NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Baltimore Ravens were supposed to be running the table. The Ravens made all the correct offseason moves to topple the Kansas City Chiefs, right? They did everything to give Lamar Jackson the weapons he needed to take the next step, right? And yet, they’re sitting at 0-2 to start the season.
Is it time to panic? Yes and no. It’s still early. There are 15 more games to go. But what’s concerning is how they’re losing. The team they were built to beat, the Chiefs, well, they did not do that in Week 1. In Week 2, their game against the Las Vegas Raiders should have been a gimmie but somehow, they managed to fall flat on their face.
Jackson still has to be Superman when adding Derrick Henry was supposed to take that title away. Nope. Henry is a good player but being labeled the missing piece was nonsense. The Ravens led the league in rushing yards last season so I’m still having a hard time realizing what more he could add. The Ravens needed pass-catchers.
The defense is playing decent but the offense is still looking for an identity when they shouldn’t be. Many are saying that the Ravens should have fed the ball to Henry late in the 4th quarter. He only touched the ball one time but this has been who they are. That’s why adding Henry during the offseason was such a head-scratcher for me. They have relied on Jackson so much that they have no idea how to trust anyone else.
Looking ahead, the Ravens have a gauntlet of a schedule. They will face the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Washington Commanders, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If they can’t get things straight, there is a good chance they could be on the outside come playoff time.
Week 2 is early, meaning it’s time to find a solution. However, their schedule offers no downtime. But how do they fix it? For starters, they have to take the ball out the hands of Jackson. Not in a punishment type of way but feed Henry as much as possible. If not, what was the point of adding him and letting their other RBs walk?
Get Mark Andrews involved more. The same goes for Zay Flowers. Where are the shots downfield? You have to make opposing defenses respect that part of Jackson’s arm. By doing so that will open up lanes for Henry and Jackson. The name of the game for the Ravens should be Time Of Possession. Against the Chiefs, they won that battle. Against the Raiders, they lost that battle but not by much.
There is no way the Ravens can lose their next game against the Cowboys. Starting 0-3 in the NFL is like a death sentence.
