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John Harbaugh spent all offseason speaking about his offensive line behind a thinly veiled smokescreen. He sounded optimistic but rarely volunteered much detail about a position group that lost three starters. When probed about a potential change at right guard earlier this week, the Ravens coach was as forward as he had been in months. “If Ben [Cleveland] had earned the job at right guard, he’d be the starting right guard,” Harbaugh said. Baltimore drafted Cleveland in the third round in 2021 out of Georgia. He’s started seven games the past three years but hasn’t played an offensive snap yet this season, with first-time starter Daniel Faalele handling right guard duties. Last year, Cleveland took the field sporadically with a high of 13 snaps through 15 games. He was suddenly thrust into the starting position for Baltimore’s final two regular-season games because of an injury to Kevin Zeitler. Cleveland knows as well as anybody that “at any given second, anybody can become a starter.” Cleveland totaled 64 pass-blocking snaps in those two games, allowing two pressures without a sack, per Pro Football Focus. He wasn’t a complete revelation but at the start of training camp, he was thought to be a natural replacement when the Ravens let Zeitler walk in free agency. It didn’t pan out that way. When Tyler Linderbaum missed time in camp with a neck injury, Harbaugh slid Cleveland over to center. Meanwhile, Faalele, who took reps at right tackle down the stretch last season while Morgan Moses nursed a biceps injury, moved over to right guard. He beat out Cleveland for the starting job, Harbaugh said, “just a fact, straight up, matter of fact,” based on what they’ve seen on tape. But Cleveland is eager for an opportunity — there or elsewhere on the line — if the opportunity presents itself. “There weren’t a whole lot of right guard reps taken by me during camp just because of injury and all the above,” Cleveland told The Baltimore Sun, “so just staying ready for when my number gets called to go in and play.” “I feel like I’ve been my most consistent and most proactive throughout camp,” Ben Cleveland, left, said. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Harbaugh made his declaration clear (with the amendment that things can change). So, how would Cleveland evaluate his play this summer and through the infancy of the season? “I feel like I’ve been my most consistent and most proactive throughout camp,” Cleveland told The Sun. “It’s been a struggle having to move around positions with injuries and stuff like that. But as far as adapting to other positions and just playing where I’m asked, I feel like I’ve been extremely consistent and competitive.” Baltimore’s offensive line has been a lowlight through its maddening first two games. One of their most costly gaffes came late in Sunday’s game against the Raiders in a tie game. On first-and-10 from the Ravens’ 30-yard line, star defensive end Maxx Crosby careened toward the inside, blowing past Faalele and sacking Lamar Jackson for a 9-yard loss. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Cowboys scouting report for Week 3: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 3 of 2024 NFL season: Texans vs. Vikings, Chargers vs. Steelers and more Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Cowboys staff picks: Who will win Sunday’s game in Texas? Baltimore Ravens | What is the Ravens’ identity? They’re still searching as they enter a pivotal stretch. Baltimore Ravens | Ravens overreaction corner: Has Baltimore already ruined its playoff chances? Holistically, it was a half-step forward from Week 1 when, according to PFF, four out of five Ravens linemen graded 55 or worse on run blocking (left tackle Ronnie Stanley being the outlier). “We did some things a lot better this past game than we did in Week 1,” Cleveland said. “It’s just gonna take us working together and grinding through the bad plays, the good plays and just keep on rolling with it.” Harbaugh could still make a change along the offensive line. If not a one-for-one with Cleveland and Faalele, the Ravens could shuffle Faalele out for rookie Roger Rosengarten or veteran Patrick Mekari, who have been sharing snaps at right tackle. “Ben knows what he needs to do,” Harbaugh said. “If he wants playing time, he knows how he needs to play, and he knows how he needs to practice when he gets that chance.” View the full article

The Ravens blew a 23-13 fourth-quarter lead in a shocking home loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Cowboys did even worse, falling 44-19 to the New Orleans Saints on their home field. Who will have the advantage when these 2023 playoff teams meet Sunday afternoon in Dallas? Ravens passing game vs. Cowboys pass defense Through two games, Lamar Jackson’s completion percentage and yards per attempt are down from his 2023 NFL Most Valuable Player levels. He has spread the ball effectively, connecting at least five times with five different receivers, but he couldn’t hurt the Raiders downfield, completing just one pass over 20 yards (to Zay Flowers late in the second quarter). The Ravens went away from their play-action game against Las Vegas (despite great efficiency when they did use it). Coach John Harbaugh indicated that will be a bigger part of their game plan going forward. Tight end Isaiah Likely saw just three targets after leading the team in catches and receiving yards in the season opener. Pass blocking remains the greatest concern underlying the Ravens’ offensive frustrations. When Jackson needed time to throw on first down after the Raiders had tied the score at 23, right guard Daniel Faalele could not stay in front of Las Vegas’ top pass rusher, Maxx Crosby, on an inside stunt that produced a devastating 9-yard sack. Crosby finished with two sacks and two hurries, and the Ravens will face an equally daunting game wrecker this week in Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (14 sacks, 33 quarterback hits in 2023). Like Crosby, Parsons lines up wherever he sees the best matchup, so don’t be surprised of he attacks the right side of the Ravens’ offensive line. Could this be a week when rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten plays more than veteran partner Patrick Mekari because he has quicker feet? Dallas has played the pass effectively in recent years, ranking seventh in DVOA in 2023. Parsons is the star, but the Cowboys also ranked eighth in the league with 17 interceptions last year and have three in the first two games this year. All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland is out with a foot injury, but Trevon Diggs is back as a dangerous ballhawk after missing most of last season. Veteran DeMarcus Lawrence complements Parsons as a pass rusher. The Cowboys had little luck reaching quarterback Derek Carr in their blowout loss to the Saints after they were all over Deshaun Watson in their opening win in Cleveland. EDGE: Cowboys Cowboys passing game vs. Ravens pass defense Dak Prescott put up huge numbers (4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns) last season but has been less efficient through two games this years. He’s playing behind a pair of struggling tackles in Terence Steele and Tyler Guyton, who have combined to allow four sacks and nine hurries. He was without Pro Bowl tight end Jake Ferguson (knee) in the loss to New Orleans. The one target he can always count on is Pro Bowl wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (135 catches, 1,739 yards, 12 touchdowns in 2023), who’s both a home run threat and a high-volume drive extender. The Ravens struggled to cover Las Vegas’ top receiver, Davante Adams, when protecting a lead. Doing better against Lamb will be one of their top priorities in Dallas. Prescott’s other targets, veteran Brandin Cooks and Jalen Tolbert, are more manageable. Lamb did not practice Wednesday because of an ankle injury. The Ravens defended the pass better than any team in the league last year but have not approached that efficiency in two games under new coordinator Zach Orr. Their top edge rushers, Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy, played great against Las Vegas, combining for 4 1/2 sacks. Their coverage was less stellar as Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II had his way targeting Adams and rookie tight end Brock Bowers in the second half. The Ravens need better play from safeties Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton (who missed practice Wednesday with a back injury). Linebacker Roquan Smith improved on a dreadful opener, but Minshew went 6-for-6 against Smith’s partner, Trenton Simpson. EDGE: Even Ravens running game vs. Cowboys run defense The Ravens ran Derrick Henry outside to great effect in the second half against the Raiders, and he finished with 84 yards on 18 carries. They mysteriously went away from him after Las Vegas tied the game late in the fourth quarter, but this was at least a glimpse of Henry’s value as a closer. He has not been as effective between the tackles because of poor run blocking from Faalele and left guard Andrew Vorhees. Jackson, meanwhile, carried just five times for 45 yards (25 of those on a desperate final play) after carrying 16 for 122 in the opener. Ideally, the Ravens would keep him more involved in the run game while exposing him to less punishment than he took in Kansas City. They’ll have their chance against a run defense that gave up 190 yards against the Saints. Dallas had no answer for Alvin Kamara’s speed, and though the Ravens don’t have an exact facsimile, the Cowboys can’t relish the idea of accounting for both Jackson and Henry. This defense did play the run well last season, holding opponents to 4.2 yards per attempt. Lawrence is stout on the edge, and linebacker Damone Clark has played well through two weeks. EDGE: Ravens The Ravens’ Odafe Oweh sacks Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II during Sunday’s home opener at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Cowboys running game vs. Ravens run defense The Cowboys fell behind quickly against New Orleans, so running backs Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott combined for just 46 yards on 13 carries. Dallas is averaging 3.7 yards per carry after averaging 4.1 last season with Tony Pollard as its primary runner. Prescott can still hurt inattentive defenses on scrambles but doesn’t take off on many designed runs. This is a pass-first offense by any measure. The Ravens erased the Raiders’ ground attack, with Oweh and Van Noy setting tough edges and their interior linemen, led by Travis Jones, cleaning up in the middle. Las Vegas managed just 27 yards on 17 carries. The Ravens also cut their missed tackles from 11 in the opener to six against the Raiders, per Pro Football Focus. They’ve allowed 2.7 yards per carry through the first two weeks, down from 4.5 last season, so this part of the defense is working. EDGE: Ravens Ravens special teams vs. Cowboys special teams The Ravens played one of their worst special teams games in recent memory against Las Vegas. Justin Tucker missed a 56-yard field goal attempt, his sixth miss in seven tries from 50 or beyond over the past two seasons. Jordan Stout shanked a 24-yard punt when he needed to pin the Raiders deep late in the fourth quarter. John Kelly handed the Ravens poor starting field position on a fourth-quarter drive when he returned a kickoff from two yards inside the end zone. The Cowboys have perhaps the best kicker in the league in Brandon Aubrey, who has made 44 of 46 field goal attempts, including 13 of 13 from 50 yards or beyond, over the past two seasons. Punter Bryan Anger also made the Pro Bowl last year for a unit that finished 10th in DVOA. Return specialist KaVontae Turpin struggled last season but has averaged 19.2 yards on punts and 34.5 on kickoffs this year. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 3 of 2024 NFL season: Texans vs. Vikings, Chargers vs. Steelers and more Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Cowboys staff picks: Who will win Sunday’s game in Texas? Baltimore Ravens | What is the Ravens’ identity? They’re still searching as they enter a pivotal stretch. Baltimore Ravens | Ravens overreaction corner: Has Baltimore already ruined its playoff chances? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson embraces leadership role after 0-2 start: ‘We’re not moping around’ EDGE: Cowboys Ravens intangibles vs. Cowboys intangibles The Ravens are in an 0-2 hole, and if there’s such a thing as a Week 3 must-win, this is it. Harbaugh has started this poorly just once in 17 seasons in Baltimore, and his team finished 5-11 that year. Jackson, 58-21 an an NFL starter, has never experienced anything like this. So the Ravens will go to Dallas with plenty of urgency. They went 7-1 on the road last year, highlighted by a 33-19 win at San Francisco on Christmas. They’re comfortable taking on a big game away from home. The Cowboys, 12-5 each of the past three seasons under coach Mike McCarthy, will also be eager to wipe away the taste of a bitter Week 2 defeat. They went undefeated at home last year, lighting up the scoreboard until Green Bay shocked them 48-32 in the wild-card round of the playoffs. They gave up 44 to the Saints, so this will be their chance to restore home-field advantage. EDGE: Ravens Prediction This is an unusually high-stakes matchup for so early in the season. The Ravens can’t afford to start 0-3, and the Cowboys can’t afford to be licked on their home field two weeks in a row. If the Ravens can keep Parsons out of Jackson’s face — a big if — they’ll score plenty. If they build an early lead, they’ll press on Dallas with a superior run game. Can their secondary do a better job on Lamb than it did against the Raiders’ top two targets? The answer is yes. The Ravens will begin digging out of their hole with a bruising road win. Ravens 27, Cowboys 23 View the full article

Baltimore Sun staff writers pick every game of the NFL season. Here’s who they have winning in Week 3: New England Patriots at New York Jets (Thursday, 8:15 p.m.) Brian Wacker (7-9 last week; 20-12 overall): Jets Childs Walker (7-9 last week; 15-17 overall): Jets Mike Preston (5-11 last week; 19-13 overall): Jets C.J. Doon (10-6 last week; 19-13 overall): Jets Tim Schwartz (8-8 last week; 19-13 overall): Jets Bennett Conlin (6-10 last week; 16-16 overall): Jets New York Giants at Cleveland Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Browns Walker: Browns Preston: Browns Doon: Browns Schwartz: Browns Conlin: Browns Chicago Bears at Indianapolis Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Colts Walker: Bears Preston: Bears Doon: Bears Schwartz: Colts Conlin: Bears Houston Texans at Minnesota Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Texans Walker: Texans Preston: Texans Doon: Texans Schwartz: Vikings Conlin: Texans Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Eagles Walker: Eagles Preston: Saints Doon: Saints Schwartz: Saints Conlin: Eagles Los Angeles Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Chargers Walker: Steelers Preston: Steelers Doon: Steelers Schwartz: Chargers Conlin: Steelers Denver Broncos at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Buccaneers Walker: Buccaneers Preston: Buccaneers Doon: Buccaneers Schwartz: Buccaneers Conlin: Buccaneers Green Bay Packers at Tennessee Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Packers Walker: Packers Preston: Packers Doon: Titans Schwartz: Packers Conlin: Titans Carolina Panthers at Las Vegas Raiders (Sunday, 4:05 p.m.) Wacker: Raiders Walker: Raiders Preston: Raiders Doon: Raiders Schwartz: Raiders Conlin: Raiders Miami Dolphins at Seattle Seahawks (Sunday, 4:05 p.m.) Wacker: Seahawks Walker: Seahawks Preston: Seahawks Doon: Seahawks Schwartz: Seahawks Conlin: Seahawks Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: Lions Walker: Lions Preston: Lions Doon: Cardinals Schwartz: Lions Conlin: Lions San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: 49ers Walker: 49ers Preston: 49ers Doon: 49ers Schwartz: 49ers Conlin: 49ers Kansas City Chiefs at Atlanta Falcons (Sunday, 8:20 p.m.) Wacker: Chiefs Walker: Chiefs Preston: Falcons Doon: Chiefs Schwartz: Chiefs Conlin: Chiefs Related Articles NFL | Ravens vs. Cowboys staff picks: Who will win Sunday’s game in Texas? NFL | What is the Ravens’ identity? They’re still searching as they enter a pivotal stretch. NFL | Ravens overreaction corner: Has Baltimore already ruined its playoff chances? NFL | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson embraces leadership role after 0-2 start: ‘We’re not moping around’ NFL | Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton misses practice with back injury; CeeDee Lamb absent for Cowboys Jacksonville Jaguars at Buffalo Bills (Monday, 7:30 p.m.) Wacker: Bills Walker: Bills Preston: Bills Doon: Bills Schwartz: Bills Conlin: Bills Washington Commanders at Cincinnati Bengals (Monday. 8:15 p.m.) Wacker: Bengals Walker: Bengals Preston: Bengals Doon: Bengals Schwartz: Bengals Conlin: Bengals View the full article

Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Sunday’s Week 3 game between the Ravens (0-2) and Dallas Cowboys (1-1) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Brian Wacker, reporter Cowboys 20, Ravens 17: Cowboys outside linebacker Micah Parsons has just one sack so far, but the 25-year-old two-time All-Pro and 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year is tied for third in the NFL in pressures with 14. So don’t be surprised to see him move around and pick on the right side of Baltimore’s offensive line. The good news for the Ravens is that the interior of the Cowboys’ defensive line has been vulnerable against the run and Derrick Henry, who lives in Dallas in the offseason, probably hasn’t forgotten that the Cowboys didn’t even bother calling him when he was a free agent this offseason. But it won’t matter if Baltimore’s offensive line can’t create holes to run through and Lamar Jackson can’t get it in sync with his receivers against a defense that was shredded by Alvin Kamara and the New Orleans Saints last week. Childs Walker, reporter Ravens 27, Cowboys 23: This is an unusually high-stakes matchup for so early in the season. The Ravens can’t afford to start 0-3, and the Cowboys can’t afford to be licked on their home field two weeks in a row. If the Ravens can keep Micah Parsons out of Lamar Jackson’s face — a big if — they’ll score plenty. If they build an early lead, they’ll press on Dallas with a superior run game. Can their secondary do a better job on CeeDee Lamb than it did against the Raiders’ top two targets? The answer is yes. The Ravens will begin digging out of their hole with a bruising road win. Mike Preston, columnist Cowboys 28, Ravens 24: The Ravens have a great chance of winning if they can run the ball. Dallas likes to use small, fast guys on defense, so Baltimore should have success pounding away with running back Derrick Henry, assuming the offensive line can open some holes. The outcome will be decided by which quarterback gets hot. When he is on his game, Lamar Jackson can dominate with his legs. Dallas’s Dak Prescott can light a team up with his arm. The Ravens are 0-2 and coach John Harbaugh has been successful in getting his teams out of holes, but the Cowboys got blown out at home by the Saints on Sunday. They will be an angry bunch and should win. C.J. Doon, editor Ravens 33, Cowboys 20: No matter what happens in this game, you can bet it’s going to lead the debate shows Monday morning. Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott, perhaps the two biggest lightning rods for criticism in the NFL, fighting to keep their seasons alive? That’s catnip for everyone with an opinion on professional sports. But it’s harder for me to imagine the Ravens being the team under pressure to make significant changes after a disastrous 0-3 start. The Cowboys live in that world seemingly every season. In a game decided by blocking and tackling, the Ravens have a decided edge here, despite what we all watched in the fourth quarter last Sunday against the Raiders. Dallas’ defense is paper thin right now, especially along the interior. The Cowboys’ offense isn’t as explosive as it might seem on paper, either, having recorded only four passing plays of 20 yards or more in two games. There’s a world in which Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb have the same impact as Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams did last week in Baltimore, but the Ravens should know how to adjust this time around. If they can’t run the ball effectively with Derrick Henry and tighten up in the secondary, the season might as well be over. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 3 of 2024 NFL season: Texans vs. Vikings, Chargers vs. Steelers and more Baltimore Ravens | What is the Ravens’ identity? They’re still searching as they enter a pivotal stretch. Baltimore Ravens | Ravens overreaction corner: Has Baltimore already ruined its playoff chances? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson embraces leadership role after 0-2 start: ‘We’re not moping around’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton misses practice with back injury; CeeDee Lamb absent for Cowboys Tim Schwartz, editor Ravens 24, Cowboys 21: There’s no way Baltimore can start 0-3, right? Right!? The Ravens have too much talent and too much pride to fall into a hole that deep, and I think you’ll see a desperate group Sunday afternoon. Lamar Jackson is not the reason Baltimore is winless but he can certainly play better. His team needs him — and running back Derrick Henry — to become a closer, take care of the ball and rely on his legs when plays break down. Special teams, a major issue for the Ravens so far, is a big disparity in this one with the Cowboys having some of the best specialists in the NFL. Avoiding the back-breaking return or somehow preventing the long field goal could be the key for the Ravens to win. Something’s gotta give, and I’d be surprised if Baltimore drops to — gulp — 0-3. Bennett Conlin, editor Ravens 27, Cowboys 24: Baltimore’s 0-2 start comes as a bit of a surprise, especially given how the team lost to the Raiders in Week 2. Even after the collapse against Las Vegas, Baltimore has more than enough talent to work through its issues and push for the postseason in the final 15 games of the year. In the shorter term, the Ravens should take advantage of a Dallas defense that ranks worst in the NFL in rushing defense, according to Pro Football Focus grades. Look for Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson to create enough successful plays in the running game for Baltimore to pick up its first win of the young season. View the full article

There’s an identity crisis in Baltimore. After the Ravens’ ignominious and discomfiting loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in their home opener Sunday, quarterback Lamar Jackson stood at a lectern in the bowels of M&T Bank Stadium, dropped his head and threw his hands up and said that the team needs to find its “mojo.” With its next game Sunday against the host Dallas Cowboys, it also must locate a win to avoid the franchise’s first 0-3 start since 2015 and just the second in its 29 years. Baltimore finished 5-11 that season, and only six teams since 1979 have made the playoffs after losing their first three games. So, it’s perhaps good timing that the Ravens had what Jackson called one of their best practices of the young season Wednesday in Owings Mills. They are still trying to figure out what type of team they are, along with how to fix the self-inflicted problems and other shortcomings that have cast an ominous cloud over a season in which Super Bowl expectations could soon be hanging by the thinnest of threads. That perhaps explains why the lights were still on at the Ravens’ facility around 8:30 Wednesday night with more cars than usual in the parking lot at that hour, including those of general manager Eric DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh. After the Cowboys, the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals loom. Finding an identity and finding the win column are not mutually exclusive. “In terms of an identity, we need to establish an identity for each phase and for your football team,” Harbaugh said. “That’s established over the course of a given season. “I doubt that any team will tell you they’ve established their identity yet after two weeks.” Except plenty already have. The Chiefs showed what kind of offense they can have with a replenishment of speedy and talented wide receivers in their season-opening victory in Kansas City over the Ravens. There’s little question about what the Chargers are with the successful run-heavy approach of former Baltimore offensive coordinator Greg Roman and ex-Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins. The Bills are led by do-everything quarterback Josh Allen and a defensive front that is as good as any in the league. And in the Ravens’ own division, the Steelers are finding ways to win that defy expectation, as usual. Then there’s Baltimore, which leads the NFL in total yards per game (417.5) but is inexplicably just 14th in points per game (21.5). In Week 1, two-time NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry got just 13 carries, with Jackson leading the team in rushes (16) and rushing yards (122) while also throwing 41 times. In Week 2, though, Henry was the leading rusher (18 carries, 84 yards, one touchdown), while tight end Isaiah Likely went from a dozen targets and nine catches in the opener to just three targets and two catches against the Raiders. All over the roster, there have been questions, but especially on offense. “I’ve been hearing ‘finding your identity’ a lot in the last [few] days or so,” tight end Mark Andrews said. “But if you really look back to last year, we didn’t start hitting our stride until maybe [Week 6 in] London or after London. That just takes time. I don’t think anybody at this stage in the NFL is hitting their stride.” Ravens tight end Mark Andrews has played a minimal role in the passing attack through two games. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) There are, however, eight other teams without a win, including the lowly Carolina Panthers, New York Giants and Denver Broncos as well as the Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars. “That’s something we need to do,” Harbaugh said of establishing an identity. “You wanna have an identity. You want to be known for something. What are you good at? What do they need to stop? What are they saying that they have to defend against you for your offense? “At the same time, you don’t want them to line up and know what you’re doing every single play. So, both of the those values are important. I don’t think they contradict each other. I think those are things you have to find.” In many ways, the Ravens have actually established an identity — a vexatious one. Baltimore is third in the league in penalties with 18 (including eight on the offense) for 173 yards, the second-most in the NFL behind only the Broncos. Jackson’s completion rate (62.7%) ranks 23rd and is down nearly 5% from last season. And the Ravens rank just 13th in third-down conversions (40%) and 18th in red-zone scoring (42.86%). The revamped offensive line has also struggled, as has special teams and a shockingly porous defense, particularly in the secondary. There has been a shift, too, in how Baltimore has been deploying its myriad playmakers in the second year of coordinator Todd Monken’s offense. Last season, the Ravens used the widely popular 11 personnel (one tight end, one running back, three wide receivers) 48.9% of the time. This year, that rate is down to the lowest in the league at 26.2%. Meanwhile, Baltimore has gone with 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends, two receivers) a league-high 50% of its snaps, compared with just 10.7% last season. And their use of 21 personnel (two running backs, one tight end, one receiver) has dropped from 23.5% last season to 12.5% this year. In the past, the Ravens been known for dominant defense, a power running game and the dynamic playmaking of Jackson. But this season, in trying to keep opponents guessing, they seem to have become a team that is a jack-of-all-trades and master of none. All of it has added up to the fifth 0-2 start in Ravens history and Jackson staring at the possibility of the first three-game losing streak of his career, raising the question of what can be done to avoid it and get back on track. “Just get 1-0,” Jackson said. “We’re starting the season off slow, but I believe the guys in the locker room, we know what we want to do when we go out there Sunday, and we know we’ve been busting our behinds each and every game. It’s like we’re coming up short, but I feel like at the end of the day, we’re beating ourselves.” Added receiver Zay Flowers, who had just two targets in the second half last week after nine in the first 30 minutes: “It’s only Week 2, so I say we’re still getting our rhythm. I ain’t gonna say what kind of identity — I feel like we could do both, run and pass. Once we get our connections together, once things start clicking how we want, then I think we’ll be alright.” To do so, they’ll need to recapture at least some of the magic of last season, when it was clear who they were. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 3 of 2024 NFL season: Texans vs. Vikings, Chargers vs. Steelers and more Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Cowboys staff picks: Who will win Sunday’s game in Texas? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens overreaction corner: Has Baltimore already ruined its playoff chances? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson embraces leadership role after 0-2 start: ‘We’re not moping around’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton misses practice with back injury; CeeDee Lamb absent for Cowboys Eight months ago, the Ravens boasted the NFL’s best record at 13-4, Jackson was on his way to a second NFL Most Valuable Player Award and the defense was historically great. They reached the AFC championship game for the first time in more than a decade, providing more promise for this season. “I believe we’re right there,” Jackson said Wednesday. “Like I said, it’s the small things we’re messing up, and it’s causing us to lose those [games]. It’s turning into big things, because we’re losing our games, but I feel like we had one of the best days we’ve ever had in practice this season today, and it starts in practice. I believe if we just keep going on the right track, we’re going to come out victorious.” “We’re not moping around. … Our guys are not doubting each other.” Perhaps not. But they need to figure out who and what they are sooner than later. View the full article

