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Here’s how the Ravens (2-2) graded out at every position after beating the Buffalo Bills, 35-10, in Week 4 on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. Quarterback Except for a fumble on a rush late in the second quarter, Lamar Jackson played a near-perfect game. He showed nice touch on some throws over the middle and caused the Bills problems with runs off the edge. Jackson even forced issues by just threatening to run on run-pass options off the perimeter. He completed 13 of 18 passes for 156 yards and rushed six times for 54 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Grade: A Secondary For the most part, the Ravens shut down Buffalo’s short passing game. The Bills made some plays, but they weren’t able to get into any sort of offensive rhythm. Even when Allen got out of the pocket, cornerbacks Brandon Stephens, Marlon Humphrey and rookie Nate Wiggins stayed glued to receivers. Strong safety Kyle Hamilton was a force early and played a complete game. He had struggled in the fourth quarter the previous two games but led the Ravens in tackles with seven. Wiggins, though, has to learn how to catch. He dropped two interceptions Sunday night. Grade: B+ Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Derrick Henry on the offensive line | VIDEO Baltimore Ravens | Ravens run over Bills, 35-10, behind Derrick Henry and stifling defense in prime time Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 35-10 win over Buffalo Bills in Week 4 Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills, September 29, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills live updates: Postgame reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 35-10 win Special teams Well, at least there will be no complaints about Justin Tucker missing a field goal because he didn’t attempt any Sunday night. Jordan Stout had four punts with a long of 54 and dropped three inside the 20-yard line. Deonte Harty averaged 11.3 yards on three punt returns, which is a plus for a team that has struggled in that area the previous couple of weeks. The new kickoff rule hasn’t had much effect on games. There were nine kickoffs Sunday night; none of them were returned. The Ravens held Buffalo punt returner Brandon Codrington to 6 yards on three punt returns. Grade: B+ Coaching Offensive coordinator Todd Monken kept Buffalo off balance most of the night. He used a lot of misdirection plays to keep the Bills’ hard-charging defense off base. The screens and passes in the flats were well-designed, as were the passes in the middle of the field. Defensively, the Ravens had to show that they could hold a lead in the fourth quarter and they proved they could. It was by far the defense’s most complete effort of the season. Coach John Harbaugh, though, did call a timeout right after an injury timeout, which resulted in a penalty and a Buffalo first down. Those types of decisions can hurt a team in the future. Grade: A- View the full article

In the darkness, the Ravens found the light — or at least their identity. A week after Baltimore ran over and through the Dallas Cowboys for its first win of the young season, it validated that victory with another punishing ground attack and Derrick Henry setting the tone on the Ravens’ first offensive play of an eventual 35-10 demolition against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium. With the Ravens decked out in all black for the prime-time affair, Henry shot through a gaping hole on the right side of the line and never stopped until he reached the end zone 87 yards and 12 seconds later. It was the longest run in franchise history and the longest first play from scrimmage for a team since Terrelle Pryor had a 93-yard run for the then-Oakland Raiders in 2013. Just how fast was the Ravens’ biggest offseason free agent acquisition? Henry reached 21.29 mph on the run, tied for the fourth-fastest speed by any ball carrier this season and his eighth-fastest mark since 2018, according to Next Gen Stats. To put that in context, the 30-year-old has reached 20-plus mph 27 times since 2018, trailing only Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Henry finished with 199 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries and caught another score, while quarterback Lamar Jackson completed 13 of 18 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 54 yards and another score on six carries as Baltimore bullied the previously unbeaten Bills. With the win, Baltimore (2-2) moved into second place in the AFC North, one game behind the Pittsburgh Steelers, who lost earlier in the day to Joe Flacco and the Indianapolis Colts. It also made a statement. Equally as impressive as the Ravens’ offense, which racked up 427 total yards and scored on each of its first three possessions of the night, was its previously much-maligned defense. The Bills came into Week 4 leading the NFL in points per game (37.3) with quarterback Josh Allen also tops in the league in passer rating and ESPN’s quarterback rating along with 634 yards passing, seven touchdowns and no interceptions. Baltimore had managed to torment him in the past and did so once again. Allen was held to just 42 yards on 9 of 16 passing in the first half, and Buffalo had just 90 total yards by the break. He finished 16-for-29 for 180 yards with no touchdowns, was sacked three times and had a fumble. The Ravens, of course, had no such trouble moving the ball. After Henry’s opening touchdown, Baltimore marched 70 yards in nine plays on its next series with Jackson capping the drive by finding Henry on a 5-yard touchdown pass. Then it went 81 yards in 10 plays, highlighted by a 26-yard dart to tight end Isaiah Likely, a 12-yard completion to wide receiver Nelson Agholor through a tight window over the middle on third-and-11 and a short drop off to Justice Hill, who sped 15 yards to convert a third-and-14. Two plays later, Jackson lofted a perfectly thrown pass to Hill in the back right corner of the end zone for a 19-yard score. The Ravens led at halftime, 21-3. Still, there were moments of trepidation, if only for a moment or two. Ravens running back Justice Hill, left, scores a touchdown on a 19-yard reception from Lamar Jackson in the second quarter. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) After running through the Bills’ defense, Baltimore came out throwing to open the second half and paid for it. Linebacker Dorian Williams raced through to pressure Jackson, who was flagged for intentional grounding, and two more incompletions later the Ravens were punting for the first time. Buffalo didn’t waste any time taking advantage. On third-and-5 from their own 45, Allen scrambled and eventually the Ravens’ defense broke down, with Khalil Shakir slipping behind the secondary and Allen hitting the wide-open receiver for a 52-yard gain. One play later, running back Ty Johnson, who hails from Cumberland and played at Maryland, trotted around the left side and into the end zone to cut the deficit to 21-10. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Derrick Henry on the offensive line | VIDEO Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 35-10 win over Bills | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 35-10 win over Buffalo Bills in Week 4 Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills, September 29, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills live updates: Postgame reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 35-10 win But there would be no Ravens collapse this time, and that was as close as the Bills would get. With Buffalo facing second-and-7 from the Ravens’ 44, Kyle Van Noy stripped Allen on the Bills’ next possession, Kyle Hamilton recovered the ball and the offense went to work on the ground again. Henry ripped off a 25-yard run around the left end, Hill caught a short pass on third-and-7 for a 17-yard gain and Jackson raced around the right side for a 9-yard touchdown. Then the Ravens put the game out of reach with Odafe Oweh sacking Allen on third-and-14 and kicker Tyler Bass pulling his 48-yard field goal attempt left. The only thing that stopped Henry from scoring a third time was a fumble as he plunged ahead from the Bills’ 2-yard line early in the fourth quarter. But fullback Pat Ricard recovered the ball in the end zone for one final touchdown. This article will be updated. Week 5 Ravens at Bengals Sunday, 1 p.m. TV: CBS Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson celebrates after scoring on a 9-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. (Kenneth K. Lam/staff) View the full article

Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 35-10 win over the Buffalo Bills in Sunday night’s Week 4 game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Brian Wacker, reporter: John Harbaugh said last week that the Ravens found their identity in running all over the Dallas Cowboys for their first win of the season. Sunday night, they leaned into it. Derrick Henry might not get the ball 30 times a game, but against teams that are prone to getting gashed on the ground, it made all the sense in the world to tap the bruising, speedy back again. Doing so allowed quarterback Lamar Jackson to be efficient in the passing game, and a big lead allowed the defense, which played a ton of dime against Josh Allen, to lock in on the quarterback. Childs Walker, reporter: Finally, the Ravens dropped the hammer all the way on a top opponent, mixing brilliantly balanced offense with tenacious coverage on defense. Derrick Henry put his stamp on Ravens history in style, taking his first carry a team-record 87 yards. His opening touchdown kicked off a near-perfect first half of offense in which the Ravens kept the Bills off-balance with play-action and motion. Lamar Jackson was sharp, completing 11 of 13 passes before halftime and floating a beautiful 19-yard touchdown strike to put the Ravens up 21-3. Jackson’s fumble that cut short another potential scoring drive was the only blemish. On defense, the Ravens did a brilliant job getting Josh Allen off the field, holding Buffalo to 1 of 8 on third down in the first half. Their dime packages in passing situations worked beautifully, leaving Allen with few targets as he scurried away from pressure. The Ravens seemed in danger of losing momentum after Allen completed a remarkable 52-yard throw on the run to set up a touchdown that cut the lead to 21-10. But the Ravens kept chasing him, stripping Allen to set up a touchdown drive late in the third quarter. Hill’s twisting, spinning 17-yard gain on third down was the key play on that march, and he played a spectacular game of his own in Henry’s substantial shadow. Mike Preston, columnist: For the second straight week, the Ravens physically dominated an opponent with a strong running game, and that’s a major plus for a team in search of an offensive identity. Does this mean the offensive line has become a strength? No, not yet, but at least the group has improved. That opens up the play-action passing game, as well as the run-pass option plays off the corner. Defensively, the Ravens didn’t collapse like they had in the previous two weeks. Against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Ravens allowed two field goals and a touchdown in a 12-minute span during the fourth quarter, and last week they allowed three touchdowns during a six-minute stretch in the final period against Dallas. Despite major concerns because of two straight losses to open the season, the Ravens still have a good shot at winning the AFC North. The Pittsburgh Steelers will eventually falter and both Cleveland and Cincinnati will continue to lose. Original thoughts about this team have not changed. There are no super teams in the AFC, and the championship still goes through Kansas City and the Chiefs. But few teams can match the Ravens physically. Sam Cohn, reporter: With about 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Ravens holding a commanding 25-point lead, the M&T Bank Stadium speakers started blaring, “every little thing, is gonna be all right.” That’s a pretty good indication of the how fan base was feeling. No lead seems entirely safe with the 2024 Ravens, but their performance in prime-time against one of the best teams in football was a statement. Derrick Henry was masterful, highlighted by his record-setting 87-yard touchdown run on the Ravens’ first play from scrimmage. Fellow running back Justice Hill continues to prove he’s a more-than-serviceable backup, Lamar Jackson got MVP chants and the defense played a clean game. The lone Bills touchdown came after an improbable throw from Josh Allen in which he scrambled for 32.7 yards before flinging the ball downfield for a 52-yard pickup. In other words, they got one the hard way. Above all, it was exactly the type of win Baltimore needed in crawling back to .500. C.J. Doon, editor: Tom Brady called Lamar Jackson “The Eraser” for the star quarterback’s ability to overcome a negative play with his unique talent. Tonight, that nickname should apply to outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy and running back Justice Hill after their key plays helped erase what was shaping up to be another second-half collapse. With Buffalo threatening to turn what was once a 21-3 deficit into a one-score game, Van Noy forced a fumble by Josh Allen that Baltimore recovered and turned into a touchdown six plays later. But that score probably doesn’t happen if Hill doesn’t shake out of a tackle on a short pass on third-and-7 and turn it into a 17-yard gain. If he falls behind the sticks, maybe Justin Tucker kicks a field goal to make it 24-10, or coach John Harbaugh elects to go for it deep in Buffalo territory and the Ravens are stopped. Neither outcome is the end of the world, given the score at the time. But momentum is a tricky thing to measure, and those two plays felt like a big swing back in Baltimore’s favor. This win is a bit of a Rorschach test for your feelings about the Ravens. Look at the box score and the YouTube highlights, and you’re going to think Baltimore is a juggernaut and a sure-fire Super Bowl contender — and you might not be wrong. Derrick Henry looked incredible, the offensive line was magnificent with rookie Roger Rosengarten at right tackle and Jackson was efficient and explosive again. First-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr stifled counterpart Joe Brady, who was the talk of the league for what his “everybody eats” offense did through three weeks. But until the Ravens went ahead 28-10 late in the third quarter, the game still felt in the balance. Maybe that’s just because Allen was on the opposing sideline, or maybe it’s the scattered penalties and mistakes. Even Henry’s goal-line plunge early in the fourth quarter to seal the victory resulted in a fumble that fullback Patrick Ricard fortunately recovered for a touchdown. Why did Jackson find the need to flip head over heels on a run and lose the ball with a 21-3 lead? Will tight end Mark Andrews ever make another catch? And, oh yeah, does Harbaugh know how timeouts work? Maybe it’s too harsh, but this team is still hard to trust with a big lead after all those fourth-quarter collapses over the past few years. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Derrick Henry on the offensive line | VIDEO Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 35-10 win over Bills | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens run over Bills, 35-10, behind Derrick Henry and stifling defense in prime time Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills, September 29, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills live updates: Postgame reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 35-10 win Tim Schwartz, editor: That looked like the Ravens team we saw dominate good teams down the stretch last season. We really weren’t sure how Derrick Henry would fit in this scheme when they signed him in the offseason and with the offensive line in flux, and it really wasn’t clear after a lackluster season opener, but, man, that guy fits like a glove in the backfield with Lamar Jackson. What is a defense to do? Jackson is too explosive around the edges, and you can’t load the box with the playmakers the Ravens have at tight end and out wide. Teams will have to pick their poison. Then there’s Baltimore’s defense, which is the first this season to hold Buffalo under 30 points. Kyle Hamilton was all over the field. Marlon Humphrey is back to his Pro Bowl level. Kyle Van Noy won’t stop sacking quarterbacks at age 33. This team is dangerous. Bennett Conlin, editor: These are the Ravens I expected to see this season. After a strange opening three weeks that featured late-game meltdowns against Las Vegas and Dallas, Baltimore finally looked more like last year’s juggernaut. The Ravens dismantled a good Buffalo team, jumping out to a hot start and not letting up. John Harbaugh’s team maintaining a double-digit lead might be the most noteworthy aspect of a game filled with plenty of positive notes. Running back Derrick Henry topped 200 total yards and found the end zone twice, and his backfield mate Justice Hill led the Ravens with 78 receiving yards. How’s that for a 1-2 punch? Defensively, the Ravens strung together their most complete performance of the season, stifling an offense averaging an NFL-best 37.3 points per game entering Sunday. The Ravens’ defensive front terrorized Buffalo’s offensive line, while the linebackers and secondary delivered punishing hits fitting of Baltimore’s identity. The Ravens played well from start to finish, not allowing Josh Allen and Buffalo to mount a serious comeback. Sunday night’s version of the Ravens can win a Super Bowl. View the full article

