OTL: A Toe Long and a Dollar Short vs KC, Again

It is an incredibly sad day, Ravens fans. Another heartbreaking loss to the Chiefs has fans asking questions about this team once again.

On the one hand, we knew Baltimore’s flaws going into the season: an inexperienced O-line, a new defense coordinator replacing the best in the NFL, and an overall lack of continuity on the defensive side of the football.

These three showed up in more ways than one last night. They struggled and constantly shot themselves in the foot, yet they were an inch and a two-point conversion away from beating the Super Bowl Champions.

It feels so close yet so far away, and it feels like the same every time we play that team.

Although it is hard to win when it feels like the odds are against you. Not the odds of luck but that of people in zebra print uniforms:

Ronnie Stanley said he felt the refs were trying to make an example out of him with illegal formation call. Said it was not called the way the team was told it would be called when the pro refs were at training camp practices

— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) September 6, 2024

I really hate doing this. Blaming officials feels like such a lame excuse for why your team didn’t play better. Honestly, sometimes we need to make an exception, and this is the time to do it. As much as the blame goes to this O-Line being young, what do you expect with the constant bullcrap going on last night? It wasn’t called both ways, and the referees clearly excused the Chiefs and wanted to make an example out of the Ravens. If you think any other way, you need to get your head checked because the Chiefs were getting away with murder. Their RT, Taylor, is playing slot receiver and isn’t called, but Ronnie Stanley is. Come on, that’s just showing favoritism.

Speaking of showing favoritism:

“Roughing the passer” I love it pic.twitter.com/W2h6Bv1fXK

— RAMEY (@HoodieRamey) September 6, 2024

I know, I know. From a mile away, I already see your comment: “But this is roughing the passer under the new rules.” Yeah, and guess what? It stinks. There was nothing Mads could do here, and the refs gave the Chiefs a new set of downs.

Enough of the complaining about the officials. They sucked this game but ultimately, it wasn’t the biggest reason why the good guys lost.

One of my concerns was how this defense would play with Zach Orr replacing Mike Macdonald. While the defense made some plays, the biggest issue was a massive miscommunication on the back end.

Marlon Humphrey played like a cover 2 corner, was Kyle Hamilton supposed to run to the back half? pic.twitter.com/oueIR5Rm9k

— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) September 6, 2024

Unfortunately, I don’t see stuff like this going away any time soon. A new DC coming in always results in communication problems. Mike Mac also had to take a few games of getting crushed (remember Miami ’22?) until he became one of the best DCs last year.

These things are going to happen, and we just need to get over it right now:

Those are the types of coverage busts that didn’t happen in Baltimore last year.

Looked like Marlon was running C2 and the Safety was nowhere to be found towards the sideline.

Ravens maybe feeling the losses of Macdonald/Weaver early on.

— Marcus Whitman (@TFG_Football) September 6, 2024

They will get better, but I don’t know how long it will take.

Another reason you’ll hear that Baltimore came up short despite playing well, is that Lamar Jackson lost the Ravens game when he missed Zay Flowers and Isaiah Likely in the end zone on consecutive plays.

However, I don’t believe they were egregious as it looked on TV.

Seeing Lamar get a lot of hate for missing those throws. The one to Likely in the corner of the endzone could have been better but that doesn’t negate him making plays to get all the way down into scoring range for me.

He probably overthought the next throw to Flowers more than…

— Marcus Whitman (@TFG_Football) September 6, 2024

Lamar later confirmed that it was a miscommunication between he and the WR, as he expected Zay to sit in the zone and not keep running.

I find it crazy how much was wrong with this team last night, yet they were so close to winning this game.

I still think the Ravens will be good, but just how good will they be? How long will it take the O-Line to jell? How much time does Orr need to button up the communication issues?

We’ll see. They have a mini-bye before they host Las Vegas, in what *should* be a get-right kind of game.

The post OTL: A Toe Long and a Dollar Short vs KC, Again appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2024/09/06/out-to-lunch/otl-a-toe-long-and-a-dollar-short-vs-kc-again/