Ravens Have Problems That Go Beyond Lamar Jackson

Huntley had a decent afternoon overall, throwing for 298 yards and a touchdown. He still missed some easy throws and tossed an interception that put the final nail in Baltimore’s hopes of a comeback, but he also showed a willingness to push the ball downfield.

Zay Flowers was excellent and arguably Baltimore’s best player, catching eight passes for 137 yards and a touchdown. He provided a massive spark, showing his ability to create explosive plays both downfield and on shorter passes.

This is all to say that even if Lamar Jackson had played, Baltimore’s defense was giving up far too much for the quarterback to solve anything. Allowing five consecutive touchdown drives in a single half is unacceptable. Burrow seemed like he was playing backyard football at times, completing 16 of 18 passes for 249 yards and four touchdowns after halftime. Baltimore’s sputtering offense only made things worse, as Cincinnati seized all the momentum while the Ravens struggled to respond.

This is not the first time the team has seemingly shut down after heading to the locker room. Baltimore has been outscored 48-0 in the second halves of its last two games. This could boil down to a number of things: Baltimore getting complacent after a good half, the team failing to adjust its strategy, or an inability to maintain the momentum that put it in a winning position in the first place.

Regardless of the answer, the Ravens cannot afford another collapse against the Buffalo Bills. Baltimore is seven games into the season and sits last in an extremely competitive AFC North. If the team wants to make an appearance in the playoffs and prove that its new coaching staff can orchestrate a deep run, it needs to start winning games right now.