Ravens’ Derrick Henry, left, and Lamar Jackson celebrate Henry’s touchdown against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Running back Derrick Henry, left, breaks free for an 87-yard touchdown run on the Ravens’ first offensive play against the Bills on Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Running back Derrick Henry, left, breaks free for an 87-yard touchdown run on the Ravens’ first offensive play against the Bills on Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Ravens’ Lamar Jackson warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium. (Karl Merton Ferron/staff) From left, WNBA star Angel Reese, is with her brother Julian Reese before Sunday night’s game between the Ravens and Buffalo Bills. (Karl Merton Ferron/staff) WNBA star Angel Reese poses for a photo before Sunday night’s game between the Ravens and Buffalo Bills. (Karl Merton Ferron/staff) Ravens’ Jordan Stout, left, and Justin Tucker warm up before Sunday night’s game between the Ravens and Buffalo Bills. (Karl Merton Ferron/staff) From left, WNBA star Angel Reese, Olympic track stars Masai Russell and Quincy Wilson and Wizards rookie Bub Carrington pose for a photo before Sunday night’s game between the Ravens and Buffalo Bills. (Karl Merton Ferron/staff) Ravens’ Lamar Jackson warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/staff) Ravens’ Lamar Jackson warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/staff) Ravens quarterback Josh Johnson warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/staff) Ravens’ Isaiah Likely warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/staff) Ravens’ Mark Andrews warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/staff) Ravens’ Zay Flowers warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/staff) Fans tailgate at the eastern side parking lot for NFL football between the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Fans tailgate at the eastern side parking lot for NFL football between the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Fans cheer for a network crew filming b-roll for NFL Sunday Night Football between the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) View the full article

The Ravens (1-2) and Buffalo Bills (3-0) meet on “Sunday Night Football” as M&T Bank Stadium hosts its first prime-time game of the season. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens are coming off a 28-25 bounce-back win over the Dallas Cowboys, while Buffalo, led by NFL Most Valuable Player front-runner Josh Allen, is fresh off a 47-10 rout of the Jacksonville Jaguars on “Monday Night Football.” Follow along here for live coverage. View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — When the Indianapolis Colts needed Joe Flacco to relieve the injured Anthony Richardson, the 17-year veteran kept it simple. The 39-year-old Flacco threw two touchdown passes, and the Colts got the stop they needed in the final minute to preserve a 27-24 victory over the previously unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. “You just see the guy and hit him. That’s all you do,” Flacco said after going 16 of 26 for 168 yards. “Some guys like to think about every little thing and that’s how they play best. But I think my personality lends itself to this kind of situation. Just don’t overthink it.” The one-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player and a longtime Steelers nemesis during his 11 seasons with Baltimore proved he could still play at a high level last season when he helped the Cleveland Browns reach the playoffs. Indy signed Flacco as a free agent to back up the injury-prone Richardson. Richardson left twice in a span of four plays, initially taking a big hit on his right hip and later after a hard hit to the head, both on designed runs. He went straight to the locker room the second time and was ruled out by the time he returned to the sideline. Coach Shane Steichen had no immediate update on Richardson or running back Jonathan Taylor, who hurt an ankle in the final minutes. Flacco continued to build on the momentum from Richardson’s fast start and the Colts (2-2) won their second straight overall and second in a row against the Steelers (3-1), who fought back from a 17-0 first-half deficit. Flacco connected with Michael Pittman Jr. six times for 113 yards. He hit Josh Downs for a 2-yard TD pass and Drew Ogletree on a 15-yard TD strike to keep Indy ahead. Taylor ran 21 times for 88 yards and scored on Indy’s first series. “He’s been out there, a veteran presence,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said of Flacco. “Obviously, he’s played a lot of football, went in there and operated pretty darn good.” The Steelers’ top-ranked defense allowed a season high in points as Pittsburgh’s six-game regular-season winning streak ended. Justin Fields played well again, running for two second-half scores and finding Pat Freiermuth for an 8-yard TD pass on third-and-goal to get within 27-24 with 3:40 to play. But Pittsburgh couldn’t recover from a botched snap that resulted in a 12-yard loss on its final possession. Fields was 22 of 34 for 312 yards and ran 10 times for 55 yards but was sacked four times and lost a fumble — one of two Pittsburgh turnovers. George Pickens finished with seven receptions for 113 yards and also lost a fumble near the goal line. Fields took the blame for the snap that ruined the final drive. “After I kick my leg up, I have to be ready for the ball. It’s on me,” he said. Richardson started fast, completing a 32-yard pass on the first play. Taylor’s TD run made it 7-0 with 12:01 left in the first quarter. But for the fourth time in his eight career starts, Richardson failed to finish a game. Flacco threw a 4-yard TD pass to Josh Downs on his fourth play and then helped set up a 33-yard field goal to give the Colts a 17-3 halftime lead. When the Colts needed Flacco to make plays late, he mostly succeeded. After Fields scored on a 5-yard run late in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 17-10, Flacco found Ogletree. After Fields again scored, this time on a 2-yard run, to get the Steelers within 24-17 with 11:23 left, Flacco led the Colts on a 10-play, 54-yard drive that took nearly 5 1/2 minutes and resulted in a 33-yard field goal for 27-17 cushion. Fields answered with TD pass to Freiermuth and when Flacco couldn’t get the first down he needed to close it out, Indy’s defense got a stop. “You’re never going to get the [practice] reps,” Flacco said. “You’re just going through the emotional roller coaster on the sideline, and as the backup quarterback you always try to stay ready and stay clam.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills, September 29, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills live updates: AFC contenders meet on ‘Sunday Night Football’ Baltimore Ravens | Meet Tini Younger, a social media chef and Ravens fan with over 9 million followers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills betting guide: Week 4 odds, picks and predictions Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LG Andrew Vorhees doubtful to play vs. Bills, creating hole on offensive line Injury report Steelers: RG James Daniels, RB Cordarrelle Patterson and LB Nick Herbig all suffered ankle injuries. Patterson was carted to the locker room. Colts: Played without three starters — CB Kenny Moore II (hip), DE Kwity Paye (quadriceps) and C Ryan Kely (neck). Star power Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, a two-time Super Bowl champion who attended high school in northwestern Ohio, watched his ex-rival Flacco at Lucas Oil Stadium. Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark also attended. Up next Steelers: Host Dallas next Sunday night. Colts: At Jacksonville next Sunday. View the full article

As far as Tineke Younger is concerned, she was born a Ravens fan. Her love of football was nurtured by an uncle who lived next door. And the everlasting memory of her childhood fandom was a Super Bowl 47 party, which ended with an 11-year-old Younger watching her uncle gallop through their Maryland neighborhood banging pots and pans. It would be years before she’d get to M&T Bank Stadium for her first game — a luxury afforded by her nascent cooking career. In the past three years, the 23-year-old social media chef from Frederick, known to her online fans as Tini, has amassed over 9 million followers between Instagram and TikTok. They often see her outfitted in one of a half-dozen Ravens jersey options in her closet, including a black No. 52 for her favorite player, former Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. Her cooking videos are personable and mouth-watering lessons in two minutes or less. One video this summer flexed a deeply unrelatable skill — she dreamed of banana bread french toast with bananas foster, woke up and beautifully brought it to life. Younger had her first clear indication of social media success last fall. A sponsorship with Old Bay seasoning flew her from her home in Georgia to Baltimore — or as she pronounces it in the recap video, “Baldamore” — for Ravens vs. Bengals. That night, former All-Pro receiver Steve Smith Sr. recognized her and asked for a picture. Younger got to try on the Super Bowl 47 ring. She toured the sideline. And met a few Ravens employees. “When I started cooking on social media,” Younger said, “I was broke. Me and my fiance were both full-time college students, working full time and we were selling our furniture to pay rent. … It’s insane to think just two years ago I was in that position. Everything changed so quickly.” You wouldn’t know it judging by her ease in the kitchen today, but Younger did not always aspire to be a chef. By the time she was a teenager, she knew just a few simple recipes: “I could make cookies and spaghetti, and that was about it,” she said. As a freshman and sophomore at Walkersville High School, Younger struggled to find her path. She says she had a 1.5 GPA and multiple disciplinary referrals when she decided to shadow students at the Career Technology Center, a trade school run by Frederick County Public Schools. Her family’s running joke is, growing up, they always had a hunch she’d be on TV. “We used to tease her because ever since she was little, she’s like, I’m gonna be famous,” her mom, Vicki Younger, said. “And we’re like, yeah, you’re gonna be famous. You’re gonna be on TV, but you’re gonna be on ‘Cops.’” She was first drawn to the trade school’s cosmetology program — “I just wanted to learn how to do my nails” — but soured on that plan when she realized she would also have to learn how to style hair. As Younger was leaving her day of shadowing, she picked up on the smell of food wafting down the hall from the culinary classes. “I found out if you shadow for the culinary school, you get to miss two hours of regular school and then you get to eat,” she recalled. “I was like, ‘Oh, I’m doing that.’” Tini Younger, a Frederick native and 23-year-old chef popular on social media, is an avid Ravens fan. Younger wears a Super Bowl 47 ring she got to try on. (Courtesy of Vicki Younger) Younger quickly found herself drawn to the fast-paced world of hospitality and entered the CTC’s culinary program the next year, as a junior. Her GPA rose to a 3.5 and she found herself getting into less trouble, too. “It just changed everything,” she said. After graduation, she enrolled in the culinary school at Frederick Community College and worked in restaurants as a line cook. She started to post cooking videos on social media, too, under the handles @tiniyounger on Instagram and @tinekeyounger on TikTok. Younger’s online presence is laid-back and conversational. Her most popular videos feature easy-to-make comfort food, like a mac-and-cheese tutorial that has amassed more than 116 million views since she posted it to TikTok in November. An appearance on the second season of “Next Level Chef,” a Fox TV cooking competition featuring celebrity-chef judges Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington and Richard Blais, launched her to a whole new level of success. When Younger was approached about the show in the summer of 2022, she had already accepted a gig with Disney World’s culinary program. At first, she thought the casting email was a scam. When she realized it was legitimate, she struggled with the decision to quit her Disney job. “I ended up taking that little risk,” she said, “and it worked in my favor.” Within two weeks of learning she had been selected as a contestant for the show, she was on the way to start filming. Younger made it to the final eight out of a group of 18 original contestants before she was eliminated. Though she was the youngest chef there, she says she didn’t feel intimidated by the competition. “I knew I wasn’t going to win because I had just graduated culinary school,” she said. “I went to just learn. We were all learning from each other, because we were all at different stages in our career.” She acknowledges that Ramsay’s star power did make her a little nervous. She still can’t fully remember the first time she met him, when he came to offer a pep talk while she was chopping onions. The heartfelt moment was captured on video and shared widely on social media. The moment was “insane,” she said. “I still can’t, like, really process it.” The surge of online followers she gained from appearing on the show allowed her to make recipe development and content creation her full-time job. This summer, she also published her first cookbook, “Cooking For My Boyfriend,” a 50-recipe collection featuring some of her viral hits, like the mac and cheese, as well as some personal and family favorites. Younger poses with her fiance Antoine Wright Jr. during a Ravens game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Courtesy of Vicki Younger) The boyfriend is now her fiance. Younger and Antoine Wright Jr. announced their engagement in November and recently bought a home in Georgia. Sunday night’s AFC showdown between the Ravens and Bills is something of a house-divided game for Younger. Wright was born in Buffalo and raised a Bills fan before moving to Maryland, where they met. Inter-house rivalries aside, it’s likely the NFL’s most highly anticipated Week 4 matchup. On Wednesday, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said the Bills are “probably the best team in the National Football League right now.” Baltimore, meanwhile, is still finding its footing despite ending last season ending one game shy of the Super Bowl. “They’re stressing me out,” Younger said of the one-win Ravens through three games. She’s adamant they have the skill but thinks, on the field, they don’t seem to be clicking yet. Younger suggested more team bonding. Perhaps a round of trust falls, she quipped. “They need some team bonding and then we’ll be good.” Tini’s recipes Maryland Crab Dip 8 ounces cream cheese (soften) 4 tbsp mayo 1/2 cup sour cream 1 tbsp whole grain mustard 1/4-1/2 cup Old Bay Hot Sauce (more if you want it spicier) Old Bay Seasoning (measure with your heart) Salt, pepper, onion powder and paprika to taste. Roasted garlic seasoning or 1 bulb of roasted garlic 8 ounces hickory smoked cheddar cheese (hand shredded) 8 ounces Gruyere cheese (hand shredded) Juice of 1 lemon 8 ounces lump crab (or more depending on how crabby you like your dip) Video directions: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFkHypMC/ Buffalo Chicken Dip 2 chicken breasts (butterfly cut) Seasonings for chicken: seasoning salt, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, dry ranch seasoning (if using blue cheese for the dip leave this part out) 8 ounces smoked Gouda (hand shredded) 8 ounces cheddar cheese (hand shredded) 8 ounces cream cheese (soften) 1 packet of ranch seasoning or 1/4 cup blue cheese 1 bulb of roasted garlic Chopped chives Video directions: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8Rm8XoV/ View the full article

