The Baltimore Ravens are entering a must-win matchup in Week 8 against the Chicago Bears. At 1-5, a win could put them right back into playoff contention, but a loss could all but end their playoff hopes.
The Ravens are favored in this matchup, and with quarterback Lamar Jackson trending toward playing on Sunday, there could still be hope for Baltimore in 2025. Still, several problems remain that the team will need to fix in the coming weeks.
The obvious issues lie with the defense. While the defense showed improvements in their Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, thanks to the addition of safety Alohi Gilman in the secondary, their pass rush remains one of the worst in the NFL. With the trade of outside linebacker Odafe Oweh and a foot injury to Tavius Robinson, we might not see the dramatic midseason turnaround that the defense saw last year, making it critical that the offense gets back on track in Week 8.
However, the one problem that has plagued the offense all year is the offensive line, and entering Sunday’s matchup, it appears Head Coach John Harbaugh and the coaching staff are refusing to make changes.
Ravens’ offensive line could cause problems vs. Bears
The blocking is expected to improve with the return of left tackle Ronnie Stanley and fullback Patrick Ricard. Stanley has been dealing with an ankle injury for a few weeks, but with a full week of rest over the bye, he should be back to 100 percent against Chicago. For Ricard, it will be his first week of action in 2025, as he returns from the calf injury he suffered during training camp.
However, the interior offensive line has been the primary issue, specifically the guards, Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele. Both have fallen short of expectations and have been leading factors in Baltimore’s struggles in pass protection and run blocking.
During his press conference following Thursday’s practice, Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken provided an update on the idea of potential changes on offense this Sunday.
“I don’t anticipate any personnel changes,” Monken said. “We’re excited to get Pat back and Ronnie healthy.”
This does not necessarily guarantee that the offensive line will not see changes throughout the game. Harbaugh has noted on multiple occasions how they could look into possible shifts in the coming weeks. If the Vorhees or Faalele continue to disappoint, the coaching staff could pull them in favor of backup linemen Ben Cleveland or Corey Bullock.
However, if those changes are not made and problems continue to show on the interior, it could backfire and ultimately end their season.