No. 24 Army football wins AAC championship with 35-14 victory over Tulane College Sports | Navy football suddenly has quarterback depth College Sports | Big Ten and SEC are set to gobble up CFP bids. That could squeeze the ACC and other leagues. The trophy was first awarded in 1987, and the award ceremony moved to Baltimore in 2006. The Golden Arm Education Foundation awards scholarships to students in Maryland and Kentucky, where the former Baltimore Colts legend played college football at Louisville. Former winners include Peyton and Eli Manning, Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels. Sanders joins elite company, but isn’t ready to talk about it yet: “I got my own category,” he said through a grin. He’s on the precipice of joining them in the NFL, the final step of Sanders’ ascension that’s been accelerated — and perhaps at times stunted — by his polarizing father. Eight former Golden Arm winners are still playing in the league. “Soon to be nine,” Unitas Jr. said, turning away from the podium and toward the potential top draft pick to his left. “Right, Shedeur?” Have a news tip? Contact Taylor Lyons at tlyons@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/TaylorJLyons. View the full article

The Ravens arrive to the latest bye week in the NFL at 8-5, coming up on an ultra-important four-game stretch that will determine their playoff path to the promised land. There have been no shortage of snowballing narratives. League scriptwriters had fun this offseason. Here’s a look back at this year’s biggest Ravens storylines: Personnel drama The offensive line was a dominant thread of discourse throughout training camp. Departures of Morgan Moses (New York Jets) and Kevin Zeitler (Detroit Lions) raised questions about how the group up front, with three new starters, might fare in a season with Super Bowl aspirations. When one of those first-year starters, Daniel Faalele, got off to a rocky start at right guard, Ben Cleveland became a cult hero among the fan base. His support followed the backup quarterback trope; a mythical figure conjured up as the savior because he hasn’t played enough to show them otherwise. “If Ben had earned the job at right guard, he would be the starting right guard,” coach John Harbaugh said at the time. “You look at the tape, and he didn’t beat out Daniel or anybody.” The happy ending to this one is Faalele took steps forward, particularly in pass protection, even if his hands are still a work in progress, according to offensive line coach George Warhop. And Cleveland returned to the spotlight in Week 6 when he blocked a 52-yard field goal try before halftime against the Washington Commanders. The other piece of stirring personnel drama came on the other side of the trade deadline. Baltimore brought in wide receiver Diontae Johnson from Carolina. He was said to be slowly ramping up into the new offense. Playing his former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, last month was thought to be his potential coming out party. It wasn’t. Then when Rashod Bateman was unable to play against Philadelphia because of knee soreness, that should have been Johnson’s chance. It wasn’t. A statement from the team credited to general manager Eric DeCosta announced that Johnson was suspended for one game for “conduct detrimental to the team” after refusing to enter Sunday’s loss to the Eagles. Mark Andrews’ usage Mark Andrews is on the precipice of becoming the Ravens’ all-time touchdown leader. In Week 7, he passed Todd Heap for the most receiving scores in franchise history. Then his end zone grab Sunday tied him with Jamal Lewis for first place in career touchdowns with 47. One more and he’ll stand alone in Baltimore’s record books. That kind of production — seven touchdowns in eight weeks — is a far cry from where he started the season, when some fans took to social media postulating that the veteran tight end might have moved to left tackle (he was the best blocking tight end in the NFL). His scoreless first five weeks, which included back-to-back games without a catch, sure made it look that way. Ravens tight end Mark Andrews has seven touchdown catches in the team’s last eight games. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) “I’m always trying and striving to be better,” Andrews said. “My main goal is to help this team win games, and whatever they ask me to do, I’m going to do that, and it’s just going to continue to get better and better, and that’s my goal.” Now, he’s got the team’s second-most touchdowns and third-most receiving yards, putting that discourse to rest. Dead-last defense Baltimore’s defense looked like it had fallen off a cliff. The triple-crown, league-leading group from a year ago spent much of this season being thrashed by opposing receivers. They were ranked No. 32 in the NFL in pass defense. They led the league in dropped interceptions. They were on the wrong side of the best single-game receiving performance this season: Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase strolling to 264 yards and three scores on 11 catches. As cornerback Marlon Humphrey put it, “The brand of defense we were playing, it’s disrespectful to be in this Ravens uniform and play like that.” It was the worst partner for the NFL’s top offense. Like Andrews, the defense turned a corner. It’s not reading too much into it, defensive coordinator Zach Orr agreed, to pinpoint a team film session after Chase’s tour de force. They’re now 26th in pass defense, having allowed only one passing touchdown in three weeks. Credit goes to finding continuity on the back end. Safety Marcus Williams hadn’t been playing up to snuff and got benched. Eddie Jackson was eventually released. Now All-Pro Kyle Hamilton has an every-week partner in Ar’Darius Washington. “We took a step in the right direction, definitely, from early in the season,” Orr said, “but there’s still a whole lot we can get better at.” Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has thrown 29 touchdown passes this season, second-most in the NFL. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) MV3? After two losses in as many weeks to start the season, a third NFL Most Valuable Player Award for Lamar Jackson didn’t seem likely. Now at the bye, his odds have sputtered from superhero-like frontrunner to a participation trophy for having his name on the ballot. That’s less a knock on him as it is indicative of how well Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Eagles running back Saquon Barkley have been. But for a significant stretch, it felt like every postgame locker room scrum included a Raven canvassing for their quarterback as a way to explain yet another mystifying performance. Jackson has thrown for 3,290 yards and 29 touchdowns — both second in the NFL behind Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow. Jackson has also only coughed up three interceptions, the second-lowest mark of any starting quarterback this year. His step forward has been the driver for a potential third MVP conversation. “Last year,” quarterbacks coach Tee Martin said, “it’s like when you first start dating somebody. Like, ‘Can I believe what they’re saying? Is that right? I don’t see it that way, but we’re going to work it out.’ And then the second year, you’re like, ‘Yes, [Jackson] really sees that. He really knows exactly what he’s thinking, exactly what he’s doing, and he’s acting on it.’ “Last year he wasn’t so comfortable with saying, ‘This is what I want.’ This year he’s like, ‘No, I want it this way. This is how I want to do it.’ That’s just growth and development. Really proud of that from him.” Even if Jackson doesn’t bring home the MVP trophy to show for it, he’s playing the most well-rounded football of his career. Plus, he’s more worried about another shiny trophy. Sigh, Justin Tucker It’s the discourse nobody enjoys. Harbaugh hates fielding questions about it, Justin Tucker hates trying to articulate answers he doesn’t seem to have found himself and fans are coming to grips with what could be the beginning of the end for who many consider the NFL’s greatest kicker. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Does the offensive line need a shake-up? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s what fans are saying about replacing Ravens K Justin Tucker Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 14 of 2024 NFL season: Bills vs. Rams, Chargers vs. Chiefs and more Baltimore Ravens | How ‘soul searching’ meeting helped Ravens’ defense live up to franchise standard Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens’ offensive line faltered against the Eagles. Have worries resurfaced? Tucker has missed a career-high eight field goal attempts and knocked a pair of extra-point tries off the uprights. Nine of the 10 have hooked left. The first PAT sent play-by-play announcer Al Michaels’ cadence spiraling. Is it possible Fresno State special teams coordinator John Baxter has the answer? In an interview with SB Nation, the veteran college coach was adamant Baltimore’s snap and hold operation is “the envy of the league.” But the minutiae of his aging mechanics are leading to a left-leaning strike. “Everybody always wants there to be a reason,” Baxter told SB Nation. “There comes a point for all of us where performance is going to fall off. The biggest question for me is are we at that point?” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston will answer fans’ questions in the middle of each week throughout the Ravens season. After a home loss against the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore (8-5) enters its bye week in second place in the AFC North while holding onto a wild-card playoff spot. Here’s Preston’s take on a handful of questions from readers: (Editor’s note: Questions have been edited for length and clarity.) Pat Mekari is one of the most penalized offensive linemen in the league. How far is Andrew Voorhees from seeing the field? — Johnny DiBattista in Millsboro, Delaware The Ravens took off in the 2012 playoffs when Bryant McKinnie got out of Harbaugh’s doghouse and played left tackle, with Michael Oher moving to the right side. Will we see changes to the line with Ben Cleveland or Voorhees out there? — Mike Ginsberg on X When is Harbaugh going to stop being petty and get Mekari and Daniel Faalele out of the starting lineup against elite D-linemen? — 100Dejuan on X Gentlemen, let’s get serious. The Ravens are like most offensive lines: When they have a running game, it opens up the play-action passing game as well as the run-pass option (RPO) plays. I’ve mentioned that several times during the season. When there is no running game, the Ravens will struggle, as do most lines when the offense becomes predictable. You want to drive an offensive line crazy? Force them to play from behind when the team has to throw 70% to 90% of the time. No offensive line wants to be in that position. As I mentioned before and we saw on Sunday, the Ravens will struggle against good defensive lines. Look at their losses: All were to teams with good defensive lines that can get consistent pressure with the front four. Under coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens have struggled in pass protection. They want heavy, road-grading offensive linemen, but players like Faalele will struggle when the Ravens have to play from behind. And let’s be honest: Cleveland and Vorhees will not make this offensive line better — not at this point. Line play is about being in sync and knowing the rhythm of the player next to you, which is why the Ravens have one of the best run-blocking units in the NFL. Most teams have a weakness or two on the offensive line, and the Ravens are no different. That happens when a team pays a quarterback a lot of money, which the Ravens did to re-sign Lamar Jackson. It’s a risk most NFL teams are willing to take. Jackson certainly makes this offensive line look a lot better in pass protection when he is scrambling around. Ravens outside linebacker Odafe Oweh pressures Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. (Staff) What