The second week of the NFL season is often a time for evening out after the small-sample insanity of Week 1. That’s not the case in Baltimore this year, where fans are panicking (or flat disgusted) after the Ravens blew a 10-point lead against the Las Vegas Raiders to fall to 0-2. It’s a shocking record for a team widely favored to make another deep playoff run, and the climb back to respectability won’t be easy given that the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals are the next three teams on the Ravens’ schedule. Given the team’s struggles, the takes are flying hotter than usual for the third week of September. It’s time to render verdicts: Overreaction or properly concerned? Take: The Ravens have already dug themselves too deep a hole Within minutes of the final whistle Sunday, we began seeing statistics portraying just how daunting an 0-2 start is for a team’s playoff chances. Essentially one team a season — the Houston Texans in 2023, the Bengals in 2022 — pulls off such a reversal of fortune. The aforementioned schedule crunch — three games against opponents widely picked to make the playoffs with two of those on the road — makes the Ravens’ situation feel that much more dire. Not to mention they’ve lost these games with a largely healthy roster. There’s no savior returning to practice this week. Coach John Harbaugh used the word “consistent” more than a dozen times during his Monday news conference to describe the team’s shortcomings. Whether in coverage, blocking or avoiding debilitating penalties, the Ravens have been maddeningly self-defeating. That said, there are reasons to think this is the team that will cast off the 0-2 albatross this year. Most teams that lose their first two games are bad (the Ravens did it just once before under Harbaugh and finished 5-11 in 2015). The Ravens, meanwhile, were the best team in football as recently as December. They lost some key players, but they still have the reigning Most Valuable Player at quarterback, playmakers to help him and Pro Bowl talent at all three levels of their defense. Say what you will about Harbaugh (and Ravens fans have said plenty over the past eight months), but he has never lost his handle on a season when he had a healthy, stocked roster. There’s no reason to think this team, built to chase a Super Bowl, will roll over. Think back to 2019. The Ravens fell to 2-2 when the Browns thrashed them 40-25 on their home field. How bleak was their outlook at that moment? They won their next 12. Or last year, they dropped to 3-2 with a miserable loss in Pittsburgh, then won 10 of their next 11. This team has resilience baked into its DNA. Will that argument become more difficult if the Ravens lose in Dallas this weekend? Yes. This isn’t baseball. Every defeat is significant to a team’s playoff positioning, even if the underlying talent is strong. But the sky hasn’t fallen yet. VERDICT: Overreaction Take: The Ravens need to replace Daniel Faalele with Ben Cleveland Skepticism around Faalele at right guard crescendoed when he could not stop a stunting Maxx Crosby from smashing Lamar Jackson to the ground at the start of a do-or-die drive against the Raiders. The play encapsulated fears about Faalele’s lack of quickness, which also limits him as an interior run blocker. Dark times lead fans to create unusual heroes, and in this case, that’s Cleveland, the 2021 third-round draft pick who has performed reasonably well when called upon in games but has never won coaches over with his practice performance. Ravens fans are clamoring for Ben Cleveland to see increased playing time at right guard. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Harbaugh made no concessions Monday when asked about Faalele vs. Cleveland. “Our evaluation right now is that Daniel outplayed Ben — just a fact, straight up, matter of fact,” he said. “If we had thought Ben had outplayed Daniel, he’d be the starting right guard. So, when I see, if I see, that Ben is playing better than Daniel, then Ben will be the starting right guard.” Moments earlier, however, he described the inconsistency he’s seeing from his young starting guards, Faalele and Andrew Vorhees. Given that and given their embrace of rotations at tackle the last few seasons, why do the Ravens refuse to use Cleveland for at least a few series a game? He graded well as a pass blocker the three times he started in 2022 and 2023. Why not give him a chance to outperform Faalele on meaningful snaps? Perhaps the Ravens see greater developmental potential in Faalele, who was drafted a year after Cleveland, but they’re in must-win mode. If they stick to the same lineup and Dallas’ brilliant pass rusher Micah Parsons runs wild, they’re going to face justified criticism. VERDICT: Properly concerned Take: The Ravens can’t protect leads They seemed on the verge of blowing out the Raiders for much of the second half, with their edge rushers menacing Gardner Minshew and Derrick Henry picking up steam. But we’ve seen this script before. The Ravens let a lesser opponent hang around. A few brutal penalties, a few coverage lapses and a few empty drives later, they were stuck with a loss no one saw coming. We remember the other examples. In Pittsburgh last year against a Steelers offense that had no business keeping pace, they dropped every other pass until the guys on the other side finally made a few critical plays in the fourth quarter. Against Miami at home the year before, they built a 35-14 lead and gave it all away in an epic defensive collapse. Whenever the Ravens lose a game like this, fans haul out statistics showing that they’ve blown more fourth-quarter leads than any other team in recent seasons. Sep 15, 2024: Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker reacts after missing a field goal against the Las Vegas Raiders during the NFL home opener in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Sept 15, 2024: Ravens’ Derrick Henry, right, runs against the Raiders’ Christian Wilkins, left, in the fourth quarter. The Raiders defeated the Ravens 26-23 at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Sept. 15, 2024: Ravens’ Odafe Oweh celebrates his sack of Las Vegas Raiders’ Gardner Minshew II in a game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/staff) Ravens wide-receiver Rashod Bateman, right, makes a catch against the Raiders’Robert Spillane in the first quarter. The Raiders defeated the Ravens 26-23 at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Sep 15, 2024: Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike reaches for a pas by Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II during the NFL home opener in Baltimore. The Ravens lost their second straight game, 26-23. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, right, beats Ravens’ Trenton Simpson, left, for a catch in the fourth quarter. The Raiders defeated the Ravens 26-23 at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry powers through the Las Vegas Raiders defensive line for a touchdown during the NFL home opener in Baltimore. The Ravens lost their second straight game, 26-23. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Tavius Robinson hits Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II, who makes a completion past inside linebacker Trenton Simpson to wide receiver Davante Adams during the NFL home opener in Baltimore. The Ravens lost their second straight game, 26-23. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Show Caption1 of 8Sep 15, 2024: Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker reacts after missing a field goal against the Las Vegas Raiders during the NFL home opener in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Expand “Offenses don’t take themselves off the field — you have to get them off the field by the way you play,” Harbaugh said. “I just feel like we just need to do a better job with that. That’s something that over the past four or five years, that’s something that’s been the difference.” He also noted that the Ravens have given up more fourth-quarter leads than most teams because they’ve had more fourth-quarter leads than most teams, which probably isn’t going to sate critics but is an accurate point. On balance, the Ravens did not struggle to put opponents away last season. They rolled up the best point differential in the league because they hammered quality opponents. Their losses, by contrast, were close and felt magnified because they were unusual. Was the Ravens’ fourth-quarter performance against Las Vegas concerning? Absolutely. Was it indicative of a fatal flaw? It’s too early to say. VERDICT: Overreaction Take: The Ravens’ secondary is a massive disappointment This was the natural conclusion after the Raiders’ two most dangerous pass catchers, wide receiver Davante Adams and tight end Brock Bowers, did what they pleased down the stretch of Sunday’s loss. The Ravens didn’t agree with Brandon Stephens’ pass interference penalty against Adams that set up the tying touchdown, but that was beside the point after all the completions they’d surrendered in the second half. Patrick Mahomes made mincemeat of the middle of their defense in the opener, so this was more of the same from a unit that was supposed to be the best on the team coming off a stellar 2023. In particular, Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams were frequently rated the best safety duo in the league coming into the season, and neither has performed up to expectations. Hamilton ranks 94th and Williams 96th in Pro Football Focus’ coverage grades for safeties through two weeks. Hamilton ranked third and Williams 17th last season. When Harbaugh answered for the blown leads Monday, he said “plays need to get made to get yourself off the field.” He could have been speaking directly to the stars in his secondary. Scrutiny will naturally fall on first-year coordinator Zach Orr as he tries to match the performance of his widely lauded predecessor, Mike Macdonald. But we can’t forget the Ravens also lost one of the league’s best secondary coaches in Dennard Wilson, who earned his chance to run the Tennessee Titans’ defense by pulling the best from every Baltimore defensive back. There’s too much talent here for the performance not to improve, but the Ravens need that to happen sooner rather than later given the quarterbacks they’ll face over the next three weeks. VERDICT: Properly concerned Take: Justin Tucker no longer belongs in the first rank of kickers We’ve all seen the statistics capturing how absurdly efficient modern kickers have become on long kicks. The league is 35 of 39 from 50 yards and beyond this year. Two of those misses belong to Tucker, who hooked a 56-yard attempt outside the left upright against the Raiders. He’s 1-for-7 on attempts of 50 yards or more over the past two seasons, a shock to Ravens fans who have taken for granted having the league’s best kicker for most of the past decade. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 3 of 2024 NFL season: Texans vs. Vikings, Chargers vs. Steelers and more Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Cowboys staff picks: Who will win Sunday’s game in Texas? Baltimore Ravens | What is the Ravens’ identity? They’re still searching as they enter a pivotal stretch. Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson embraces leadership role after 0-2 start: ‘We’re not moping around’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton misses practice with back injury; CeeDee Lamb absent for Cowboys Harbaugh and special teams coordinator Chris Horton have dismissed any concerns around Tucker, saying they have the “utmost faith” in him from any distance. He’s still as reliable as anyone from inside 50 (he was perfect from 42 and 48 yards against the Raiders) and has bounced back from long-distance misses at other points in his career. “It’s not my favorite topic of discussion, but I just missed the kick,” Tucker said after the Raiders loss. “I don’t want to continue having this conversation. When I go out on the field, I’m confident that I’m going to nail every single kick, no matter where we are on the field. Today was no different.” This is one of those topics where two things can be true at once. Tucker has earned the longest of leashes. He’s still very good at his job (two misses from inside 50 yards since the start of the 2022 season), and he’s a perfectionist who will turn over every stone to improve his performance on longer field goal attempts. At the same time, it’s difficult to stack him against the kicker who will be on the other side of the field Sunday — the Cowboys’ Brandon Aubrey has hit 44 of 46 attempts and 13 of 13 from 50 or beyond over the past two seasons — and say he’s still the best in the world. VERDICT: Overreaction for now View the full article

Sometime in the days that followed the Ravens’ haunting 26-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, Lamar Jackson walked into an offensive team meeting looking to reinject life as if he were jump-starting a car battery. Part of the seventh-year quarterback’s maturation this offseason centered around becoming a more vocal leader. Isaiah Likely said Jackson has been the most vocal he’s seen him since he was drafted in 2022. Fellow tight end Mark Andrews said he’s noticed it, too. The 0-2 Ravens need their leader now more than ever. Jackson’s message in that meeting room, according to Likely, was simple: “What we’re putting on film, on the field, just hasn’t been us. We’ve been beating ourselves and harping on the little things. Play our brand of football and let’s see if they can beat us if we’re not beating ourselves.” It has been the biggest stumbling block for the winless Ravens. “We’re right there,” Jackson said. “It’s small things we’re messing up turning into big things.” They’ve been penalized 18 times in two weeks, third most in the NFL behind the Cleveland Browns (24) and Pittsburgh Steelers (19), according to NFLPenalties.com. Their 173 yards in penalties are the second most in football, trailing only the Denver Broncos. That’s how the Raiders completed their comeback, with a game-tying touchdown immediately after a drive-resuscitating penalty. Kyle Van Noy sacked Gardner Minshew II to force a third-and-goal from the Ravens’ 17-yard line. Then Brandon Stephens was flagged for pass interference, and Las Vegas scored a play later. Ravens coach John Harbaugh shared his thoughts postgame: “We had them at [third]-and-forever, and then we got a pass interference call in the end zone. That’s what I thought.” “We’re not losing the game, we’re beating ourselves. Once we [stop] doing that, we’ll be all right,” wide receiver Zay Flowers said. He pinned it on flags and turnovers because “that’s how you beat yourself.” Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson prepares to throw a pass during practice Wednesday in Owings Mills. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) It hasn’t been all bad. Baltimore has only committed two turnovers — once in each game — which is among the fewest in the NFL. It’s been more about the frequency of drives that have stalled. That includes a quartet of three-and-outs against Las Vegas. To get back to form, Baltimore needs its leader. Jackson leaned into the microphone, still in his jersey and cleats, freshly perspiring, and said confidently that Wednesday was the team’s best practice all season. Flowers saw an improved communication Wednesday and “people just being truthful with each other.” Likely doubled down that the energy kicked up a notch. “Really just talking to your teammates, making sure everybody’s on the same page,” he said. “I feel like that’s what we’ve been missing. We’re missing the juice.” Andrews felt Jackson’s evaluation of Wednesday’s performance was spot on. He added, “I think guys were really disciplined today, focused, on point, and that’s the type of guys we have — a bunch of fighters, a bunch of resilient men that are willing to fight for this team [and] for each other.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton misses practice with back injury; CeeDee Lamb absent for Cowboys Baltimore Ravens | Ex-Ravens Terrell Suggs and Marshal Yanda among Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 nominees Baltimore Ravens | Tom Brady will be on the call for pivotal Ravens vs. Cowboys game Sunday Baltimore Ravens | Ravens film study: Zay Flowers’ reaction to lack of second-half targets only part of story Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about Baltimore’s 0-2 start | COMMENTARY When Harbaugh addressed the team over the past two days, he talked about long-term understanding of the team’s goals as well as the short-term focus. The latter is the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday and will soon be the Buffalo Bills in primetime, then the Cincinnati Bengals the following week — a frequently discussed gantlet of a schedule. “I think that we’re all in this same boat together,” Andrews said. “0-2, kinda in that hole. I think no one’s flinching. We’re all looking to focus and get better and rally around him.” Him, meaning Jackson. He was vocal in meetings this week and drove their best practice of the season. Winning a game comes next. “We’re not moping around,” Jackson said. “Like, even though we lost — like I said, we’re starting the season off slow — our guys [are] not doubting each other [saying] like, ‘Oh man, is this the reason we’re losing?’ or this or that. We have to go out there and get it.” View the full article

