If I were to tell you that after Week 3 the Ravens would be 1-2, you likely would’ve predicted the outcomes that have actually occurred. Though the Ravens have been the favorite in every game they’ve played this season, they’ve lost to the two Super Bowl contenders they’ve faced. Some may see that as expected, while others have no patience and expect Baltimore to win every game.
In their two losses, the Ravens have given up 28 and 24 points, respectively, in the fourth quarter. Conversely, in its Week 2 win, Baltimore held Cleveland to only seven points in the fourth quarter. Somehow, Baltimore’s fourth quarter point differential so far this season is actually +1, though it seems like that mark should be way worse.
When you are not just a Super Bowl favorite, but the Super Bowl favorite, you cannot fail to meet the moment as often as these Ravens have. It’s just unacceptable.
Baltimore has so much talent, experience, and ability, which makes fans all the more frustrated that the team has a losing record. No trades have happened, no major injuries have occurred, and the opposition hasn’t called plays the Ravens weren’t expecting. In other words, why aren’t they 3-0?
That’s a valid question. One explanation is that in their two losses the Ravens rush defense—the longstanding identity of the team—has been absolutely woeful. Against the Bills and Lions, the Ravens allowed 69 rushes for 332 yards and 7 touchdowns. First of all, teams don’t run that much in today’s NFL unless they know they can bully you up front. Secondly, giving up 4.8 yards per carry across multiple games is unheard of for a Ravens defense. Thirdly, giving up seven scores on the ground is an embarrassment through two games, especially considering Baltimore gave up six rushing touchdowns total during the entire 2023 season. Something is seriously wrong on the defensive side of the ball in Baltimore, and it needs to get fixed immediately or else.
Monday night was the first time in a long time that I saw a Ravens line—on both sides—get punked and manhandled. What’s worse is they had to of known what to expect. If you think for a second the Chiefs are going to depart from what the Lions did scheme-wise, you’re mistaken. Andy Reid may have different iterations of what the Lions did in store, but when NFL teams smell blood in the water, they have no problems going after you at your most vulnerable. Side note: rookie linebacker Teddye Buchanan had as many tackles (8) as Roquan Smith and Trenton Simpson had combined. How does that happen?
The good news: despite costly fumbles by Derrick Henry and busted coverages by the secondary, the Ravens are still even in turnover margin. They lead the league in scoring offense, scoring an average of 37.0 points per game, while ranking 14th in offensive
yardage. That’s actually a great thing, because it shows the Ravens’ ability to score more points than any other team without having to gain nearly as much yardage.
Of course, Lamar Jackson should be going for 4th league MVP award this year. Jackson has completed 72 percent of his passes this year for a total of 722 yards, with a TD/INT ratio of 9:0. Jackson is on pace to throw for over 4,000 yards for the 2nd-straight year.
Baltimore’s special teams are, once again, shining as well. Tyler Loop and Jordan Stout have proven to be a potent combination. The Ravens are the only team in football who’ve converted 100 percent of their field goal attempts (minimum five), 90 percent of their extra point attempts (minimum 10), and rank in the Top 5 in net punt yardage. As a matter of fact, the only teams who haven’t yet allowed a punt return are the Colts and Ravens. That’s huge. When the weather turns and games get close, the value of field position will only increase.
As far as the return game goes, how great was it to see T.J. Tampa flying down the field to make tackles? Rasheen Ali almost took one to the house, when he returned a 3rd-quarter Detroit kickoff for 43 yards, on his way to an average return of 26.3 yards. Special Teams Coordinator Chris Horton ought to be very proud.
If I had to assign grades to all three phases, here would be their report card:
SPECIAL TEAMS: A+
OFFENSE: A-
DEFENSE: D-
Lamar can be superman, but he shouldn’t have to be. Tyler Loop can make big kicks, but a rookie shouldn’t have to be called upon for more impact than multi-time Pro Bowlers on defense. There’s a lot of good and a lot of bad in this Ravens squad. The elements of a championship team are there, they just need to be re-organized, and fast.
So where do we go from here? Thankfully, the Ravens have a big challenge ahead of them, which is just what you want after a deflating loss. You want a big challenge because it forces you to re-focus due to increased urgency.
Starting with the Chiefs game, and then hosting the Rams two weeks later, Baltimore’s defense will face two tremendously diverse offenses in the coming weeks. Considering formations and tendencies, it’ll be hard for the Ravens to rely on scheme alone. They ought to focus more on personnel. If I’m Zach Orr, I don’t worry so much about calling the right plays as I do about getting the right players on the field. Whether they’re a rookie or not, whoever is executing at the highest level has to play. Period. If you’re a veteran whose been
beaten on a double move or hasn’t gotten to the appropriate depth on a zone drop, you’re coming off the field. We simply don’t have time to waste.
To get a handle on how the rest of this season could play out, let’s take a look at how recent Ravens teams have fared at certain points of the season:
First five games Overall (Division) record Playoff seed/result
2022 3-2 9-8 (3-3) 6th / 24-17 L in WC round
2023 3-2 13-4 (3-3) 1st / 17-10 L in CC round
2024 3-2 12-5 (4-2) 3rd / 27-25 L in DIV round
This is the bottom line: recent history has proven the Ravens are on the short list of Super Bowl contenders, despite starting slow. Ideally, they win the next three games (in which they will be favorites to do so) and get to a 4-2 record in time for their bye week.
By this time next month, we will know markedly more about the destiny of the 2025 Ravens. I honestly think they beat the Chiefs and Texans, then lose to the Rams to go into the bye at 3-3, with two weeks of worry inundating the sports talk airwaves (a Baltimore fan’s past time). I also honestly think the Ravens win the AFC North head back to Buffalo for the AFC title game on January 25, 2026.
Translation: it’s business as usual for the Ravens.
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Born in Baltimore, Mike had long been drawn to sports of all kinds. Growing up watching Cal Ripken play ever day gave him a great example for which to attack every endeavor he undertakes.
When the Ravens came to town, though, that’s when Mike found his passion. Since that time, he’s tried to gain every bit of knowledge he could. Now as a high school coach, Mike is able to take his film study and appreciation of the game to a new level.
To engage with Mike on social media, follow him on Twitter @MikeFastNFL.