5 instant reactions from Ravens' infuriating Week 6 loss to the Browns

The Baltimore Ravens lost to the Cleveland Browns in ugly fashion in Week 6, falling 13-10. It was your typical road game against the Browns.

In the first quarter, it seemed like Baltimore would have a cakewalk. They breezed downfield twice and quickly took a 10-0 lead. However, as it has been all year, they can never have it easy.

The offense hit a major rut, punting five straight times at one point, and a Tyler Loop missed field goal, and Derrick Henry fumble made things way closer than they needed to be, and ultimately things broke down coming to the very end.

Here are our instant reactions from Sunday’s defeat.

5 instant reactions from Baltimore Ravens’ Week 6 loss

This team needs Lamar Jackson back badly

Tyler Huntley’s three-game win streak came to an end. He’s been a good backup — he’s usually smart with the ball, limits negative plays, and has enough arm talent to get the ball to his playmakers. Unfortunately, that didn’t show up in Week 6.

After a hot start, the offensive rhythm grew stagnant. Huntley couldn’t really force the defense to respect his arm, leaving loaded boxes for Henry to deal with for most of the day. His accuracy also became erratic at times, and he missed throws he definitely could’ve made.

Having Lamar Jackson in the fray would obviously open everything back up for Baltimore.

Huntley won’t win you games against tougher opponents either. He’s proven to be capable at times, but with the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills coming up, Jackson needs to be in the lineup.

Rushing attack continues to stumble in between the tackles

There were some big plays early, but overall, the running game was severely underwhelming. The Ravens just can’t get over the hump when running between the tackles. There’s been no consistency whatsoever.

Emery Jones Jr. played a role in those issues. The second-year pro struggled to withstand the power of Cleveland’s defensive line, and it’s clear he lacks the balance to hold up against stacked boxes. That left Derrick Henry as an easy target in the backfield.

Still, it’s not just a Jones problem. Up-the-middle runs and short-yardage situations have brought on relentless struggles all year. When Henry doesn’t build enough speed and is met in the backfield in an instant, that play is a wash. And it’s happened way too often.

Defense shuts down third-down woes, but offense lets them down

The defense was finally finishing drives in this one, holding Cleveland to 5-for-16 on third downs. Those have been a nightmare for the Ravens, and while the unit broke down late, I’m not going to pin that on them. The offense put them in a bad spot, and they put forth what should’ve been a good enough effort to preserve a win.

The most encouraging part was how they did it. They actually looked like the well-coached, talented defense everyone knows they are. Unfortunately, a lapse in coverage in the final minute against Jerry Jeudy cost them the game, so this gets chalked up as a loss and another blown lead.

You can’t blame the defense, though. They held up their end of the bargain for just about 58 minutes.

Rookies make some huge plays

We all know Vega Ioane is turning into a star, but he wasn’t the rookie who caught everyone’s eye in this one. Ja’Kobi Lane and Josh Cuevas were exceptional.

Lane didn’t need any time to catch up after missing four games with a fractured wrist. He came out firing on the opening drive, and his ability as a downfield blocker shone brightly. It felt like every time Huntley needed someone for a crucial catch, Lane was there. He finished with 4 receptions for 40 yards.

As for Cuevas, he had his breakout day. With Matt Hibner out, he impressed. He did well as a blocker, caught his first career touchdown, and added a 30-yard reception on this masterful design from Declan Doyle, where Cuevas lined up at left guard.

Keyon Martin takes back dime duties with authority

Chandler Rivers had his chance to shine. Unfortunately, the fifth-round rookie hasn’t been good enough. On Sunday, Baltimore went back to Keyon Martin in dime packages, and he may have won it for good.

Martin had several big plays. Most notably, he had back-to-back plays late in the second quarter that pretty much single-handedly wiped out a drive. On first down, he broke up a pass intended for KC Concepcion, and then flashed again with a sack on the very next play.

The pass interference penalty in the fourth quarter was also simply a great play, and a terrible call.

It’s easy to feed off Martin’s energy, too. He plays with intensity that’s hard to match on one down, and he plays with that on every down. He fires onto the scene in an instant, and when he makes a play, he lets everyone know.

If Martin keeps playing like that, he should be slotted in as the go-to guy in dime looks moving forward.

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