Following their 23-20 loss to Buffalo the Ravens sit at 2-2, tied for the lead in the AFC North with both the Browns and Bengals. They will have a chance to pass at least one of those teams in Week 5 if they can take down the Bengals on Sunday Night Football. As the team prepares for this important first divisional game of the year, let’s take a look at some news surrounding the team.
Every week, CBS Sports gives out grades for each team’s performance and following their loss to the Bills, the Ravens received their worst score of the year. Due to the second-half collapse of both the offense and defense, John Breech gave Baltimore a ‘D’ on their Week 4 report card. According to CBS Sports, prior to the start of the season, the Ravens had lost just three games in franchise history when leading by 17 or more points. That number has jumped to five over the past few weeks and if it continues to rise, the Ravens faithful may start asking questions of both the players and coaching staff. Breech also notes that there was some “visible frustration” along the Ravens sideline following the loss. While this isn’t surprising given the nature of the game, it’s never a good sign when tensions brew within the locker room. Looking around the AFC North, the Browns received a ‘C’ for their loss to Atlanta and the Steelers got a ‘C-‘ for blowing a 10-point fourth quarter lead against the Jets (the Bengals didn’t receive a grade since they played on Thursday). All of Baltimore will be hoping next week’s report card is more favorable given the magnitude of the team’s game against the Bengals.
Injury Updates: Rashod Bateman Is Day-to-Day With Foot Injury
While the Ravens were not able to leave Sunday with a win, they were able to escape without many injuries. Wide receiver Rashod Bateman and running back Justice Hill were the only two players who went down against the Bills and the news surrounding each of them is promising. According to Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com, head coach John Harbaugh is considering Bateman day-to-day with a foot injury. Bateman’s absence lined up with the collapse of the Baltimore offense late in the game against Buffalo, so getting the second-year wide receiver back on the field as soon as possible is critical. Hill’s hamstring injury, which he suffered late in the fourth quarter, is also considered to be non-serious and shouldn’t keep him off the field for long. In addition to the lack of new injuries, Mink also notes that the Ravens could see the return of a couple of important role players in the near future. Running back Gus Edwards and outside linebacker Tyus Bowser will both be back at practice this week for the first time since their respective injuries. The return of Edwards would strengthen the already powerful Baltimore rushing attack, while Bowser should provide some much needed depth to the pass-rushing unit.
Longtime Ravens CB Jimmy Smith retires after 11 seasons in NFL
After watching the Ravens secondary struggle once again on Sunday, Ravens fans may have wished the team would consider bringing back 11-year veteran Jimmy Smith. Now that is no longer a possibility, as according to Nick Shook of NFL.com, Smith decided to retire on Monday. Shook notes that the cornerback had been considering retirement in January but ultimately waited until now to decide that it was time for his career to come to a close. Smith spent 11 years in Baltimore, playing 128 games and recording 14 interceptions to go along with 374 tackles. He was a crucial piece of the Ravens secondary whenever he was on the field and was a part of the 2013 Super Bowl champion team. Unfortunately, Smith’s play declined in recent years which led the team to decide against bringing him back for the 2022 season. That being said, he will still retire as a Raven and will leave a lasting legacy in the city of Baltimore.
Thousands of volunteers team up with Ravens to serve community on ‘Caw to Action’ Day
Once a year, the Ravens partner with the United Way of Central Maryland to host a community day of service throughout Baltimore which they call their “Caw to Action”. It’s a chance for the team to take a step back from football and give back to those who support them. This year’s rendition took place on Monday and, according to Breana Ross of WBALTV, involved contributions from almost 50 different charitable organizations and 21,000 volunteers. The deeds performed by those involved ranged from helping care for animals at the Maryland SPCA to bringing books to communities in need. The event was a booming success and illustrated the power that a community can have when it comes together. Multiple Ravens were interviewed throughout the day including Justin Tucker, who stated that the goal of the “Caw to Action” is not just to help those in need, but also to inspire others to do the same. It’s nice to see that in a week when things didn’t go their way on the field, the Ravens still found a way to brighten the spirits of Baltimore inhabitants.
Vonn Bell on what recently clicked for Bengals, Week 5 vs. Ravens
Bengals safety Vonn Bell enjoyed one of the best games of his career last Thursday, recording two interceptions in a victory over the then-undefeated Miami Dolphins. Tuesday, he joined NFL Network’s Good Morning Football to discuss both that performance and how the team is preparing to take on the Ravens this weekend. Bell talked about how important it has been for the Bengals to drown out the outside noise and focus on what they can control, especially coming off a year in which they went to the Super Bowl. In addition, he spent time discussing the importance of getting the offense and defense to work together and believe in each other. With all of the news surrounding the Ravens inability to close out games, Harbaugh will have to make sure his team checks off both of these boxes and takes on the same mentality as Cincinnati as they move forward. As for the upcoming game against the Ravens, Bell spoke about the toughness that comes along with AFC North football, as well as the challenges that accompany trying to slow down Lamar Jackson. In what is sure to be a thrilling game that could have huge stakes in the race for the division title, Bell and the Bengals seem ready to give it everything they’ve got. We will have to wait and see if Baltimore does the same.
Luke Rollfinke is a student at Vanderbilt where he is pursuing a career in sports journalism. A recent graduate from the Friends School of Baltimore, Luke has spent his entire childhood in Charm City and is a devoted Orioles fan. In the past, he has written for SB Nation and has worked closely with Ravens columnist John Eisenberg. From nights at Camden Yards to Sunday afternoons watching NFL Redzone, Luke eats, sleeps, and breathes sports. He is excited to bring his perspective to BSL.