The Baltimore Ravens are 0-2 to start the season after finishing first in the AFC last regular season. Surprise, surprise, they are none too happy about it, either, particularly the officiating. S Eddie Jackson hasn’t been in Baltimore long, but he already sounds like head coach John Harbaugh. After Sunday’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, he aired his complaints.
“I’m not a ref, an official, but I feel like a couple of those was kind of BS calls”, Jackson said via Jonas Schaffer when asked about a defensive pass interference penalty against Ravens DB Brandon Stephens. “But that’s not my job. I’m a little biased”, he added, agreeing that he felt it was an instance of two players fighting for the ball.
“That type of call”, Jackson continued, before stopping, seemingly indicating the significance of the moment. “But like I said, I’m a player. That’s up to the officials”.
You can view the call yourself and judge. There was clearly a tremendous amount of contact between Raiders WR Davante Adams and Stephens. From Jackson’s vantage point, they were merely jockeying for position. Nevertheless, Stephens clearly had a hold of Adams’ jersey by the arm sleeve while the ball was in the air.
The penalty on Stephens put the Raiders on the Ravens’ 1-yard line, and Gardner Minshew II connected with Adams for the touchdown on the next play. The Raiders proceeded to tie the game with under four minutes to play, ultimately winning.
It’s worth noting that the Raiders were in 3rd and goal at the 17 at the time of that penalty. They had 1st and goal from the 9 followed by an incompletion and a sack by Ravens DL Kyle Van Noy. Van Noy had his own complaints last week about how Kansas City medical staff treated him in a losing effort.
The Ravens, of course, had two chances to take the lead back, but things didn’t go well. Lamar Jackson took a sack on their first play following the game-tying score. Ravens P Jordan Stout only managed a 24-yard punt, allowing the Raiders to start beyond the 50.
The Ravens don’t have a very long history, but they have never made the playoffs after starting 0-2 before. Now, on paper, this is a much better team than those previous units that started out slow. They obviously can and likely will rebound over the course of the year, especially with most of the division also sluggish.
Buy boy do the Ravens like to complain after losses. Harbaugh usually does most of the complaining for his players, but they’re handling it this year. Last week, LT Ronnie Stanley said the officials were making an example out of him. If they were, then I suppose it worked.
