Sep 20, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith (89) reacts after the Oakland Raiders were called for pass interference near the end zone in the second quarter at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
The Baltimore Ravens left Denver 0-1 last week, but still had hopes of contention in what was a close game against a strong rival. They put in a strong defensive effort, but a compete breakdown on offense did them in. Regardless, it came against one of the better defenses in the NFL.
In week two against the Oakland Raiders, the tables quite literally turned. The Ravens’ offense came to life and looked very competitive, albeit against a much inferior foe. The defense, on the other hand, could do nothing to stop a young and inexperienced, but talented offense.
So will the real 2015 Baltimore Ravens please stand up? For a team expected to compete for a Super Bowl despite a tough schedule, the Ravens still look like they have a lot of work to do to even be competitive. Their lack of playmakers and offseason free agent losses might be catching up to them.
This is a team that has always overcome whatever obstacles have been thrown at them, but is this the season where they simply can’t? After losing a wealth of talent to free agency (and trading away Haloti Ngata), the Ravens’ biggest loss yet might have come when Terrell Suggs departed week 1 with a season ending injury.
But as always, things aren’t necessarily as bad as they seem. There are still signs that this team can overcome the hole they have dug for themselves and emerge a contender. The NFL is an unpredictable and constantly changing entity, which is why we love it so much.
As we do each week, we are going to take a look at who performed well and who didn’t, courtesy of the stats gurus at Pro Football Focus. Those guys go beyond the basic stat lines to see who truly helped the team as well as who hurt them. We’ll get started with cream of the offensive crop.
Next: Highest rated offensive players
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