ExtremeRavens Posted September 19 Posted September 19 There’s an identity crisis in Baltimore. After the Ravens’ ignominious and discomfiting loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in their home opener Sunday, quarterback Lamar Jackson stood at a lectern in the bowels of M&T Bank Stadium, dropped his head and threw his hands up and said that the team needs to find its “mojo.” With its next game Sunday against the host Dallas Cowboys, it also must locate a win to avoid the franchise’s first 0-3 start since 2015 and just the second in its 29 years. Baltimore finished 5-11 that season, and only six teams since 1979 have made the playoffs after losing their first three games. So, it’s perhaps good timing that the Ravens had what Jackson called one of their best practices of the young season Wednesday in Owings Mills. They are still trying to figure out what type of team they are, along with how to fix the self-inflicted problems and other shortcomings that have cast an ominous cloud over a season in which Super Bowl expectations could soon be hanging by the thinnest of threads. That perhaps explains why the lights were still on at the Ravens’ facility around 8:30 Wednesday night with more cars than usual in the parking lot at that hour, including those of general manager Eric DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh. After the Cowboys, the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals loom. Finding an identity and finding the win column are not mutually exclusive. “In terms of an identity, we need to establish an identity for each phase and for your football team,” Harbaugh said. “That’s established over the course of a given season. “I doubt that any team will tell you they’ve established their identity yet after two weeks.” Except plenty already have. The Chiefs showed what kind of offense they can have with a replenishment of speedy and talented wide receivers in their season-opening victory in Kansas City over the Ravens. There’s little question about what the Chargers are with the successful run-heavy approach of former Baltimore offensive coordinator Greg Roman and ex-Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins. The Bills are led by do-everything quarterback Josh Allen and a defensive front that is as good as any in the league. And in the Ravens’ own division, the Steelers are finding ways to win that defy expectation, as usual. Then there’s Baltimore, which leads the NFL in total yards per game (417.5) but is inexplicably just 14th in points per game (21.5). In Week 1, two-time NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry got just 13 carries, with Jackson leading the team in rushes (16) and rushing yards (122) while also throwing 41 times. In Week 2, though, Henry was the leading rusher (18 carries, 84 yards, one touchdown), while tight end Isaiah Likely went from a dozen targets and nine catches in the opener to just three targets and two catches against the Raiders. All over the roster, there have been questions, but especially on offense. “I’ve been hearing ‘finding your identity’ a lot in the last [few] days or so,” tight end Mark Andrews said. “But if you really look back to last year, we didn’t start hitting our stride until maybe [Week 6 in] London or after London. That just takes time. I don’t think anybody at this stage in the NFL is hitting their stride.” Ravens tight end Mark Andrews has played a minimal role in the passing attack through two games. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) There are, however, eight other teams without a win, including the lowly Carolina Panthers, New York Giants and Denver Broncos as well as the Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars. “That’s something we need to do,” Harbaugh said of establishing an identity. “You wanna have an identity. You want to be known for something. What are you good at? What do they need to stop? What are they saying that they have to defend against you for your offense? “At the same time, you don’t want them to line up and know what you’re doing every single play. So, both of the those values are important. I don’t think they contradict each other. I think those are things you have to find.” In many ways, the Ravens have actually established an identity — a vexatious one. Baltimore is third in the league in penalties with 18 (including eight on the offense) for 173 yards, the second-most in the NFL behind only the Broncos. Jackson’s completion rate (62.7%) ranks 23rd and is down nearly 5% from last season. And the Ravens rank just 13th in third-down conversions (40%) and 18th in red-zone scoring (42.86%). The revamped offensive line has also struggled, as has special teams and a shockingly porous defense, particularly in the secondary. There has been a shift, too, in how Baltimore has been deploying its myriad playmakers in the second year of coordinator Todd Monken’s offense. Last season, the Ravens used the widely popular 11 personnel (one tight end, one running back, three wide receivers) 48.9% of the time. This year, that rate is down to the lowest in the league at 26.2%. Meanwhile, Baltimore has gone with 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends, two receivers) a league-high 50% of its snaps, compared with just 10.7% last season. And their use of 21 personnel (two running backs, one tight end, one receiver) has dropped from 23.5% last season to 12.5% this year. In the past, the Ravens been known for dominant defense, a power running game and the dynamic playmaking of Jackson. But this season, in trying to keep opponents guessing, they seem to have become a team that is a jack-of-all-trades and master of none. All of it has added up to the fifth 0-2 start in Ravens history and Jackson staring at the possibility of the first three-game losing streak of his career, raising the question of what can be done to avoid it and get back on track. “Just get 1-0,” Jackson said. “We’re starting the season off slow, but I believe the guys in the locker room, we know what we want to do when we go out there Sunday, and we know we’ve been busting our behinds each and every game. It’s like we’re coming up short, but I feel like at the end of the day, we’re beating ourselves.” Added receiver Zay Flowers, who had just two targets in the second half last week after nine in the first 30 minutes: “It’s only Week 2, so I say we’re still getting our rhythm. I ain’t gonna say what kind of identity — I feel like we could do both, run and pass. Once we get our connections together, once things start clicking how we want, then I think we’ll be alright.” To do so, they’ll need to recapture at least some of the magic of last season, when it was clear who they were. Eight months ago, the Ravens boasted the NFL’s best record at 13-4, Jackson was on his way to a second NFL Most Valuable Player Award and the defense was historically great. They reached the AFC championship game for the first time in more than a decade, providing more promise for this season. “I believe we’re right there,” Jackson said Wednesday. “Like I said, it’s the small things we’re messing up, and it’s causing us to lose those [games]. It’s turning into big things, because we’re losing our games, but I feel like we had one of the best days we’ve ever had in practice this season today, and it starts in practice. I believe if we just keep going on the right track, we’re going to come out victorious.” “We’re not moping around. … Our guys are not doubting each other.” Perhaps not. But they need to figure out who and what they are sooner than later. View the full article Quote
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