The Baltimore Ravens faced a historic meltdown during their recent matchup against the Buffalo Bills, allowing 264 yards in the fourth quarter—the most in any quarter in franchise history. This staggering statistic emphasizes the team’s struggles in closing out games, as they suffered their fifth loss after leading by 10 or more points in the fourth quarter over the past seven seasons. The Ravens had a commanding lead of 40-25 with just 4:48 remaining, giving them a 99.1% chance of winning, but they ultimately succumbed to a series of mistakes and missed opportunities.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson’s explosive playmaking has been a hallmark of the Ravens’ offense since he took over as starter in 2018. Unlike in that game, Jackson encountered unfamiliar pressures that rattled his judgment. He experienced debilitating cramps as he jogged off the field. This anguish ultimately prevented him from advocating for a potentially season-saving fourth-and-3 conversion attempt. By punting, the Ravens’ win probability lowered from 81.4% to 73.2%. They would regret that decision when they let their opponents rally to score 16 unanswered points in the final minutes.
Defensively, the Ravens had a hard time stopping Bills quarterback Josh Allen from going off for 394 yards on the day. Congratulations to running back Derrick Henry on making history! He threw for 238 yards, and his 169 rushing yards were the most in a Ravens season opener. The Bills produced national television’s most scintillating offensive display since that playoff game against the Patriots. The Ravens’ defensive failures led to a shocking turnaround that left fans and players alike dumbfounded.
Kyle Hamilton, one of five first-round picks in the Ravens’ defensive backfield, expressed his frustration with the team’s repeated failures to maintain leads.
“We are winning them for 45 minutes, but you have to win for 60 minutes,” – Kyle Hamilton
Even head coach John Harbaugh has been guilty of voicing this cliché. After taking the kind of losses he was forced to take, he knew a strategic reexamination was necessary.
“It’s never over until it’s 0:00 on the clock,” – Lamar Jackson
Their defense is loaded with elite talent and depth with guys like Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks, Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins and Jaire Alexander. When it mattered most, they dropped the ball against the Bills. Hamilton lamented the repeated defensive failures, saying,
“I do believe that we need to be really thoughtful of how we decide that we’re going to approach those situations going forward,” – John Harbaugh
The Ravens jumped out to a 14-point lead and outgained the unit 445 yards to 207 for 2 ½ quarters. Yet now, they share ownership with the Chicago Bears of the most double-digit fourth-quarter collapses in the NFL over the past seven seasons. Given this trend, it begs the question of whether or not they can stay focused down the stretch and deliver when it matters most.
“There’s no way that we should be in that position as a defense,” – Kyle Hamilton
In the final few minutes of the championship bout, cramping robbed Jackson of his effectiveness and proved to be the deciders in a five-point contest. The quarterback explained the choice to punt instead of go for a conversion, saying,
The Ravens must now confront these persistent issues and seek solutions if they aim to improve their performance moving forward. Harbaugh was adamant that the most important thing was to recalibrate their mindset and approach to crunch-time situations.
“We really have no excuses to not go out there and do what we need to do,” – Kyle Hamilton
Baltimore’s players and coaching staff prepare for their next matchup. They face a tough uphill battle as they continue to attempt to address their late-game blunders. The state’s squad will need to figure out how to turn their first half successes into consistent wins across the four-quarter duration of a football game.
“Let’s give some thought to our playcalling,” – John Harbaugh
As they prepare for their next matchup, Baltimore’s players and coaching staff face an uphill battle in addressing their late-game woes. The team must find a way to translate their early-game success into sustained victories throughout all four quarters.
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