OTL: Ravens-Cowboys a Mismatch, Historically

Not very many people had the Ravens sitting at 0-2 at this point of the season.

Sure, playing the Chiefs on the road in primetime on the night they dropped their new Super Bowl banner certainly looked like a tough spot. But the next week? Home against the Raiders? With Gardner Minshew at quarterback?

Lock it up.

Except, they didn’t lock it up. They had chances to, sure. But every time it looked like the Ravens were going to put away the Raiders, they…

Well, they’re 0-2. And there you have it. Did we think they’d be 0-2? No. Do they deserve to be 0-2? You bet.

And now they sit at 0-2, part of a group of teams facing an uphill challenge to make the postseason, and looking at a level of urgency far too soon in this budding season.

USA Today’s Nate Davis wrote an article discussing the future of the league’s 0-2 teams.

The Ravens had the second-best chance of turning this around into a productive season, behind the Bengals.

“You’re probably old enough to remember when they were the AFC’s top-seeded playoff team … which, of course, was last year,” wrote Davis. “Presently, they’re suffering from a respectable loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and a bad one to the Raiders. While the signing of RB Derrick Henry was the team’s dominant offseason storyline, significant personnel losses on both sides of the ball — particularly in the trenches — and the departure of DC Mike Macdonald were at least as important. Henry’s been fine thus far, though, at 30, his best attribute might be the ability to draw defenders away from QB Lamar Jackson. Elsewhere, only four teams have allowed more points, and the O-line remains a work in progress. This is the Ravens’ first 0-2 start since 2015, and they’ve only had one losing season in the past eight and missed the postseason once in the past six campaigns — so it stands to reason they’ll figure things out. But with four of their next six games against 2023 playoff squads and another against Cincinnati, they better not wait long.”

Sports Illustrated’s Jon Alfano also weighed in on the Ravens’ 0-2 record, and talked about how the Ravens are leading the league in offensive yards, but are middling in points per game.

“We lead the league in yards, but the points have to come with it, and that’s what we’re going to chase,” Harbaugh said,” per Alfano. “We were in that situation last year at one point in time, too, if you remember early in the season. That’s something that we have to translate the yards into points. To me, it comes back to consistency. You can gain yards, but then you aren’t consistent enough to finish the drives — so finishing drives; finishing plays; finishing series — really on both sides of the ball and on special teams — has to be, and always is, an emphasis.”

Quarterback Lamar Jackson was optimistic that things can get turned around.

“I believe we’re right there,” Jackson said, according to Alfano. “Like I said, it’s the small things we’re messing up, and it’s causing us to lose those [games]. It’s turning into big things, because we’re losing our games, but I feel like we had one of the best days we’ve ever had in practice this season today, and it starts in practice. I believe if we just keep going on the right track, we’re going to come out victorious.”

On the bright side, this week’s opponent, the Cowboys, is struggling, as well. And they also see ghosts in the form of the Baltimore Ravens. Aaron Kasinitz of Lone Star Live, dug into that a bit.

“When Baltimore (0-2) arrives at AT&T Stadium in Week 3 to play Dallas (1-1), it’ll bring a winless record on the season but a 6-1 mark against the Cowboys in head-to-head matchups all-time,” wrote Kasinitz.

He then went into a game-by-game review of those match-ups, including my personal favorite — the final game at Texas Stadium.

“This matchup between 9-5 teams near the end of the 2008 season brought more excitement, as the Cowboys and Ravens combined for 34 points in the fourth quarter,” wrote Kasinitz. “Baltimore’s Le’Ron McClain cemented the win with an 82-yard touchdown run in the final two minutes, and Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed also starred by intercepting Romo twice.”

In fact, those Reed interceptions will forever be etched in my mind. There was a downfield throw where Romo stared down his receiver and let fly, and I immediately stood up because I knew what was about to happen. Sure enough, Reed came flying in and made an easy pick.

We got a little spoiled by that guy, didn’t we?

Also of note:

“We know what we want to do when we go out there Sunday.” pic.twitter.com/6NRvWBKQKG

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 18, 2024

Jacoby’s teammates honor his memory

Watch Wired: https://t.co/L8epHRoeaO pic.twitter.com/CeLK4eMqCd

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 19, 2024

MARK MY WORDS by week 13 the Baltimore Ravens will be 10-3 WATCH!!! #RavensFlock

— Nitro The Wunderkind (@Nitro_Quantum) September 18, 2024

Baltimore sports pic.twitter.com/XoOoa0VkEz

— The Ravens Realm (@RealmRavens) September 19, 2024

The post OTL: Ravens-Cowboys a Mismatch, Historically appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2024/09/19/out-to-lunch/ravens-cowboys-2/