With the reigning and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson at quarterback, the Ravens play few games absent a national spotlight. That’s especially true in the early stages of the 2024 season. Baltimore (1-2) opened the season Thursday night, earning a prime-time slot for a game against the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. In Week 3, Baltimore faced the Cowboys in “America’s Game of the Week” on Fox. This Sunday, the Ravens take center stage again when Jackson’s Ravens host Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills for “Sunday Night Football” on NBC. “Probably, right now, the top football team in the National Football League,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said of the Bills. “That’s what everybody says, and you sure see it on tape.” The Ravens are 1-1 in their two highly anticipated games this fall, winning 28-25 as a small betting favorite against the Cowboys and losing 27-20 as a small underdog against the Chiefs. Sunday’s game against Buffalo could be the toughest test yet. Buffalo is not only 3-0, but the Bills also own the NFL’s best point differential at plus-64. Despite Buffalo’s hot start, oddsmakers give Jackson and Baltimore a small edge over the undefeated visitors. Baltimore sits as a 2 1/2-point favorite across most sportsbooks legally available in Maryland, including DraftKings and FanDuel. If the line closes with Baltimore favored, it’ll be the third time this season the Ravens are betting favorites. It’s the second time Buffalo is an underdog, as the Bills beat Miami, 31-10, earlier this season also as a 2 1/2-point underdog. The total for the game sits at 46 1/2 points across most betting platforms. Baltimore’s first three games of the season have all had at least 47 combined points scored, and all three of its totals have gone over in 2024. The Ravens are a -130 moneyline favorite on BetMGM and DraftKings, meaning bettors need to wager $130 on the Ravens to win for a $100 profit. Ravens vs. Bills best bet Harbaugh has spent much of the past two weeks answering questions about his team’s sluggish finishes. Why is the team collapsing late in games? In Week 2, Baltimore coughed up a double-digit lead to the mediocre Raiders. The loss sent Baltimore to 0-2, although it bounced back with a win over Dallas. Still, that game wasn’t without late-game shenanigans. The Ravens’ dominant defense stopped covering receivers, and the offense went cold. A 28-6 lead turned to a 28-25 win. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LG Andrew Vorhees doubtful to play vs. Bills, creating hole on offensive line Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens are a fantasy football manager’s worst nightmare Baltimore Ravens | Where’s Mark Andrews? Ravens TE discusses his diminished (so far) role Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens lead the NFL in one category nobody wants Baltimore Ravens | Ravens practice, September 26, 2024 | PHOTOS With Baltimore’s fourth-quarter performance an ongoing mystery, take the Ravens to cover -1 1/2 points in the first half. The wager holds +105 odds on FanDuel, and it means backing a historically great first-half quarterback. Jackson is 52-32-1 against the first-half spread in his NFL, according to the Action Network. Among 260 quarterbacks over the past 20 years, Jackson has the best first-half ATS record of any of them. “He’s really changed the way that guys play the game,” Allen, who finished fifth in MVP voting in 2023, said earlier this week. The Bills and Ravens are among the AFC’s best teams, and Sunday’s battle should be competitive. Buffalo is a little overrated after wins over the Cardinals, Dolphins and Jaguars, while Baltimore is still underrated because of its collapse against Las Vegas. Jackson is 6-1 in his career on “Sunday Night Football,” and the Ravens should start fast against the Bills. As for the finish, it’s hard to say just how Baltimore will close a game these days. Best bet: Ravens -1 1/2 in the first half (+105 odds on FanDuel) View the full article

The Ravens are largely healthy entering their Week 4 “Sunday Night Football” showdown against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium, with one notable exception. Starting left guard Andrew Vorhees, who has a left ankle injury, did not practice for a third straight day Friday in Owings Mills. He was also seen with a heavy wrap around the ankle when he made a brief appearance on the field in street clothes, meaning he will likely be ruled out when the injury report is released later Friday afternoon. Without Vorhees, Baltimore has a few options, including moving versatile right tackle Patrick Mekari to the inside and starting rookie second-round draft pick Roger Rosengarten at right tackle. Mekari has just 10 career snaps at left guard, however, and has been a dealing with a neck injury this week, though he did practice for a second straight day Friday after not practicing Wednesday. Rosengarten did not play in Baltimore’s win over the Dallas Cowboys last week, but he did rotate in each of the first two weeks. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Fantasy football managers should beware of this Ravens offense Baltimore Ravens | Where’s Mark Andrews? Ravens TE discusses his diminished (so far) role Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens lead the NFL in one category nobody wants Baltimore Ravens | Ravens practice, September 26, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens get 2 starting offensive linemen back at Thursday’s practice Other possibilities include Ben Cleveland, though he hasn’t take a snap at left guard since 2021, and veteran Josh Jones, who has 63 career snaps there. Whatever route the Ravens (1-2) go, it will be a challenge. The Bills have a potent defensive front that includes defensive tackles Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones as well as edge rushers Greg Rousseau and Vonn Miller. Buffalo (3-0) has allowed just 4.2 yards per play this season, the second-best mark in the NFL, and is also second in yards per pass allowed (4.4). The Bills’ 11 sacks are fifth-most in the league. The only other player missing for Baltimore on Friday was cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring). This article will be updated. View the full article

The Ravens are a fantasy football manager’s worst nightmare. In Week 1, Isaiah Likely erupted for 26.1 points in point-per-reception leagues before tumbling to 4.6 and 1.4 in Weeks 2 and 3. Mark Andrews see-sawed with 3.4, 9.1 and 0.0. Derrick Henry climbed from 10.6 points to 16.6 to a show-stopping 30.4. Zay Flowers debuted at 11.1, followed by 22.1 then 5.3. It’s hard to pin down such production the way the Ravens’ offense is blueprinted, shape-shifting from week to week. The kind that, at its best, is hard to stop in the NFL. But with one sentence, coach John Harbaugh crushed the aspirations of fantasy managers excited about having drafted a skill position player from Baltimore. “Guys will play different amounts [in] different games with our different guys that we have,” he said matter-of-factly. Cue the world’s tiniest violin. Baltimore’s most confounding position? Its tight ends, Andrews and Likely. Andrews has been quarterback Lamar Jackson’s most reliable target for the better part of half a decade. He’s rostered in 98.4% of ESPN fantasy leagues. In most 12-person PPR leagues, he was selected before the end of the fourth round. Then he was a nonfactor in two of the Ravens’ first three games. His fantasy goose egg in Dallas led to one fan’s snarky post on X: “I’m in a fantasy football league [with] my co-workers and one of the guys asked the team ‘anyone want left tackle Mark Andrews? I’ll pay someone five dollars and give them Mark Andrews.'” ESPN fantasy football analyst Field Yates said of Andrews’ usage in the Ravens passing game: “I have nothing to add other than it royally sucks.” Meanwhile, when Likely eclipsed 100 yards on double-digit targets in Week 1, the projected 27th-ranked tight end jumped from being rostered in less than 10% of ESPN leagues to over 75%. Surely those who snagged him from the waiver wire were giddy about starting Likely henceforth. That is, until he combined for three catches over the next two games. Harbaugh joked with reporters earlier this week over the subject of playing time. “Didn’t I bring this up a week or two ago?” he said. “It’ll go one way, and then someone wouldn’t play, then that question will be, ‘Why didn’t that guy play?’ That’s probably going to be something that’ll be every week.” No, Ravens coach John Harbaugh does not care about your fantasy football team. (Kim Hairston/Staff) For an NFL team trying to win games, leaning in different directions against different opponents is a luxury when it works. Not so much for a fantasy manager trying to set their lineup on Sunday morning, guessing who might produce. Baltimore’s 28-25 win over Dallas was another mind-bender for Ravens pass-catchers in PPR leagues. Wide receivers Flowers and Rashod Bateman tied for a team-high three receptions and combined for fewer than 50 yards. That’s because the Ravens rode their ground game for a collective 274 yards, nearly 100 more than either of their first two games. Much of that came behind Henry and Jackson. “You’re going to use your different weapons week to week. If you look at the Chiefs, it definitely starts with Patrick [Mahomes],” Harbaugh said earlier this month, after returning from Kansas City. “They’re probably more established with that right now with their guys that they have, but [Isiah] Pacheco gets the ball. Where was [Travis] Kelce? He didn’t get the ball as many times this game, so it’s just going to be game by game like that in any good offense.” Henry left fantasy managers a bit weary after Week 1, too. But his carries climbed week over week and his yardage multiplied. That stiff-arm in Dallas sparked a sense of vindication in Ravens fans that the aging running back is, in fact, still fending off father time. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens lead the NFL in one category nobody wants Baltimore Ravens | Ravens practice, September 26, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens get 2 starting offensive linemen back at Thursday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Ravens rookie Nate Wiggins provides details on recent car accident involving Lamborghini Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about blown leads and more | COMMENTARY In response to a question about the 30-year-old Henry’s 2024 workload, Harbaugh said the strength of talent elsewhere “kind of spread the workload out naturally.” In other words, he’s still capable of jaw-dropping performances. But from a fantasy perspective, it might take more advanced study to predict when those might happen. Jackson is the outlier. His pair of 25-point outings sandwiching 16.38 against Las Vegas are a good indication of his steady production. Like Harbaugh said of Mahomes, Baltimore’s offense starts with its reigning NFL Most Valuable Player. Beyond that, when setting your fantasy lineup, start a Raven at your own risk. “There’ll always be somebody that didn’t get the ball thrown to them or didn’t get many touches or wasn’t on the field as much,” Harbaugh said. “It’s probably going to be a part of the game plan each week — and a lot of it is how the game goes, too.” View the full article