are your thoughts on the team’s struggles in developing edge rushers? While Odafe Oweh has eight sacks, he is not a game-changer demanding double teams. — WordofJosh on X I agree, and for years wondered why the Ravens took him in the first round of the 2021 draft. I still can’t believe he didn’t have a sack in his final season at Penn State. Harbaugh said he expected Oweh and David Ojabo to have breakout seasons in 2024, but that hasn’t happened. Ojabo, taken in the second round of the 2022 draft, has had problems getting on the field regularly. He has more power than Oweh, but Oweh has more speed. Maybe they should combine skills and become the perfect edge rusher. Oweh has eight sacks, but that’s usually against bad competition or poor offensive tackles. He seems to play well in training camp, but his results are different during the regular season. The Ravens still have outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, but getting edge rushers has been a problem for this organization for years. Fortunately, the streak was broken with outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney and tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, who combined for 22 1/2 sacks in 2023. Seems like forever ago that we had a returner like Jacoby Jones, changing the momentum of a game with a breathtaking punt return. Tylan Wallace had a shining moment vs. the Rams last season, but there have been more games like at Cincy or vs. Eagles where he either muffs the punt or doesn’t field it and costs the Ravens crucial field position. See any changes being made there, or too late in the season for that now? — Paul in Orlando, Florida Sometimes, I think Wallace adds more to this team as a receiver than a return specialist. You are correct, Paul, Wallace has had his moments, but he struggles like the rest of the Ravens’ return specialists. They always seem hesitant about returning a punt or kickoff. It might be the coaching. I really don’t know the answer, but it has been going on for years. As for Wallace, he fumbled twice in the Eagles game. By the fourth quarter, he wanted to go nowhere near catching a punt. It was disappointing but hilarious at the same time. Like most people, I am mystified by Justin Tucker’s troubles. I can see three possibilities: Either he suddenly lost it, or he is hurt and is trying to kick while injured, or the holder is not doing a consistently good job. In your opinion, which is the most likely? — Al in Columbia All kickers fall into slumps. I’m not sure Tucker’s can be attributed to him just missing or being in the league for 13 years. Regardless, he seems to be overcompensating, which is why most of his attempts go wide left. I agree with Harbaugh, though. I’d stick with the unknown rather than bring in a new kicker at this point of the season. Plus, kickers are flakes by nature. Those frail egos can be damaged quickly. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens bye week reset: Revisiting 5 storylines from this season Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s what fans are saying about replacing Ravens K Justin Tucker Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 14 of 2024 NFL season: Bills vs. Rams, Chargers vs. Chiefs and more Baltimore Ravens | How ‘soul searching’ meeting helped Ravens’ defense live up to franchise standard Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens’ offensive line faltered against the Eagles. Have worries resurfaced? Mike, what is an agent’s involvement (if any) with the players and the team during the season? If there is a “less than performing player” or healthy scratch (a la Eddie Jackson, Marcus Williams, Diontae Johnson), is the agent notified to see if they can motivate their respective clients? I am sure that the Ravens’ management has to have a relationship with the various agents whether the players thrive or not in the organization. — Dan in Elkton Dan, you are correct. In my experience in dealing with agents, they always seem to know when their players are performing well or underachieving. The smart general managers know when to place a call to an agent to get his player(s) motivated. For the players you just mentioned, I firmly believe that football players are like the rest of us. One day they get up, and they just don’t have it anymore. It might be about motivation, money or age, but it happens to the best of us. Individually or as a team, what should the Ravens ask from Santa for Christmas? Will it be a short or long list? — Ed Helinski in Auburn, New York Ed, it’s a short list. This team needs to make it to the Super Bowl or at least play well in the conference title game. If not, it will be a long season for a lot of people, particularly the coaching staff. Have a question for Mike Preston? Email sports@baltsun.com with “Ravens mailbag” in the subject line and it could be answered in The Baltimore Sun. View the full article

We asked readers if the Ravens should replace kicker Justin Tucker, the future Hall of Famer who missed three kicks in Sunday’s loss to the Eagles and is mired in the worst slump in his career. Here are the results from our online poll, Instagram and X: No — 1,872 votes (61%) Yes — 1,194 votes (39%) Here’s what some readers said about the change (answers have been edited for clarity and grammar): Tucker has been an incredible asset to this team and has had a remarkable run, but the reality is that he has cost us three games this season. Missing PATs is usually cause for replacement; PATs must be automatic. Despite his expected support, Coach Harbaugh has to be questioning whether to even attempt the long kicks at which Tucker had heretofore been automatic. If the Ravens need a 55-yarder to win a playoff game, what should he do given Tucker’s dismal performance this season? Sadly, I would vote to replace him if a replacement could be found. It should be noted that the Chiefs had to replace their kicker because of injury and their coach refused to attempt long kicks with the replacement; this doesn’t bode well for the Ravens being able to find a suitable replacement for Tucker.— Mark Jacobs This is a time to instill JT with confidence, which is what Harbs is doing. That said, the long snapper, holder and kicker need to get in a rhythm in practice that they can build on and take into the game. It wouldn’t hurt to add some humor, maybe break the tension. Remember in “Tin Cup,” when Roy had the “yips/” Maybe JT needs Cheech Marin to coach him up!! — Pat Kiernan As Harbaugh has said many times, it’s a results-oriented job. And it’s quite obvious not that JT can’t provide the results, CONSISTENTLY, any longer. He personally cost the team 10 points, which would have been the difference in this game. It was the same story two weeks ago versus Pittsburgh. If Baltimore wants to get back to the Super Bowl, they need to do some serious house cleaning this offseason, and not just in the kicking department. Because the current team, including the coaching staff, has shown that they just can’t win the big games against the league’s elite teams. — jimbo0117 Replace Tucker with who? This late in the season? How long do you think Tucker would be unemployed if the Ravens released him? I still have confidence in Tucker, maybe not for a 60-plus-yard field goal, but for a game-winner. I believe the field goal team and Tucker will be practicing a lot during this bye week. I think his confidence will return. If not, look for another kicker next year. But elite kickers are extremely difficult to find. — Robert No. Tucker has been a great asset to the team and has sometimes been responsible for the majority of the points scored. He obviously needs to work on the problem of accuracy, and he should be given the chance to improve. The team should not depend on any one player to win a game. Keep him for this season and if there is no improvement, replace him in the offseason. — Anna Does anyone really believe that any available kicker is better than Tucker, even when he is in a funk? (At his best, he is obviously an indispensable member of the team.) Gotta keep the faith and hope that he rewards you. — Laurence Berbert Not only should Tucker be replaced, but the head coach. Any coach who elects to keep a player on the team who is causing them to lose does not belong on the payroll. Shame on the owner as well for allowing a promising season to go down the drain. Even if they should make the playoffs, with Tucker still on the roster, they will be one and done, again. Let the Ravens take a look at the Commanders, new owner, new quarterback, new life as a winner. — Steve Parsley Replacing Tucker means it has to be an equally great kicker ready to go now. If there were an equally great kicker, he would have already made one of the other NFL teams. No great kickers are sitting at home with the end of the season in sight. Let’s take a poll and see if we should replace Lamar for that bonehead 2-point try against Pittsburgh when he went left and everybody else went right. Or when he threw a pass in the same game and we were winning 7-6 with 38 seconds left and we had the ball at our own. Even if Monken made that stupid call, Jackson could have killed the play and taken a knee to end the half and be up 7-6. So, we pass, fumble, they kick a field goal and we lose. Plenty of Monday morning quarterbacks who know nothing about the ramifications of cutting your only kicker. — Tom Bateman Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 14 of 2024 NFL season: Bills vs. Rams, Chargers vs. Chiefs and more Baltimore Ravens | How ‘soul searching’ meeting helped Ravens’ defense live up to franchise standard Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens’ offensive line faltered against the Eagles. Have worries resurfaced? Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades through 8-5 start | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens bye week betting notes: AFC North title within reach; Jackson’s MVP odds slip It takes a good snap, place, and kick to make it work. Tucker has too much class to blame someone else. I agree with Mike Preston. I will go with Tucker. — Henry Replace Tucker this season? No, not this season. But, the kicker position should be up for grabs next year. — Lathan Ritter As a coach, loyalty to a player is essential to success, no matter the sport. However, there comes a time when that leadership trait costs you victories and, perhaps more importantly, lack of faith by your teammates (and fans), perhaps it’s time to move on. Time to call it a day, huh? Strategically, the opposing offense begins a drive in an advantageous position, putting your defense instantly in a hole. Speaking of such, recall when “Tucker for the W” was automatically assumed. It happened so, so many times! WOW! Sadly now, we hold our breaths even on extra point attempts. Who would have ever thought! It hurts as a fan and especially for Tucker. No. 9, the memories you provided Ravens fans are indelible. Each of us can remember those countless times when we won simply because of his leg! Such great memories, never to be forgotten. Hopefully, as the season proceeds, Tucker will prove we doubters will rally and once again proclaim we won because of “Tucker for the W!” When you deservedly enter the team and Pro Football Hall of Fame, you will receive a resounding standing ovation. Rest assured, all of Ravens Nation will rise to honor you! — Christopher Cheswick The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To see results from previous sports polls, go to baltimoresun.com/sportspoll View the full article