The Ravens’ already struggling secondary suffered another blow Wednesday, with safety Kyle Hamilton missing practice because of a back injury. The third-year All-Pro was one of a half-dozen players absent from practice in Owings Mills, where Baltimore has been preparing for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas. The Ravens are trying to avoid their first 0-3 start since 2015. Several other notable players were also missing because of injury or personal reasons. That included left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle), though coach John Harbaugh said that the 30-year-old veteran will play Sunday. “A couple guys had some things from the game that we didn’t want to practice them today,” Harbaugh said. “It’s not anything major.” Others who likewise didn’t practice and were listed on the injury report included outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy (eye/groin) and cornerback Nate Wiggins (neck/concussion). Wiggins, the Ravens’ first-round draft pick this year, has been out since getting into a car accident last week. He didn’t play against the Raiders on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium, though Harbaugh said earlier this week that he’s “hopeful” Wiggins would be available against the Cowboys, and the cornerback was in the locker room Wednesday after practice. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson embraces leadership role after 0-2 start: ‘We’re not moping around’ Baltimore Ravens | Ex-Ravens Terrell Suggs and Marshal Yanda among Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 nominees Baltimore Ravens | Tom Brady will be on the call for pivotal Ravens vs. Cowboys game Sunday Baltimore Ravens | Ravens film study: Zay Flowers’ reaction to lack of second-half targets only part of story Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about Baltimore’s 0-2 start | COMMENTARY Meanwhile, wide receiver-kick returner Deonte Harty (calf) was limited and rookie outside linebacker Adisa Isaac (hamstring) was a full participant. Isaac has yet to play in a game this season, but being a full participant for the first time is a good sign for the third-round draft pick. Cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis and guard Sala Aumavae-Laulu were both absent for personal reasons. For the Cowboys (1-1), wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (ankle), cornerback Trevon Diggs (foot) and defensive tackle Mazi Smith (back) all did not practice. Tight end Jake Ferguson (knee), wide receiver Brandin Cooks (rest), safety Malik Hooker (shoulder), linebacker Eric Kendricks (rest), defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (rest), cornerback Jourdan Lewis (rest) and guard Zack Martin (rest/knee) were all listed as limited. Ferguson, a 2023 Pro Bowl selection and a favorite target of quarterback Dak Prescott, returned to practice for the first time since being injured in the season opener. View the full article

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Wednesday morning 167 modern-era nominees for the 2025 class, and two esteemed ex-Ravens made the list. Former linebacker Terrell Suggs and offensive lineman Marshal Yanda, both in their first year of eligibility, have a chance to join Jonathan Ogden, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed on the short list of Ravens first-ballot Hall of Famers. The list will be narrowed down to 50 players by a screening committee, according to a release from the NFL, the results of which will be announced in mid-October. That list will then be reduced further to 25 semifinalists later this fall, then 15 finalists. Before Super Bowl LVIX, the class will be announced. Suggs was a defensive mainstay in Baltimore for 15 years. The linebacker won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year after a 12-sack season in 2003. He is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, two-time All-Pro and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2011. Suggs’ 139 sacks rank eighth on the NFL’s all-time leaderboard since tracking began in 1982. He helped lead Baltimore to a Super Bowl title in 2012 and was a late-addition member of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl squad in 2019. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson embraces leadership role after 0-2 start: ‘We’re not moping around’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton misses practice with back injury; CeeDee Lamb absent for Cowboys Baltimore Ravens | Tom Brady will be on the call for pivotal Ravens vs. Cowboys game Sunday Baltimore Ravens | Ravens film study: Zay Flowers’ reaction to lack of second-half targets only part of story Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about Baltimore’s 0-2 start | COMMENTARY Suggs is still involved with the organization where he spent nearly his entire 17-year career. He was inducted into the Ravens Ring of Honor last season, having concluded his speech by saying, “I hope I lived up to that Raven expectation.” Suggs returned to M&T Bank Stadium during the AFC championship game against the Chiefs hyping up the crowd in the third quarter. Yanda was drafted to Baltimore in 2007 and spent his entire 13-year career there. He was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, including six straight years from 2011 to 2016, which was then the longest active streak among guards. He was a two-time first-team All-Pro and earned second-team All-Pro honors five times. Yanda was another key member of Baltimore’s 2012 Super Bowl championship team. In 2016, Yanda was ranked 37th on the NFL’s Top 100 players list. Yanda told the team’s website in 2020 about a memorable story from his first day of practice when his now-fellow Hall of Fame nominee introduced him to the league. “I wish I could tell you that I held my own, and I had an OK first day. Up until that day in my career, I had never been put on my back playing football. I had watched it happen to a lot of guys, but just thought in the back of my mind, ‘That will never happen to me.’ Well, ‘Sizz’ got me that day,” Yanda said, referring to Suggs. Other notable names on Wednesday’s initial list include former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly and New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri. Karl Merton Ferron/The Baltimore SunRavens owner Steve Bisciotti, right, helps Marshal Yanda with his Ravens Ring of Honor jacket during a ceremony inducting the former guard in December 2022. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) View the full article

The Ravens and Tom Brady are matched up again, this time in the broadcast booth. Fox’s top NFL crew of Brady, play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt and sideline reporters Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi will be on the call for “America’s Game of the Week” between Baltimore and the host Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at AT&T Stadium. Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is in his first season as an analyst after signing a reported 10-year, $375 million deal with Fox. He replaced former NFL tight end Greg Olsen as Burkhardt’s partner for the network, which will also broadcast this season’s Super Bowl in New Orleans. Unlike his 23-year NFL career, it’s been a rocky start in the booth for Brady. The three-time NFL Most Valuable Player and future Hall of Famer drew criticism for some awkward moments, nervousness and a lack of insight in his highly anticipated debut, a 33-17 win by the Cowboys over the Cleveland Browns. “I’m not tired from the game. I’m tired from the buildup,” Brady said on his YouTube show after the game. “A lot of emotional energy and not quite knowing how things are gonna go. Certainly, a lot of fun. Definitely things to clean up. So, it’s all a learning process, man.” The 47-year-old earned much higher marks for his performance in the New Orleans Saints’ 44-19 thrashing of the Cowboys on Sunday. Though it was another blowout, Brady pointed out how the Saints were able to move the ball so effectively on offense and offered his own perspective on why it’s the quarterback’s job to prevent his receivers from taking big hits. Brady’s debut in the booth has come with much fanfare (perhaps too much for the viewers at home), but he’s at a disadvantage compared with other announcers. Because Brady has a pending deal to become part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, he’s forbidden from sitting in on pregame meetings with teams or visiting their facilities to watch practice for fear of gaining inside information. He could also face discipline from the league if he criticizes officiating or tampers with players under contract while calling games, per NFL rules. While this will be Brady’s third straight game covering the Cowboys, it’s his first time watching the Ravens from the announcer’s box. He went 8-5 in his career against Baltimore, including 2-2 in the playoffs, going back-and-forth with Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and a vaunted defense in many memorable matchups. Brady last faced the Ravens in the 2022 season, a 27-22 loss in Week 8 amid the final year of his career as a member of the Buccaneers. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson embraces leadership role after 0-2 start: ‘We’re not moping around’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton misses practice with back injury; CeeDee Lamb absent for Cowboys Baltimore Ravens | Ex-Ravens Terrell Suggs and Marshal Yanda among Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 nominees Baltimore Ravens | Ravens film study: Zay Flowers’ reaction to lack of second-half targets only part of story Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about Baltimore’s 0-2 start | COMMENTARY Brady and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson have expressed mutual admiration for each other over the years, with Brady going so far as to challenge Jackson to carry the torch and win a Super Bowl title when he announced his retirement in February 2022. But entering this season, Brady still wanted to see more from the two-time NFL MVP and his squad, pointing to the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills as bigger threats to dethrone the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. “They’re right up there,” Brady said on the Stephen A. Smith Show in August. “They’re exceptional. The Ravens have to be more successful in the postseason for me to feel like they’re right there. The Bengals have made it to the Super Bowl. The Bills have been in championship games.” Sunday’s 4:25 p.m. matchup in Arlington, Texas, comes at a pivotal moment for the Ravens, who are 0-2 for the first time since 2015 and have lost three straight games (including January’s AFC championship game defeat to Kansas City) for the first time with Jackson as the starter. It’s the second time in three weeks that Baltimore will play before a national audience, having lost to the Chiefs in the league opener Sept. 5 in Kansas City. That was the most-watched NFL kickoff game ever, according to NBC, averaging 28.9 million viewers, and Sunday’s game could draw a similarly big number. View the full article

Trying to interpret a social media post is often a fool’s errand, and Ravens coach John Harbaugh is famously not on X. Yet, when Baltimore’s Zay Flowers reposted a fan noting that the Ravens’ Week 2 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders marked the second straight game in which the second-year wide receiver had a “big” first half but that the Ravens “stopped getting him the ball” in the second half, it was at least curious. After Flowers was targeted nine times in the first half Sunday, he had just two — including one for an 8-yard touchdown — in the game’s final 30 minutes. “Not that I’m aware of,” Harbaugh said Monday afternoon when asked if there’s any frustration or contention from Flowers. “No, Zay’s been great. Had great conversations with Zay. I’m not aware of any of the social media stuff.” By Tuesday afternoon, the 2023 first-round draft pick had removed the repost, thus wiping it from his timeline. That Flowers would get significantly fewer targets in the second half against Las Vegas was not surprising — the Ravens twice led by 10 points and leaned on the hammering of running back Derrick Henry, who had 79 yards and a touchdown on just 11 second-half carries. But through the small sample size of the first two weeks of this season, Flowers has both been receiving a wealth of targets and getting the ball less in the final two quarters compared with the first two. In Week 1 against the Chiefs, for example, Flowers was targeted 10 times in the first half (including on four plays that did not count because of penalties) and on just four occasions in the second, despite the Ravens trailing by three points at the half and twice by 10 in the third and fourth quarters. Against the Raiders, Baltimore led by a field goal at the half and Flowers was targeted nine times in the first two quarters (six catches for 83 yards) and just twice in the final two (one catch for 8 yards). Still, it’s not as if quarterback Lamar Jackson hasn’t been looking Flowers’ way — his average of 10 1/2 targets through Week 2 is fifth-most in the NFL and higher than that of Deebo Samuel, Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, CeeDee Lamb and Ja’Marr Chase, to name a few star wideouts. Baltimore’s offense also seems to be searching for its identity, something that will continue to be a topic this week as the Ravens prepare to face the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday. “We’re definitely trying to take this offense to another level with just being able to do stuff on the field with Lamar,” Harbaugh said Monday. “Lamar has the keys to the offense. He’s the driver of that car. He drives it on the field, [offensive coordinator] Todd [Monken] is calling the plays, [and] the staff is putting the plan together, but Lamar has a lot of tools at his disposal, so that’s something that’s going to continue to grow and improve, and we’re going to build on that as we go. I think Lamar is doing a very good job with it, and I’m excited about what we can do with it.” Compared with last season, though, Flowers has been getting the ball a bit less in the second half. During his rookie year, Flowers was targeted 60 times in the first and second quarters and on 48 occasions in the second half and overtime, finishing with a team-high 77 catches for 858 yards and five touchdowns. In the 16 games he played (he sat out the regular-season finale), the Ravens led at the half in 14 of them and in some cases won by a wide margin, yet he still got a healthy amount of targets in second halves. Sunday, however, the Ravens led by a field goal at the half, and they trailed in Kansas City. Near the end of the game against the Chiefs, it was Rashod Bateman who Jackson was looking at when he missed a wide-open Flowers in the end zone. Against the Raiders, Flowers’ touchdown catch came on the first drive of the second half and he didn’t get another target until midway through the fourth quarter. Again, the Ravens twice led by 10 in the second half, including after Flowers’ score, and Jackson spread the ball around in the final two quarters with eight completions for 86 yards to five players. No one had more than two catches. Still, there were opportunities to get Flowers the ball. On Baltimore’s second series of the second half, Jackson tried to jam the ball into Bateman, who had two defenders close by. When the pass was thrown slightly to the inside, the defenders converged with linebacker Robert Spillane ending up with an interception after the ball ricocheted off the receiver’s hands. Midway through the Ravens’ next possession, Raiders cornerback Jack Jones was matched up on Flowers when the receiver gave him a juke and got behind him and the rest of the defense, throwing his hand up to signal he was open. Jackson instead opted for a deep out to Bateman, who appeared to be his first read and was open. Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers, bottom right, begins to break open during Sunday’s game against the Raiders, but quarterback Lamar Jackson threw to his first option, an open Rashod Bateman, top right. (NFL) For the rest of that series, Baltimore relied mostly on the legs of Henry, who chewed up yardage and clock and put the Ravens up by 10 again on a direct snap that he took in for a touchdown from a few yards out. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson embraces leadership role after 0-2 start: ‘We’re not moping around’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton misses practice with back injury; CeeDee Lamb absent for Cowboys Baltimore Ravens | Ex-Ravens Terrell Suggs and Marshal Yanda among Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 nominees Baltimore Ravens | Tom Brady will be on the call for pivotal Ravens vs. Cowboys game Sunday Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about Baltimore’s 0-2 start | COMMENTARY There were other occasions when Flowers could have been targeted, including on the next series. On the second play of the drive, with Flowers open in the flat for a bubble screen to the left, Jackson instead pulled the ball and ran on the run-pass option. Jackson had a chunk of space to run, but when tight end Mark Andrews couldn’t hold his block, it vanished. Meanwhile, with three Ravens receivers against two defenders on the left, there was room to run had he instead opted to pass to Flowers if that was an option. Then facing a third-and-5 following a false start on Henry, Jackson tried to get the ball to Flowers but was unable to. With defensive end Janarius Robinson bullying Andrews into the pocket, Jackson was off balance and tried side-arming a pass to the receiver cutting across the middle. But Spillane knocked down the low throw, killing the drive. And on each of Baltimore’s final two possessions, Flowers was either bracketed in coverage or the Raiders’ pass rush eliminated any chance of Jackson finding his favorite target, ending any chance for a comeback. In the end, coughing up the lead was a bigger problem than Flowers’ lack of targets in the second half. Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers, top left, is well-covered by the Raiders’ defense as quarterback Lamar Jackson is about to come under pressure from the pass rush during Sunday’s game. (NFL) View the full article

Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston will answer fans’ questions in the middle of each week throughout the Ravens season. The Ravens suffered a demoralizing home defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, dropping them to 0-2. Baltimore travels to face the Dallas Cowboys (1-1) on Sunday afternoon in search of their first win of the 2024 season. Here’s Preston’s take on a handful of questions from readers: (Editor’s note: Questions have been edited for length and clarity.) Now at 0-2 this season, how will the Ravens do against Dallas, Buffalo and Cincinnati in the next three weeks? What do they need to do to turn things around? — Ed Helinski It’s not hard to figure out, Ed. I’ve been saying this for decades: If your five big guys beat their five big guys on the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, then you will win most games. The Ravens beat the Raiders on the defensive side of the ball, but they couldn’t control Las Vegas, which has one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. Against all three upcoming opponents, the Ravens have to establish the running game and keep three talented quarterbacks off the field in Dak Prescott, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow. It’s not a big secret. The Ravens’ offensive line has struggled in the first two games and that will be a problem all season. The group will get better as the season progresses because timing is a major key for developing an offensive line, but all three of the upcoming opposing quarterbacks have legitimate No. 1 receivers and can score from anywhere on the field. Another key is consistency, not just on the offensive line, but on defense as well. When the game moved into crunch time against the Raiders, the Ravens allowed two field goals and a touchdown on the Raiders’ last three possessions. Ideally, you want your defense on the field in that situation. The Ravens, though, couldn’t match up with Las Vegas despite their secondary playing extremely well throughout training camp. How long will Ravens fans accept mediocrity? How long will Ravens management accept mediocrity? — Carl Wright Sorry, Carl, but I wouldn’t call the Ravens’ play on the field “average.” There are 12 teams that haven’t won a Super Bowl and the Ravens have won two since moving to Baltimore from Cleveland for the 1996 season. Average? Last season, they played in the AFC championship game and suffered a disappointing 17-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, who might become the first team in league history to win three straight titles. Fans need to calm down. The Ravens are 0-2, and it’s an uphill climb, but it’s not impossible. If they don’t make the playoffs this season, then there is something to discuss. There are still 15 games remaining and a lot of football to be played. In Baltimore, after each loss, fans want to fire coach John Harbaugh, general manager Eric DeCosta and both the offensive and defensive coordinators as well as Poe the mascot. Let’s see how this all shakes out. This league is full of parity, and the Ravens are still in the mix. When will the front office take accountability for poor game decisions? We’ve replaced the offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and other coaching positions, but the head coach has remained the same. Do you think Eric DeCosta is too close to Harbaugh so he won’t make the tough decision? It is widely known they are friends and neighbors. — Ryan Chojnowski When the final decision on Harbaugh will be made, if there is one, it will come from owner Steve Bisciotti. He will get input from those close to him, such as Ozzie Newsome and DeCosta, but he will make the final call. I don’t always agree with Harbaugh’s game decisions, especially in the final four minutes, but he has been very successful. Has he lost his voice with this team? I haven’t seen or heard that yet, but Harbaugh is always at his best when the Ravens struggle. He has a knack for rallying his team, so Sunday’s game against Dallas will be interesting. Is the Kevin Zeitler move Anquan Boldin 2.0 in terms of being penny-wise, but pound-foolish? Why is Mark Andrews being criminally underutilized? Why is Derrick Henry not being used as a receiver in space … where he excels? — Allan on X When you pay a quarterback $50 million a season, weaknesses will be exposed. It’s happened before and it will happen again. For this season, those liabilities were on the offensive line. As for Boldin, I thought he played well in the postseason but not necessarily in the regular season when the Ravens won the Super Bowl in the 2012 campaign. Andrews will be used more and so will Henry. In the first two games, the Ravens have been very predictable, but I assume that will change. Regardless, it still comes down to the offensive line. If that group can’t run block, which it didn’t do in the first half against the Raiders, Henry can’t run. If the pass protection isn’t there, what difference does it make if quarterback Lamar Jackson is throwing to Andrews, Rashod Bateman or Henry? Football games are won at the line of scrimmage. That, Allan, will never change. Ravens fans want to see more of star running back Derrick Henry, who has 31 carries through Baltimore’s first two games. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) You have always stated that most games are won (and lost) in the trenches. That was evident in the fiasco against the Raiders. But after allowing three starters from the offensive line to leave after last season, why did the Ravens hierarchy think that the remaining linemen could do just as well as those that left? What were they thinking? And due to Jackson’s massive contract, I assume reinforcements will not be forthcoming this season because of the salary cap. What can the Ravens possibly do? — Bob in NC You work hard and hope the starters develop. If not, then offensive linemen will become a priority in the draft. It’s hard to find good offensive linemen, especially with the development of the passing game in college football. But if a team feels a tackle or guard is the key to getting back into a Super Bowl, I think the Ravens will do whatever is necessary. They gambled this year, but that happens when you roll the dice with a quarterback, regardless if it was Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh or Peyton Manning in Indianapolis. What did Ben Cleveland do to remain in Coach Harbaugh’s doghouse? Whatever it is, it has to be better than the Daniel Faalele experiment at right guard. Is there something we are missing? — Dan from Elkton Nope, you aren’t missing a thing. If Cleveland was better than Faalele, he would be in the starting lineup. That’s it. I have to ask about Faalele. He’s a huge man who gets no push in the run game. He also lacks the agility that you would expect from a converted tackle. What are we missing? If Ben Cleveland is that bad, why can’t you start Rosengarten at right tackle and slide Patrick Mekari to guard? It feels like every year Harbaugh dies on a hill to prove a meaningless point. — Stuart I don’t think he is dying on a hill. Mekari is a veteran and I would have started him against Kansas City in the opener instead of a rookie. Rosengarten is going to be a good player, but needs a strong offseason in the weight room. Mekari could be the starting right guard at some point with Rosengarten taking over the tackle position, but it’s highly unlikely Mekari will make it through the entire season healthy. I don’t like rotating offensive linemen, but I understand what the Ravens are trying to do. They are preparing for the future, and we’re not talking long term. Changes might be made in the regular season. I know it’s early in the season, but so far it doesn’t look like the secondary is playing as well as they did last season. I was more concerned with losing coaches Dennard Wilson than I was Anthony Weaver in the offseason. How much is the loss of Wilson impacting the defense so far? — Paul in Orlando Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson embraces leadership role after 0-2 start: ‘We’re not moping around’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton misses practice with back injury; CeeDee Lamb absent for Cowboys Baltimore Ravens | Ex-Ravens Terrell Suggs and Marshal Yanda among Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 nominees Baltimore Ravens | Tom Brady will be on the call for pivotal Ravens vs. Cowboys game Sunday Baltimore Ravens | Ravens film study: Zay Flowers’ reaction to lack of second-half targets only part of story Losing both Weaver and Wilson hurt the Ravens. From what I saw in the Raiders game, both cornerbacks, Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens, looked tired late in the game. The Ravens sold out the week before in their loss to Kansas City, and it might have caught up with them. I know they had 10 days of rest and Las Vegas was playing on a regular seven-day routine, but the Ravens didn’t have that extra gear. Even Jackson lacked explosiveness on runs off the edge. As for Weaver and Wilson, both were established and had good relationships with the position players. It takes time to build those relationships despite some believing it can be done overnight. It’s not that easy. Is Father Time starting to catch up to Justin Tucker? Since the start of last season, he is 1-for-7 on field goal attempts of 50 yards or more in the regular season. Is it a bump in the road or reason for concern? — Bill C. from Alexandria, Virginia Father Time catches up with all of us and Tucker has been in the NFL since the 2012 season. But under any circumstance, I’d put him up there with any other kicker in the NFL. I’ve seen him practice, and he is still money. 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 2: Loser: Ravens You’re going to hear this stat a lot this week: In three seasons since the NFL moved to a 17-game schedule, 21 teams have started 0-2. Only two have made the playoffs. After a stunning 26-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Sunday’s home opener, the Ravens will try to defy the odds and join that exclusive group. “We will be defined by the next 15 games,” coach John Harbaugh said. About those next 15 games. Up next are the Dallas Cowboys, who before suffering a surprising blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday had a 16-game home winning streak during the regular season. Then it’s a visit from the Buffalo Bills and NFL Most Valuable Player candidate Josh Allen on “Sunday Night Football.” In Week 5, the Ravens go to Cincinnati to face the AFC North rival Bengals, who nearly beat the two-time defending Super Bowl champs on Sunday in Kansas City. There’s a world in which the Ravens sweep those games and are right back in the playoff conversation. There’s another in which they lose all three, perhaps in heartbreaking fashion, and are effectively eliminated from postseason contention before Halloween. Harbaugh and the Ravens don’t sound worried, which is to be expected. This team has won a lot of games with Lamar Jackson as the starting quarterback — 60, to be exact, including the postseason — and won’t throw in the towel after two tough losses. But there are perhaps more reasons to be concerned than ever with Jackson under center, namely a porous offensive line with three new starters, head-scratching game management from Harbaugh and a revamped coaching staff. The defense, expected to again be one of the league’s best, couldn’t stop a one-dimensional offense led by journeyman quarterback Gardner Minshew II. The Jackson-Harbaugh partnership has a long track record of success in the regular season, including a league-best 13-4 record last year and a 14-2 campaign in 2019 that included a franchise-record 12 straight wins. They deserve the benefit of the doubt, but that could all change in the next three weeks. Baltimore’s defense couldn’t slow down Las Vegas’ receivers in the second half, with tight end Brock Bowers, right, catching nine passes in the Raiders’ win. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Winner: New Orleans Saints What got into Derek Carr? Last year, he was booed at times by his home crowd during a stale 9-8 campaign that ended short of a postseason berth. This year, he’s the toast of the town as the Saints have raced to a surprising 2-0 start. In Sunday’s 44-19 win over the Cowboys, Carr threw for 243 yards on just 11 completions, including a 70-yard touchdown pass over two defenders to Rashid Shaheed in the first quarter. For a quarterback who has often been criticized for his hesitancy to throw the ball downfield and settle for checkdowns, that’s stunning. Carr’s newfound aggressiveness has lifted a team that many picked to finish behind the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South. Don’t forget about Alvin Kamara, either. The 29-year-old running back scored four touchdowns and totaled 180 yards from scrimmage in Sunday’s win, while the defense intercepted Dak Prescott twice and recorded three sacks. New Orleans scored points on its first 15 drives of the season, making offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak the early favorite for Assistant Coach of the Year. The Saints might be more than the default winner of one of the league’s worst divisions. They could be a legitimate contender in the NFC. Loser: Indianapolis Colts This was supposed to be a layup. The Green Bay Packers entered Sunday without star quarterback Jordan Love, who injured his knee in the season opener. In his place stepped Malik Willis, now on his second team after a failed experiment as the starter in Tennessee. In 67 career attempts, Willis had never thrown a touchdown pass. The 2022 third-round pick was known more for his rushing ability and was considered one of the worst backups in the league. So what did he do Sunday against the Colts? He was incredibly efficient, completing 12 of 14 attempts for 122 yards and his first NFL touchdown pass while rushing for 41 yards in a 16-10 win. Meanwhile, Anthony Richardson, the Colts’ ballyhooed young starter, completed just 17 of 34 passes for 204 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions, the last coming on a Hail Mary in the final seconds. Indianapolis was only a 2 1/2-point favorite, so it’s not a shocking upset. But this was an opportunity for the Colts to build some momentum with their young quarterback and keep up with the rising Houston Texans in the AFC South. Richardson is incredibly raw, having only started 13 games in college before declaring for the NFL draft. But at some point, he’s going to have to prove that those flashes of talent can translate to winning games. Behind running back Josh Jacobs, the Packers rushed for 261 yards, their most since 2003, on Sunday against the Colts. (Morry Gash/AP) Winner: Running the ball Passing and scoring numbers are down across the league through the first two weeks, a sign that defenses might finally be catching up. But that hasn’t stopped teams from running the ball effectively. According to The Ringer’s Riley McAtee, teams are averaging 123.5 rushing yards per game, the highest mark since 1987. The average yards per carry mark of 4.5 would tie 2022 for the all-time high. In Sunday’s win over the Colts, the Packers rushed for 261 yards, their most since 2003. The Packers gained 164 rushing yards in the first quarter alone, the highest first-quarter total for any NFL team since the Denver Broncos had 167 against the New England Patriots on Dec. 18, 2011, according to The Associated Press. The Saints’ 91 points through the first two games are the second-most this century, in large part because of a rushing attack that has totaled 370 yards. Defenses will have a chance to adjust, but the cyclical nature of the league suggests that running the ball might be an effective counter against lighter and faster units designed to stop the pass. Loser: Caleb Williams Before he entered the league, much of the talk about Williams was that he was entering one of the best situations ever for a No. 1 overall draft pick. It was easy to understand why. The Bears finished the 2023 season 7-10, but they got the top pick via the Bryce Young trade with the Carolina Panthers the previous year. The defense had made significant improvement after acquiring defensive end Montez Sweat midseason and was poised to become one of the league’s best. Chicago acquired Keenan Allen and drafted Rome Odunze, filling out a deep group of pass catchers alongside DJ Moore and tight ends Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ secondary has been one of worst in NFL, while foolish penalties pile up Baltimore Ravens | ‘I don’t think that way’: Ravens coach John Harbaugh explains two missed challenge calls in Raiders loss Baltimore Ravens | Pro Football Focus can help explain the Ravens. But what do the numbers mean? Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 26-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders Baltimore Ravens | Ravens blame another late collapse on sloppiness, penalties: ‘It’s time to sharpen it all up’ Well, the offensive line leaves a lot to be desired. In Sunday night’s 19-13 loss to the Houston Texans, Williams was sacked seven times and hit 11 times. It was bad enough for fans to wonder whether he’ll be able to avoid getting seriously injured if this keeps up. Miraculously, the Bears still had a chance to win after taking possession at their 20-yard line with 1:37 to play, but Williams was under constant pressure and could not convert a fourth-and-17 with 34 seconds left. Not every team will have as fearsome of a pass rush as the Texans, who boast Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, but Chicago must figure out a way to better protect their franchise quarterback before it’s too late. View the full article

