Ravens Tumble Even Further Down Power Rankings

The Baltimore Ravens have become unrecognizable, and it's starting to show as the potential that's been holding them up from falling further in league-wide rankings can no longer distract from the team's jarring 1-4 record. They already threatened to slip into the NFL's bottom half in the Week 4 roundup, but a 44-10 waxing by the Houston Texans has put a lot of analysts over the edge. Their playoff hopes are in real jeopardy, and it's up to the reeling squad and their frantic coaching staff to find answers, and find them fast.

Sports Illustrated: 21 (Last week: 13)

"On an appearance with my friends at Heed the Call this week, I joked that the Ravens should run Wildcat with Derrick Henry this week against the Rams in order to keep that defense off the field. The deeper into the week I get, I’m realizing that I don’t think I was kidding. " - Conor Orr

ESPN: 22 (Last week: 15)

"Henry has gone from being the fourth-best running back in ESPN Fantasy in 2024 to 27th this year, averaging 11.8 fantasy points per game. He was projected as the ninth-best running back in the preseason, but he has failed to reach that level. He has been held to 50 yards rushing or fewer in four straight games, which matches his longest rut from 2016, when he was DeMarco Murray's backup. But after facing the NFL's 11th-best run defense in the Rams next Sunday, he will play three of the league's worst run defenses after the bye: the Bears (31st), Dolphins (32nd) and Vikings (24th)." - Jamison Hensley

The Ringer: 18 (Last week: 10)

"One of the most dejecting feelings as a football fan is watching a team put together an excellent opening script, only to crumble by the second drive. That’s what happened to Baltimore on Sunday against Houston. The injured Ravens, playing without Lamar Jackson and a host of defensive starters, couldn’t keep up."

"Every snap Baltimore takes without Jackson makes it clear that this is not a symbiotic relationship between player and team. This offense isn’t even built around Jackson’s running ability like it once was, but its design won’t work without his gravity pulling defenders out of place. - Diante Lee

NFL.com: 22 (Last week: 16)

"How the mighty have fallen. The Ravens might be without Lamar Jackson again this week, with the talented Rams coming to town, and who knows what shape Baltimore's defense will be in? Since 1990, 1-4 teams have made the playoffs only 12 times in 174 opportunities, a not-so-nice success rate of 6.9 percent. There are some winnable games upcoming, and Baltimore is still unbeaten against the AFC North, with five division games remaining. In other words, there’s still hope, and the Ravens will get some players back soon. But with Derrick Henry struggling since the Buffalo fumble and the defense a long way from respectability, it will take some pretty special circumstances to fully turn this season around." - Eric Edholm

Sporting News: 24 (Last week: 13)

"The Ravens have gone from bad to near the worst with Lamar Jackson's absence dragging down their offense, giving them no chance to outscore opponents with their major defensive issues. They need to chalk up a lost big season under John Harbaugh." -Vinnie Iyer

Yahoo Sports: 19 (Last week: 14)

"It’s hard to rank the Ravens. They’ve been bad. The hole they’re digging might be too big to get out of. But many of their key players will be back, and when they are this is still a team with more than enough talent to be top 10 in the league."  - Frank Schwab

The Athletic: 23 (Last week: 15)

"What a nightmarish first five games for John Harbaugh, who summed things up by saying, 'Just a complete disaster.' It was always going to be a tough ask without Lamar Jackson and several other injuries on Sunday, but there's no excuse for getting blown out by a previously struggling Texans team." - Chad Graff and Josh Kendall

USA Today: 21 (Last week: 16)

"Even assuming the Rams drop them to 1-5 ahead of a Week 7 bye, the schedule still suggests Baltimore could still go on quite a run starting in Week 8 … provided QB Lamar Jackson and some this team's other sidelined studs are able to suit up." - Nate Davis

Pro Football Talk: 22 (Last week: 15)

"The ship has sunk." - Mike Florio

Bleacher Report: 22 (Last week: 15)

"The Baltimore Ravens' 2025 season is over before we have even hit Halloween."

"This isn't hyperbole, or an overreaction to the injuries that left the likes of quarterback Lamar Jackson, linebacker Roquan Smith and cornerback Marlon Humphrey sidelined against the Houston Texans."

"Even when the Ravens had Smith and Humphrey on the field, Baltimore's defense was atrocious this season — and things weren't a bit better against Houston."

"After getting waxed 44-10 at home, the Ravens have one win on the season — over the hapless browns. That's also the only game where the Baltimore defense surrendered less than 37 points."

"The Ravens' schedule doesn't ease up from here — the 3-2 Rams come calling next week. And given how Baltimore looked in Week 5, it will probably hit its Week 7 bye with a reeling 1-5 squad." -Gary Davenport

CBS Sports: 22 (Last week: 16)

"Who is this team? The big, bad bullies are getting bullied on a weekly basis. Even with all the injuries, don't they have to at least compete?" - Pete Prisco

New York Post: 21 (Last week: 10)

Fox Sports: 22 (Last week: 10)

"Honestly, my preseason Super Bowl pick might still be ranked too high. What a disappointment and a disaster. At 1-4, having given up more points already than they did all of last season, not even Lamar Jackson’s return can save them now." - Ralph Vacchiano

Sharp Football Analysis: 21 (Last week 10)

"What could have been a bounce-back game against a familiar conference opponent turned into the worst loss in the Lamar Jackson era. While the former league MVP was sidelined with a hamstring injury, Cooper Rush threw 3 interceptions on 20 passing attempts, setting Houston up with premier field position and allowing scores on the first 8 of 10 total Texans drives. This once-Super Bowl hopeful season is in a tailspin as the turnovers just keep coming. To find a more brutal beatdown, you’d have to look back to 2017 when Blake Bortles and the Jaguars scored 44." - Will Mauro