Baltimore Sun staff writers pick every game of the NFL season. Here’s who they have winning in Week 14: Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions (Thursday, 8:15 p.m.) Brian Wacker (15-1 last week; 127-54 overall): Lions Childs Walker (15-1 last week; 125-56 overall): Lions Mike Preston (13-3 last week; 124-57 overall): Lions C.J. Doon (10-6 last week; 120-75 overall): Packers Tim Schwartz (15-1 last week; 133-62 overall): Lions Bennett Conlin (11-5 last week; 126-69 overall): Lions New York Jets at Miami Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Dolphins Walker: Dolphins Preston: Dolphins Doon: Dolphins Schwartz: Dolphins Conlin: Dolphins Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Vikings Walker: Vikings Preston: Vikings Doon: Vikings Schwartz: Vikings Conlin: Vikings New Orleans Saints at New York Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Giants Walker: Saints Preston: Saints Doon: Saints Schwartz: Saints Conlin: Saints Carolina Panthers at Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Eagles Walker: Eagles Preston: Eagles Doon: Eagles Schwartz: Eagles Conlin: Eagles Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Steelers Walker: Steelers Preston: Steelers Doon: Steelers Schwartz: Steelers Conlin: Steelers Las Vegas Raiders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Buccaneers Walker: Buccaneers Preston: Buccaneers Doon: Buccaneers Schwartz: Buccaneers Conlin: Buccaneers Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Titans Walker: Titans Preston: Titans Doon: Titans Schwartz: Titans Conlin: Titans Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals (Sunday, 4:05 p.m.) Wacker: Cardinals Walker: Cardinals Preston: Cardinals Doon: Seahawks Schwartz: Cardinals Conlin: Cardinals Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: Bills Walker: Bills Preston: Bills Doon: Bills Schwartz: Bills Conlin: Bills Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: 49ers Walker: 49ers Preston: 49ers Doon: Bears Schwartz: 49ers Conlin: Bears Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday, 8:20 p.m.) Wacker: Chiefs Walker: Chiefs Preston: Chiefs Doon: Chiefs Schwartz: Chiefs Conlin: Chargers Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys (Sunday, 8:15 p.m.) Wacker: Bengals Walker: Bengals Preston: Cowboys Doon: Bengals Schwartz: Bengals Conlin: Bengals Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

It was an unseasonably warm evening for Nov. 7 in Baltimore, where the temperature at M&T Bank Stadium lingered around a comfortable 65 degrees for the Ravens’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals. By the end of the night, it would in some ways be much hotter. Baltimore won a thriller, 35-34, but Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow torched the Ravens’ ragged secondary for 428 yards and four touchdowns. Cincinnati wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase gallivanted unbothered for 264 of them and three scores on 11 catches. Afterward, Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who turned the game around with a strip of running back Chase Brown that linebacker Roquan Smith recovered, said the team was going to enjoy the victory, but when he was asked about Chase’s performance a pique washed over his expression, eliciting an unusually long response (436 words). “I just don’t think [with us] playing like this we can go far,” he said in part. “The way we’re playing … Something has got to change.” In a film session amongst players the following week, it did. “The message kind of became a little bit clear; ‘If you want to play ball, then we’ll get you out there, but if you don’t, you’re going to have to sit on the sidelines,’” Humphrey said earlier this week. “I think guys responded really well to what was being preached amongst the coaches, amongst the players, and we’re holding guys more accountable now. “The brand [of defense] we were playing, it’s disrespectful to be in this Ravens uniform and play like that, and I feel like we’ve turned that corner. It’s not perfect. I still think there are more corners to turn. But the mindset has really changed, the mindset has really, really changed, and that’s kind of where it starts.” Since that victory over the Bengals, the Ravens are just 1-2, with close losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles and a convincing win over the Los Angeles Chargers. But the defense — finally — has not been the culprit, and if anything has stood out while the offense has sputtered. That’s encouraging, especially considering how bad things were the first two-plus months of the season. Over its first 10 games, Baltimore allowed an average of 25.3 points and 367.9 yards per game, a steep and shocking increase from just a season ago, when then the Ravens led the NFL in points (16.5) and were sixth in yards (301.4) allowed per game. But over their past three games, they’ve perhaps turned the corner with those numbers (21.7 points, 280 yards allowed per game) falling sharply for first-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr. A big part of that turnaround is the cutting down of explosive plays the defense routinely gave up earlier in the year. In the Ravens’ first eight games, they allowed 39 completions of 20-plus yards. Over their past five games, they’ve given up just 11, including none last week against the Eagles. “I think it’s a little bit more of continuity with the guys that we’re playing with,” pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt said Tuesday. Part of that continuity came via addition by subtraction — notably benching struggling safety Marcus Williams three games ago and replacing him with Ar’Darius Washington as well as parting ways with veteran safety Eddie Jackson. With Washington now starting alongside do-everything All-Pro Kyle Hamilton, the difference has been noticeable. “They’ve just been playing a little bit better,” Orr said. “It’s no indictment to Marcus; it’s just a production business, and those guys been more productive.” Which is sort of an indictment of Williams, who coming into the season was thought to be one half of perhaps the best safety duo in the league. That, of course, has not been the case with respect to the former New Orleans Saints star. But those were hardly the only changes. Increased playing time for safety Ar’Darius Washington has improved the Ravens’ defense. (Amy Davis/Staff) In addition to starting Washington — undersized at 5 feet 8, 180 pounds but someone who coaches note has been aggressive to the ball with good range and communication — Baltimore has deployed Hamilton deeper on the field more often, thus helping shut down big plays on the back end. Elsewhere, Humphrey has been invaluable out wide and in the slot, has performed well against the pass and the run and has a career-high five interceptions. Others, like speedy rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins and recently acquired veteran corner Tre’Davious White, have also contributed to a defense that is utilizing fewer three-safety looks than in the past and has simplified some of its packages and calls. The middle of the field has been tightened up, too, with a significant increase in snaps for inside linebackers Chris Board (who actually out-snapped starter Trenton Simpson last week) and Malik Harrison alongside All-Pro Roquan Smith. “All the different guys next to ‘Ro’ offer different abilities and different strengths,” Orr said. “We just need production out of that position overall — [at] linebacker — and specifically, the WILL and DIME position, and I think the best way for us to get that production is to rotate those guys in there.” It has paid off. Two weeks ago, Harrison had his best game in his five years with the Ravens, racking up 12 tackles, including one for loss, against the Chargers. Against the Steelers, Smith led the way with 13 tackles and had his best performance against the pass this year. And last week against the Eagles, Board had a season-high seven tackles, which was three more than Simpson. Unsurprisingly, all three teams did not move the ball with the same ease as the Bengals and many of the Ravens’ other opponents earlier in the year. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens’ offensive line faltered against the Eagles. Have worries resurfaced? Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades through 8-5 start | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens bye week betting notes: AFC North title within reach; Jackson’s MVP odds slip Baltimore Ravens | Ravens suspend WR Diontae Johnson 1 game for conduct detrimental to team Baltimore Ravens | ‘Season starts after Thanksgiving’: Ravens playoff path decided in next 4 games After Cincinnati shredded Baltimore last month, the Steelers managed just 303 total yards, the Chargers 285 and the Eagles 252. All three averaged 4.8 yards per play or less, compared with the 5.9 or more that six of the Ravens’ first 10 opponents managed. Since that win over the Bengals and the meeting that followed, the Ravens’ defense has given up just four touchdowns in the span of three games, which is about as sound as it gets when it comes to trying to win games and ultimately reach the Super Bowl. As Humphrey said, it’s not perfect but much has changed. “The meeting definitely had an impact, just because we had to do some deep soul searching, and it was a long meeting,” Orr said. “I think it was good — from a player and coach standpoint — that we expressed what we wanted to get done, they expressed how they felt, and we were able to come together and figure out solutions, because that’s all we’re about. “Obviously we tweaked some stuff with personnel, with scheme and communication, but I still think there’s a whole other level we can get to.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens knew what type of game they were entering. Cameras filming for HBO’s “Hard Knocks” series captured defensive coordinator Zach Orr saying they would have to “bully the bullies” to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles. Orr wasn’t speaking to the Ravens’ offensive line, but the sentiment was the same throughout the team’s facility. The Eagles were built to win wars in the trenches. The Ravens would have to match them in a straight-up alley fight. The anticipated scrap did not go their way, and that was especially true for their offensive line, which allowed 19 pressures on 46 pass blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus. Philadelphia defensive tackles Jalen Carter and Milton Williams dominated, combining for 17 pressures (PFF does not charge every pressure to an individual offensive lineman). The relentless heat on quarterback Lamar Jackson was a major reason the league’s most efficient offense failed to score a touchdown for eight straight drives in the 24-19 defeat. And the lost battles upfront revived one of the major concerns that confronted the Ravens going into the season: Would their revamped offensive line hold up against top competition going into the postseason? Penalty woes aside, the unit has been a pleasant surprise for much of the year. The lineup stabilized four weeks in when rookie Roger Rosengarten took over as the starting right tackle and Patrick Mekari shifted inside to replace Andrew Vorhees at left guard. Daniel Faalele worked past early struggles to become a competent right guard. Tyler Linderbaum delivered the Pro Bowl play expected of him at center. Ronnie Stanley’s good health supported his return to Pro Bowl form at left tackle. It was all general manager Eric DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh hoped for when they rolled the dice in the offseason, saying farewell to dependable veterans Morgan Moses and Kevin Zeitler in favor of a youth movement. Harbaugh said the poor performance against Philadelphia did not shake his confidence in what they’ve built: “I think we’re pretty well set there. I think those guys could come in — the other guys that are working hard can come in — and help us, but I’m not down on anybody on the offensive line. That’s a really good front we played against. I think we could have played better, especially in pass protection. Those guys would tell you that it could have been better, even in the run blocking sometimes, for sure, but I don’t think it merits any drastic changes right now.” The “other guys” he alluded to include Vorhees, who underwhelmed as a starter early in the season, and guard Ben Cleveland, who’s still searching for a chance to get on the field in his fourth year with the Ravens. It was not hard to find fans and analysts calling for changes after Mekari played his worst game of the season against the Eagles’ fearsome defensive tackles, surrendering nine pressures and earning a horrid 11.3 pass blocking grade from PFF. Faalele graded significantly better as a pass blocker but earned his own share of ire as a clip circulated of him whiffing on a run block against Eagles linebacker Zach Baun, who promptly dropped Derrick Henry. The play highlighted the 6-foot-8, 380-pound Faalele’s struggles when he’s asked to block a quicker defender in space. Ravens coaches remain adamant that they’re pleased with Faalele’s progress, especially given his lack of experience at guard before this year. Though his mistakes will always be easy to pick out because of his size, they see plenty of good work that’s less noticeable to casual observers. Ravens offensive line coach George Warhop feels confident in his position group despite a poor showing against the Eagles. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) “What’s really impressive is to watch him change direction in short area and get his hands on guys,” offensive line coach George Warhop said. “That’s still a work in progress — his hands. But the way he moves laterally, and the things he can do in pass [protection] I think is pretty impressive, so I’m excited about him and his future.” Warhop was then asked about Faalele’s failure to leverage his power as a run blocker. “He’s a big man, [and] sometimes it’s hard to uncoil your hips when guys are right on top of you,” the veteran coach explained. “It’s a matter of also adjusting where you are at the line of scrimmage. We tend to crowd the ball sometimes, which negates our power at the point of attack in the run game. Really, if you want to get technical about it, all your power is generated on your second or third step. If you’re crowding the ball, and you don’t get your second step in the dirt, you’re not generating enough power, so that’s part of his issue is getting his feet in the dirt to go forward.” As for Mekari, he’s in his sixth season but also on new ground as an every-week starter. Guard was the position he’d played least coming into this year. Until his subpar game against the Eagles, penalties were his greatest undoing. He leads the offensive line with 13, two more than Stanley. Harbaugh expressed no concern that the increased workload is wearing on Mekari, whose great contributions in past seasons came as a super-utility lineman. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | How ‘soul searching’ meeting helped Ravens’ defense live up to franchise standard Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades through 8-5 start | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens bye week betting notes: AFC North title within reach; Jackson’s MVP odds slip Baltimore Ravens | Ravens suspend WR Diontae Johnson 1 game for conduct detrimental to team Baltimore Ravens | ‘Season starts after Thanksgiving’: Ravens playoff path decided in next 4 games “That’s an accomplishment, because that had been a challenge for him in the past,” he said. “So I think he deserves a lot of credit for that. He’s played very good football. [It’s been a] big plus.” We’ve seen the Ravens make significant lineup changes — Ar’Darius Washington in for Marcus Williams at safety, Rosengarten in and Vorhees out of the starting offensive line — after weeks of poor performance. But their message was uniform coming out of the Eagles loss: not yet with the offensive line. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken joined Harbaugh in saying he’s pleased with the group’s progress, and he declined to pin the inefficiency against Philadelphia on one player or unit. “Overall, offensively — forget the offensive line — we did not play as well as we’re capable of,” he said. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

Here’s how the Ravens (8-5) have graded out at every position as they enter their bye week following a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday: Quarterback Lamar Jackson has completed 254 of 379 passes for 3,290 yards and 29 touchdowns. Even more amazing is that he has thrown only three interceptions. Jackson has also rushed for 678 yards on 111 attempts. He has played extremely well this season, but it appears more teams will play zone defense against Jackson to cut down on his rushing attempts. Jackson likes to throw to his first read but appears slower going through his progressions and holding onto the ball too long. Grade: A Running back The Ravens have done a good job in getting the maximum out of star Derrick Henry and they are going to need him in the final four games of the regular season as well as into the playoffs. Henry has rushed for 1,407 yards and 13 touchdowns on 240 carries. His body doesn’t appear to be worn out for a stretch run, especially in the cold months when the weather becomes unpredictable and teams find it hard to pass. Justice Hill has split time with Henry even though he is more of a pass-catching threat out of the backfield. Hill has 322 yards on 37 catches compared with 191 yards on 43 rushing attempts. It remains to be seen how the Ravens will use second-year running Keaton Mitchell, who missed most of the season with a knee injury. Patrick Ricard still is the No. 1 blocking fullback in the NFL even though he has slowed in recent weeks. Grade: A Offensive line The Ravens might have the top-ranked offense in the league, but the team’s 8-5 record shows they aren’t perfect. The Ravens have to run the ball to be successful because it opens up the play-action passing game as well as the run-pass option (RPO) plays. But when they can’t run, the team struggles. Why? Because this group needs to improve in pass blocking and it’s hard for them to come back from a deficit. Overall, tackles Ronnie Stanley and rookie Roger Rosengarten have played well, but neither dominates if the offense becomes one-dimensional. Both guards, Patrick Mekari and Daniel Faalele, have been sufficient, but Mekari appears to be slowing down. Center Tyler Linderbaum is good when uncovered but struggles with big nose guards on top of him. Jackson makes this group better than it appears in pass protection: Grade: C+ Receivers Zay Flowers has become the workhouse with 60 catches for 863 yards and four touchdowns. He has been a versatile performer playing outside and in the slot as well as taking handoffs and handling quick screens. Tight end Mark Andrews, believed to be the forgotten player at the beginning of the season, is emerging as Jackson’s favorite target, especially inside the red zone. Andrews has 43 catches for 490 yards and seven touchdowns. Rashod Bateman (35 catches, 574 yards) has had his moments and been a complementary receiver to Andrews and Flowers. Bateman, though, needs to become more consistent on the outside as well as veteran Nelson Agholor. He has lived up to his reputation in New England and Philadelphia for dropping easy passes. Reserve tight end Isaiah Likely seems to have cooled in the past couple games after having a strong start. Likely has 33 catches for 384 yards and four touchdowns. Grade: B- Defensive line When healthy, the Ravens have one of the best lines in the NFL, especially when it comes to stopping the run, but this unit can’t stay on the field intact for several games. Tackles Michael Pierce (calf) and Travis Jones (ankle) have been in and out of the rotation for several games. Jones has 30 tackles, but Pierce has only 15. Broderick Washington has played well for most of the season with 17 tackles. End/tackle Nnamdi Madubuike has 28 tackles, including five sacks, but hasn’t played as well as anticipated when the Ravens signed him to a four-year, $98 million contract during the offseason. Regardless, he still draws double teams and forces the opposition to at least slow him down. The return of Pierce will help improve the run defense, which is allowing only 3.6 yards per attempt. The Ravens still need to mount more of an inside pass rush. Grade: B- Linebackers Middle linebacker Roquan Smith finally brought his “A” game for the first time this season against Philadelphia. He anticipated well and shot gaps to slow down running back Saquon Barkley for nearly three quarters. But like most of this defense, Smith has struggled despite leading the team with 121 tackles. Malik Harrison (39 tackles) is a decent weakside linebacker but very one-dimensional in terms of stopping the run. Second-year performer Trent Simpson (72 tackles) has played well at times but also has disappeared in several games. Veteran Kyle Van Noy has eight sacks, but both he and fellow outside linebacker Odafe Oweh (8 sacks) need to be stronger holding the edge. Second-year outside linebacker Tavius Robinson (23 tackles) might become a threat in the future, but he needs to have more than one move when rushing the passer. It’s impossible to bull rush an opponent for an entire game. Grade: C Secondary The Ravens’ defensive backs have made progress in the past two games, but they stunk it up in the first 11. They allowed teams to throw over the middle of the field, both long and in the intermediate areas. Finally, the coaches benched Marcus Williams and waived fellow safety Eddie Jackson. Kyle Hamilton (88 tackles) has played well around the line of scrimmage and on the back end. Hamilton appears to work well with fellow starting safety Ar’Darius Washington, even though the Ravens haven’t faced a strong passing offense in recent weeks. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey is playing well in the slot, but the Ravens need improvement at the corner positions where Brandon Stephens, Tre’Davious White and rookie Nate Wiggins are the starters. Wiggins has the potential to be good, but White appears to have lost a step or two. Stephens still can’t find the ball and needs to improve his tackling. Grade: C- Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | How ‘soul searching’ meeting helped Ravens’ defense live up to franchise standard Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens’ offensive line faltered against the Eagles. Have worries resurfaced? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens bye week betting notes: AFC North title within reach; Jackson’s MVP odds slip Baltimore Ravens | Ravens suspend WR Diontae Johnson 1 game for conduct detrimental to team Baltimore Ravens | ‘Season starts after Thanksgiving’: Ravens playoff path decided in next 4 games Special teams Justin Tucker has made only 9 of 17 field goal attempts from 40 yards out, and that has caused some major problems. Tucker is usually reliable but has struggled this season with most of his kicks going wide left. Tucker has also missed two extra point attempts, which is why coach John Harbaugh has hinted he might bring in a kicker to work on the practice squad. Regardless, that will give the coaching staff a chance to look at other kickers before the start of the 2025 training camp. Jordan Stout has been consistent, averaging 47.9 yards on 42 punts, but he has been shaky in several big games. Stout has put 15 punts inside the 20-yard line. The Ravens’ return game has added little, and those guys look indecisive. Grade: D Coaching Harbaugh does well as far as organizing his team, keeping them focused and preparing them to play. However, his game day decisions when it comes to play selection and clock management are still poor and could come back to hurt the team. First-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr has struggled, but that was to be expected, especially with three top assistants moving on from a year ago. Coordinator Todd Monken has called some really strong games and has done well working with Jackson and this offense the past two seasons. There are times, though, where he becomes too predictable and allows a game to get out of his control. Grade: B Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