Patrick Mahomes II Gardner Minshew II is not. Yet, there Minshew was down the stretch in Sunday’s Ravens home opener at M&T Bank Stadium leading the Las Vegas Raiders back from not one but two 10-point deficits, including one in the fourth quarter, to pull off a stunning 26-23 upset of Baltimore. He completed 79% of his passes for 276 yards, but was especially lethal in the fourth quarter, going 2-for-4 for 56 yards to set up Daniel Carlson’s 25-yard field goal, then 6-for-9 for 62 yards and a touchdown to Davante Adams after cornerback Brandon Stephens was flagged for pass interference on Adams, putting the ball on the Ravens’ 1-yard line. Of all Baltimore’s multitudinous problems during an 0-2 start to the season — a shaky offensive line and boneheaded and drive-crushing penalties among them — the most stunning has been the play of the secondary. Last season when the Ravens became the first team in NFL history to lead the league in sacks, takeaways and points allowed per game, their defensive backfield was at the heart of the success. Baltimore allowed the fourth-lowest completion percentage (60.5), sixth-fewest passing yards per game (191.9) and was tops in the league in fewest yards per pass attempt (4.7). Through the small sample size of two games, those rankings have been effectively the opposite. Their 257 passing yards allowed per game is the most in the NFL, while a 75.8% completion rate ranks 30th and the 7 yards per pass attempt ranks fifth-most. “The secondary overall is on track, but we’re not consistent … and it’s not just a secondary, we’re talking about pass defense,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “Pass defense is at all three levels. “The linebackers are involved in that and the pass rush is involved in that. We can play coverages better. Sometimes it’s a one-on-one thing where they make a good play. … There’s other plays where we’re not, you know, we don’t play it as well as we could. We’re not in position. We don’t see it quite the same way. We react a little late. … That happened, especially kind of down the stretch in the 2-minute stuff. … Certain situations, especially in the fourth quarter, that you can’t let the quarterback out of the pocket, because it just extends plays and makes it impossible. … So everybody takes responsibility for pass defense.” In Week 1, the Ravens could perhaps be given something of a pass facing Mahomes, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player and three-time Super Bowl MVP and a restocked Chiefs offense in Kansas City. He is the best player in the sport playing on the best team in the league. But Minshew, a journeyman, bears no resemblance to Mahomes. Yet after holding the Raiders to just 43 total yards in the first half, the defense and in particular the secondary collapsed over the final 30 minutes. While Baltimore’s defense allowed only 23 rushing yards in the second half, Minshew threw for 194 yards on 16 of 22 passing. The Raiders also converted three of their six third downs (while the Ravens went 0-for-3) and Baltimore was again vulnerable in the middle of the field. While all three levels of the Ravens’ defense might be interconnected, the secondary — a unit that was touted as a strength with plenty of depth — has been one of the NFL’s worst thus far. Over the first two weeks, Baltimore allowed Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice 103 yards on seven catches and Raiders receiver Davante Adams 110 yards on nine catches. Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers also had 98 yards on nine catches, and there have been blown assignments and coverage busts, including one that resulted in the decisive touchdown against the Chiefs. Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, right, recorded nine receptions for 98 yards against Baltimore. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Sunday, Stephens and fellow cornerback Marlon Humphrey allowed five and six catches on seven and nine targets, respectively, per Pro Football Focus. Safety Kyle Hamilton and inside linebacker Trenton Simpson, meanwhile, allowed seven and six catches on an equal number of targets. And safety Marcus Williams gave up three catches on as many targets. The Ravens were also without cornerback Nate Wiggins (neck/concussion) and have been without slot corner Arthur Maulet (knee) since before the start of the season. It’s also worth mentioning that the Ravens are operating with a first-year defensive coordinator in Zach Orr after Mike Macdonald became the coach of the Seattle Seahawks. They’re also without highly regarded defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson after he bolted for the Tennessee Titans’ defensive coordinator opening, leaving defensive backfield responsibilities to passing game coordinator Chris Hewitt and new secondary coach Doug Mallory. “It’s not about how you start, it’s how you finish,” safety Eddie Jackson said Sunday. “Right now, I feel like we’re gonna have to rally around each other more than ever.” And not just in the secondary. Offensive line concerns On offense, the line, with three new starters at both guard spots as well as right tackle, has struggled mightily. Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby are among the NFL’s best at their positions, but Baltimore’s problems up front have extended beyond protecting against elite pass rushers. “We’re just too inconsistent, and you talk about the offensive line, I think that’s a fair evaluation is inconsistent,” Harbaugh said. “It’s almost randomly inconsistent.” Things won’t get any easier with games against the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals on tap. Asked if he has seen progress with first-year left guard Andrew Vorhees, first-year right guard Daniel Faalele and rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten, Harbaugh said there are going to be growing pains. He also is bullish, however, on keeping Faalele in over the more experienced Ben Cleveland. “If Ben had earned the job right guard, he’d be the starting right guard,” Harbaugh said. “You look at the tape, you know, he didn’t beat out Daniel or anybody. I think Ben’s a good player. I like Ben. I want Ben to take the next step. “Ben knows what he needs to do. If he wants playing time, he knows how he needs to play and he knows how he needs to practice when he gets that chance. So, our evaluation right now is that Daniel outplayed Ben, just fact, straight up.” Penalties are still a problem Sunday, the Ravens had 11 penalties totaling 109 yards. In Week 1, they had seven for 64 yards. And that doesn’t include the ones that were declined or offsetting. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 2: Ravens staring at potential 0-5 start Baltimore Ravens | ‘I don’t think that way’: Ravens coach John Harbaugh explains two missed challenge calls in Raiders loss Baltimore Ravens | Pro Football Focus can help explain the Ravens. But what do the numbers mean? Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 26-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders Baltimore Ravens | Ravens blame another late collapse on sloppiness, penalties: ‘It’s time to sharpen it all up’ It hasn’t just been the volume of the penalties, either. It’s been the critical nature of them, be it Derrick Henry’s false start midway through the fourth quarter on a third-and-1 that ultimately led to a punt or Stephens’ pass interference on Adams that led to the game-tying touchdown. “It’s a massive point of emphasis,” Harbaugh said of addressing penalties with his players. “It’s just not OK. “You can talk about some calls here, talk about a holding call, definitely talk about a call that was called as a facemask. You can talk about one of the pass interferences; those are game-changing plays, no doubt about it. But you can’t talk about a false start. You can’t talk about obvious holding, you know, things like that, you can’t talk about not lining up correctly.” “We cost ourselves more plays than our opponents do right now on both sides of the ball and that’s something that just we have to clean up.” View the full article

Ravens coach John Harbaugh has a simple theory on the use of challenge flags: The best way to maintain a winning percentage is to keep that red flag tucked into your belt line. “But I don’t think that way,” he said. Since 2008, Harbaugh has challenged 129 calls. He’s gotten 54 successfully overturned, compared with 75 upheld. That’s the most losses on a challenge among active NFL coaches, eking out Andy Reid’s 72 losses on 143 attempts. Bill Belichick, the third winningest NFL coach ever, lost 78 out of 131. Harbaugh reached for his challenge flag twice during Sunday’s 26-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. And twice, he was unsuccessful, costing the Ravens a pair of timeouts and momentum as they dropped to 0-2 for the first time since 2015. Harbaugh has lost six consecutive challenges, with his last successful challenge coming on Jan. 1, 2023, according to Pro Football Reference. “I’m not worried about the record,” Harbaugh said Monday afternoon. “I’m trying to think about the opportunity in the game to see if we have a chance to use a challenge to our advantage and try to win the game.” His first challenge came in the second quarter on a low throw to Zay Flowers against the left sideline. Rules analyst Gene Steratore called it a “pretty clean short hop” on the CBS broadcast but microphones near the field picked up Flowers repeating, “That’s a catch!” “That’s probably a situation where I don’t mind taking a chance there on that one because Zay did have his hand under the ball,” Harbaugh said. “Maybe there’s a chance they’ll turn that over. I thought it was probably less than 50-50 when I saw it. “I looked at it. I saw it. I knew what happened right away. I thought, you know what? I don’t mind the timeout right here, let me see if we can get them to turn that one over.” Lamar Jackson threw an incomplete pass on the next play. Then Justin Tucker sailed a 56-yard field goal try wide left and the Ravens failed to turn a three-point game into a two-possession contest heading into the final two minutes of the first half. Ravens coach John Harbaugh lost both of his challenges in the team’s 26-23 loss to Las Vegas. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Harbaugh’s second challenge was more costly. He threw the flag to review an impressive Davante Adams’ toe drag along the sideline, a play that Harbaugh said “was moving fast.” “I saw it from afar and I saw it quickly on the replay board,” Harbaugh said. “It was a quick shot in the replay booth. I thought to myself, ‘It’s really close. There’s a good chance his toes are still on the ground but there’s a chance his toes are off the ground.’ And we didn’t have enough time to get another look at it.” He made a split-second decision to go for it behind the thinking that if they could get it overturned it would have helped close out a win. And if it didn’t get overturned, he hoped the lost timeout wouldn’t be a difference-maker. Las Vegas kicker Daniel Carlson connected from 25 yards four plays later to trim Baltimore’s lead to 23-16 in the fourth quarter. Because of the lost challenge, the Ravens didn’t have a timeout when they got the ball back with 27 seconds and a final chance at saving their fourth-quarter collapse. Harbaugh’s philosophy of whether to challenge a call extends beyond simply not caring about his record. In a situation like that where Adams’ catch required a flash decision, he’ll normally — and he pressed a fist to his chest as he said this — only throw it when he’s sure. “I decided on that one to take a shot,” Harbaugh said, “and it hurt us because we didn’t have the timeout at the end of the game.” View the full article

In Week 4 of the 2019 season, Ravens coach John Harbaugh spoke to reporters about how useful analytics can be to illustrate football production and inform decision-making. “You can dig up a lot of information,” he said. “And if you’re a reporter or if you’re on the radio, I would think that would be part of your job to do something like that and to explain to the fans exactly what the math is and how it works. It’s not hidden.” Harbaugh is right, it’s not hidden. The amount of available data has drastically shifted sports discourse over the past decade. For the NFL, Pro Football Focus is among the top analytics sites and it can get a little complex. When Ravens outside linebacker Odafe Oweh finished last season with five sacks, he wasn’t just tied for 85th in the league in number of times dragging down the quarterback. He was 14th in the NFL in pass rush win rate among edge rushers, per PFF. Or look at Baltimore’s 2023 offensive line, a positional group that can be hard to quantify. They allowed 160 total pressures, a number provided by PFF, which ranked 25th. PFF prides itself on evaluating every player on every play. According to its website, “that attention to detail provides insights and data that cannot be found anywhere else.” Sometimes sifting through charts and rankings — or even taking numbers at face value without understanding the math — can feel a little like Zach Galifianakis counting cards in “The Hangover.” What is PFF? Neil Hornsby founded PFF in 2006. To him, it began merely as a hobby. Nearly two decades later, it’s grown into much more. It’s a colloquialism for football nerds. PFF is the preeminent analytics provider with detailed data on all 32 NFL teams and more than 100 NCAA teams. Cris Collinsworth, a former NFL wide receiver and Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer, bought the Cincinnati-based company in 2014 and it now counts every NFL team as clients. According to Front Office Sports, PFF charges each team $150,000 annually for its services. That includes its prized possession: an intensive player-grading system, which differentiates the site from the NFL’s Next Gen Stats; positional and league rankings; and quirky stats not found in a common box score (hello, elusive rating). How does grading work? Against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, Isaiah Likely’s 111 yards on nine receptions and a 49-yard touchdown earned him a PFF grade of 91.8, which was calculated using all 14 of his snaps during run plays and 39 snaps on pass plays. His A- was the best grade for an NFL tight end in Week 1. Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely earned the highest PFF grade of any NFL tight end in Week 1. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Tyler Linderbaum was another standout. His 73.8 grade was the third best among all centers. He also clocked a run blocking score of 80.9. Linderbaum trailed only Kansas City’s Creed Humphrey (79.4) and Erik McCoy (90.7) of the New Orleans Saints. That’s a lot of numbers and not a lot of explanation. The basics of calculating that number are straightforward. On any given snap, each player receives a grade from minus-2 to plus-2 in 0.5 increments, with 0 being the “expected” grade because not every player does something positive or negative on a given play. Each position group has its own set of rules, but that’s the basic draw. Those grades are tied to the player’s contribution rather than the result of the play. And they are not adjusted for quality of competition. PFF’s example of a plus-2 is Eli Manning’s throw to Mario Manningham along the sideline in Super Bowl 46. If Likely had gotten his toenails trimmed, his near-fourth-quarter touchdown would have presumably garnered at least a plus-1.5. The sample minus-2 comes from the 2009 NFC championship game when Brett Favre threw across his body for an interception that ultimately cost the Minnesota Vikings the game. A checkdown completion would qualify for a 0. At the end of the game, each number to the 10th place is averaged out for a raw score. Then PFF converts it to a more reader-friendly grade that better resembles a test score on a 0-100 scale. Grades 90 or above are considered elite, 80 is good, 70 is above average. Anything in the 50s is below average, 40 is poor and 30 or lower is very poor. More than 600 PFF employees and analysts with months, and sometimes years, of training decide the grades. They rely on a 300-page training manual and use every camera angle available, including the all-22 coaches’ tape to pick the number. “We understand that PFF grade is not perfect,” the site reads, “but it’s also a unique look at a player’s production, and when paired with PFF’s advanced data, it’s one of the most powerful tools in the game.” View the full article

