The Baltimore Ravens are in an unusual position heading into week four as they sit at a abysmal 1-2. This marks only the third time in head coach John Harbaugh’s 18-year tenure that the team has faced a losing record after three games. The Ravens’ defensive unit, which has been a cornerstone of their success in past seasons, is under particular scrutiny as they have given up a league-high 12 touchdowns and allowed 96 points—the most in the franchise’s 30-year history during the first three games.
It would be unfathomable in the context of the Ravens’ defense, which has been terrible this season both at stopping the run and getting pressure on enemy quarterbacks. They have especially been plagued by lackluster tackling, which has hurt their capacity to corral rushing attacks. Moreover, with Pro Bowl pass-rushers Nnamdi Madubuike and Kyle Van Noy sidelined, the pressure on quarterbacks has notably diminished, leaving the secondary vulnerable.
The Ravens have done something pretty incredible so far through three games, having scored an astonishing 111 points. It’s the highest total ever recorded by a team with a losing record in NFL history. Despite this offensive output, the team has still managed to lose twice, including a 40-point performance against Buffalo in Week 1 and a 30-point outing against Detroit on Monday night.
Defensive coordinator Zach Orr had a rough go of it himself at the start of last season. Now, he faces an entirely different gauntlet. Last year, he improved the defense significantly over the final eight weeks, allowing just 15.4 points per game—leading the league during that stretch. The troubling early results of this season have raised serious and necessary questions about whether the current strategy is working.
Despite these challenges on defense, quarterback Lamar Jackson assured that the struggles have not added extra pressure on the offense. All the while, he continues to be committed to keeping their scoring prowess intact while holding out optimism for improvements defensively.
Kyle Hamilton further elaborated on the team’s current situation: “We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. We just have to go play football. It’s probably not a good answer, but it’s running and it’s hitting, and we have to run and hit better.”
The Ravens are preparing for a very different story with their season right now. They had to close their defensive holes while amping up their offensive advantages! And the burden will fall as much on players, as it does on coaches, to reset and recover from these initial season stumbles.
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