The phrase “the bye week comes at a perfect time” is often overused by football coaches and media members. Yet, it holds truth for the Ravens. After 13 hard-fought games, Baltimore arrives at a break. It’ll be good for the Ravens physically, after 10 of their first 13 games were decided by one possession, and perhaps mentally, too. With stories about Justin Tucker’s murky future in Baltimore and Diontae Johnson’s suspension, the team could use a week away from the outside noise. They’ll return from their bye eager to make a final push to grab the AFC North lead. First, the Ravens (8-5) will face Drew Lock and the New York Giants (2-10) on Dec. 15, which feels like an on-field bye week given the state of the Giants’ franchise. With remaining games against the Giants, Steelers (9-3), Texans (8-5) and Bengals (4-8), betting oddsmakers suggest the Ravens still have a legitimate shot at the AFC North crown despite trailing the Steelers by 1 1/2 games entering Week 14. FanDuel gives Baltimore +130 odds to win the AFC North, with the Steelers holding -160 odds. “We’re right there,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We can do it.” The Giants and Bengals are a combined 5-19 on the season, and the Texans are just 1-3 against teams with winning records. While Pittsburgh has Baltimore’s number in recent seasons, the game will be played at M&T Bank Stadium in front of a supportive crowd. Finishing the season 12-5 is within the realm of possibility for the Ravens. Pittsburgh’s remaining schedule also helps Baltimore’s cause. The Steelers still face the Eagles, Ravens and Chiefs in their final five games of the season. They could be an underdog in all three of those games. While Baltimore’s players aren’t focused on their playoff path or how Pittsburgh will finish the year, Ravens fans will keep a close eye on their AFC North rival. If Pittsburgh stumbles down the stretch, the Ravens could guarantee themselves at least one home playoff game. Oddsmakers view Baltimore as the better team despite the worse winning percentage, with the Ravens holding +1000 odds to win the Super Bowl compared with Pittsburgh’s +2400. The Detroit Lions (+290) are the Super Bowl favorites on FanDuel, with the Eagles (+500), Bills (+500) and Chiefs (+550) the only other teams ahead of the Ravens in the betting market. Lamar Jackson’s MVP odds dip A large reason Baltimore is still viewed as a Super Bowl threat despite five losses is quarterback Lamar Jackson. He’s been incredible this season, throwing for 3,290 yards with 29 touchdown passes and three interceptions. He’s completing 67% of his passes, and he’s added 678 rushing yards and three scores. Jackson leads the NFL with a passer rating of 116.3 and he’s fourth in QBR at 73.4. Only Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow (30) has thrown more touchdown passes than Jackson, and the Ravens star’s rushing yardage ranks first among all NFL QBs. He’s the only player in the NFL to surpass 600 rushing yards this season despite having fewer than 120 carries — he has 111. Will it be enough to win his third MVP Award? Betting markets currently cast doubts, although Jackson was the betting favorite just a few short weeks ago. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens suspend WR Diontae Johnson 1 game for conduct detrimental to team Baltimore Ravens | ‘Season starts after Thanksgiving’: Ravens playoff path decided in next 4 games Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 1 recap: Ravens K Justin Tucker’s woes highlighted Baltimore Ravens | Ravens legend Ray Lewis, FIU have not been in contact about head coach opening, source says Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Chris Horton says special teams is ‘on the up’ despite Justin Tucker’s woes Bills quarterback Josh Allen — second in QBR and 10th in passer rating — is the betting favorite for MVP, per FanDuel. He holds -280 odds to win the award, with his 10-2 Bills in the mix to earn the AFC’s top seed. The Ravens did hand the Bills one of their two losses, though, as Jackson outplayed Allen in the 35-10 win. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, who leads the NFL with 1,499 rushing yards, holds the second-shortest odds (+500) to win the honor. Jackson, on the other hand, is listed at +850 to win his second consecutive MVP Award. No players other than Allen, Barkley and Jackson have odds shorter than +1500 to win the prize. A strong finish from Jackson — the Ravens likely need to win the AFC North behind his arm and legs — could vault the reigning MVP over Allen, especially if Jackson keeps a statistical lead in multiple categories over his peers. There are only four games left in Jackson’s regular season, but the Ravens superstar isn’t out of the MVP race despite slipping odds. “We got the Giants coming up, I’m ready to go,” Jackson said after the Eagles loss. “I’m just ready to go, man.” 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 Ravens have suspended Diontae Johnson for one game because of “conduct detrimental to the team,” they announced Wednesday. The decision came after the wide receiver, who was acquired from the Carolina Panthers before the trade deadline, refused to enter Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium, general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. Baltimore’s next game is Dec. 15 against the New York Giants. DeCosta said the team will have no further comments on the matter. 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

There’s a Bill Parcells quote that’s often evoked this time of year. For teams like the Ravens, eyeing down a crucial four-game stretch, it rings especially true. “The season starts after Thanksgiving,” Parcells used to say. Ravens coach John Harbaugh invoked the Hall of Famer during his Monday press conference. “Wow, what a truth for the teams that are still in it,” he said, “and we’re one of those teams.” The Ravens dropped to 8-5 on Sunday after a 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, their first game after digesting turkey and mashed potatoes. They’re now 1 1/2 games behind the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers. Each remaining game is going to count in chasing down the Steelers for the divisional title, a shot at home-field advantage, and more favorable playoff positioning. “Every goal that we have is in front of us, and we have the team to do it,” Harbaugh said. “I’m proud of our guys; I feel like they’ve fought through a lot of things this year. It’s been 13 straight weeks. We’ve had a lot of tough games; we’ve had a lot of travel. We’ve gone against teams in situations where they were hot, they were at their best, they were playing good football, they were healthy, and it’s a challenge, and I think our guys handled that challenge really well. So that forges you for what’s ahead.” What’s ahead is a bye week. Then come three games in 11 short days: a road game against the meager New York Giants, a potentially decisive home bout with the Steelers and a Christmas Day game at the 8-5 Houston Texans. Baltimore finishes its regular season schedule at home vs. the 3-9 Cleveland Browns. The Athletic’s 2024 playoff prediction model provides a good statistical baseline. It factors in projected strength, current health and remaining strength of schedule, giving Baltimore a 95% chance of making the playoffs, a 36% chance of winning the division and a 5% chance of winning the Super Bowl — a two-point drop following Sunday’s loss. As it stands, Baltimore could be looking at a wild-card round game in Pittsburgh. A win there would presumably mean playing the Bills in Buffalo in January, vying for an AFC championship rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs. Much of that murderer’s row could change with how close the race is in the AFC. The Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, Ravens and Denver Broncos all have eight wins. Baltimore has the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over the Chargers and Broncos, with a chance to jump the Texans later this month. Of those teams, The Athletic’s model predicts the Ravens, Chargers and Broncos to finish 11-6, while the Texans are forecasted for 10-7. Baltimore has the easiest remaining strength of schedule in the quartet, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. The Steelers have the toughest, which favors the Ravens’ quest. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 1 recap: Ravens K Justin Tucker’s woes highlighted Baltimore Ravens | Ravens legend Ray Lewis, FIU have not been in contact about head coach opening, source says Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Chris Horton says special teams is ‘on the up’ despite Justin Tucker’s woes Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OC Todd Monken mum on head coaching speculation Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 13: Are the Ravens elite? Depends on the week. Quarterback Lamar Jackson won’t hear any inquiries on the matter. “We don’t need to worry about the Steelers. We need to worry about us,” he said. “That’s the first thing; worry about what we need to clean up on this side. Clean that [crap] up. Forget every other team.” Added Harbaugh: “We can win the division, we can make it as a wild card, or we could be out [of the playoffs]. It’s up to us to determine that. I feel like, if we win the games, we’ll be in really good shape.” It’s after Thanksgiving so now’s the time. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

The Ravens are back on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” for the first time since the venerable series’ 2001 premiere season, this time sharing each hour with their AFC North neighbors. The first episode of this in-season look at the division debuted Tuesday night with John Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson front and center alongside fellow AFC North luminaries Mike Tomlin, Joe Burrow and Myles Garrett. “No other division is as close, culturally or geographically,” narrator Liev Schreiber boomed in the prologue. “Tough towns sporting tough teams.” From now until the end of the season, we’ll recap each episode, highlighting striking moments, memorable characters and tasty Ravens-related nuggets. Key Ravens scene There weren’t many to choose from given the episode’s understandable focus on the one divisional showdown of the week: Steelers vs. Bengals in Cincinnati. The Ravens’ matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles was presented as a potential battle of the titans. “We’ve got to bully the bullies,” defensive coordinator Zach Orr told his players during a midweek meeting. “That’s what type of game it’s going to be.” That story never really took shape Sunday, and “Hard Knocks” instead zeroed in on kicker Justin Tucker’s woes. “His right leg was the most reliable thing in Baltimore,” Schreiber intoned, contrasting Tucker’s past mastery with his current fallibility. But none of the glimpses of Tucker showed much that we did not already know. “Hey, shake it off,” Harbaugh said, slapping his kicker’s hand after he missed an extra point in the first quarter. “Come on,” Tucker muttered, wincing after one of his three misses against Philadelphia. “It’s crushing,” he said with a pained expression during his postgame interview. Whatever conversations Tucker, his coaches and his teammates might have shared on the sideline or in the locker room remained private. Any insight into how he’s attempting repairs will have to wait for future episodes. Other Ravens tidbits Harbaugh said seeing Jackson at quarterback every day “makes me feel real happy inside.” No surprise there. But it was fun to catch glimpses of how No. 8 impresses him seven seasons in. After Jackson hit Mark Andrews in traffic for an early touchdown against the Eagles, Harbaugh marveled into his headset: “That’s a heck of a throw and catch. I don’t know how he got that in there.” “Right now, there’s another level of execution,” he said of his quarterback. “Another level of being dialed in.” Ravens tight end Mark Andrews makes a contested touchdown catch against the Philadelphia Eagles. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) We also learned that Harbaugh is “always freezing” during late November practice, no surprise to Ravens reporters who know his unofficial rule that post-practice podium sessions go inside once the temperature drops below 50 degrees. “I would give you the jacket off my back,” special teams assistant Randy Brown told his boss as they bantered about the chill. Best non-Ravens scene As the Steelers prepared for the Bengals, Tomlin kept poking at second-year edge rusher Nick Herbig to get him psyched for his matchup with Cincinnati left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. “One-on-one on ‘Zeus,’ man,” Tomlin told Herbig. “You’ve got to kill him.” Herbig then made the strip on Joe Burrow, returned for a touchdown, that gave Pittsburgh a commanding advantage in the 44-38 shootout. The first episode of “Hard Knocks” illustrated some of the reasons why Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is beloved by his players. (Jeff Dean/AP) Tomlin’s Cheshire Cat grin on the sideline spoke volumes. He had foreseen the heroic scenario. Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson embraced him, shouting, “You said Herb! You said Herb!” “I’m not gonna act surprised,” Tomlin said when he caught up with Herbig. “This is what you were brought here to do.” It was the perfect setup and payoff to illustrate why Tomlin has won for almost two decades in Pittsburgh. Other amusements Burrow acknowledged before the Steelers game that his team was probably one loss from falling out of the playoff race for good. Despite that, he enjoyed a light chat with wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins about buying a Batmobile from director Christopher Nolan’s films and a complementary Batsuit to wear to games. The Browns’ Monday night visit to Denver didn’t make the episode, but assistant offensive line coach Roy Istvan got off some good lines, imploring his players to “pitch a fit” and “make it a grimy fight.” Episode MVP Tomlin in a walk. He came across as the perfect blend of tough, loving, sharp and earthy. He started the episode munching on Fritos, tossing off vivid descriptions of Cincinnati’s stars. On Burrow: “That dude feels the rush, his eyes are downfield, he be slithering around the pocket.” On Chase: “This is disgusting. Five touchdowns against Baltimore in two games.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | ‘Season starts after Thanksgiving’: Ravens playoff path decided in next 4 games Baltimore Ravens | Ravens legend Ray Lewis, FIU have not been in contact about head coach opening, source says Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Chris Horton says special teams is ‘on the up’ despite Justin Tucker’s woes Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OC Todd Monken mum on head coaching speculation Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 13: Are the Ravens elite? Depends on the week. He framed the “intimate divisional relationships” that come with AFC North football. “They play us a certain way, There’s a rhythm to it,” he said. Then, on Thanksgiving: “I’d like to open my home up to anyone and everyone.” During the game, after wide receiver George Pickens made a mental error that could drive any coach to imbibe, Tomlin wrapped him in a hug and said: “It ain’t going to decide the outcome of the game.” Who wouldn’t want to play for that guy? Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

Ray Lewis’ name is making the rounds in college football again. Last month, there were conflicting reports that the Ravens legend and Hall of Fame linebacker was in the mix to become the next coach at Florida Atlantic. Tuesday, Fox Sports 640 South Florida radio host Andy Slater reported on X that Lewis is “highly interested” in the opening at Florida International in Miami. An FIU spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by The Baltimore Sun but a source with direct knowledge of the school’s search for a coach said there has been no contact with Lewis as of Tuesday. The Panthers fired coach Mike MacIntyre on Sunday, one day after they finished 4-8 for a third straight year. Lewis, who retired in 2013 after winning a pair of Super Bowls in 17 seasons with Baltimore and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018, has no previous coaching experience. He has worked as an NFL analyst for ESPN and wrote a New York Times bestselling memoir. Two weeks ago, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the 49-year-old was being considered for the FAU job. But CBS’ Matt Zenitz reported shortly after that was “highly unlikely” and there had been no communication between the former Raven and the school after the Owls parted ways with Tom Herman after he went 6-16 over two seasons. On Monday, FAU hired Zach Kittley, who spent the past three seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Texas Tech, as its coach. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Chris Horton says special teams is ‘on the up’ despite Justin Tucker’s woes Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OC Todd Monken mum on head coaching speculation Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 13: Are the Ravens elite? Depends on the week. Baltimore Ravens | Behind the scenes of the Ravens’ return to HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ John Harbaugh doesn’t rule out bringing in kicker to compete with Justin Tucker Whether there is any interest from FIU in Lewis, who grew up in central Florida and starred at the University of Miami, remains to be seen. But it would be highly unusual given Lewis’ dearth of coaching experience. Former NFL star Deion Sanders coached multiple seasons at the high school level and the Football Championship Subdivision before becoming Colorado’s coach. But there is some familiarity, or at least coincidental connectivity between Lewis and FIU. Butch Davis, who coached Miami from 1995 to 2000 before bolting for the Cleveland Browns, was FIU’s coach from 2017 to 2021. Lewis, who turned pro and was drafted 26th overall by the Ravens one season before Davis took over for the Hurricanes, has remained close to his alma mater and is a prominent figure in South Florida. All six of FIU’s previous coaches had extensive experience, including the program’s first in 2002, Don Strock, who, among other stops, was the Ravens quarterbacks coach from 1996 to 1998. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens’ bye week coming so late in the year will be a good opportunity for players to take stock of their health and clear their minds of football for a few days during a lengthy season. If special teams coordinator Chris Horton knows his guy, Justin Tucker will be somewhere kicking. The future Hall of Famer is mired in the worst slump of his career, having missed eight field goal attempts and a pair of extra points this season. It’s already the most in a single season for Tucker, who missed three of those kicks in Sunday’s 24-19 loss to the Eagles. He’s not the only one confounded. “When you see him go out there and kick during the week, he’s smashing the ball,” Horton said. “When you see him pregame, he’s smashing the ball. And he’s just gotta continue those things and bring them into the game. It’s something he has to get himself out of, and we as coaches are gonna stay on him and help him get out of it.” Tucker’s oft-repeated response is that every kick lives on its own. He hasn’t admitted to any common thread in his kicking motion over his eight missed field goals — seven of which have missed left. His best explanation came after a two-point loss to the Steelers in Week 11. After failed attempts on his first two kicks, Tucker said he told long snapper Nick Samac and holder Jordan Stout that he’d tilt his aim slightly toward the right to adjust. It was a minor in-game solution that worked, but not a slump-buster. The snap and hold of Tucker’s kicks have been fairly consistent, said Horton, who admitted that he thought about that possibility the other day and talked himself out of it. “There’s been kicks made where there’s been a good snap, not a good hold,” Horton said. “And there’s been vice versa, right? I think, for the most part, Nick is snapping the ball great. Jordan is putting the ball on the spot. And for the most part, it has been consistent.” What was once thought to be a ludicrous suggestion has become a potential reality. Could the Ravens bring in someone to compete with Tucker? Harbaugh said Monday he didn’t see anything wrong with that idea but that there’s no option out there better than the 35-year-old. Horton was asked if there’s been consideration of looking to Stout, a third-year punter and former placekicker at Penn State. Stout nailed five field goals from beyond 50 yards in college and regularly makes kicks in practice, but that’s more precautionary. “We’ve thought about it,” Horton said. “We talk about it all the time. We practice Jordan on kickoffs. If that becomes something we want to do, we could. That is a consideration. But as of right now, that hasn’t been one of the things we’ve thought about.” Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, right, watches his 53-yard field goal attempt against the Eagles goes wide right in the third quarter of Sunday’s game. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) While his teammates enjoy some time away, Tucker will be doing some soul-searching during his bye week. “We’re going to treat this week just like any other break that we’ve had before,” he said after Sunday’s loss. “We’re going to turn over every stone, and I will do that, individually, for sure, just to address any and all issues I may have with my technique, anything tangible, anything concrete that I can make it a point to remedy.” Field goals aside, Horton thinks the Ravens are just starting to find a groove with the new dynamic kickoff format. “We’re on the up,” he said. Before the start of the season, Horton thought the Ravens might have an advantage with the changes, perhaps because of their longstanding success in that unit and the plethora of coaches bringing special teams experience. It has not played out that way. They’re 26th in average yards returned. Their longest return of the year — a 38-yard run from Rasheen Ali on Sunday — sits 25th among each NFL team’s best. They’ve given up a pair of onside kick recoveries. And Baltimore has an unspectacular middle-of-the-pack ranking in returns allowed and average yards. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OC Todd Monken mum on head coaching speculation Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 13: Are the Ravens elite? Depends on the week. Baltimore Ravens | Behind the scenes of the Ravens’ return to HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ John Harbaugh doesn’t rule out bringing in kicker to compete with Justin Tucker Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ John Harbaugh gives cryptic response about WR Diontae Johnson’s future “I’m starting to see our guys are truly starting to get a feel for this kickoff return system,” he said. “It’s just a lot different than what we’ve been used to. We thought early, we’d come out and have an advantage. But we’ve rotated some guys. We’ve had some guys that are fairly young, in their third or second game of the season.” Tylan Wallace was at the forefront of those issues on Sunday. He muffed one punt return and fumbled another but recovered both. The former fourth-round draft pick admitted that he was “a little indecisive.” Horton agreed. The bye week is a chance to reflect on such issues. Horton approached the podium to speak Tuesday having just finished rewatching all 26 of his group’s kickoff returns this season. Four of those resulted in penalties that negated positive returns, which had Horton dialed in on adjusting technique. Beyond that, he’s seeing a much better understanding of the new setup with a renewed optimism for the final stretch. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