Type “Mark Andrews fantasy football” into your browser and feel the apocalyptic vibes. ESPN: “Look away Mark Andrews fantasy managers.” RotoBaller: “Mark Andrews role faces uncertainty.” Reddit: “It’s time to give up on Mark Andrews in fantasy football.” These represent a smattering of the proclamations that spilled forth after Andrews, the Ravens’ three-time Pro Bowl tight end, played just 21 snaps and caught not a single pass in the Ravens’ 28-25 win over the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday. Andrews just smiled Thursday when informed of this flood of skepticism. “All that’s good and stuff, but they don’t know what’s going on inside this building,” he said. “They’re not watching me every play. They’re not seeing the work I’m putting in. All good things come with time. I love being here with this team. Those things will come.” For the record, he said he’s not dealing with any lingering injury: “I feel great. I think if you turn on the film, you see that I’m moving, doing a lot of things better than I ever have. It’s different. We’ve got a different team. But I still feel incredibly good and fast and strong. I’m the same player I’ve always been. It’s just that balls haven’t come my way.” Never mind that the Ravens threw just 15 times as they leaned on their ground game to pound a flimsy Dallas front. Never mind that Andrews blocked brilliantly (90.2 Pro Football Focus grade) to aid that effort. Never mind that he lost the stretch run of his 2023 season to a hip-drop tackle that wrecked his ankle or that he was involved in a terrifying car accident a little more than a month ago. Fans looked at a few simple digits — eight targets, six catches, 65 yards, no touchdowns over three games to start this season — and decided the 29-year-old tight end is no longer option No. 1 for quarterback Lamar Jackson. From a cold remove, it’s not a wild take. Excluding games in which he was injured, Andrews was never targeted fewer than a dozen times over a three-game span from 2019 through 2023. In fact, the joke was always that no other receiver could thrive in Baltimore, because Jackson would always turn back to his No. 89 safety blanket in a pinch. It’s not clear that’s the case anymore given the ascents of fellow tight end Isaiah Likely and 2023 first-round draft pick Zay Flowers. But the Ravens will tell you it’s beyond premature to assume Andrews won’t deliver vintage receiving games this season. Coach John Harbaugh has said star players’ usage will go up and down as game plans change considerably from one week to the next. When asked about Andrews playing just 1/3 of the team’s offensive snaps (he was typically above 70% and often above 80% in recent seasons) against Dallas, Harbaugh pointed back to that idea. “There’ll always be somebody that didn’t get the ball thrown to them or didn’t get many touches or wasn’t on the field as much; it’s probably going to be a part of the game plan each week, and a lot of it is how the game goes, too,” he said. “But Mark did what he was asked to do in the game — it just turned out that way. It wasn’t like he wasn’t on the pass routes — he could’ve been thrown the ball; it just didn’t come his way. The blocks came his way. He was out there blocking those guys, and he did a great job.” Mark Andrews only has six catches through three games, but his run blocking benefited the Ravens’ offense against Dallas. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Offensive coordinator Todd Monken didn’t realize Andrews played so little against Dallas. “We were in a little bit more 22 personnel, so when Charlie [Kolar] is in or Pat [Ricard] is in, that’s only one of the other tight ends,” Monken explained. “In the other games, we were in a lot of two-minute, a lot of no-huddle, a lot more throws. All that’s part of it. We think a lot of Mark. We anticipate Mark having opportunities. He just didn’t.” Cris Collinsworth was the top target for the Cincinnati Bengals through much of the 1980s, so he knows what it’s like to be in Andrews’ shoes. Collinsworth, who will help call the Ravens’ Sunday Night Football matchup with the Buffalo Bills for NBC, suspects Andrews is still recovering from an injury, despite his statements to the contrary. “Getting injured is tough, and it creates opportunities for others,” he said. “Isaiah Likely has played very well. But, Mark Andrews is still Mark Andrews, and when he is healthy, those snap counts will go up. He has been a top-four tight end in the NFL for too long to just lose snaps, unless he just isn’t healthy yet, which is likely.” Andrews isn’t the only elite tight end facing questions about dwindling targets. The Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce (considerably more famous and five years older than his Baltimore counterpart) has caught just eight passes for 69 yards through three weeks. “I’m not getting caught up in getting the targets and all that,” Kelce said this week on his podcast with his brother, Jason. “I just want to have a successful offense.” Andrews heard Kelce’s comments and echoes them. “I really don’t,” he said when asked if he thinks about his lack of targets. “For me, it’s always been about the team. [Kelce] was spot on with that; it is about execution. Needless to say, I’m a competitive person as well. I look to help this team win games, and if I can do that any way possible, whether it’s blocking or catching the ball, I’m going to do it. I said last week, I’m just hitting my stride.” He didn’t require an explanation from Monken or anybody else regarding his unusually small workload against the Cowboys. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens lead the NFL in one category nobody wants Baltimore Ravens | Ravens practice, September 26, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens get 2 starting offensive linemen back at Thursday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Ravens rookie Nate Wiggins provides details on recent car accident involving Lamborghini Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about blown leads and more | COMMENTARY “No. If you look at the game plan we had, we went with big personnel for the majority of the game,” Andrews said. “Other than that, I was on the field. But we were moving so well. We attacked the defense with something we thought was going to work. ‘Monk’ stuck with that, and it’s all good with me.” Andrews came to the Ravens as one member of a close-knit tight end room in which he inevitably competed for snaps and targets with his buddies, Hayden Hurst and Nick Boyle. That gave him a lens on how to fight for what’s yours without “being greedy,” as he puts it. He believes that spirit still sets the team apart from many around the league. “There’s not a greediness to us. There’s not a greediness to anyone on this offense,” he said. “That’s rare. We want other people to succeed and at the same time, you’re competitive. I obviously want to help this team win, but [it’s about] just knowing that your time will come.” A Ravens.com reporter then noted that he had traded for Andrews in his fantasy league. “Let’s go,” Andrews said. View the full article

The Ravens were clinging to a 3-point lead against the Dallas Cowboys with 2:44 remaining in the fourth quarter Sunday and another yellow flag was laying on the turf at AT&T Stadium, this one for holding on linebacker Chris Board during Baltimore’s kick return. As quarterback Lamar Jackson walked onto the field, he could be heard on the television broadcast yelling, “Stop cheating us, bro!” This week in Owings Mills, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player expounded on his emotions in the moment, saying he wasn’t “mad” and that “the refs are going to do their job.” “They only have two eyes – they can’t see everything,” he said. “There’s probably holding [and] all types of things happening every play. I was like, ‘Man, stop cheating us,’ but I wasn’t talking to them, I’m just talking out in the world. I’m playing football, [and] I’m trying to win. That’s all.” If only the Ravens’ penalty problems could be explained away so swiftly. Baltimore’s 31 penalties for 278 yards are the most in the NFL through the first three weeks of the season, with two more flags than the team with the second-most, the Cleveland Browns, and 40 more yards than the second-place Miami Dolphins for the dubious distinction. Against the Cowboys, the Ravens had 13 penalties for 105 yards — enough to almost cost them the game, with Dallas scoring 19 fourth-quarter points to nearly erase a 22-point deficit. With 11 for 109 the week before against the Las Vegas Raiders, they, too, played a significant part in an ugly, mistake-filled 26-23 loss. By comparison, Baltimore’s seven penalties for 64 yards against the Chiefs in Week 1 might seem like small potatoes, but there were costly consequences in Kansas City, too. Playing the season opener against the two-time defending Super Bowl champs on the road at night after sitting almost all of a team’s starters in the preseason would perhaps fly as one plausible explanation. A few questionable calls the first few weeks perhaps could be another. But there is a worrisome pattern and simply telling players to not commit penalties only goes so far. At this point, it’s fair to put at least some of the onus on coaching. So what gives? “It is really technique,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday. “There is part of it that is awareness and those kind of things and mindset. There are cadence issues; there are formation things that are more the mental things sometimes – you work on those, too. But the technique is really what it boils down to. “We just have to do a better job with it.” Indeed. The most-oft called penalty on the Ravens thus far has been for offensive holding, with seven penalties for 70 yards. Only the Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers having been flagged more than Baltimore. With three new starters along the offensive line, including first-year player Andrew Vorhees at left guard and first-year right guard Daniel Faalele, along with rotating rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten, it’s hardly a shock that the group has struggled. But that’s far from the only area of concern. In all, the offense has been flagged 16 times, the defense 11 and special teams four. Last season, the Ravens had 102 penalties for 955 yards, 10th most in the league. Through the small sample size of three games this year they are on pace to easily eclipse that mark. Other penalties where they rank among the worst in the NFL include delay of game (three), roughing (two), illegal contact (contact), defensive holding (two), illegal formation (two) and face mask (two). Cutting down on penalties has been a point of emphasis for Ravens coaches after three games. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Asked the day after the Cowboys game if anything stood out in regard to some of the penalties being questionable, Harbaugh said he isn’t allowed to comment. But he did point the finger at his own team for at least some of the blame. “The things that we can say that we can’t see that are wrong, we’ll ask the league about,” he said. “If they confirm that it wasn’t a wrong play by the guy, then we’ll let them know. “There are some head-scratchers, but there’s also some ones that are legit, and when you have the number that we have right now, it’s too many. That’s just something that has to get cleaned up.” Take your pick, there have been plenty of examples where the flags have led to drives being cut short or points for the opponent. Against the Chiefs, a third-quarter holding penalty on center Tyler Linderbaum wiped out a 29-yard run by Jackson as Baltimore managed only a field goal on the drive. Earlier in the same quarter, a roughing the passer flag on defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike turned a third-and-20 for Kansas City into a first down and two plays later a touchdown. On the Ravens’ failed fourth-and-3 attempt from midfield in the second quarter, an offensive pass interference call on wide receiver Rashod Bateman negated a catch by fellow receiver Zay Flowers and set the wheels in motion. A week later against the Raiders, there were a number of egregious errors. Notable ones included a Derrick Henry false start midway through the fourth quarter that nullified a successful third-and-1 conversion that would have otherwise kept the clock rolling with a fresh set of downs instead of a punt. Then there was cornerback Brandon Stephens’ pass interference on receiver Davante Adams in the fourth quarter that gave Las Vegas the ball at the 1-yard line to set up the game-tying touchdown. And Ka’Dar Hollman was flagged for being out of bounds on Jordan Stout’s 24-yard shanked punt in the closing minutes, compounding one mistake with another and helping lead to the eventual game-winning field goal. Last Sunday against Dallas, the Ravens’ offense was flagged three times in the span of just six plays (twice for holding, once for illegal use of hands) in the third quarter. Then there was the illegal contact by safety Marcus Williams on a third-and-5 incompletion with 3:59 remaining in the fourth quarter that resulted in a first down and two plays later a roughing the passer penalty on outside linebacker Odafe Oweh that gave the Cowboys 15 more yards. Dallas went on to score a touchdown on the series to pull within a field goal. With a more potent opponent this week in the undefeated Buffalo Bills led by quarterback Josh Allen, more discipline than the Ravens showed last week in Texas and all season will be required. “The first thing you do, obviously they’re not intentional, but you show them the tape,” offensive coordinator Todd Monken said when asked how the Ravens are addressing the issue. “Show them what they are calling, where their hands are, where their body placement is, because that’s a part of it – that we get out of position. Was it a call that put them out of position? All of those things are part of it. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens practice, September 26, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens get 2 starting offensive linemen back at Thursday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Ravens rookie Nate Wiggins provides details on recent car accident involving Lamborghini Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about blown leads and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills staff picks: Who will win Sunday night’s showdown in Baltimore? “Then just making sure that those things, like anything that we do technique-wise or schematically, is you try to get it corrected. … What is it? Body position, hand placement, what is it schematically, and how can we get it fixed? Because playing clean football [and] eliminating the penalties will allow us to not waste yards.” Which is exactly what the Ravens have done. Baltimore leads the NFL in yards per game (430.3). But it is just 11th in points per game (23.7). While the Ravens have never led the league in penalties since Harbaugh took over in 2008, they did have the second-most flags in 2012 with 121 for a league-high 1,127 yards. Ironically, they went on to win the Super Bowl that season. But they know they can’t afford to keep making the kinds of silly mistakes that have led to an abundance of laundry on the field. Perhaps then it’s worth remembering the conversation during their final possession against the Cowboys. “The conversation was just to execute and to make sure we’re communicating properly – everyone’s on the same page,” said left tackle Ronnie Stanley. “No stupid penalties.” View the full article

