The Baltimore Ravens are still in a good position from a standings perspective, but they have a growing list of concerning issues.
A late-season stretch featuring the Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Denver Broncos should be cause for celebration, not consternation.
Yet for the Baltimore Ravens, that’s exactly what it became.
After narrowly beating Carolina, Baltimore allowed 18 points over the final six minutes in a one-point, last-second loss to the Jaguars. Then, on Sunday, the Ravens came home and laid a mind-boggling bad dud against a vastly inferior Broncos team. Baltimore ended up pulling out an ugly 10-9 win, but the loss it suffered within the game may end up being far greater — and a perfect encapsulation of how this season has gone.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson left the game with a knee injury that prevented him from returning to the game. While his prognosis is uncertain, a few things have become increasingly clear for Baltimore.
For one, the offense has ground to a halt. Against the Panthers, the Ravens threw for 209 yards on a windswept day in Charm City. The following week, Jackson completed only half his attempts in defeat. Facing Denver, the combination of Jackson and backup Tyler Huntley failed to move the ball for long stretches.
Secondly, the Ravens’ defense has proven suspect in key spots. Baltimore has blown four second-half leads of at least nine points, including three double-digit affairs. It’s a unit laden with talent at all three levels, but a group yet to come together under first-year coordinator Mike Macdonald.
Then, in Sunday’s second half, linebacker Patrick Queen was carted off and immediately ruled out.
For now, though, the biggest concern is obviously Jackson. If he can’t play for a spell, the Ravens will need to almost exclusively run the football while hoping the defense can stand up and win low-scoring games.
The good news? The schedule is soft with upcoming tilts against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, and Steelers again before finishing with the Cincinnati Bengals.
The bad news? The schedule has been soft for the better part of a month, and every game has proven difficult for Baltimore, even with a healthy Jackson.
The Ravens are in a dogfight for the AFC North crown with the Bengals, but it could become a runaway if Baltimore doesn’t get good news on Jackson, all while playing to its true capacity.
At some juncture, the Ravens must become what their talent level says they can achieve.
But the shadows are getting longer, and so are the odds of Baltimore ever reaching its potential.