With the Ravens blowing a 15-point lead in the final minutes of a 41-40 loss at Buffalo on Sunday night, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. After Derrick Henry’s 46-yard touchdown seemingly crushed Buffalo’s spirit, I’ll admit to thinking it was over. The Ravens played that way too. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me six times, shame on me. When this team spirals, everyone — players and coaches — goes down with the ship.
2. What’s to blame? Is it John Harbaugh and the coaches? This veteran core of players? Some misfortune that’s magnified because they’re so often ahead multiple scores compared to most teams? A mental block that might require an entire team of sports psychologists at this point? Yes to all.
3. My assessment of the defense through three quarters was there being plenty to clean up while acknowledging you’re not going to be perfect against one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks and offenses. But that final quarter was a horrendous defensive display for a franchise with such a proud tradition.
4. On Josh Allen’s 46 pass attempts, the Ravens registered one sack and three quarterbacks hits to go with two pass breakups for the entire secondary. Able to extend numerous plays against an ineffective pass rush, Allen threw for 251 yards in the fourth quarter alone. Just way too easy.
5. With three timeouts and the defense totally unraveling, I’d have gone for fourth-and-3, but Harbaugh has become increasingly conservative on fourth downs these last few years. Before that, I also didn’t like taking Henry off the field on second down and calling the read-option to Zay Flowers. Uninspiring choices.
8
6. Jaire Alexander was hardly the only defensive player to struggle, but he didn’t look like someone ready to play at a high level after missing 3 1/2 weeks of practice. Having to manage an injury is unavoidable sometimes, but succeeding in the NFL without practicing is extremely difficult.
7. The collapse overshadowed a tremendous offensive night with Lamar Jackson playing brilliantly and nearly flawlessly and Henry showing no signs of slowing down in his age-31 season until the fumble. Despite one first down gained over the last three drives, Baltimore averaged 8.6 yards per play. Just protect the ball.
8. Flowers was superb and accounted for half of Jackson’s completions on the night, but DeAndre Hopkins’ highlight touchdown reminded why Eric DeCosta signed him early in free agency. The 33-year-old won’t put up big numbers, but making contested catches on the outside is a new element for this passing game.
9. For all the talk about improving the special teams this offseason, that was a poor showing from the opening kickoff through Trenton Simpson’s failure to down a fourth-quarter punt at the 1-yard line. Tyler Loop’s two long field goals were positives, but missing that extra point proved to be costly.
10. Rookie Teddye Buchanan playing a few more snaps than Simpson in a weak-side inside linebacker timeshare was an unexpected development. Harbaugh said the rotation “seems appropriate right now” while adding both were “solid” in Week 1. Meanwhile, Sunday wasn’t the finest night for Roquan Smith.
11. Allen’s fourth-quarter greatness is a given, but Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver was a big problem all night and Buffalo wide receiver Keon Coleman made some outstanding catches. Those three came up huge in crunch time while no Raven could make the game-sealing play when it was needed the most.
12. Sunday’s defeat doesn’t really change Baltimore’s regular-season outlook. This is a very talented team that will overwhelm inferior opponents, but there are only so many opportunities that offer a glimpse into what you envision for January. After watching that debacle, what makes you believe this year will end any differently?
