A day after the Baltimore Ravens’ 28-25 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, coach John Harbaugh spent far more time talking about what went wrong during the team’s first win of the season than what went right.
The first of nearly two dozen questions concerned the struggles of veteran kicker Justin Tucker. The second was about Baltimore’s fourth-quarter issues. The third, fourth and fifth questions were on penalties and officiating decisions, a popular topic with the Ravens standing as the most penalized team in the NFL.
There was then another Tucker question followed by a query about why Baltimore’s pass defense is getting gashed in the middle of the field. Before the roughly 23-minute news conference was over, Harbaugh was asked about the much-scrutinized offensive line, tight end Mark Andrews’ slow start, rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins’ uneven performance versus Dallas and another special teams miscue.
Harbaugh has used the word “inconsistent” on several occasions to describe the 2024 Ravens, and it certainly applies. The offense ranks second in the NFL in defense-adjusted value over average despite struggling through three games to convert yards into points, avoid penalties and adequately use the playmakers at its disposal. In the past two games, the defense has been dominant through three quarters and then fallen apart in the fourth. It ranks last in the league against the pass. Special teams have been underwhelming and culpable in the fourth-quarter problems.
With the win over the Cowboys, the Ravens avoided an 0-3 start. But in nearly blowing a 28-6 lead over the final 10 minutes, they hardly erased early-season concerns. Now, they have a date Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium with the undefeated Buffalo Bills, who are playing perhaps better than any team in football.
“We’re going to have to continue to improve a lot to be ready for that challenge,” said Harbaugh.
There’s been plenty said and written about the Ravens’ offensive line needing to grow up fast. That remains the case. But to beat Josh Allen and the Bills, Baltimore will have to show improvement in several other areas, too.
GO FURTHER
Justin Tucker’s kicking woes, Mark Andrews’ slow start and other Ravens early-season issues
