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Ravens' Strong Defensive Effort Falls Short in Loss
Dec 10, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Travis Jones (98) reacts after sacking Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Ravens' Strong Defensive Effort Falls Short in Loss

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Henry Brown  |  Last updated Oct 13, 2025 7:00 AM ET

Of the many issues that the 2025 Baltimore Ravens have fielded through the regular season's first six weeks, none have frightened fans quite like their sudden inability to play strong defense against anyone they've faced.

They deserved a tad of grace for their tough schedule, already facing five of last playoffs' divisional round participants in stumbling to a 1-5 start, but no excuses can be made for their drastic slippage in nearly every defensive department. Even before they were bogged down by their never-ending slew of injuries, they were giving up more points and yards per game on the ground and in the air than nearly all of their league-wide counterparts, and the struggles haven't gone anywhere while the once-proud offense suffers its own regression.

Their scoring totals have consistently dropped since losing Lamar Jackson midway through Week 4, with the Ravens abruptly stopping at 20 points in finishing without him before managing just 10 in their first start-to-finish game without the 2x MVP of the season.

Last week's Houston Texans loss was embarrassing enough in the moment, but their inability to scrounge together more than a field goal in this most recent 17-3 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams served as the first time the offense let the defense down. Even Derrick Henry wasn't enough to save this team, and he openly spoke on their shortcomings post-game.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford remains one of the NFL's more dangerous throwing arms, with his offense's dominance playing a sizable role in the Ravens' underdog odds. Baltimore's ragtag duo of backups in Cooper Rush and Tyler Huntley weren't expected to hold up against the one-time Super Bowl champion in a potential shootout, yet Stafford finished with just 167 passing yards and a touchdown.

They had their moments, with veteran defensive tackle John Jenkins getting a crucial first-half strip-sack on Stafford for one of the Ravens' rare forced turnovers. The 360 lbs. linebacker was tackled quickly after to continue holding the Rams to three points through the first half-hour of regulation.

The Ravens fell apart in the second half, as they've been known to since the season started slipping away amidst their active four-game losing streak. Their defensive coordinators weren't without the occasional strange schematic decision, but 17 points is tied for the fewest they've allowed all season.

Ravens' head coach John Harbaugh told the media that he's tired of stepping up to the podium and talking about missing opportunities, but this flat offensive performance wasted several chances at salvaging the season heading into their week off. Instead of ending the skid for a feel-good win, their margin of error to return to the playoffs looks as thin as ever before.

The hardest part of their schedule has now passed, but this isn't a team that's deserved any slack in projecting future wins.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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