The Baltimore Ravens are looking to make a statement win against the Cleveland Browns. Following an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Bills in Week 1, the defense is attempting to prove that it has the makings of an elite unit in 2025. That can start in Week 2, where the team celebrates its 30th anniversary and Joe Flacco returns to Baltimore
This will be the first time Flacco plays at M&T Bank Stadium in an opposing team’s uniform. Since his departure in 2019, when he was traded to the Denver Broncos, Flacco has made one appearance against his former team. He started for the New York Jets in 2022 at MetLife Stadium, a game in which he went 37-for-59, threw for 309 yards, one touchdown, and an interception.
Baltimore’s defense will look to make sure he does not find that sort of success in Week 2. They just allowed 394 passing yards to Josh Allen and the Bills, and are playing with a chip on their shoulder moving forward. Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr will implement a no-nonsense type of strategy in the coming weeks to try and cut down on the errors.
Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy outlined just how locked in the defensive unit is headed into the Browns game. In his press conference on Wednesday, he talked about how their mindset has changed since their season-opening loss.
“The defense had a dinner…We have to turn the page and focus on the Browns and make sure that we don’t start like last year,” Van Noy said. “We have a pretty healthy team right now, looking forward to the challenge. The Browns, Joe Flacco coming back to a place where he’s won a Super Bowl, and the emotions of that, he’s going to want to play really well…Our defense needs to step up, and it’s exciting to have that challenge.”
Ravens’ defense poised to crash Joe Flacco’s homecoming in style
The Ravens’ defense has the pieces to be the best in the NFL. There are All-Pros and Pro Bowlers scattered around the field. Kyle Hamilton and Marlon Humphrey control a secondary that is looking to bounce back, Roquan Smith is a top linebacker in the league, and the defensive line has players like Nnamdi Madubuike and Travis Jones feasting on opposing offensive lines.
The issue is, the unit has yet to find a rhythm. Half of the battle is communication and playing in sync with one another, and they have yet to win that battle. With so many new additions, including several rookies and offseason acquisitions like Jaire Alexander and Chidobe Awuzie, it can be tough to get on the same page. They must figure that out on Sunday.
The Browns do not have an electric offense by any means, but Baltimore cannot take them lightly. It is a divisional game, and no matter how one-sided the matchup may look, AFC North rivalries always end up being physical matchups. We will see if the Ravens’ defense figures everything out against Flacco and Cleveland.