BALTIMORE — When Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh stepped to the rostrum on Sunday, his first phrases to reporters spoke as a lot to the exasperation of the season because the 17-3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
“Clearly, I get somewhat uninterested in getting up right here and having this dialog,” Harbaugh stated.
The Ravens (1-5) have misplaced 4 straight video games to tie the worst begin in franchise historical past, which units up probably the most vital bye of Harbaugh’s 18 seasons in Baltimore. The Ravens’ mindset this week is to wash up the stunning errors, which have heightened the frustration stage across the staff.
Baltimore’s fix-it checklist consists of areas which have gone from sources of delight to obtrusive weaknesses: short-yardage offense, turnovers and cross rush. Although Baltimore will get a lift from the anticipated return of injured quarterback Lamar Jackson from a hamstring harm, the Ravens perceive their margin of error is extraordinarily skinny.
“The one worse factor is 0-6, so sure, it is a huge gap,” Professional Bowl middle Tyler Linderbaum stated. “We will need to bounce again and take a while to mirror on this bye week. We’ve 11 video games left to attempt to run the desk.”
If the Ravens fall in need of the playoffs, one among Baltimore’s greatest regrets will likely be how they fell one yard brief Sunday.
Within the ultimate seconds of the primary half, it regarded like Baltimore was going to take a 10-3 lead over the Rams when it confronted second-and-goal from the 1-yard line. However the Ravens did not punch the ball throughout the objective line on three tries, which included two tush pushes with tight finish Mark Andrews.
“That sort of pisses me off,” working again Derrick Henry stated of the Ravens’ goal-line troubles. “That is simply unacceptable. That is not adequate, It simply looks like a repetitive factor, which is sort of irritating.”
The Ravens had been almost automated after they obtained near the tip zone final season. Baltimore scored touchdowns on 31-of-35 goal-to-goal drives (88.6%), which was the third-best fee within the NFL.
This yr, the Ravens have reached the tip zone on 4-of-7 goal-to-go conditions (57.1%), which ranks twenty eighth within the league.
“I would need to say it has been stunning,” Harbaugh stated. “That is just like the No. 1 factor in my thoughts on offense is short-yardage and goal-line; we must be higher. We must be manner higher than we’re. We have by no means struggled in these areas [before], and I do not actually perceive why we’re 1760532052. So, if we need to be the sort of staff that we have now, if we need to have an opportunity, we have now to get that mounted.”
The Ravens have a saying: When you’ve gotten the ball in your palms, you maintain the “desires, targets and aspirations of everybody in this system.” However, in each loss this season, Baltimore has dropped the ball.
The Ravens’ 10 turnovers this season are the third-most within the NFL and only one shy of Baltimore’s complete giveaways from final season. Henry fumbled in every of the primary three video games, backup quarterback Cooper Rush threw 4 interceptions and broad receiver Zay Flowers misplaced the ball twice on Sunday.
“To me, [ball security] could not be extra emphasised in observe or video games,” Harbaugh stated. “It simply could not be, however we will need to discover a method to make it extra vital, as a result of it is occurring an excessive amount of. You possibly can’t win by turning the ball over. You need to have a look at why the report is the best way it’s; begin with that.”
Final season, the Ravens solely turned the ball over 11 instances, which had been the third-fewest within the league. In Harbaugh’s first 17 seasons (2008 to 2024), Baltimore dedicated the fifth-fewest turnovers.
The most important level of rivalry for Harbaugh is the fumbling. Baltimore has misplaced 5 fumbles, which rank solely behind the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans.
The coaches educate a method referred to as “the Raven claw” to safe the ball. When a participant has the ball, his free hand is used to grip the opposite wrist to basically lock within the ball.
“We have by no means been a fumbling staff,” Harbaugh stated. “Now, swiftly, we fumble; that is stunning. Nevertheless it’s occurring manner an excessive amount of, so it has to cease. That is the duty of everyone, however it’s primarily the duty of the one that has the ball of their palms, and so they all know that. And so they’re very conscientious. So, it has to get achieved.”
Final week, no place on the Ravens took a tougher hit than exterior linebacker. Baltimore traded former first-round choose Odafe Oweh to the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 7 after which watched Tavius Robinson break his foot on Sunday, which can sideline him for six to eight weeks.
The lack of these two exterior linebackers will damage an already struggling Baltimore cross rush. The Ravens’ eight sacks are their fewest by six weeks below Harbaugh.
“It has been a problem all yr to generate stress, so we’re going to need to manufacture stress,” Harbaugh stated. “Our guys are going to need to step up and create stress on the four-man rush. We do it with simulated pressures, too, a variety of instances; we did that within the [last] sport. So, we have now to construct off of these issues and do the job with the fellows that we have now.”
Within the earlier two seasons, Baltimore has produced probably the most sacks within the NFL with 114. Now, the Ravens are with out one among their prime edge rushers in Oweh and their finest inside rusher in Nnamdi Madubuike, who’s out for the season with a neck harm.
Baltimore at the moment has three wholesome exterior linebackers in Kyle Van Noy, rookie Mike Inexperienced and David Ojabo. Harbaugh was requested if the Ravens would look exterior the group so as to add one other exterior linebacker or promote from the observe squad.
“Sure to all the above, I might say,” Harbaugh stated.
The Ravens perceive the problem forward of them. The final staff to make the playoffs after a 1-5 begin was the 2020 Washington Soccer Staff.
Ravens nostril deal with John Jenkins was requested what he would inform those that have written off this staff.
“The one factor I do know is that I come to work daily, and I see a variety of guys who’re hungry, who put the work in,” Jenkins stated. “So, so long as I see that daily from the fellows within the locker room, within the constructing and the group, it is robust to hearken to what individuals say.”
