- The Baltimore Ravens’ 1-3 start is compounded by significant injuries, including one to quarterback Lamar Jackson.
- Baltimore’s defense has been decimated by injuries, with more than half of its starters sidelined.
- Despite the poor start, the Ravens have a forgiving upcoming schedule that could allow for a turnaround.
Bad as their 1-3 record is, the Baltimore Ravens have even bigger problems.
Like Lamar Jackson picking up a hamstring injury. A defense with more injuries than some E.R.s. A run game that has become, surprisingly, both anemic and turnover prone.
“First, I just want to apologize to the fans. The product that we’re putting on the field right now is not up to par with what the Ravens have been in the past,” Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said after a 37-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday that was actually worse than the score indicates.
“We’re trying our best to correct it, but obviously something is wrong.”
You think?
The Ravens began this season having not only Super Bowl aspirations but expectations. It was not even a question that they, along with the Buffalo Bills and the Chiefs, were the best teams in the AFC, the conference title likely to go to one of them.
That’s why there wasn’t much consternation after the loss to Buffalo in the season opener. Yes, gagging up a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter wasn’t great and the fumble by Derrick Henry was troubling.
But it was the Bills and the game was in Buffalo. That’s a loss you can live with.
Even that loss to the Detroit Lions last week wasn’t horrendous. Since their loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, the Lions have been dominant, looking very much like the team that’s been near the top of the NFC the last two years.
And, in most other seasons, even the loss Sunday to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs wouldn’t seem so catastrophic.
Mahomes and the Chiefs are, well, Mahomes and the Chiefs, and Jackson has fared worse against them than any other team. He’s now 1-6 against Kansas City, his most losses to any one team.
The Ravens also have had a history recently of starting slow and finishing strong — they started last season 0-2 and still won the AFC North — and no reason this couldn’t be more of the same.
Except there are obvious signs of concerns, beginning with the injuries.
Jackson, a two-time NFL MVP, did not play the last 16 minutes of the game because of a hamstring injury. While coach John Harbaugh said he didn’t think it’s season-ending, hamstrings are tricky. Especially for a quarterback like Jackson, whose mobility is one of his (many) strengths.
“Losing Lamar is losing Lamar,” Hamilton said.
The Ravens also lost Marlon Humphrey, Roquan Smith and Nate Wiggins during the game. That’s on top of already being down Nnamdi Madubuike, Broderick Washington, Travis Jones and Kyle Van Noy.
That’s more than half of Baltimore’s starting defense.
“Baltimore is decimated by injuries. But they weren’t playing great before,” CBS analyst Tony Romo said during the game.
And that’s the largest concern.
The Ravens had two turnovers Sunday, doubling their total for the season. After not turning the ball over at all in the first three games, Jackson had both an interception and a fumble. A week after being sacked a whopping seven times by the Lions, Jackson was sacked three more times by the Chiefs.
Outside of Justice Hill’s 71-yard touchdown run when the game was effectively over, the Ravens had just 95 yards rushing. And 20 of that came on Baltimore’s first drive of the game! When you have Henry, you’ve got to do better than that.
The Ravens also were whistled for six penalties, three of which occurred on the same drive in the second quarter. Four, if you count the holding call on the kick return.
About the only positive the Ravens have right now is that they have a very forgiving schedule, so a turnaround is not out of the question.
Of their remaining 13 games, the Green Bay Packers are their toughest opponent. Baltimore has games left against the winless Miami Dolphins and New York Jets, as well as the one-win Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns.
The Ravens also have two games left against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who currently lead the AFC North.
“I’m concerned, but I’m not overwhelmed by it,’ Harbaugh said, referring to the 1-3 record. ‘The three losses are against probably three of the top teams in the league.
‘That’s just the hand we’ve been dealt, but it doesn’t really matter. We have to win the next game,’ Harbaugh added ‘And then once you win the next game, then you have a chance to start stacking some wins. And that’s what we’ve got to do, big picture-wise.’
The record is a problem, for sure. But Baltimore’s issues go well beyond that, and they better get on top of them. Fast.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
