Ravens' John Harbaugh suggests changes on the way after 1-4 start

Perhaps the only way to go is up for the Baltimore Ravens. That's certainly the message longtime head coach John Harbaugh seems to be leaning on.

At 1-4 after one of the worst home losses in franchise history, the Ravens are looking for answers. Yes, they've been banged up. Multi-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson (hamstring) not being able to play against the Houston Texans certainly played a role in the 44-10 loss on Sunday. That's not even to mention players like safety Kyle Hamilton (groin), linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring) or cornerback Marlon Humphrey (calf), among others.

This was a team that looked "off" even before Jackson's injury, though. Their only win so far in 2025 came against the also 1-4 Cleveland Browns.

And still, Harbaugh is talking like he has faith in this team to pull off a comeback.

"You can't sit there and say all is lost. We just don't," Harbaugh said Monday, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. "And we've done it before -- other teams have done it before -- so we're going to go to work and try to make that happen."

John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens need to look at changes

Getting healthy will absolutely help this team. Six of Baltimore's highest-paid players didn't play against the Texans, so even just a return to full strength, or something close to it, will help the Ravens get back on the winning track.

There will absolutely be an evaluation of the current players on the field, though. Up next for the Ravens is a 3-2 Los Angeles Rams team that will be looking to bounce back from a loss to the San Francisco 49ers this past weekend. 

The Ravens don't have time to hold on and wait for their injured players to return to the lineup. Harbaugh made it clear that he and the staff will be taking a look at the film and making tough decisions.

"You look at how guys did ... and who else might need an opportunity," Harbaugh said.

Only three teams have ever come back from a 1-5 record to start the season to make the NFL playoffs. Only one team, the 1970 Cincinnati Bengals, started off at 1-6 and still made the playoffs.

What that means is that there's still hope for Baltimore if the Ravens can make the proper adjustments and get back to playing winning football. There's also hope because the AFC North is not necessarily a tough place to play at the moment.

The 3-1 Pittsburgh Steelers are one Aaron Rodgers injury away from being a lost cause, and speaking of, the Bengals are officially a lost cause without Joe Burrow.

The big picture is out of the Ravens' control, though. All they can do right now is focus on making the correct choices. You control what you can control in the NFL. Now, Harbaugh and his staff have to figure out what that looks like.

"We'll consider everything, every part of it to try to get the win," Harbaugh said. "That'll be talked about the next 24 hours."