The Ravens blew a 23-13 fourth-quarter lead in a disastrous home loss to the Las Vegas Raiders that dropped them to 0-2. Here are five things we learned from the game: The Ravens concocted the perfect recipe for a shocking defeat, and their season is already in peril Here are the ingredients to a demoralizing loss that no one on the Ravens and no fan in M&T Bank Stadium saw coming: • Eleven penalties for 109 yards, including a Derrick Henry false start that halted a fourth-quarter drive and a pass interference on Brandon Stephens that set the Raiders up for a game-tying touchdown from the 1-yard line. • Two failed challenges from coach John Harbaugh — neither on a call that seemed controversial — that left the Ravens short a timeout at the end of each half. • A missed 56-yard field goal from Justin Tucker, who has made one of his last seven attempts from 50 yards or more. • A shanked 24-yard punt from Jordan Stout when the Ravens needed to pin the Raiders as far back as possible with the game tied in the fourth quarter. • A defense that allowed 43 yards before halftime, 217 after. • Lamar Jackson’s interception in the third quarter that blunted the Ravens’ momentum when they seemed ready to build on a 16-6 lead and handed a short field to Las Vegas’ sputtering offense. • An offensive line that allowed Maxx Crosby two sacks and four tackles for loss, even though everyone in the stadium knew blocking Crosby was priority No. 1. That covers about every corner of a football team’s operation. The Ravens can stare forlornly into the mirror together because almost every one of them contributed to this mess. A last-second road loss to the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs? That hurt but in an understandable way. “This one felt more self-inflicted,” Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley said. And now this team that was the best in football less than a year ago, that fully expected to play deep into January, faces real peril. It’s not impossible to start 0-2 and make the playoffs. The Houston Texans did it last year, the Cincinnati Bengals the year before that. But the Ravens have dug a real hole, and their next two assignments — a visit to Dallas and a prime-time home game against the 2-0 Buffalo Bills — don’t look like an easy path out of the deep. Jackson has never started a season like this. Everyone will look to him over the next few days. Will he change his message or shout it louder in hopes of creating a spark. “We are going to see; we are going to see,” he said. “I’m definitely going to talk to my guys, though, because we’ve got to find our mojo. We’ve got to find [it], and do what we do because that’s not us at all.” With the loss to Las Vegas, Lamar Jackson is 0-2 for the first time in his NFL career. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Harbaugh has confronted an 0-2 start (in 2015, when the Ravens finished 5-11), but it’s not familiar territory for him either. “We’re going to play a 17-game season, and we will be defined by the next 15 games,” he said, the only message left to him after the Ravens self-combusted in every phase. The Ravens defense dominated — until it didn’t Odafe Oweh left his blocker in the dust on the first play of the game, slamming into Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II and knocking the ball from his grasp. For more than a half, that play felt like an apt tone-setter for an afternoon of crushing defensive theater. Anytime Minshew took more than a couple of seconds to look downfield, Oweh and fellow outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy were on him. No one could have guessed Van Noy fractured his orbital bone 10 days earlier. Not only did he get after Minshew; he set a tough edge, forcing Raiders running backs to the middle, where Ravens defensive linemen smothered them. Las Vegas averaged 1.8 yards per play in the first half. The Ravens should have led by more than three at halftime, but no one sensed the Raiders were sitting on a big comeback. Perhaps we should have remembered last September when Minshew rallied the Indianapolis Cols past the Ravens with a pair of late-scoring drives after he ate five sacks. Just because the guy ain’t great, don’t assume he’s going away. Minshew has real playmakers to work with in wide receiver Davante Adams and rookie tight end Brock Bowers. Once the Raiders created a little time by rolling Minshew out of the pocket, the Ravens could not stay glued to his top targets. Adams and Bowers combined for 18 catches on 21 targets for 208 yards, almost all of those after halftime. They exploited mistakes, but they also beat good coverage. The Ravens had legitimate arguments against a few penalties, including a face mask on Nnamdi Madubuike that helped the Raiders dig out of poor field position on a fourth-quarter drive that ended with a field goal. Harbaugh felt Stephens employed good technique against Adams on the crucial pass interference call that set up the tying touchdown. Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens, right, is called for a pass interference penalty against Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams in the fourth quarter Sunday. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) But the Raiders carved up a proud defense enough that whistles won’t stand as a primary explanation. First-year coordinator Zach Orr and his top players are going to face difficult questions about why they haven’t carried over their dominance from last season. “I think just extending the plays,” linebacker Roquan Smith said when asked what changed against the Raiders. “I think extended plays [and] penalties and some of [their] guys winning their matchups.” We saw a glimpse of Derrick Henry as the hammer When it looked like the Ravens would put their mistakes behind them and close out a win, Henry was the major reason. He carried five times for 34 yards on the drive that put them up 23-13, knifing through inside gaps and swinging around the edge with force. We even got our first glimpse of the vaunted Henry stiff arm when he galloped 29 yards down the sideline to set up a Zay Flowers touchdown catch on the first drive of the second half. This was the Henry we envisioned when the Ravens signed him in the offseason — a hurricane on two legs who would unleash hell on tired defenses and put leads in the bag. Send him behind battering ram fullback Patrick Ricard and watch them crumble. Henry felt it too, disappointed though he was with the final result. “I felt like we were starting to get momentum,” he said. “We were executing, moving the ball, and just things were going the way we wanted to, as far as in the run game. I thought Pat did a great job, and I thought we had a lot of momentum once we got going.” It seemed like Ravens running back Derrick Henry, right, was going to close the game for Baltimore. Instead, Las Vegas erased a 10-point deficit and upset Baltimore. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) As we learned across his magnificent seasons in Tennessee, Henry is a good inside runner, but he’s an all-time-great outside runner. The Ravens made the right calls to unlock that facet of his game in the second half, which portends well for their offense in the coming weeks. The Ravens adjusted to Maxx Crosby, but he got them in the end With the score tied at 23 and 70 yards of field in front of him, Jackson needed breathing room to get the Ravens rolling toward a go-ahead score. Instead, Crosby stunted to the inside, flew past right guard Daniel Faalele, who might as well have been stuck in tar, and slammed Jackson to the ground for a 9-yard loss. The Ravens never recovered. The one guy the Ravens knew they had to block made the defensive play of the game. “I’m not the one who’s having to block [Crosby] or anything like that or talking on the line,” Jackson said. “But we had the right protections up. Sometimes, you’ve got to have those one-on-one fights. Sometimes we’ve got to win those.” It was as close as you’ll hear him come to criticizing an offensive lineman. That said, Crosby tormented many blockers on his way to two sacks and four tackles for loss. The Pro Bowl edge rusher lined up to attack right tackle Patrick Mekari and drew blood early, beating Mekari with a simple outside move to sack Jackson for a 6-yard loss that derailed the Ravens’ opening drive. For all our focus on the Ravens’ inexperienced starting guards, the more seasoned Mekari has played just as unevenly over the first two weeks. He allowed four pressures in the opener. On the Ravens’ second drive, Crosby bolted in untouched to drop Henry for a loss on first down. It looked like Andrew Vorhees was supposed to pull from the left side to pick him and simply did not make it. On drive No. 3, it was tight end Isaiah Likely who could not stay in front of Crosby on another tackle for loss. The Ravens got a handle on Las Vegas’ defensive star for a chunk of the game. Rookie Roger Rosengarten subbed for Mekari and did a nice job staying in front of Crosby, allowing Jackson to dance around the pocket long enough to find Zay Flowers for 21 yards. The Ravens kept Rosengarten in for their last drive of the first half, and he again neutralized Crosby. Mekari came back for the beginning of the second half and held up better, sometimes with help, sometimes one-on-one. That will be cold comfort when the Ravens watch film of Crosby flattening Jackson with the game hanging in the balance. Justin Tucker missed another long field-goal attempt, and he’s getting tired of the subject During a conversation last week about his recent misses from 50 yards and beyond, Tucker explained that he sees no value in dwelling on past failure. He’s a perfectionist. It makes him angry in the moment. He knows his peers at the top of the kicking profession rarely miss from any distance. But he can’t do his job if his mind is locked anywhere but the next kick. Tucker maintained the same stance after he hooked a 56-yard attempt left — plenty long but seemingly outside the left upright all the way — against the Raiders. He also seemed agitated that he could not put this story to rest. Justin Tucker missed his lone field goal attempt from beyond 50 yards on Sunday. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) “As simply as I can put it, it’s not my favorite topic of discussion, but I just missed the kick,” he said. “I don’t want to continue having this conversation. When I go out on the field, I’m confident that I’m going to nail every single kick, no matter where we are on the field. Today was no different. We got off to a pretty good start kicking the ball. The ball was coming off my foot pretty nicely. Nick [Moore] was throwing back good snaps and Jordan [Stout] was throwing back good holds. And then, I just misfired on the one from 56.” He split the uprights perfectly from 48 and 42 yards. He hit from 70 in warmups and as mentioned, put plenty of mustard on the 56-yard attempt. So what gives? Why is the most accurate kicker in NFL history, the owner of the longest field goal ever, suddenly fallible from distances that have never bothered him? As if to highlight Tucker’s struggles, his Las Vegas counterpart, Daniel Carlson, hit from 53 and 51 yards. That meant the Ravens operated from a deficit in an area they expect to dominate. Nobody knows that better than Tucker, who has forgotten more about the craft of kicking than most of us will ever know. “I left three points out there that we certainly could have used down the stretch in this game, but at the exact same time, trying to overanalyze or dwell on a mistake or a performance that is not up to our collective standard, that’s not going to do us any good,” he said. “What is going to help us is continuing to trust the process, and just come together as a team, and get to work.” What else is there to say for now? The Ravens have no choice but to, as Harbaugh said, maintain the “utmost confidence” in Tucker. Week 3 Ravens at Cowboys Sunday, 4:25 p.m. TV: FOX Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Cowboys by 1 1/2 View the full article

A shared sense of sloppiness reverberated throughout the Ravens’ locker room Sunday after their 26-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders dropped them to 0-2 on the season. The defense blamed its inability to slow quarterback Gardner Minshew II and wide receiver Davante Adams late in the collapse on it. Lamar Jackson, Ronnie Stanley and Derrick Henry cited self-inflicted mistakes as reasons for their fourth-quarter collapse, too. “When you’re going through your week of preparation, there are certain things you’re going to think about more than others,” said Stanley, Baltimore’s starting left tackle. “We as a group need to put more collective focus on these details. It’s time to sharpen it all up and make things more disciplined and more clean because these are types of games we can’t lose.” Baltimore is winless through two weeks for the first time since 2015. It was a loss that felt eerily similar to a few last-minute crumbles a year ago when answers eluded the Ravens late and resulted in devastating defeats. After another one Sunday, it’s clear the Ravens are still searching for themselves in several facets. “We’ve got to find our mojo,” said Jackson, the NFL’s reigning Most Valuable Player. “That’s not us at all.” The fourth quarter, in which the Ravens coughed up a 23-13 lead in less than 10 minutes, was full of mistakes. Nnamdi Madubuike’s facemask penalty (though replay reviews showed he grabbed Minshew’s shoulder) erased a sack and energized a Raiders drive that ended in a field goal. Baltimore faced a third-and-1 on its next possession, but the short-yardage situation was lost after a false start on Henry. The running back’s miscue forced Baltimore to punt one play later. Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, right, is called for a facemask penalty on Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II in the fourth quarter Sunday. Baltimore was penalized 11 times for 109 yards Sunday. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) The Ravens committed 11 penalties for 109 yards, a 94-yard disparity from the visiting team. Three of those calls gave the Raiders first downs. Cornerback Brandon Stephens’ end zone pass interference on Adams on a near-impossible third-and-goal from Baltimore’s 17-yard line set up the game-tying touchdown. (CBS Sports rules analyst and former NFL official Gene Steratore said he disagreed with the call.) Others negated large gains or important stops. “I’m not a ref or an official, but felt like a couple of those were kind of BS calls,” safety Eddie Jackson said. “But that’s not my job, I’m a little biased.” But in the end, it wasn’t a penalty that gave the Raiders prime field position for their go-ahead field goal. Jordan Stout’s 24-yard punt, which traveled half the distance of his average 2023 punt, meant Las Vegas only needed 23 yards before handing it over to Daniel Carlson. And when the Ravens knew clock-killing runs were coming, the Raiders easily got their kicker within range. There were versions of Sunday’s loss in 2023. In the Ravens’ four regular-season losses, they were tied or held a lead entering the fourth quarter in all of them. There was the overtime loss to Minshew’s Indianapolis Colts. They were outscored 14-0 in the final quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers. And a 14-point blown lead handed them a loss to the Cleveland Browns. Sunday’s defeat followed a similar script. Afterward, standing in front of microphones and cameras at the podium or their lockers, players blamed their own mistakes. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Odafe Oweh on his performance | VIDEO Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Derrick Henry: ‘We definitely don’t want to be 0-2’ | VIDEO Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Justin Tucker on missing key field goal | VIDEO Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens wilt under pressure, and things could get ugly | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: ‘How did they lose to the Raiders?’ | VIDEO “There’s a lot to clean up,” Stanley said. “I think it’s our own lack of discipline that’s causing these problems on ourselves. I’m very confident we’re gonna figure it out. Those details are making a difference for us right now. “This just felt more self-inflicted,” he continued. “Feel like there was many, many opportunities for us to really put the nail in the coffin, and we just didn’t end up doing that.” Sloppiness, players said, was at fault for the Ravens’ second loss. While penalties and errors surely aided the opposition, the Ravens only have their own shortcomings to blame. “They were the better team. That’s why they won,” Henry said. “We didn’t make the plays when we needed to.” View the full article