It’s that time of the year in the NFL. With just over a month left in the regular season, the rumor mill for head coaching jobs will soon be in full churn. Three teams — the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets and Chicago Bears — have already begun the search after firing their coaches during the season. Todd Monken, who is in his second year as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator and the architect of the league’s top unit, will draw plenty of interest. But the 58-year-old isn’t worried about that at the moment. He’s focused on more imminent concerns. The Ravens (8-5) are coming off a 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in which the offense struggled to finish drives. It was also the second loss in three games for Baltimore, which fell 1 1/2 games behind the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers and to sixth in the AFC. “I don’t deal with it,” Monken said Tuesday about the speculation surrounding suitors who could be potentially interested in his services. “I don’t deal with it because it’s got nothing to do with the here and the now, and nobody really knows anyways.” What is obvious, though, is how good Baltimore’s offense has been since Monken’s arrival before the 2023 season. Last year, quarterback Lamar Jackson posted career highs in passing yards and completion percentage and went on to be named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player for the second time in his career. The Ravens also finished fourth in offensive defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA), sixth in yards per game, fourth in scoring, eighth in red-zone touchdown percentage, went 13-4 and reached the AFC championship game. Statistically, they’ve been even better this year. Through 13 weeks, Baltimore is second in offensive DVOA, first in yards per game, third in points and first in red-zone scoring. Jackson, until recently, was on pace to become the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards and run for 1,000 in the same season. He might still reach those marks despite his rushing totals dipping lately. All of which will undoubtedly have Monken interviewing for head coaching openings around the league again. Last season, Monken, whose lone head coaching job was with Southern Mississippi from 2013 to 2015, interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina Panthers. Though Monken will turn 59 in January — the average age of coaches entering this season was just 47.7 years old — he could be a popular candidate again down the stretch of this season. Given what he’s done elevating Jackson’s game to another level, Chicago, where the Bears drafted quarterback Caleb Williams first overall earlier this year, is one locale where his name has been bandied about. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Chris Horton says special teams is ‘on the up’ despite Justin Tucker’s woes Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 13: Are the Ravens elite? Depends on the week. Baltimore Ravens | Behind the scenes of the Ravens’ return to HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ John Harbaugh doesn’t rule out bringing in kicker to compete with Justin Tucker Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ John Harbaugh gives cryptic response about WR Diontae Johnson’s future New York is another. The Jets were previously interested in Monken in 2019 following his stint as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator before they hired Adam Gase. Other teams, including the New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars, are also among the organizations with coaches on the hot seat, and Monken’s name will soon begin to percolate and circulate. Not that he has any interest in talking about any of that now, even if others do. “I don’t control that,” Monken said. “All I control is the job I have here. That’s the most important thing, is us winning here and scoring points. Because if you don’t worry about that, then you don’t have a job here. Then the other stuff doesn’t happen. “The idea is right now, our players, how we get better this week, and again, playing winning football. That’s what we’re paid to do here. The rest of it takes care of itself.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Each week of the NFL season, The Baltimore Sun will recap the best and worst from around the league. Here are our winners and losers from Week 13: Loser: Ravens It’s so hard to get a read on these Ravens. One minute, they look like the best team in the NFL. The next, the defense can’t get off the field, the offense struggles to finish drives and the best kicker in franchise history looks hopeless. Sometimes, all of that happens in the same game. That was the case Sunday in Baltimore’s 24-19 loss to the Eagles, yet another disappointing result in a season full of them. The Ravens (8-5) rolled to a 9-0 lead with points on their first two drives, and they got the ball back near the end of the first quarter after allowing a grand total of 2 yards on Philadelphia’s first three possessions. This was shaping up to be a statement win for a team with eyes on a Super Bowl title. But the Ravens went three-and-out on their next three possessions, allowed back-to-back touchdown drives and settled for a 50-yard field goal before halftime that cut the deficit to 14-12. They wouldn’t score again until there were three seconds left in the game. Yes, Justin Tucker missed two field goal attempts at the end of two long drives to open the second half that would have swung the game back in the Ravens’ control, but the offense shouldn’t be left off the hook for its inability to finish drives. In five trips to the red zone, the Ravens scored just two touchdowns. “That was a pretty good team, don’t get me wrong, but I felt like we left stuff out there,” Jackson said. “We should have put more points on the board. We shouldn’t have even put ‘Tuck’ [Justin Tucker] in those kinds of situations, but it’s football. Everything is not going to go right.” That’s what makes this team so frustrating. Outside of dominant wins over the Bills and Broncos, the Ravens have not put together a complete game. When the offense was on a record-setting pace in the first half of the season, the defense was one of the league’s worst. Now that the defense has started to rebound, the offense has struggled to score consistently. Playing without outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy and defensive tackle Michael Pierce, Baltimore bottled up star running back Saquon Barkley and limited big plays. Jalen Hurts’ longest completion went for 15 yards. But it couldn’t hold up long enough, as Barkley ripped off a 25-yard touchdown run with 7:56 remaining that effectively sealed the game. Then after the Ravens turned the ball over on downs, they allowed the Eagles to bleed 5:08 off the clock on an 11-play, 25-yard march that included conversions on fourth-and-1 and third-and-7. When it came to late-game execution, the Ravens were simply outclassed. There are still plenty of reasons to believe in the Ravens as a Super Bowl contender, especially if this late-season resurgence by the defense can be trusted. On most days, Jackson is good enough to go toe-to-toe or even outplay Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and some of the league’s other elite quarterbacks. But even he admitted Sunday that he failed to play up to his standard. The question remains, as always, whether the Ravens can put it all together at the right time in the postseason. Winner: Buffalo Bills The 49ers simply adopted the snowy conditions in Buffalo. The Bills were born in it, molded by it — and it showed Sunday night. Josh Allen made one of the best plays of the year so far, taking an impromptu lateral from wide receiver Amari Cooper and diving for the pylon to score a receiving touchdown on a pass he threw. Allen accounted for three touchdowns in a 35-10 rout, building his case for NFL Most Valuable Player and helping Buffalo (10-2) secure the AFC East title for the fifth straight season with five games remaining. Outside of an early-season blip that included back-to-back losses to the Ravens and Texans, the Bills have been steady, rolling to seven straight wins by an average of nearly 14 points per game. Not even the Chiefs could stop them. With Kansas City looking vulnerable and few legitimately scary teams in the AFC playoff picture, it’s starting to feel like this could be Buffalo’s year. Loser: Kirk Cousins Maybe the Falcons’ much-maligned draft was actually genius. Cousins threw four interceptions — two to rookie cornerback and former Maryland star Tarheeb Still — in a deflating 17-13 loss to the Chargers on Sunday, raising questions about whether Atlanta should turn to its first-round pick, Michael Penix Jr. “We’ve got no issues with that man,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said of Cousins, who signed a four-year, $180 million deal this offseason. “I don’t think that’s gonna be the issue around here. That guy’s carried us. That guy’s got us to the point. We’re 6-6 and first place in the division. We’ve still got everything in front of us.” That’s true, but Sunday’s performance did not inspire much confidence that Cousins can carry the Falcons to the NFC South title, let alone a playoff run. The Buccaneers are also 6-6 after an overtime win over the Panthers, and Baker Mayfield has been the better quarterback this season. Atlanta holds the tiebreaker after winning both head-to-head matchups against Tampa Bay, but the Falcons have to prove they can pull out of their current tailspin before making any postseason plans. Turning to Penix this late in the season would be a bit of a surprise, but it might be Atlanta’s best shot to get the most out of its talented offense. If Cousins is clearly past his prime, the rookie could be the spark the team needs to get over the hump and an interesting wrinkle to throw at opposing defenses. Russell Wilson threw for 414 yards and three touchdowns in the Steelers’ 44-38 win over the Bengals on Sunday. (Jeff Dean/AP) Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers Maybe this section should just be about how bad the Bengals’ defense is. Russell Wilson threw for 414 yards and three touchdowns in the Steelers’ 44-38 win over the Bengals on Sunday, the second-most passing yards of the 13-year veteran’s career. Not even a pick-six he threw in the first quarter could dampen the spirits of a Pittsburgh team that bounced back from a Thursday night loss to the Browns to stay 1 1/2 games ahead of Baltimore in the AFC North race while effectively eliminating the Bengals (4-8) from postseason contention. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Behind the scenes of the Ravens’ return to HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ John Harbaugh doesn’t rule out bringing in kicker to compete with Justin Tucker Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ John Harbaugh gives cryptic response about WR Diontae Johnson’s future Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Should the Ravens replace kicker Justin Tucker this season? Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles “I thought our group smiled in the face of it, particularly [Wilson],” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. Wilson is now 5-1 as the Steelers’ starter, reviving a career that looked to be over after a disappointing tenure in Denver. Most metrics and analysts consider the Steelers (9-3) a tier below the Chiefs, Bills and Ravens to reach the Super Bowl, but they continue to exceed expectations largely because of their rejuvenated quarterback and a defense that, while picked apart by Joe Burrow and the Bengals on Sunday, still ranks as one of the league’s best. But for as good as Tomlin has been at keeping his team in the mix, he’s been equally as bad of late at winning playoff games. Pittsburgh has advanced past the divisional round just once since losing the Super Bowl at the end of the 2010 season, and it would take a major upset for the team to get to the conference title game this year. This time, though, the experienced Wilson could make the difference. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

