It’s just one loss after a five-game winning streak, so there’s no need to hit the panic button. However, the Baltimore Ravens’ 24-29 defeat to the Cleveland Browns in Week 8 revealed a troubling number of flaws future opponents are likely to exploit.
Browns backup quarterback Jameis Winston had a career day. He threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns, seemingly connecting on any throw he wanted to all game. The Ravens' secondary had no answers for him.
Unfortunately, this unit hasn't had answers for anyone this season. And that's the problem.
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens has total non-answer for team's defensive struggles
When speaking with reporters after the game, Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens provided a soundbite that inadvertently put the entire Baltimore defense on blast. When asked what it would take to get the defense back on track, Stephens essentially said, "We have to want to be better."
You see, here we were thinking that was a given. So uh, yeah - that would be a decent start, Brandon.
CB Brandon Stephens on what it will take to get the defense back on track. pic.twitter.com/GGgKTiI4rq
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 27, 2024
"It's going to take want to, and you know, just a will to want to in the game. We pride ourselves finishing you know we haven't done that - especially at the end of today," Stephens stated. "But, you know, it's just going to take work, day in and day out to excel."
If his words didn't resonate with you the first time around, listen again. He's saying the Ravens have no desire, will, or want to get better - and they haven't all season.
Baltimore's pass defense has been atrocious all season long. However, a five-game winning streak masked the deficiencies for a while; winning tends to do exactly that. In losses, those weaknesses typically rear their ugly heads in the worst ways. Jameis Winston and the Cleveland Browns exposed this team's pass defense, just like every other team this season.
This time, it's presumed to be different. But why? Because they lost to the lowly 2-6 Cleveland Browns, who started a backup quarterback and were coming into the game on a five-game losing streak?
Coming into the game, Baltimore had the worst passing defense in the league. This was no shocker. This was a realization that even the NFL's worst teams can throw all over this defense. And that is a problem.
Winston hits Tillman for a 22-yard TD. Ravens were confused at snap and not lined up properly. And Tillman was not contested at all before Eddie Jackson missed tackle inside 5.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) October 27, 2024
Same stuff every week for this Ravens pass defense and it's not getting fixed.
So sure, belittle the effort required to make actual changes. Write it off as a sheer lack of 'want' or 'willpower,' but just know you're not fooling anyone. There are systemic problems infiltrating this secondary. Underestimating them has gotten them nowhere. Why not call it like you actually see it?
If we are talking about effort, and the will to want to play better in Week 8, amid a potential Super Bowl season, the damage has already been done.