OTL: OL and Coaching Problems Doom Ravens in Loss to Raiders

The Baltimore Ravens blew a two-score lead in the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders. Something tells me you need a vent session. Many things went wrong which is quite evident just by looking at Mike Preston’s Report Card for the Baltimore Sun. The offensive line and coaching were tied for the lowest grades, each earning a D from Preston. Here is what he wrote about the offensive line:

Guards Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele struggled in pass protection, but that’s nothing new. Both improved from the season opener in Kansas City, but those two will be a problem all season. Right tackle Patrick Mekari struggled against Crosby, which was expected, but what took the Ravens so long to get him some help? Rookie Roger Rosengarten played better against Crosby, and the Ravens provided him more help after the first quarter. Both center Tyler Linderbaum and left tackle Ronnie Stanley played well, and the Ravens might become more of a left-handed team with Henry running behind Stanley. But in crunch time, the Ravens had no answer for Crosby, who either won his one-on-one battles on the outside or looped around to beat Faalele on the inside. Grade: D

The offensive line was a mess. Preston picked up on the right points. The Ravens offense used a limited playbook in Kansas City because of the near-immediate pass rush. The Raiders game wasn’t much better. Crosby had the Raiders’ only two sacks, yet he wasn’t the only problem. The Ravens struggled to get Derrick Henry going until late in the contest. Almost all of his 84 rushing yards came in the second half. The Ravens got bullied at the line of scrimmage and couldn’t create a full head of steam for Henry.

They say if you have two quarterbacks you have none. The same might be true about players on the right side of the offensive line. The fact is that it didn’t matter who the Ravens had at right tackle they struggled.

This is what Preston said about the coaching problems:

The Ravens started off strong, but M&T Bank Stadium lacked energy. There were a lot of empty seats and a lot of Raiders fans behind the Las Vegas bench. Coach John Harbaugh failed on two challenges, and the Ravens didn’t make any serious adjustments on offense or defense in the second half. Despite the NFL being a pass-happy league, the game is still won on the offensive and defensive lines. If there are weaknesses, the coaches have to make adjustments, and the Ravens haven’t made any in the first two games. Losing to the Raiders in the home opener is almost unforgivable. Grade: D

I’m not sure what the empty seats and energy levels has to do with John Harbaugh and his staff, but Preston nailed it here. The Ravens didn’t make adjustments. The Raiders realized that Brock Bowers could have anything he wanted. With two games in the books, its apparent that the Ravens cannot cover tight ends. The biggest concern should be Zach Orr’s handling of the defense. Where is Kyle Hamilton? He isn’t causing havoc near the line of scrimmage, nor is he locking down tight ends. The Ravens have a similar roster to what Mike Macdonald had to work with. You wouldn’t have known that by watching the Week 2 battle. This adds to Preston’s point that the coaching left much to be desired.

“We will be defined by the next 15 games… That’s what we have to do big picture. Short term we have to clean up the things we know we can get better at. We’ll continue to work very hard to do that.” pic.twitter.com/87yBkGlVD5

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 15, 2024

Jackson: “We got to find our mojo. That’s not us at all.”

— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) September 15, 2024

John Harbaugh told the media that the Ravens will be defined this season by what happens in the next 15 games. Meanwhile, Baltimore will become quite familiar with the history of 0-2 teams and what this kind of start typically means for postseason hopes. Going back to the drawing board is a good idea, but the reality is that the big picture is not a luxury the Ravens have. Their Week 3 game with the Dallas Cowboys has become a must-win game.

The Cowboys are coming off a shocking loss to the New Orleans Saints.

THE SAINTS BLOW OUT THE COWBOYS IN ARLINGTON pic.twitter.com/Wx80zr4DlL

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 15, 2024

It was hard to see this coming. Alvin Kamara had three touchdowns for the Saints and ran for 115 yards. In theory, the Ravens should be able to duplicate this success on the ground, giving them a chance to find an identity on offense. The question is what kind of Cowboys team will the Ravens see? Will they be angry? It shouldn’t matter though, the Ravens have their backs to a wall. It’s time to show up.

The good news for the Ravens is that the Cincinnati Bengals lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. At the very minimum the Ravens have some company with their 0-2 slump. Penalties and controversial calls were plentiful in the waning moments of the Bengals’ defeat. People were quick to address this on social media.

The refs walking into the Kansas City Chiefs locker room after the Bengals game.

pic.twitter.com/dsefxR8MQS

— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) September 15, 2024

Refs saved the chiefs again #Bengals pic.twitter.com/ygwIsbiDDw

— iregretlikingsports (@Jimmy2424555) September 15, 2024

The Browns and Steelers both picked up a win, leaving the Ravens and Bengals at the bottom of the AFC North early in the season.

The post OTL: OL and Coaching Problems Doom Ravens in Loss to Raiders appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2024/09/16/out-to-lunch/offensive-line-harbaugh/