Tucked away in a corner of the Ravens’ sprawling practice facility in Owings Mills are a pair of gray, wooden temporary trailers. They are inconspicuous and look as if they’ve been there all along, which is sort of the point. They have not, but the idea is to blend in. For the first time, HBO’s and NFL Films’ “Hard Knocks” series is chronicling an entire division — the AFC North — during the season, and inside the two trailers, along with at NFL Films headquarters in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, is where the magic happens. It also marks Baltimore’s first appearance in the series since the inaugural season in 2001. Crews will follow the Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns over the final six weeks of the regular season, documenting them on the field and off it, in meetings, inside the locker room and at the players’ homes. The series debuts Tuesday at 9 p.m. and the 55-minute long episodes will air each subsequent week through the playoffs as long as any of the teams are still alive. Last season, the division became the first to have all four teams finish with a winning record, which was only part of the reason the series is focusing on the AFC North this year. “We’ve never had a chance in an access show like this to feature rivalries,” vice president/head of content at NFL Films Keith Cossrow told The Baltimore Sun. “That’s why it was so important to us when we started this iteration of ‘Hard Knocks’ to start in the AFC North. We know what this division is about. We know how these teams feel about each other. We know the history of it. We know that every one of these games, metaphorically speaking, is a bloodbath.” To capture it all will require an army of people and cameras. From before sunrise to well after sunset, Baltimore directors Tim Rumpff and Courtland Bragg and their crew will film practices and meetings and interview players and coaches. One or as many as a few players will also be mic’d up each day. Robotic cameras have also been installed at each of the team’s headquarters. The process began in earnest in the week leading up to what ended up being a 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. In all, there are about 14 people with boots on the ground every day in Owings Mills and at each of the sites for the other teams, with the size of the crews stretching into the 20s for divisional games. By the time an episode hits the air, roughly 150 people will have ultimately touched it in varying capacities, not that anyone on site would necessarily realize it. “We work very hard to stay invisible,” Cossrow said. “Invariably, the teams gain a lot of respect because they see them when they got there and they’re still there when they leave.” The math is also “a little bit scary,” he added, when it comes to how much film is required to fill out each episode — about 200 to 300 hours per hour of “Hard Knocks” — and the turnaround is extremely tight at roughly 48 hours. A film crew working in conjunction with the NFL and HBO film a recent Ravens practice for "Hard Knocks." (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) A film crew working in conjunction with the NFL and HBO film a recent Ravens practice for "Hard Knocks." (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) A film crew working in conjunction with the NFL and HBO film a recent Ravens practice for "Hard Knocks." (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Show Caption1 of 3A film crew working in conjunction with the NFL and HBO film a recent Ravens practice for "Hard Knocks." (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Expand “As this progresses, we’ll get to know [the players] and hopefully be at their homes with their families, or the drive-in with them or the drive home,” Bragg said. “Hopefully it’ll give an opportunity not just of one fan base but four fan bases to really get an intimate view of their favorite players.” There’s also the matter what they can show and what they can’t. Each week, the directors on site decide on the approach they will take creatively around the biggest and most relevant storylines as they see them. Then they’ll share their thoughts with the organizations while filming as much as they can. The day before each episode airs, each team will be given a copy of that week’s show and they will have the opportunity to approve it based mostly on competitive balance issues. In other words, there is a line when it comes to what gets revealed, though there is a back-and-forth between the two sides. “Obviously we don’t want the TV show to make bulletin board material,” Cossrow said. “These teams dislike each other enough. This whole show is about rivalries and teams that hate each other, so we’re not here to pour gasoline on the fire. “If there’s any issues we’ll discuss it. But it’s not a matter of the Ravens calling NFL Films and saying, ‘Here’s what the show is about this week.’ That’s never happened in the history of the show.” So far, so good. Ravens coach John Harbaugh says the presence of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” won’t alter how the team prepares. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) “We have open dialogue as to what they’re looking for and what we’re comfortable with,” Ravens longtime senior vice president of communications Chad Steele said on Monday. “We’re a week into it and it’s been as smooth as you could hope for.” How will Ravens coach John Harbaugh handle the extra sets of prying eyes and cameras, particularly during what will be an important if not tense part of the season with the battle for the AFC North likely to come down to the wire? “We’re not going to do anything different,” he said, adding that he’s never seen the show. “We’re just going to be us; that’s how we’re going to handle it. We’re going to be very genuine. It’ll be real.” Which is the ultimate goal of the filmmakers as well. This series will also be different from the training camp edition, which employs a much bigger crew to cover everything from roster battles to unknown players to the lighter moments that often take place during the summer. “The difference between this show and the summer show is the stakes,” Rumpff said. “Everything matters.” That’s the intrigue, capturing it all when the stakes are the highest. The cast of characters is also an embarrassment of riches. From Ravens quarterback and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson and two-time NFL rushing champ Derrick Henry to Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and quarterback Russell Wilson to seemingly never-ending drama in Cleveland, there is no shortage of star power. And at the center of a potential journey to the Super Bowl is also one of the best rivalries in the sport, with the Ravens and Steelers slated to face off on Dec. 21 in Baltimore. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 13: Are the Ravens elite? Depends on the week. Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ John Harbaugh doesn’t rule out bringing in kicker to compete with Justin Tucker Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ John Harbaugh gives cryptic response about WR Diontae Johnson’s future Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Should the Ravens replace kicker Justin Tucker this season? Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles Currently, Pittsburgh has a 1 1/2-game lead over Baltimore as the Ravens enter their bye this week with their next game on Dec. 15 against the New York Giants before the Saturday showdown six days later against Pittsburgh, which has won eight of its past nine against Baltimore, including last month at Acrisure Stadium. The rematch at M&T Bank Stadium could decide the division title. It figures to be the most critical game remaining on the Ravens’ schedule and thus the most delicious of the episodes. That in turn also sets the stage for what has the potential for fascinating television. “It’s a great opportunity to document history,” Bragg said. “I look at this project as potentially the first time NFL Films could be embedded with a team that goes all the way and wins the Super Bowl.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Each time John Harbaugh has been asked whether Justin Tucker’s struggles might warrant bringing in another kicker to compete with the future Hall of Famer, the Ravens coach has been quick to denounce the possibility. Monday was the first time he acknowledged the contrary. “I don’t think there’d be anything wrong with that,” Harbaugh said Monday afternoon. He was clear that if the Ravens reached that point, he wouldn’t want it to come off as sending a message to Tucker. Harbaugh said he has talked to senior special teams coach Randy Brown about available names but “there’s nobody nearly as good as Justin Tucker out there.” After his third missed kick in Sunday’s 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, CBS cameras zoomed in on Tucker walking off the tee box, looking back to the uprights saying, “Come on!” Harbaugh met him over on the sideline for a quick hug. “Hey, you’re gonna make the game-winner,” Harbaugh recalled telling Tucker. “Get ready to make the game-winner.” That chance never came. Harbaugh’s trust in Baltimore’s longest-tenured player hasn’t wavered but even his slight change of tone could be a telling sign. The Football Database lists three kickers currently on NFL practice squads: Alex Hale (Green Bay), Charlie Smyth (New Orleans) and Matthew Wright (Kansas City). Wright helped the Chiefs escape with a win against Las Vegas on Friday before being sent back down. Spotrac lists two available free agents: 34-year-old veteran Randy Bullock and 25-year-old Riley Patterson. Tucker, a 12-year veteran, spoke with Baltimore’s coach of 16 years on Monday morning. “I know what I have to do,” Tucker told him. “I just have to do it in those situations.” Easier said than done. This season, he’s connected on 19 of 27 field goal attempts. His eight missed field goals and two missed extra points are both career highs. His most troubling distance — perhaps obviously, but there was a time he made it look easy — is from beyond 50 yards, accounting for five errant kicks. The other three have been between 40 and 49 yards. A few of his recent misses have been costly. Tucker missed one field goal against the Raiders in Week 2, a three-point home loss. He missed two last month against Pittsburgh, a two-point road loss with AFC North implications. And on Sunday against the Eagles, his misses again proved vital. “I feel like I cost us this one, but it doesn’t really do anybody any good to dwell on it,” Tucker said after the game. “I hate that I’ve had to have this same conversation over the course of this season, but that’s something that comes with the territory in this job description.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ John Harbaugh gives cryptic response about WR Diontae Johnson’s future Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Should the Ravens replace kicker Justin Tucker this season? Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens can’t give up on Justin Tucker now | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for loss to Eagles According to NextGenStats, the Ravens’ win probability Sunday dropped 28.4% because of Tucker’s trio of misses. His eight misses have accounted for the Ravens losing a combined 61.6% in win probability, the seventh-most of any kicker. Even if his misses aren’t in decisive moments, they’ve been a clear setback, particularly in the losses. For reference, between 2016 and 2023, perhaps the greatest kicker ever gave his team a combined 167.1% increase in win probability. That’s four-fold better than any other kicker and emblematic of how crucial he has been to the team’s success in recent memory. That’s much of the reason Harbaugh has remained so steadfast. “We’re racking our brains, talking to Justin and looking at what we’re doing,” Harbaugh said. “I’m very confident that it’s gonna get fixed. I believe it will. It has to. And he’s the guy to get it fixed.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article