NFL
By: Nathan Snell
The clock is ticking, and the Ravens don’t seem to be on the same page. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs appear to have found their footing, with four touchdowns and a 37-20 victory.
In a game where two AFC North teams needed to rediscover themselves, the Ravens dropped to a disappointing 1-3 on the season since 2015. The game saw multiple Ravens players go down with injuries, raising questions about the team’s direction from here.
The Ravens are now 1-6 against Kansas City, and this early season stretch is telling a story. Yes, there are thirteen games left, but urgent solutions are needed now.
Here are Nathan’s Takeaways:
A laundry list of injuries might’ve decided the season.
This writer wants to emphasize that quarterback isn’t the only important position on the field. In Sunday’s game, the Birds lost Lamar Jackson, Ronnie Stanley, Roquan Smith, Nate Wiggins, and Marlon Humphrey. While Jackson has been the engine of the offense, his hamstring injury limits his abilities, which can expose the offense. These are five key players whose absence could significantly impact the team, especially if they are unable to play against the Week 5 matchup with the Houston Texans.
Is this a defense? Where are the adjustments?
The defense has been extremely poor, showing glimpses of 2021-level struggles. Patrick Mahomes, for the first time since 2023, threw four touchdowns in a game. The Ravens have also allowed 35+ points in three of their four games this season. Without the Big Guard (Nnamdi Madubuike, Travis Jones, Broderick Washington), who were all listed out before the game, Zach Orr and the staff have had no clear answers.
Beating Patrick Mahomes is one thing, but doing so without most of your key starters is asking too much. The game summed up this challenge — such as on a crucial fourth-and-inches play, where the Ravens failed to stop the opposition.
Lamar is trying, but the offense can’t do it alone.
Similar to the Lions game, the Chiefs’ defense heavily challenged Lamar and the offense. The Ravens were blitzed 48% of the time, with no effective adjustments. They recorded three sacks and eight quarterback hits on Jackson and Cooper Rush. Unfortunately, in this copycat league, a blueprint might have already been developed to stop this offense.
The Ravens return to M&T Bank Stadium to face the Houston Texans—focused on staying healthy and finding some consistency. They have three straight home games, followed by a bye week, and then a four-week road trip. Early in the season, the Ravens had a chance to set the tone, but that has not yet been fully achieved mentally or emotionally.