John Kelly #33 runs a drill during Ravens practice. (Amy Davis/Staff) Running backs Chris Collier #38 and Derrick Henry #22 during Ravens practice. (Amy Davis/Staff) From left, running backs John Kelly #33, Chris Collier #38 and Justice Hill #43 during Ravens practice. (Amy Davis/Staff) Tight ends Mark Andrews #89 and Isaiah Likely #80 during Ravens practice. (Amy Davis/Staff) Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 makes a catch during Ravens practice. (Amy Davis/Staff) Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 after Ravens practice. (Amy Davis/Staff) Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 runs with the ball during Ravens practice. (Amy Davis/Staff) Tight end Mark Andrews #89 during Ravens practice. (Amy Davis/Staff) Ravens G/T Daniel Faalele #77 leaves the field after practice. (Amy Davis/Staff) Ravens ILB Trenton Simpson #23 leaves the field after practice. (Amy Davis/Staff) Ravens safety Ar’Darius Washington #29 leaves the field after practice. (Amy Davis/Staff) Ravens wide receiver Devontez Walker leaves the field after practice. (Amy Davis/Staff) Ravens RB Justice Hill #43 leaves the field after practice. (Amy Davis/Staff) Ravens Offensive Coordinator, Todd Monken, speaks to the media after practice. (Amy Davis/Staff) Ravens Special Teams Coordinator, Chris Horton, speaks to the media after practice. (Amy Davis/Staff) View the full article

The Ravens got some good news with the return of Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum and right tackle Patrick Mekari to practice Thursday in Owings Mills. Linderbaum (knee) was limited while Mekari (knee) was a full participant. But not all the news was good ahead of a showdown against the stout defensive front of the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium. Left guard Andrew Vorhees (ankle) did not practice for a second straight day. If he can’t go Sunday, the Ravens could go with Mekari or perhaps the much-maligned Ben Cleveland against Buffalo and defensive tackle Ed Oliver. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens lead the NFL in one category nobody wants Baltimore Ravens | Ravens practice, September 26, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens rookie Nate Wiggins provides details on recent car accident involving Lamborghini Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about blown leads and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills staff picks: Who will win Sunday night’s showdown in Baltimore? On defense for the Ravens, tackle Michael Pierce (shoulder) returned after not practicing Wednesday, while inside linebacker Roquan Smith (ankle) was a full participant after being limited. For Buffalo, linebacker Terrel Bernard (pectoral) was limited after not practicing Wednesday but has already been ruled out for Sunday by coach Sean McDermott, as has cornerback Taron Johnson (forearm), who did not practice for a second straight day. Cornerback Kaiir Elam (neck) was limited for a second straight practice, while offensive lineman Tylan Grable (groin) was out and has been placed on injured reserve. Quarterback Josh Allen was a full participant for a second day in a row, but remains listed on the injury report after hurting his left hand in Buffalo’s season-opening win over the Arizona Cardinals. View the full article

Ravens first-round draft pick Nate Wiggins addressed the media Thursday for the first time since getting in a car accident two weeks ago. The rookie said after practice in Owings Mills that an 18-wheeler “clipped me” and that his car — a Lamborghini — rolled over in the Sept. 11 crash and was “totaled” as a result. Asked what road the crash occurred on, he said he couldn’t remember but did add that he was about “two minutes” away from his apartment. “It was scary,” said Wiggins, a cornerback the Ravens drafted 30th overall out of Clemson in April. “It’s always scary to get in a car accident.” Both Maryland State Police and Baltimore County Police told The Baltimore Sun they had no record of the crash. He is at least the third Ravens player to have gotten into an accident this season. Tight end Mark Andrews and linebacker Josh Ross were also involved in crashes. Following the latest accident, Wiggins, 21, sat out Baltimore’s home-opening loss to the Las Vegas Raiders with a neck injury and concussion. He returned to practice last week and played in Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens lead the NFL in one category nobody wants Baltimore Ravens | Ravens practice, September 26, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens get 2 starting offensive linemen back at Thursday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about blown leads and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills staff picks: Who will win Sunday night’s showdown in Baltimore? Wiggins, who made his first start, played 38 snaps, had two tackles and a forced fumble, but was flagged for holding, pass interference and illegal contact. He has also struggled in other ways. Through two games, Wiggins has allowed a quarterback rating of 118.7 while surrendering four catches on five targets for 82 yards. He has four tackles. Still, Wiggins was happy to just be back on the field. “Once I knew I could get back on the field I knew I was 100%,” he said. “Just gotta keep working.” View the full article

Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston will answer fans’ questions in the middle of each week throughout the Ravens season. A week after the Ravens (1-2) suffered a demoralizing home defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders, they jumped out to a big lead behind Derrick Henry and held on the beat the Dallas Cowboys in Texas on Sunday for their first win of the season. Here’s Preston’s take on a handful of questions from readers: (Editor’s note: Questions have been edited for length and clarity.) Can you try to explain, in 10,000 words or less, why the Ravens play so poorly in the fourth quarter? This has been a problem for many years, through several offensive coordinators, several defensive coordinators, and one head coach. — Bob in North Carolina It’s a total team effort. Fans like to point at one area. They say it’s coach John Harbaugh or quarterback Lamar Jackson. They say it’s the secondary or the Ravens don’t get a good pass rush. It’s a composite of problems. The goal of any coach is to get his team to the final four minutes of a game, and then the playmakers are supposed to take over. Well, in some ways, Harbaugh has achieved that goal. Even though the Ravens are 1-2, Harbaugh has compiled a 172-109 record and gone 12-10 in the postseason. His decision-making in the final four minutes over the past couple of seasons has been questionable, but the overall body of work has been impressive. Who have been the consistent playmakers on the roster? Go ahead, name them. Give up yet? It’s long been Jackson but he hasn’t been clutch in crucial situations, which is why he has a 2-4 record in the postseason. But it’s not just Jackson and the run-oriented, play-action offense, either. The Harbaughs, including brother Jim now with the Los Angeles Chargers, love to run the ball — which is great, but if the Ravens don’t get a lead or have to come back in the fourth quarter, they struggle. Why? Because they have a lot of top-heavy offensive linemen who can knock players off the ball but struggle in pass protection. That’s been a problem for the past six years. The Ravens can bring in all the new offensive coordinators they want, but the passing game struggles unless Jackson improvises even in throwing the long ball. Defensively, the Ravens became too predictable under former defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale, so they replaced him with Mike Macdonald. He oversaw the NFL’s best defense a year ago but now coaches the 3-0 Seattle Seahawks. What we’re seeing right now with Baltimore is in many ways a team in transition. The Ravens lost their three top defensive coaches from a year ago, and it takes time to replace them. They have a new coordinator in Zach Orr, and that will continue to be an adjustment probably until the midseason. The big problem is that the Ravens’ secondary tires in the fourth quarter and the group has no clue where they are supposed to be. In fact, it has become embarrassing. Regardless, with new additions on offense (especially the line) and defense, it will take time to jell. Some fans have written the Ravens off already at 1-2, but there are 14 teams with 1-2 records including San Francisco, Miami, New England, Indianapolis, Cleveland and the Los Angeles Rams. There is still a lot of football left to play. Here’s my advice to fans: chill. What type of leash do you give Justin Tucker as he experiences the first genuine slump of his career? What will Roger Rosengarten’s role be moving forward after the offensive line had success without him in Dallas? What is going on with Mark Andrews? I know formations are more run-heavy now and he’s been a successful blocker, but he’s pretty much nonexistent in the pass game. — Grant from North East Sorry, Grant, Andrews has not been successful as a blocker. The Ravens’ tight ends don’t always want to block and that can make running the ball hard. Rosengarten will be in the lineup soon enough. Again, the Ravens were only playing the Cowboys. Mekari’s body can’t hold up the entire season, so expect Rosengarten to be in the rotation soon. As far as Tucker, kickers have to play their way out of a slump like hitters in MLB. Once you hit one or two in a row, the confidence comes back. At this point, he has earned the trust of Harbaugh to work out any technique issues. Maybe the leg isn’t as strong as it has been, but he deserves time to work out any kinks. Missing three kicks in three games is unsuual for Justin Tucker, but the Ravens aren’t giving up on their longtime kicker. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Small sample size, but are the Ravens lamenting not re-signing Patrick Queen? His motor and interior presence have been missed. — Max N. Panoff in Miami I don’t think so. Queen had two productive years in Baltimore but didn’t take off until the Ravens traded for inside linebacker Roquan Smith during the 2022 season. But once the Ravens signed Jackson to a long-term megadeal in April 2023, it was always going to be tough for them to keep good players such as Queen, outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney and safety Geno Stone. All were free agents and were going to make good money in other places. When teams believe they have a franchise-caliber quarterback, it’s a major decision they have to make, and these are the ripple effects. Right now, Queen is third on the Steelers with 14 tackles and he’ll do well with coach Mike Tomlin. He plays every snap and plays faster every game. He has a presence with Pittsburgh. Defensively, the Ravens have been solid with Trent Simpson and Malik Harrison on the outside, but they do miss Queen. Like everything else in the NFL, it was a business decision. Should the Ravens have used the money they gave to Madubuike to fix the O-line? — @jsamaroo6 on X Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens lead the NFL in one category nobody wants Baltimore Ravens | Ravens practice, September 26, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens get 2 starting offensive linemen back at Thursday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Ravens rookie Nate Wiggins provides details on recent car accident involving Lamborghini Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills staff picks: Who will win Sunday night’s showdown in Baltimore? Nope, Madubuike led the Ravens in sacks with 13 last year and has gotten better every year since joining the club as a third-round pick in 2020. He has reshaped his body and several teams were ready to make him big offers if he didn’t re-sign with the Ravens. It was a good, sound business move. Without him, the Ravens would be in big trouble. Don’t always look at the statistics. He has a presence in the locker room and on the field as a leader. Few players have worked as hard as Madubuike. With respect to the very questionable “roughing the passer” call against Odafe Oweh, what actions can the Ravens take? Is the officiating for every game reviewed by the league office during the week? If the call was wrong (which it was in this example), does the league correct the various crews? Are the Ravens notified that the call was correct or incorrect and why? Just curious. — Dan H in Elkton Dan, I think you answered all your questions. It was a terrible call, and all games are reviewed by the league office. The Ravens will be notified of the decision one way or another. Who knows, the league office might see something we didn’t see but the officials blew this one. View the full article

Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Sunday’s Week 4 game between the Ravens (1-2) and Buffalo Bills (3-0) at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Brian Wacker, reporter Bills 23, Ravens 20: The Ravens found their “identity” running the ball all over the Cowboys last week and should have success on the ground against Buffalo, which is allowing 4.7 yards per carry and will be without its top two tacklers, linebacker Terrel Bernard (pectoral) and nickel back Taron Johnson (forearm). Still, defensive tackle Ed Oliver and edge rushers Greg Rousseau and Von Miller figure to be problematic against Baltimore’s leaky front. Buffalo has also allowed the fourth-fewest points (48) in the AFC, has the NFL’s best point differential (plus-64) and quarterback Josh Allen has been, outside of Patrick Mahomes, the best player in the game this season. He will be problematic against the Ravens’ struggling pass defense — especially in the middle of the field — and will make life even harder on them with his legs. Childs Walker, reporter Ravens 27, Bills 24: These are two teams trying to take the last step to the Super Bowl, and they’ll present several matchup problems for one another. Can the Ravens impose their running game and keep Lamar Jackson from having to drop back too often against one of the league’s most formidable pass rushes? Can Josh Allen find open receivers early in the game when the Ravens flood the field with defensive backs, and can he hurt them with his legs? Both teams will want to play from ahead, but the Ravens will have the slightest advantage as they pound a wounded defense with Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson for a win that puts their season back on track. Mike Preston, columnist Ravens 21, Bills 18: I have believed in the Bills for the past two seasons and they always disappoint. Buffalo is just soft — way too soft. The Ravens could dismantle the Bills with a strong running game because Buffalo allows 4.7 yards per carry. They aren’t as weak or pitiful as Dallas last week, but Buffalo will be forced to stack the line of scrimmage and make the Ravens beat them by throwing the ball. Ravens guards Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele have improved over the past three games, but let’s remember the Ravens played the Cowboys last Sunday. Regardless, the Ravens’ brand of style is physicality and they should be able to wear the Bills down. I like what quarterback Josh Allen is doing with Buffalo. He is spreading the ball around and looks to be having fun after the team parted ways with disgruntled diva receiver Stefon Diggs in the offseason. Allen is having a great season despite his reckless style, but the Bills aren’t balanced enough on both sides of the ball to beat Baltimore, especially if the Ravens’ secondary shows up in the fourth quarter. That group has played poorly the past two games against Las Vegas and Dallas. The Raiders scored two field goals and a touchdown in the final 12 minutes of the game and the Cowboys scored three touchdowns in six minutes the fourth. C.J. Doon, editor Ravens 31, Bills 30: Maybe Buffalo is better off without Stefon Diggs? The “everybody eats” offense under coordinator Joe Brady has feasted this season, as six players have caught a touchdown pass from Josh Allen. Individually, the Bills’ playmakers are underwhelming, but as a unit they have been effective thanks to their complementary skill sets. Of course, it’s Allen who makes the whole operation sing. Nobody is playing quarterback better than him right now, and Baltimore’s defense is vulnerable as it finds its footing under new coordinator Zach Orr. The Ravens could wind up in a track meet against a banged-up Buffalo defense, but the question is whether the offensive line can hold up against a formidable front led by Greg Rousseau, A.J. Epenesa, Von Miller and Ed Oliver. This will be a true test for Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, who must find enough running room to avoid third-and-long situations and keep the ball out of Allen’s hands. And let’s just say now would be a good time for Justin Tucker to figure out his “technique issue.” This one might come down to his leg. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 4 of 2024 NFL season: Vikings vs. Packers, Chiefs vs. Chargers and more Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills scouting report for Week 4: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Yannick Ngakoue on Ravens reunion: ‘I’m a Maryland guy through and through’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Lamar Jackson explains why he shut down Marlon Humphrey’s Instagram Live Baltimore Ravens | Ravens practice, September 25, 2024 | PHOTOS Tim Schwartz, editor Ravens 35, Bills 28: What a fun matchup. The Bills were clicking on all cylinders Monday night, wiping the Jaguars out by halftime behind an MVP-type performance from quarterback Josh Allen. Buffalo has played stout defense the past two weeks, too, allowing a total of 20 points to Jacksonville and Miami — one bad offense, and one with a below-average backup under center. Neither are the Ravens, who showed more of what their identity in 2024 could (and should) look like: getting everyone involved early and relying on bruising running back Derrick Henry to hold a lead. But can the defense prove it can avoid another collapse, or close to it? That is still to be seen under new coordinator Zach Orr. Expect two high-powered offenses to go toe-to-toe in prime time and the Ravens to pull one out at home for a signature win that puts them right back into contender status after a disappointing 0-2 start. Bennett Conlin, editor Ravens 27, Bills 24: Baltimore’s win over Dallas was a step in the right direction after a disheartening 0-2 start. Sunday’s game against undefeated Buffalo provides John Harbaugh’s team a chance to affirm its place as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. While Buffalo’s offense has been phenomenal through three games and leads the NFL in scoring with 37.3 points per game, the Bills’ rushing defense has the seventh-worst grade among all NFL teams, per Pro Football Focus. Baltimore leads the NFL in yards per game (430.3), and its rushing attack is as dangerous as any in the NFL. The Ravens move to .500 by leaning on their backfield tandem of Jackson and Henry, just like they did in the win over Dallas. View the full article

Baltimore Sun staff writers pick every game of the NFL season. Here’s who they have winning in Week 4: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants (Thursday, 8:15 p.m.) Brian Wacker (8-8 last week; 28-20 overall): Cowboys Childs Walker (9-7 last week; 24-24 overall): Cowboys Mike Preston (6-10 last week; 25-23 overall): Cowboys C.J. Doon (6-10 last week; 25-23 overall): Cowboys Tim Schwartz (9-7 last week; 28-20 overall): Cowboys Bennett Conlin (8-8 last week; 24-24 overall): Cowboys New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Falcons Walker: Saints Preston: Saints Doon: Falcons Schwartz: Falcons Conlin: Saints Cincinnati Bengals at Carolina Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Bengals Walker: Bengals Preston: Bengals Doon: Panthers Schwartz: Bengals Conlin: Bengals Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Rams Walker: Bears Preston: Rams Doon: Rams Schwartz: Rams Conlin: Rams Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Packers Walker: Packers Preston: Vikings Doon: Vikings Schwartz: Vikings Conlin: Vikings Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans (Sunday 1 p.m.) Wacker: Texans Walker: Texans Preston: Texans Doon: Texans Schwartz: Texans Conlin: Texans Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Steelers Walker: Steelers Preston: Steelers Doon: Steelers Schwartz: Steelers Conlin: Steelers Denver Broncos at New York Jets (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Jets Walker: Jets Preston: Jets Doon: Jets Schwartz: Jets Conlin: Jets Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Eagles Walker: Eagles Preston: Buccaneers Doon: Eagles Schwartz: Buccaneers Conlin: Buccaneers Washington Commanders at Arizona Cardinals (Sunday, 4:05 p.m.) Wacker: Commanders Walker: Cardinals Preston: Cardinals Doon: Commanders Schwartz: Commanders Conlin: Cardinals New England Patriots at San Francisco 49ers (Sunday, 4:05 p.m.) Wacker: 49ers Walker: 49ers Preston: 49ers Doon: 49ers Schwartz: 49ers Conlin: 49ers Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: Chiefs Walker: Chiefs Preston: Chiefs Doon: Chiefs Schwartz: Chiefs Conlin: Chargers Cleveland Browns at Las Vegas Raiders (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: Raiders Walker: Browns Preston: Browns Doon: Raiders Schwartz: Raiders Conlin: Browns Related Articles NFL | Ravens vs. Bills scouting report for Week 4: Who has the edge? NFL | Yannick Ngakoue on Ravens reunion: ‘I’m a Maryland guy through and through’ NFL | Ravens’ Lamar Jackson explains why he shut down Marlon Humphrey’s Instagram Live NFL | Ravens practice, September 25, 2024 | PHOTOS NFL | Ravens missing 3 starting offensive linemen at Wednesday’s practice Tennessee Titans at Miami Dolphins (Monday, 7:30 p.m.) Wacker: Titans Walker: Dolphins Preston: Dolphins Doon: Dolphins Schwartz: Dolphins Conlin: Titans Seattle Seahawks at Detroit Lions (Monday, 8:15 p.m.) Wacker: Lions Walker: Lions Preston: Lions Doon: Seahawks Schwartz: Lions Conlin: Lions View the full article

The Ravens (1-2) held on to beat the Cowboys, 28-25, and avoid an 0-3 start. The Bills (3-0) thrashed the Jaguars, 47-10, on “Monday Night Football” to remain unbeaten. Who will have the edge when these perennial AFC contenders meet Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium? Ravens passing game vs. Bills pass defense Lamar Jackson threw infrequently but efficiently (averaging 12.1 yards on 15 attempts) as the Ravens leaned on their ground game to beat Dallas. He didn’t generally have to throw into tight windows, though he did fire a third-down completion to a well-covered Zay Flowers to help clinch the victory. The Ravens neutralized the Cowboys’ pass rush by scheming quick throws, several of which turned into catch-and-runs that went more than 20 yards. They stuck with Patrick Mekari at right tackle and Daniel Faalele at right guard. Both avoided major mistakes, allowing a pair of hurries each in 18 pass blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus. The Ravens will take that, but their overhauled offensive line will face a sterner test from the Bills, who attack with productive pass rushers from the edge and the interior. They sacked Trevor Lawrence five times and hit him nine times in blowing out the Jaguars. Defensive end Gregory Rousseau and outside linebacker Von Miller have three sacks each. Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones push the pocket from inside. Three Ravens starting linemen, Mekari (neck), center Tyler Linderbaum (knee) and left guard Andrew Vorhees (ankle), did not practice Wednesday. Jackson hasn’t locked in on a favorite target. In the first game, it was tight end Isaiah Likely. In the second, it was Flowers. Against Dallas, Jackson spread his 12 completions to seven receivers. The one major surprise is tight end Mark Andrews ranking fifth on the team with a mere eight targets. He played just 21 of 63 offensive snaps against the Cowboys as the Ravens largely turned away from their aerial attack. With the Bills missing their top inside linebacker, Matt Milano, this could be a week for Andrews and Likely to go off in the middle of the field. EDGE: Even Bills passing game vs. Ravens pass defense Josh Allen said farewell to his most prolific target, Stefon Diggs, in the offseason, but if anything, he has played more efficiently, completing 75% of his passes and averaging 8.8 yards per attempt. Wide receiver Khalil Shakir (14 catches on 14 targets, 168 yards) is Allen’s new No. 1, with tight end Dalton Kincaid and running back James Cook presenting threats closer to the line of scrimmage. Allen connected with 10 receivers against Jacksonville, so every Ravens linebacker and defensive back will be tested at some point. It’s a foreboding thought for a defense that has struggled to close off the middle of the field and to cover top targets when protecting leads. The Ravens put extra defensive backs on the field in dime packages and frustrated the Cowboys with aggressive coverage for three quarters but again let too many receivers spring free as Dak Prescott led three straight touchdown drives in a six-minute span of the fourth quarter. Starting cornerbacks Brandon Stephens and Marlon Humphrey played well, aided by Ar’Darius Washington, who excelled as a substitute for linebacker Trenton Simpson in those aforementioned dime looks. The Ravens also generated plenty of pressure, led by outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy’s two sacks, four hurries and one deflection. Van Noy and Odafe Oweh have stepped up their production to fill the void left by Jadeveon Clowney, though the Ravens rank a mediocre 19th in pressures per dropback. Defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike lost a sack in the end zone to a bizarre rules interpretation by the game officials in Dallas. The Ravens will go against a Buffalo line, led by tackles Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown, that has done a solid job protecting Allen (one quarterback hit against Jacksonville). EDGE: Bills Ravens running game vs. Bills run defense The Ravens overpowered the Cowboys’ flimsy defensive front, running for 274 yards on 45 attempts and showcasing the full potential of the Jackson-Derrick Henry partnership. Henry (151 yards, two touchdowns against Dallas) took advantage of markedly improved run blocking from Mekari and Faalele, along with excellent work from Linderbaum and the tight ends. Henry went wild in the third quarter, when the Ravens built their lead to 28-6 and appeared on the verge of blowing the Cowboys out. Jackson then put the game on ice when he faked a handoff to Flowers and picked his way up the middle for a first down that allowed the Ravens to run out the clock. He and Henry are on pace to combine for more than 3,000 rushing yards and the main reasons the Ravens have averaged a league-best 5.9 yards per carry. This is the advantage coordinator Todd Monken’s offense will have to press against a Buffalo defense that has allowed 4.7 yards per carry. Milano’s absence in the middle is significant. As good as the Bills’ interior linemen and edge rushers are at generating pressure, they’re not as stout against the run. Will defensive coordinator Bobby Babich load the box and try to force Jackson to beat him over the top? If not, the Bills might get trampled. EDGE: Ravens Bills running game vs. Ravens run defense The Ravens have held opponents to 50 rushing yards per game and 2.8 yards per attempt despite dressing just four defensive linemen against the Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs. All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith has picked up his play after a dreadful opener, and safety Kyle Hamilton was a hammer around the line of scrimmage in Dallas. Travis Jones and Michael Pierce are playing well as they rotate snaps on the interior. They’ll face a more substantial challenge against the Bills, who feature one of the league’s top backs in Cook (188 yards, 4.6 yards per carry, three touchdowns) and one of the most bruising running quarterbacks of all time in Allen (5.0 yards per carry, two touchdowns, nine first downs on 17 attempts). Cook is a problem if Buffalo commits to the run, but Allen is the real terror, because, like Jackson, he can improvise a first down against seemingly perfect defense. Ravens opponents have attempted just 53 runs through three games. The Bills have attempted 88 over their three victories. Each side will face its greatest test to date in this matchup. EDGE: Ravens Ravens special teams vs. Bills special teams Special teams again took center stage as the Ravens nearly blew their 22-point lead against Dallas. Justin Tucker missed a 46-yard field goal attempt that would have put them up 31-6, his third miss in three games. Coach John Harbaugh acknowledged the Pro Bowl kicker is dealing with a “technique issue” that’s causing him to miss wide left. The Ravens also let the Cowboys in the door when Flowers to scoop up an onside kick in the fourth quarter. On the plus side, punter Jordan Stout rebounded from an ugly shank the previous week to kick well in Dallas, and returner Deonte Harty played his best game as a Raven. Bills kicker Tyler Bass has missed three times from 40-49 yards over the past two seasons and has yet to attempt a kick from 50 yards or beyond this year. Brandon Codrington is a dangerous returner, but special teams isn’t a strength for Buffalo’s otherwise well-balanced team. EDGE: Ravens Ravens intangibles vs. Bills intangibles The Ravens delivered their best performance of the season in a de facto must-win game to avoid going 0-3. Their near-collapse left questions about their ability to finish seemingly overmatched opponents. Harbaugh has acknowledged they’re still not nearly consistent enough at coverage, pass protection or special teams. Jackson, now 59-21 as a regular season starter, proved again that he’s the team’s ace in the hole as he pulled the Ravens from the brink with his clinching pass and run. They need to keep winning to put their disappointing start behind them, and they’ll be aided by the boisterous prime-time atmosphere at M&T Bank Stadium. The Bills rallied from a 20-3 second-quarter deficit to beat the Ravens in Baltimore the last time these teams met in October 2022. They’re off to as good a start as any team in the league and draw tremendous confidence from Allen, just as the Ravens do from Jackson. Coach Sean McDermott hasn’t been around as long as Harbaugh but has guided Buffalo to six playoff appearances over the past seven seasons. The Bills went 4-4 on the road in 2023. EDGE: Even Prediction These are two teams trying to take the last step to the Super Bowl, and they’ll present several matchup problems for one another. Can the Ravens impose their running game and keep Jackson from having to drop back too often against one of the league’s most formidable pass rushes? Can Allen find open receivers early in the game when the Ravens flood the field with defensive backs, and can he hurt them with his legs? Both teams will want to play from ahead, but the Ravens will have the slightest advantage as they pound a wounded defense with Henry and Jackson for a win that puts their season back on track. Ravens 27, Bills 24 View the full article

