I regret to inform you that the Baltimore Ravens have lost their ping-pong privileges in the locker room, a sad byproduct of their 1-5 start. In actuality, the coaching staff removed all fun and games after Week 4, but that shockingly didn’t translate into wins. Granted, they haven’t had QB Lamar Jackson for the past two losses, either, but the problems run deeper than that.
The Baltimore Sun recently published an article seeking to answer the question of what is wrong with the Ravens this year. Seeking information from dozens of sources within the team and the league, it paints an ugly picture. One rival coach accused the defense of playing “soft”, for example.
Some trace the issues back to Week 1 when the Ravens gave up a 15-point fourth-quarter lead to the Bills. “It was that Bills game that put a beating on us mentally where it felt like everything was ending, even though it was the first game”, an anonymous veteran player told the Sun.
Despite the defense’s horrible efforts, there remains significant criticism for Ravens OC Todd Monken. “I just don’t feel like guys are being put in positions to succeed with this offense”, one veteran offensive player said. He said that with the way the offense is running, they would have the same issues with Patrick Mahomes. Of course, John Harbaugh has criticized his own offense, too.
And yet the Ravens rank 32nd in the NFL in scoring defense and 30th in yards allowed. They are among the worst defenses in the league in taking the ball away or producing sacks. Still, they continue to defend young DC Zach Orr, a former starting linebacker for the team. Players in the article cited examples in which he scouted the right plays and called them in-game, but the defense didn’t execute.
The Ravens’ many injuries are obviously an immeasurable variable in the equation of their struggles. Chief among them is Jackson, who has missed the past two games and still hasn’t practiced this week. With an easy schedule and a healthy MVP quarterback, they should still be able to win games. If they can stop being predictable.
“Three years ago, we had a new OC, new DC,”, one veteran Ravens player said. “Teams didn’t have any film on us. Now, they’ve seen everything that we’ve done, so we have to be more creative and put guys in spaces [to succeed]”. Another said that with so many personnel groupings on offense, “It can get confusing at times”.
Up next for the Ravens is the Chicago Bears at home, followed by a three-game road trip that start in Miami. Even the Browns managed to beat the Dolphins, but can the Ravens get Mike McDaniel fired? After that is the Vikings, followed by Cleveland, leading into a three-game homestand that ends with the Steelers.
Three games behind in the AFC North, Baltimore certainly needs to start making a move. If the Ravens can go 5-2 in this stretch with a win in Pittsburgh, we could be having a different conversation. But there’s a lot of work to do, and there are no more ping-pong tables to blame it on.
