ExtremeRavens Posted Saturday at 09:00 AM Posted Saturday at 09:00 AM The Ravens won’t tiptoe into the 2025 season. The calendar might say Week 1. But the looming challenge sure looks like January. Baltimore is scheduled to open a season overflowing with expectations under the lights Sunday evening in Buffalo. The Ravens’ trip to upstate New York marks the first step in a six-week gantlet that will either confirm this defense’s muscle or expose its backside all over again. We’ll soon learn whether Baltimore fixed what cracked last season, or if the same flaws are still hiding underneath the surface. The Bills, Browns (meh), Lions, Chiefs, Texans and Rams line up before the bye in Week 7. Five of Baltimore’s first six opponents were playoff contenders in 2024. With the exception of Cleveland, each offense is loaded enough to punish a defense that buckles. And if we’re looking at recent history, the Ravens have been quick to stumble. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) For all of coach John Harbaugh’s success, September has too often been his team’s soft spot. Last year, it was back-to-back losses to Kansas City and Las Vegas, two early stumbles that set the tone before Baltimore regathered itself. But Baltimore can’t afford a repeat of last September. This gantlet doesn’t leave room for patience and the defense has to deliver from the first snap. On paper, there’s All-Pro talent across all three levels. Linebacker Roquan Smith sets the tone in the middle. Safety Kyle Hamilton, fresh off his $100 million contract, has grown into one of the NFL’s most versatile weapons. Cornerback Jaire Alexander, if healthy, adds necessary swagger to the secondary. However, swagger alone won’t slow Josh Allen’s 40-yard missiles, Patrick Mahomes’ seemingly inevitable dose of magic, or Amon-Ra St. Brown’s deep contested catches. Of course, last season’s bitter ending still stings. The defense infamously forced zero turnovers in the AFC divisional round loss to Buffalo and finished minus-three in takeaways in the biggest game of the season. That wasn’t an outlier, either. It was the continuation of a season-long slide. After leading the NFL in takeaways (31) in 2023, Baltimore nearly cut the number in half with just 17 in 2024. Explosive plays only piled on. During their consecutive defeats to Kansas City and Las Vegas, the Ravens allowed 12 explosive plays (25 or more yards), according to TruMedia. The game-changing plays that once defined the Ravens defense dried up like a well. Now, after a long wait following the team’s brutal playoff exit, it’s Allen again who awaits Sunday night. The reigning NFL Most Valuable Player creates enough problems on his own. If Baltimore hands Allen free possessions, Buffalo is more than capable of making the Ravens pay. The Bills led the league in turnover ratio (plus-24) last season, proof of how quickly they cash in. Sunday evening is not just about going 1-0, but about proving the Ravens absorbed last year’s difficult lessons. Can they stay disciplined against a quarterback who thrives outside the pocket? Can they erase the chunk gains that crushed them? In an expected raucous road environment, can they topple a fellow AFC heavyweight that finished the 2024 season with a perfect 8-0 record at Highmark Stadium? Harbaugh sat in on a defensive meeting Wednesday morning at The Castle and praised Zach Orr for his attention to detail as the Ravens begin their first official game week, a nod to both the stakes of the onslaught of opponents ahead and the trust in a 33-year-old coordinator still early in his tenure. Harbaugh noted Orr’s consistency and high level of confidence heading into Year 2 with his defense supported by new additions, including Alexander and top rookies Malaki Starks and Mike Green. Ravens outside linebacker Mike Green participates in a tackling drill during practice. Green is expected to contribute immediately as a rookie. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Orr’s second season as the franchise’s top defensive coach won’t be defined by one game, but the schedule leaves little room for excuses. By mid-October, Baltimore will have faced Allen, Jared Goff, Mahomes, C.J. Stroud and Matthew Stafford. Shoot, even old friend and Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco, 40, returns in Week 2. That stretch will give a clear read on where this defense actually stands. The Ravens either buck their recent trend and start fast or risk falling behind. For Lamar Jackson and Co., there should be no waiting until October. Buffalo won’t wait. Neither will Detroit nor Kansas City. Will the Ravens dictate terms from the opening kickoff, or slip back into their familiar early season funk? The gantlet is here, and Buffalo is first in line. For a Ravens team chasing Super Bowl aspirations, there’s no room for another September slip. Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. View the full article Quote
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