Yannick Ngakoue’s familiarity with Baltimore and eagerness to join the Ravens’ defense runs deeper than merely three starts over nine games four seasons ago. He once shared the field with outside linebackers coach Matt Robinson while the two were at the University of Maryland. The summer after his sophomore year, Ngakoue saved up enough money to train in Atlanta with pass rush coach Chuck Smith. And years removed from the first failed experiment in Baltimore, he never lost faith in coach John Harbaugh. “I believe everything happens for a reason,” Ngakoue said standing next to his new locker in Owings Mills just days after signing to the Ravens’ practice squad. “Went through peaks and valleys, just going to different spots and different places but I feel like, ultimately it was meant for me to come back here and give my best football.” Ngakoue, a 29-year-old outside linebacker from Bowie, began his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he spent four years. Two weeks before the start of the 2020 season, he was shipped to Minnesota. Eight weeks later, the Vikings turned around and sent the 2015 third-round pick to Baltimore. Peaks and valleys led him here in the first place, he said. After a stint in Las Vegas, where he led the 2021 Raiders with 10 sacks; then Indianapolis, totaling 9 1/2 sacks in 2022; and finally Chicago, where he had four sacks in 13 games before a season-ending ankle injury. It brought him right back to his home state. “I’m a Maryland guy through and through,” Ngakoue said. “Born and raised here. Love the locker room. Love the guys here. We have a great quarterback. And I just want to be able to help get the ball back to the offense.” Ngakoue visited with both the Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers this offseason. Even before that, he had been in talks with Harbaugh about a possible reunion. Communication fizzled as training camp wore on. Then his agent called. Ngakoue signed to Baltimore’s practice squad Monday. “He was in a situation where he was ready to get back, [he’s] healthy and ready to start playing,” Harbaugh said. “It’s good to have another legitimate pass rusher on campus. That’s a valuable thing.” The Terps’ record book is littered with Ngakoue’s accomplishments. He holds the single-season sack record with 13 1/2 in 2015 and is fourth in career sacks (21 1/2). He’s also eighth in career tackles for loss (33) and sixth in tackles for loss yardage (176). Ahead of the Terps’ 2014 season, Robinson told The Washington Post that he noticed Ngakoue getting in the film room more and probing veterans for help. “That’s what he loves to do,” Robinson said at the time. Now, the two are back together diagraming ways to bring down the quarterback. After that 2014 season, Ngakoue asked himself what more he could do. “I just wanted to be satisfied with myself,” he told reporters. So he worked with Smith, a pass-rush guru in Atlanta to add to his repertoire. Ngakoue offers a veteran presence for Baltimore’s relatively inexperienced group of pass rushers. At 33, Kyle Van Noy is the only Ravens pass rusher over 25. That said, the youngsters rank ninth in the NFL with 10 sacks in three games. Van Noy joined the Ravens at this point last season, inking a two-year deal before Week 4. So, although the two haven’t yet connected on the matter, he can share in the challenges of picking up a defense while working back into game shape. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills scouting report for Week 4: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Lamar Jackson explains why he shut down Marlon Humphrey’s Instagram Live Baltimore Ravens | Ravens practice, September 25, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens missing 3 starting offensive linemen at Wednesday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Ravens film study: How Daniel Faalele paved the way vs. Cowboys “I think for him, he probably has a little advantage because he’s been here,” Van Noy said. “He knows the building, the people. … Just him [being] focused and being ready to go – and it seems like he is that way already … He’s looking good out there, and I think he’s just going to continue to put his head down and work, and if he gets that opportunity, I think he’s going to make the most of it.” Ngakoue stayed up until about 11 p.m. watching back film from the Ravens’ bamboozling loss to the Raiders and bounce-back win over the Dallas Cowboys. He walked away from his first practice Wednesday feeling like he’s ready to make an impact right away (while acknowledging that’s not his decision). The NFL expanded a rule this offseason about adding veterans to practice squads, allowing six players with two-plus years of experience as opposed to four. “Now you have more practice squad guys [and] you can bring a guy in like [Ngakoue],” Harbaugh said. “And he can practice and get ready for the opportunity when it does come up to fill the role. I think it’s a win, win, win for everybody.” View the full article

The Ravens got their first win of the season Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. But unlike cornerback Marlon Humphrey, quarterback Lamar Jackson was in no mood for revelry or celebration. On the team’s plane ride back to Baltimore, the two-time and reigning NFL Most Valuable Player quickly shut down Humphrey’s Instagram Live as the former All-Pro sought Jackson’s thoughts on the 28-25 victory in which the Ravens nearly blew a 22-point lead. “Marlo gonna be Marlo,” Jackson said after Wednesday’s practice in Owings Mills. “I just didn’t want the camera on me at the time. He knows this [but] I’m all about winning. I like to, I don’t wanna say win in style, but I just, when we’re up I just wanna punish people. I just want to get out of there with a dub. “We got things to work on. There’s always things to work on, no matter if we beat a team 40-0 or 28-[25].” Still, Humphrey basked in the win, which moved the Ravens to 1-2 on the season with a showdown against the undefeated Buffalo Bills (3-0) and quarterback Josh Allen at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday night looming. “Lamar, talk to us a little bit about getting that first down, you know the flock, they gotta hear from you,” Humphrey said in the video, referencing Jackson’s 10-yard run with under two minutes remaining to seal the win. Jackson was not amused, however. “We got the dub. Keep stacking. You shouldn’t even be live right now,” he told Humphrey from his seat, pointing his finger at the veteran. “We gotta get right.” Humphrey then said “Yes, sir,” and complimented the quarterback’s jewelry and the amount of “drip” he had on before the two shook hands and the video cut out. Jackson was efficient against Dallas, going 12-for-15 for 182 yards with a touchdown along with accounting for 87 of the team’s 274 rushing yards, but the Cowboys staged a furious comeback with 19 fourth-quarter points to nearly erase the deficit. Asked Wednesday what “getting right” looks like to him, Jackson said playing “Ravens football.” “Put points on the board,” he continued. “Those guys on the other side, our defense, just stopping people, and it’s like, man, Ravens didn’t take their foot off their neck. That’s how I look at games with us.” While Humphrey hasn’t spoken with the media since Sept. 2, coach John Harbaugh said after the game that Jackson was “phenomenal.” Teammates have also lauded the quarterback’s leadership and his being more vocal this season. That was especially true after an 0-2 start that included losses to the Chiefs in Kansas City and an embarrassing, mistake-filled defeat in their home opener against the Las Vegas Raiders. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens practice, September 25, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens missing 3 starting offensive linemen at Wednesday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Ravens film study: How Daniel Faalele paved the way vs. Cowboys Baltimore Ravens | Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb takes blame for actions in loss to Ravens: ‘Very detrimental’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OLB Odafe Oweh’s $20,500 fine for unnecessary roughness in Chiefs game rescinded The message following the latter was simple, according to tight end Isaiah Likely. “What we’re putting on film, on the field, just hasn’t been us,” Likely recounted. “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.” Fourth-quarter collapses and being the most penalized team in the NFL have been among Baltimore’s biggest problems. They avoided a meltdown Sunday, but the Ravens have suffered 10 losses after leading by seven or more points in the fourth quarter since 2021, the most in the NFL. “When another team scores and we’re really just getting off the field and not helping our defense out, that’s the frustrating part,” Jackson said. “We gotta do something, too. We can’t just let another team look like they just steamroll and make a comeback, because that’s happened in the past and we wasn’t trying to let that happen again.” View the full article

Baltimore Ravens CB T.J. Tampa Jr. during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Sept 25, 2024: Baltimore Ravens DB Brandon Stephens during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Sept 25, 2024: Baltimore Ravens safety Ar’Darius Washington during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) The ball comes off the hands of Baltimore Ravens safety Beau Brade before he makes the catch during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Sept 25, 2024: Baltimore Ravens CB Nate Wiggins during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Sept 25, 2024: Matt Robinson, Baltimore Ravens assistant defensive line coach/outside linebackers, works with DT Nnamdi Madubuike and OLB Tavius Robinson during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Baltimore Ravens CB Nate Wiggins catches the ball in front of safety Beau Brade during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Sept 25, 2024: Baltimore Ravens DT Nnamdi Madubuike warms up during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) From right, Ronnie Stanley, Baltimore Ravens T, speaks with TE Charlie Kolar as they walk off the practice field at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Baltimore Ravens safety Eddie Jackson makes a catch during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Baltimore Ravens CB Nate Wiggins during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Sept 25, 2024: Baltimore Ravens safety #32 Marcus Williams during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Baltimore Ravens DT Nnamdi Madubuike warms up during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Sept 25, 2024: Baltimore Ravens DT Travis Jones during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Sept 25, 2024: Baltimore Ravens OLB Tavius Robinson during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Sept 25, 2024: Baltimore Ravens DT Nnamdi Madubuike stretches during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Sept 25, 2024: Baltimore Ravens DT Travis Jones during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Sept 25, 2024: From left, Baltimore RavensOLB Kyle Van Noy and DE Brent Urban during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Sept 25, 2024: From left, DB Brandon Stephens, DB, Marcus Williams, S, and Ar’Darius Washington, S, during Baltimore Ravens practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh speaks to reporters following practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Baltimore Ravens CB Nate Wiggins after practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Baltimore Ravens OLB Kyle Van Noy speaks to reporters following practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson speaks to reporters about his ability to dunk following practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. (Kim Hairston/Staff) View the full article