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The sky isn’t falling in Baltimore yet, but there are some dark clouds hanging over this city. The Ravens lost to the Las Vegas Raiders, 26-23, on Sunday in the home opener at M&T Bank Stadium, and a sense of panic is about to set in. It’s one thing to lose to former NFL great Tom Brady or Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, but the Ravens were beaten by a quarterback named Gardner Minshew II. Let’s say it again: Gardner Minshew II. Go ahead, exhale slowly. It just sounds so ridiculous. Not only did the Ravens lose to the Chiefs in last week’s season opener, but they had 10 days to prepare for the Raiders, who were flying from out west after losing to the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday. Duh? This was virtually a gimmie, a lock, and the Ravens still lost because they allowed two field goals and a touchdown in the final 12 minutes, including a 38-yard kick by Daniel Carlson with 27 seconds left. Maybe the announced crowd of 70,762 knew what to expect because there were a lot of empty seats around M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday. There were also a lot of Raiders fans who flew into Baltimore sitting behind the Las Vegas bench in the final minutes. Hopefully that’s not a sign of things to come, but the Ravens’ next opponent will be the Dallas Cowboys, and that team will be incensed after the 44-19 spanking they took from the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Then the Ravens host the Buffalo Bills and quarterback Josh Allen the following week in a Sunday night game here at M&T Bank Stadium. There is the potential for things to get ugly. Real ugly. “It was a disappointing loss, a tough loss. Could have gone our way for sure, but we didn’t get the job done,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “We’re 0-2. We’re going to play a 17-game season, and we will be defined by the next 15 games, so that’s going to be our objective — to play the best 15 games we can, be the best football team we can be, and if we do that, then we’re going to have a really good season, have a shot to win a lot of games and get in the playoffs and make a run, so that’s what we have to do. “Big picture — short-term — we have to go back and look at every little thing, continue to clean up the things that we know we can clean up and get better at the things that make a difference in games.” The Ravens needed to get off to a strong start this year, especially with a second-half schedule that includes three games in 14 days, and another three in 11. Needless to say, the Ravens have dug a deep hole going 0-2 for the first time since 2015. Worst yet, they couldn’t finish off the Raiders. When it came time for the Ravens to close out the win, they couldn’t stop rookie tight end Brock Bowers or All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams, who combined for 18 receptions and nearly 200 yards. Granted, the Ravens gave up field position, allowing the Raiders to start at their own 30-yard line twice and Baltimore’s 43 on their last three drives. Offensively, there was no magic wand waved by quarterback Lamar Jackson. A week ago, he almost single-handedly carried the Ravens to a victory by rushing 16 times for 122 yards and completing 26 of 41 passes for 273 yards in a loss to the Chiefs. But there was no way Jackson was going to maintain that pace for the entire season. The Ravens have no offensive identity. Running back Derrick Henry finally found his niche, especially as a closer. He finished with 84 yards on 18 carries after gaining only 5 yards on seven attempts in the first half, but he couldn’t save the Ravens either. Despite the NFL’s reputation of being a pass-happy league, the basic formula for success will not change. For a team to win in this league consistently, it has to dominate on the offensive and defensive lines. On Sunday, the Ravens won with their defensive front for most of the game, but their offensive line was not very good. It’s a gamble that both Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta made at the beginning of the season by saying goodbye to three starters on the offensive line from a year ago. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens blame another late collapse on sloppiness, penalties: ‘It’s time to sharpen it all up’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Odafe Oweh on his performance | VIDEO Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Derrick Henry: ‘We definitely don’t want to be 0-2’ | VIDEO Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Justin Tucker on missing key field goal | VIDEO Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: ‘How did they lose to the Raiders?’ | VIDEO Jackson has virtually no time to throw. Even when he does have an opportunity to go downfield, his passes are usually off the mark or thrown behind his receivers. If he doesn’t complete a pass early, he either has to run or often holds the ball too long. On the Ravens’ last three possessions of the game, they picked up only one first down. The assumption here is that Harbaugh will go over the game film and might be able to find some areas to improve. He can point out that the Raiders’ offensive line got better throughout the game, especially in the second half. In fact, Las Vegas played like the Ravens in previous seasons. The Raiders weren’t pretty, but they certainly were more physical. In the end, the Ravens caved and appeared to tire in the final two quarters. That’s a sign of a team that wilted under pressure. “They were just the better team; that’s why they won,” Henry said. “We didn’t make the plays when we needed to, as an offense. We’ll just go back to the drawing board, look at the film and correct the mistakes. The execution just has to be better. We just didn’t execute as an offense [and] as a team when we needed to, and they did. That’s why they won.” A young Ravens fan reacts in disbelief after the Raiders defeated Baltimore, 26-23, on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) View the full article

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NFL teams can’t win Super Bowls in September, but history suggests they can play themselves out of contention for one before the calendar flips to October. Since the NFL playoffs expanded to 14 teams in 2020, 32 franchises have started the season 0-2. Only two of those 32 teams (6.25%) — Cincinnati in 2022 and Houston in 2023 — made the postseason. Just five of the 32 teams finished the season with a winning record. Only three teams (1993 Dallas Cowboys, 2001 New England Patriots and 2007 New York Giants) have ever won the Super Bowl after an 0-2 start. For the Ravens, Sunday’s collapse against the Raiders sets up what could be viewed as a must-win game against the Dallas Cowboys, who are early 1 1/2-point favorites in the matchup, next Sunday afternoon. Since 1979, only six teams have made the postseason after starting the season 0-3. Only one team since 2000 — the 2018 Texans — has made the postseason after going winless in its first three games. No Super Bowl champion has ever started a season 0-3. Ravens coach John Harbaugh didn’t share the same level of dread as the stats do when asked about the 0-2 start in Sunday’s postgame news conference. “We define our season,” Harbaugh said. “We’re not gonna be defined by everybody that’s gonna say that we’re not any good. That we’re done. That the season’s over after two games. That’s what’s gonna be said, but they’re not here. They’re not inside. No one inside is going to say that.” While Harbaugh can point to Cincinnati and Houston as recent examples of success after sluggish starts, a bad start is largely uncharted territory for the longtime coach. This season marks Baltimore’s first 0-2 start since 2015 when it began 0-3 and finished the season 5-11. There’s not much institutional knowledge about starting 0-2, although current defensive coordinator Zach Orr was a rookie linebacker playing on Baltimore’s 2015 team. Outside of their 0-2 start in 2015, the Ravens usually start the season fast under Harbaugh’s watch. That’s been especially true with Lamar Jackson starting at quarterback. Since Jackson’s first full season as Baltimore’s starter in 2019, the Ravens had been 8-2 in the first two weeks of the season. The lone losses came against Las Vegas in 2021 and Miami in 2022. The Ravens squandered fourth-quarter leads in both of those defeats. Sunday’s blown lead was particularly demoralizing, with Las Vegas having lost 49 consecutive games when trailing by 10 or more points in the fourth quarter. Baltimore led by 10 in the final quarter, with a 1-1 start well within its grasp. Finishing out the Raiders would’ve squashed September questions about qualifying for the postseason. Instead, players explained to reporters how they plan to rally after joining teams such as the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers with a winless first two weeks. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens blame another late collapse on sloppiness, penalties: ‘It’s time to sharpen it all up’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Odafe Oweh on his performance | VIDEO Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Derrick Henry: ‘We definitely don’t want to be 0-2’ | VIDEO Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Justin Tucker on missing key field goal | VIDEO Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens wilt under pressure, and things could get ugly | COMMENTARY “There’s no way we should be 0-2, but hey, it is what it is,” middle linebacker Roquan Smith said. Baltimore’s immediate path forward isn’t easy. The Ravens’ next two games (at Dallas and vs. Buffalo) come against 2023 playoff teams, and a road game against division rival Cincinnati follows. Even with challenging games ahead and the meltdown against Las Vegas, the Ravens believe they can buck the trend by becoming one of the few NFL teams to start 0-2 and make the postseason. Entering Sunday, they had a 60% chance to make the playoffs according to ESPN Analytics and a 73% chance according to The Athletic — the highest among 0-1 teams. “We’ve got to take care of our business, take care of our work,” Harbaugh said. “We know that we’re a good football team.” View the full article

Here’s how the Ravens (0-2) graded out at every position after losing their home opener, 26-23, to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. Quarterback Lamar Jackson finished with a passer rating of 81.4 as he completed 21 of 34 passes for 247 yards with a touchdown and an interception, but he missed several long throws and the Ravens could have picked up more yards after the catch if he were more accurate hitting wide-open receivers. Jackson did enough to keep the Ravens in the game, especially with his legs when the protection broke down as he rushed for 45 yards. But on the Ravens’ final three possessions in the fourth quarter, the offense managed to pick up only one first down and Jackson looked lost at times. There was no Lamar Jackson magic on Sunday. Grade: C- Running backs The Ravens had no answers for Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby in the first half, but they started to double-team and chip Crosby in the second half, which slowed down his penetration. Derrick Henry revved up the running game in the second half, especially running left. The key is allowing Henry to get to the line of scrimmage with his shoulder pads squared. He played well in his role as a closer, finishing with 84 yards on 18 carries. Backup Justice Hill had four attempts for 22 yards but wasn’t much of a passing threat out of the backfield. The problem, though, is that if Henry doesn’t get a big chunk of yards on first down, the Ravens are in trouble. Grade: C+ Offensive line Guards Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele struggled in pass protection, but that’s nothing new. Both improved from the season opener in Kansas City, but those two will be a problem all season. Right tackle Patrick Mekari struggled against Crosby, which was expected, but what took the Ravens so long to get him some help? Rookie Roger Rosengarten played better against Crosby, but the Ravens did provide him more help after the first quarter. Both center Tyler Linderbaum and left tackle Ronnie Stanley played well, and the Ravens might become more of a left-handed team with Henry running behind Stanley. But in crunch time, Ravens had no answer for Crosby, who either won his one-on-one battles on the outside or looped around to beat Faalele on the inside. Grade: D Receivers Like a week ago, it took the Ravens a while to get all of their pass catchers involved in the offense. Once that happened in the second half, Baltimore started to pull away, but the Ravens couldn’t handle the pressure from the Raiders’ pass rush. Receiver Rashod Bateman and tight end Isiah Likely each had big second-half catches and the Ravens got tight end Mark Andrews involved early as he finished with four catches for 51 yards. Second-year receiver Zay Flowers was a difference-maker with seven catches for 91 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Grade: C Defensive line This group was dominant in the first half, holding the Raiders to 4 rushing yards and 43 total yards, but Las Vegas finished with 260 total yards. The Ravens needed the offense to chew up some clock, but they lost the time of possession battle 30:43 to 29:17. The Ravens recorded five sacks and got pressure from linemen Nnamdi Madubuike, Brent Urban and Travis Jones, who finished with three tackles each, but the Raiders took advantage of good field position on their final three scoring drives. Las Vegas went to the play-action passing game and the Ravens had no answer. Grade: B Linebackers The Ravens finally got some pressure on the edge from outside linebackers Kyle Van Noy (two sacks, three pressures) and Odafe Oweh (2 1/2 sacks, three pressures). They also got inside pressure from Madubuike and even Jones, but in the end they looked like the Raiders of a week ago. With no offense, Las Vegas’ defense wore down against the Chargers, and that’s what happened to the Ravens on Sunday. Roquan Smith led the team with 11 tackles and Oweh had five, but the Raiders’ play-action passing game slowed the Ravens’ pass rush, particularly in the second half. Grade: B+ Secondary The Ravens shut down the Raiders’ small ball passing game in the first half, but they couldn’t counter the Raiders’ play-action passing game in the second. Las Vegas often went to its two top receivers, rookie tight end Brock Bowers (nine catches for 98 yards) and All-Pro receiver Davante Adams (nine catches for 110 yards), with most of the damage coming in the second half. The Ravens looked tired, particularly cornerbacks Brandon Stephens and Marlon Humphrey. Starting safety Kyle Hamilton missed several tackles and appears to be struggling with a shoulder injury. Regardless, when the Ravens needed to come up big in crunch time, they didn’t deliver. There is something still missing on the back end of the defense as far as scheme or communication. Grade: C Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens fall to 0-2 with stunning 26-23 loss to Raiders in home opener Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 26-23 loss to Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2 Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Raiders game briefly halted after chain gang member collapses on sideline Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Raiders, September 15, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Raiders live updates: Reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 26-23 loss in home opener Special teams At the beginning of last season, the Ravens couldn’t make proper decisions on when to return kickoff and punts, and they have the same problem this year. Justin Tucker missed a 56-yard field goal attempt, which sailed wide left. The biggest mistake might have come near the end of the game when Jordan Stout shanked a 24-yard punt, which allowed the Raiders to start their game-winning drive at the Baltimore 43-yard line with 2:21 remaining. For years, special teams have helped carry the Ravens, but those units need to improve from here on out. Grade: C Coaching The Ravens started off strong, but M&T Bank Stadium lacked energy. There were a lot of empty seats and a lot of Raiders fans behind the Las Vegas bench. Coach John Harbaugh failed on two challenges, and the Ravens didn’t make any serious adjustments on offense or defense in the second half. Despite the NFL being a pass-happy league, the game is still won on the offensive and defensive lines. If there are weaknesses, the coaches have to make adjustments, and the Ravens haven’t made any in the first two games. Losing to the Raiders in the home opener is almost unforgivable. Grade: D View the full article