BALTIMORE — The juxtaposition of postgame comments from their newest defender and longest-tenured player said plenty about perceptions of the Ravens and their 23-10 win over the New York Jets on Sunday.
A standout performer with 1 1/2 sacks for a surging defense that’s now allowed fewer than 20 points in six straight games, outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones hasn’t tasted defeat since being acquired at the trade deadline. And with the Ravens winning their fifth straight contest to move into a first-place tie in the AFC North after Pittsburgh fell to Chicago, Jones is now on a path to make the playoffs for the first time in his seven-year career.
Baltimore has come a long way since that 1-5 start, especially on the defensive side of the ball with Zach Orr’s group ranking among the NFL’s best since getting off to the worst five-game start in franchise history.
“When I got here, it seemed weird that they lost or had any slip-ups because they were just so good,” said Jones, who arrived ahead of the Week 10 win in Minnesota. “I’m happy to be a part of something like that.”
On the flip side, Sunday was a forgettable outing from the Ravens offense with its lowest yardage total (241) in a game started by two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson since Week 3 of the 2020 season. Baltimore failed to score a touchdown in the first half for the second time in three weeks and only got going after a pivotal pass interference penalty to avoid a three-and-out on the opening drive of the third quarter. To their credit, the Ravens took advantage of New York penalties and short fields provided by their defense to score on four of their five full possessions in the second half to finally seize control of the game.
While appreciative of the heavy lifting from the defense and special teams in victory, Jackson and running back Derrick Henry were clearly frustrated after Sunday’s win. Struggling against Cleveland’s tough defense in a division road game last week was one thing, but the Jets defense entered Week 12 ranking in the bottom 10 in points allowed and various efficiency metrics and traded its two best players earlier this month.
Even with Baltimore concluding the weekend among the teams currently in the AFC’s playoff field, 10th-year left tackle Ronnie Stanley expressed the big-picture truth that this offense isn’t moving in the right direction.
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“For me and Lamar, we believe that to win a Super Bowl, that’s the type of offense we’re going to need to have,” Stanley said. “While winning is great, to reach our goals, we know we need to be better.”
Concerns about the offensive line are nothing new, but Jackson struggled for the second straight game as questions persist about his health with him missing practice time with ankle and knee issues the last two weeks. Not only is the best rushing quarterback in NFL history running less than ever, but he didn’t look particularly explosive when he did scramble on Sunday, finishing with a long run of six yards. Jackson wasn’t accurate throwing the ball either, completing less than 60% of his passes for the third straight game.
A below-average offensive line and a banged-up quarterback are an unnerving combination for a team that has aspirations much greater than qualifying for the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons. It’s difficult envisioning the Ravens getting where they ultimately want to go without a healthier and more dynamic version of Jackson reappearing, especially with the ground game — which averaged just 2.9 yards per carry — failing to build on the positives shown in last week’s win over the Browns.
While Jackson said his ankle felt “pretty solid” and denied his injuries being a factor in the offensive difficulties, he was asked whether he’s felt fully healthy at any point since returning from the Week 3 hamstring injury that sidelined him for three games.
“I can’t call it, but I’m out there,” Jackson said. “I feel like I should still be able to do what I do.”
He and the Ravens now face a quick turnaround to host Cincinnati on Thanksgiving, which begins a pivotal stretch of three straight AFC North games. The Bengals sport the league’s worst defense, but Baltimore struggling to find its offensive footing against the hapless Jets only raised concerns as a more challenging December schedule looms.
Make no mistake, there’s much to like about winning five straight — regardless of the opponents — and the defense and special teams playing at a high level. The Ravens are now in first place and continue to handle their business in games they’re supposed to win, which is hardly a sure thing in this unpredictable week-to-week league.
But Jackson not looking like himself and now going back-to-back starts without a single touchdown pass or run for the first time in his career is tough to shake.
“Lamar is doing what he needs to do. He’s winning football games,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “It’s not always pretty. … The pretty games will be there. They’ll be there for Lamar Jackson — you can bet on that. But I’m proud of him right now. I’m really proud of him and the way he’s fighting to win football games.”
