3 issues holding Baltimore Ravens back that must be addressed this season

The Baltimore Ravens lost a game that felt like they had won from the start for the third time this season. A 33-31 loss to the Cleveland Browns will not sit right with fans. The team is sitting at 7-3, and after their run in the past four weeks they were looking like Super Bowl contenders. With the loss, they are now right in the pack with the rest.

What is holding this team back from competing for a Super Bowl this year?

3. Can the Baltimore Ravens put teams away?

The Baltimore Ravens not only had great chances to win each game, they had leads in the fourth quarter of each game. The Ravens led 14-13 entering the fourth quarter against the Colts. Then, they led 19-16 against Indianapolis at the two-minute warning before an overtime loss. 

Against Pittsburgh, they led 10-3 entering the fourth quarter, and they had the ball in the red zone leading 10-8 at the two-minute warning. They found a way to lose with a minute left. 

Now, against Cleveland, we saw another collapse in the fourth. They lead 24-17 in the fourth quarter. They led 31-30 at the two-minute warning. Heck, they led 31-17 with under 12 minutes to go in the game. 

Four of the Ravens' wins have been by two scores. They are 4-0 in two-score games but 3-3 in close games. They led 31-15 against the Cardinals with just under three minutes, and the game ended up being within seven. They led 27-17 with four minutes to go against Cincinnati and only won by three. Then, they led 24-13 with four minutes to go against Tennessee, and the game ended up an eight-point game. They do not put teams away. They either lead by two scores late, or they fall apart. That is a problem.