The Baltimore Ravens’ Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills is one of the worst losses in NFL regular-season history. It seems everything that could have gone wrong went wrong, as the Ravens fumbled a 15-point lead in the final five minutes.
It could be recency bias, but for a team as good as Baltimore, this is easily one of the worst losses ever. They had every chance to seal the game and make it a blowout victory; however, at every turn, it seemed like the sky was quickly falling. A lack of aggressiveness on offense, defensive miscues, and special teams errors plagued the Ravens in the Bills’ fourth-quarter comeback.
Former NFL MVP Cam Newton made an appearance on ESPN’s First Take on Monday to analyze what unfolded on Sunday night, and he dropped a harsh truth bomb on the Ravens. He said:
“Everybody saw the brilliance and playmaking ability from the Baltimore Ravens. But the only team that can beat the Baltimore Ravens is the Baltimore Ravens. When they don’t come up to show. And I mean field goal kicker, special teams, defense, offense, you’re going to see those types of blunders happen more times than not. If the Baltimore Ravens do not have a deep playoff push, it’s going to be world to pay.”
Cam Newton just dropped a truth bomb on Lamar Jackson’s Ravens
Whether Ravens’ fans like it or not, Newton is right. You cannot have the most talented team in the league, including some of the best players to ever touch the gridiron, and consistently come up short. You cannot blow lead after lead, and make closing out in the fourth quarter with a big lead the most difficult aspect of winning a football game. It has become pathetic, but Baltimore fans are used to seeing this by now.
For some reason, the Ravens lack the instinct to finish games. While they play the first three quarters like an elite team, they consistently take the foot off the gas in the fourth quarter. It happened on Sunday night again when the offense became stagnant and the defense lacked any sense of urgency to try and make a stop, giving too much cushion on the boundary and letting receivers slip wide open. It even occurred at the end of the second quarter, when defensive coordinator Zach Orr opted not to rush the passer and let Josh Allen sling a completion to get Buffalo into field goal range with seven seconds left. That play ultimately became a backbreaker. Something has to change.
Head coach John Harbaugh should be held accountable for much of this. While there is no reason to make a change yet, especially this early in the season, but blowing games has become a Harbaugh specialty. He has blown 17 double-digit, second-half leads, which is the most of any coach since at least 1991. Baltimore has also blown the most such leads of any team in the NFL since Harbaugh became coach in 2008. If that does not change quickly, the 18-year head coach should find himself on the hot seat.
The Ravens have the roster to turn things around. It is only Week 1, so there is no need to hit the panic button, but somehow, it already feels like they should.