The highly scrutinized Ravens offensive line had its best showing of the year in Sunday’s win over the Dallas Cowboys. By Wednesday, all but one starter was listed on the injury report. Left guard Andrew Vorhees (ankle), right tackle Patrick Mekari (neck) and center Tyler Linderbaum (knee) all did not practice on Wednesday. Right guard Daniel Faalele was listed with a hip injury but was a full participant. Veteran left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who made an appearance on last week’s injury report with an ankle injury, was the only starting offensive lineman not listed. All five finished Sunday’s game. Ravens coach John Harbaugh didn’t seem overly concerned about the matter days before a prime-time matchup against the visiting Buffalo Bills (3-0) on “Sunday Night Football.” “I think what happens in the course of the season is it’s a very physical sport,” he said. “You got guys that are going to be working through things pretty much every week. If you look around the league, you’ll see that pretty much from every team.” Pro Football Focus ranked Baltimore’s offensive line as the 19th-best in the league, up five spots from the previous week. According to their metrics, Vorhees’ Week 3 performance was the best outing of his young career, as the 2023 seventh-round draft pick did not allow a single pressure on 18 dropbacks. Meanwhile, rookie second-round pick Roger Rosengarten did not log an offensive snap with Mekari taking over at right tackle. Linderbaum graded out as the best center of the week in run blocking, per PFF, as Baltimore piled up 274 rushing yards, including 151 yards and two touchdowns from Derrick Henry. Middle linebacker Roquan Smith, limited by an ankle injury, was another new addition to the injury report. The two-time All-Pro has 15 solo tackles through three games with one interception. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Lamar Jackson explains why he shut down Marlon Humphrey’s Instagram Live Baltimore Ravens | Ravens practice, September 25, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens film study: How Daniel Faalele paved the way vs. Cowboys Baltimore Ravens | Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb takes blame for actions in loss to Ravens: ‘Very detrimental’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OLB Odafe Oweh’s $20,500 fine for unnecessary roughness in Chiefs game rescinded He’s expected to play a key role in guiding Baltimore’s defense against the mighty Bills, who Harbaugh called the top team in the league right now. On Monday night, Buffalo trounced the Jacksonville Jaguars, 47-10. Its success starts with quarterback Josh Allen, who has thrown the second most touchdown passes in the league this season (seven) without an interception while rushing for 85 yards and two scores. “I think [tackling him] is similar to Derrick Henry,” veteran outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy said with a laugh. “You got to scratch, claw, fight. Anything you can do to get him on the ground.” Defensive tackle Michael Pierce (shoulder) and cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring) did not practice while safety Ar’Darius Washington (ankle) was a full participant. Pierce, who rotates among a deep group of defensive linemen, appeared to be favoring his shoulder during Sunday’s win over Dallas. For Buffalo, linebacker Terrel Bernard (pectoral) and cornerback Taron Johnson (forearm) did not practice and have already been ruled out for Sunday’s game by coach Sean McDermott. Cornerback Kaiir Elam (neck) was limited Wednesday, while offensive lineman Tylan Grable (groin) was out. Allen was a full participant but is still on the injury report after hurting his left hand in the season-opening win over the Arizona Cardinals. View the full article

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson saw the criticism and condemnation. Running back Derrick Henry sensed a need for an injection of confidence. Coach John Harbaugh had a plan in his back pocket. Through the first two games of this season, Baltimore’s offensive line seemed worrisomely if not oddly constructed, and its performance therefore unsurprisingly execrable. No one bore the ire of the fan base more than right guard Daniel Faalele, who at 6 feet 8 and 380 pounds looked like an obviously oversized square peg for a round hole. Men his size are, simply put, better suited for tackle, which is the position he had played his first two years in the NFL and all four years in college at Minnesota until the loss of three starters up front in the offseason left the Ravens scrambling on how best to plug a suddenly leaky dam. So it was no wonder then that on Sunday night deep inside AT&T Stadium after the Ravens’ nail-biting 28-25 victory over the Dallas Cowboys that Jackson, sitting a few feet to Harbaugh’s right as the coach spoke from the adjacent podium, interrupted halfway through the news conference to shout out his besieged guard’s name in praise. “I’ve seen it,” Jackson said later. “I see a lot of things – when [people are] tweeting and stuff – but that’s just social media. At the end of the day, he is getting paid to do what he’s supposed to do, and he busted his behind each and every time. It’s not like he’s trying to mess up. All of us make mistakes out there on that field. But, he came in clutch for us today, and I want the same people who were giving him that doubt to praise him and give him that credit for what he deserves.” Then there was Henry, who two days before the game took the unusual step of spending time with the offensive line during warmups and after the game praised the group, along with fullback Patrick Ricard, by mentioning each of them by name. “I was letting them know, ‘I believe in you. We’ve got to do this together,’” he said. “It’s not an individual thing — we’re all tied in together. It’s not going to be perfect, I’m going to make a mistake and be wrong when they did their job right and vice versa. It’s a long season, so there’s going to be adversity. As long as we stick together and believe in one another, then we’ll be good.” Harbaugh didn’t make the expected changes to the offensive line because he didn’t have to. The Ravens ran all over the Cowboys, and while it was a group effort to reach 274 rushing yards, no one was perhaps more improved than the 24-year-old Australia native and 2022 fourth-round draft pick, particularly on paving the way for Jackson and Henry. Faalele was the second-highest-rated lineman on the team in zone run blocking behind only Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum with an 80.3 grade, per Pro Football Focus. His pass blocking wasn’t as sharp, but it didn’t have to be with Baltimore throwing the ball just 15 times. He allowed just two pressures and on sacks. “It’s good knowing that they believe in me,” the soft-spoken Faalele said. “I’m just going to keep getting better and keep working at what I need to get better at. “I try to just block out all the noise.” Ravens right guard Daniel Faalele, right, makes a block to help lead the way for running back Derrick Henry in Sunday’s win against the Cowboys. (Gareth Patterson/AP) Sunday, there were several plays where he blocked out the Cowboys, too. There were perhaps no better and consistent examples than on the Ravens’ last drive of the first half and the opening one of the third quarter, both resulting in touchdowns. On the former, Faalele helped clear the way for runs of 12 and 13 yards for Henry early in the drive. Then, on a screen pass, he briefly blocked defensive tackle Mazi Smith before releasing downfield to gobble up safety Donovan Wilson, springing Henry for a 23-yard gain. Three plays later, Faalele briefly helped on defensive end Carlos Watkins before picking up a twisting DeMarcus Lawrence, buying Jackson enough time to find Rashod Bateman wide-open in the end zone. “What made me stick with it was they were doing so well,” Harbaugh said of the offensive line. “Running the ball, pass protection — they were doing a really good job of blocking. They took care of their pass rushers, especially Micah [Parsons] — they did a great job there. So, I just felt like there was no reason to make a change there.” Parsons, one of the great pass rushers in the game, was held to just five tackles, one quarterback hit and zero sacks. This, seven days after Las Vegas Raiders star edge rusher Maxx Crosby tore through Baltimore’s line and straight to AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Still, there were occasions Sunday when Faalele was too slow or got pushed around or both. On the Ravens’ second series of the game, he was unable to help Mekari after Parsons beat the tackle to the inside and the All-Pro linebacker chased Jackson down on a scramble to the sideline. One play later, Smith easily beat Faalele on the outside but was saved when Jackson quickly unloaded a short out to receiver Nelson Agholor, who juked his defender and raced 56 yards down the sideline. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb takes blame for actions in loss to Ravens: ‘Very detrimental’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OLB Odafe Oweh’s $20,500 fine for unnecessary roughness in Chiefs game rescinded Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 3: That’s the Derrick Henry the Ravens wanted Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens nearly collapsed again. Here’s coach John Harbaugh’s explanation. Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson on Dak Prescott’s illegal pass: ‘It would’ve been a safety if I did that’ Then on a third-and-8 from their own 34 early in the second quarter, Faalele’s footwork and hand placement lagged as he tried unsuccessfully to prevent defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa from getting by his outside shoulder. Jackson was nearly sacked as he got off a short pass to Zay Flowers that only went for 4 yards and led to a punt. There were other times, too, when Faalele was moved backward, including near the end of a long day that included 63 snaps on offense and a furious comeback by the Cowboys. But when the game was in the balance, Jackson came through, picking up 10 yards on a run-pass option on second-and-9 with under 2 minutes remaining to seal it. One of the blockers leading the way? A pulling Faalele, who picked off linebacker Eric Kendricks to prevent him from closing the hole. “I just feel like we were all just leaning on each other more and trusting each other, believing in each other and just trusting ourselves,” Faalele said. “It’s a big relief [to get my] first win as a starter, and I’m just happy.” View the full article

FRISCO, Texas — CeeDee Lamb took the blame for everything. He owned the end zone tantrum, loud chats with teammates and coaches and his poor performance. After skipping out on speaking with the media following the Cowboys’ loss to the Ravens on Sunday, Lamb discussed everything two days later. “Honestly I got to be truthful to myself and I played a part in that loss,” he said. “A big part honestly, and nor did my body language nor attitude, approaching the situation help the situation or the outcome of the game. Lamb added of his actions, “Very detrimental. Detrimental and yeah, I’ll make up for it.” Lamb is normally a smooth operator on the field. It’s the reason why the Cowboys signed him to one of the richest contracts in NFL history at the receiver position. But the first three weeks of the season have been turbulent. Out of 24 targets, he’s got 13 catches and one touchdown. Last season he caught a career-high 74.% of passes directed toward him. The offensive issues Lamb faced came to a head against the Ravens. In a moment telling of that 28-25 loss, Prescott misfired on a potential touchdown pass to Lamb in the end zone, but a pass interference call was negated by an offsetting holding penalty. Lamb sat in the end zone yelling and slapping both hands to the turf. He later arrived on the sidelines and had a loud discussion with Prescott and anyone else nearby. You could tell he was frustrated. Maybe the contract was getting to him. Maybe the pressures of trying to find a flow within an offense he didn’t work in during training camp because of his contract holdout was rearing its ugly head. He finished the game with two drops, a false start and four catches for 67 yards. He also fumbled in the red zone. Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb fumbles the ball after being hit by Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins in the first half Sunday in Arlington, Texas. (Gareth Patterson/AP) “You got to start with the man in the mirror and I’m a huge believer in that,” Lamb said. “And watching that game kind of pissed me off, but I did that. I can’t get mad at nobody else. So with that being said, I’ve learned.” The Cowboys have gone through this with Lamb, most recently last season. After four weeks, Lamb had 23 catches for 309 yards with a touchdown. He caught 76.7% of his passes. Those numbers look so much better than what he’s producing now. And Lamb wasn’t happy about it then. The next week at San Francisco, Lamb caught four passes for 49 yards and no touchdowns in a 42-10 loss. Lamb went off. After the 49ers game, receiver Brandin Cooks became Lamb’s consigliere. Cooks understood then Lamb was playing for a huge contract and poor performances hamper that. The two talked about getting on the same page with Prescott and coach Mike McCarthy, in his first year with this team as the playcaller. Over the next eight games, Lamb had 69 catches for 859 yards and seven touchdowns. Lamb’s confidence soared along and everyone forgot about that sorry performance against the 49ers. On Thursday night, the Cowboys visit the New York Giants and Lamb has to respond in a similar fashion. “I plan on doing it again,” he said. The problem with doing it again isn’t so much what defenses are doing to Lamb, it’s finding a rhythm with Prescott. QB1 wasn’t available to tell his side of the story because team officials elected to have him speak after the Giants game. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens film study: How Daniel Faalele paved the way vs. Cowboys Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OLB Odafe Oweh’s $20,500 fine for unnecessary roughness in Chiefs game rescinded Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 3: That’s the Derrick Henry the Ravens wanted Baltimore Ravens | The Ravens nearly collapsed again. Here’s coach John Harbaugh’s explanation. Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson on Dak Prescott’s illegal pass: ‘It would’ve been a safety if I did that’ McCarthy has turned Lamb into an elite receiver that takes over games. But it’s something we haven’t seen in the early stages of the season. “CeeDee is a primary focal point for us game planning and it’ll be a primary focal point for the defense,” McCarthy said. “That’s why you play the game. We’ll continue to do what we have done with him. There’s always little things you’re looking to build on, certain routes and so forth.” The Cowboys can line Lamb up in the backfield, use him on Jet Sweeps, line him up in three receiver spots. When he’s on the field and used properly his talent is unmatched. After three weeks, he hasn’t shown it. “Granted, it was a bad game on my end. I fully take accountability in that,” he said. “I have no shame in that. So with that being said, I will be better in the future and it’s going to be fun.” ____ ©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Visit dallasnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. View the full article