OTL: A Must-Win Already?

Call it an overreaction, but the Ravens upcoming schedule suggests Sunday’s contest could be deemed a must-win. Following yet another fourth-quarter collapse Sunday night, after holding a 15-point lead, Baltimore finds themselves 0-1 to kick off the 2025 season. Most 0-1 teams can keep the “we’ve got time” mindset for a bit, but Baltimore begins the year with a gauntlet of teams through the first six weeks of the season. Other than the Browns on Sunday, the Ravens will battle a 2024 playoff team in four out of their next five games. Falling behind in what should be a cut-throat AFC can’t happen if the Ravens expect to make a deep playoff run.

Sunday’s home opener against the Browns should have been a happy gathering, but an 0-1 record puts one thing on the mind: get out with a win. We’ve seen with the 2024 Cincinnati Bengals what can happen when a team falls into to deep of a hole. On paper, this is a Ravens team capable of winning a Super Bowl, but the familiar failures on the field this past Sunday night have left everyone wondering about this teams potential.

Following the Browns, the Ravens will turn their focus to back-to-back games against last season’s #1 seeds in the AFC in NFC, the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions. All three were handed their first losses of the season in Week 1, with question marks surrounding each team moving forward.

However, you could make an argument Baltimore’s loss looked the most worrisome, given the repetitive failures the team had supposedly learned from. Coming off a season in which their secondary ranked 31st in yards allowed per game, Baltimore looked to bounce back in Week 1 with a revamped unit from a year ago. Despite the new look defensive backs, the same mistakes remain evident. Broken coverages, missed tackles, and a lack of pass rush diminished what was otherwise an impressive start for the Ravens.

If Baltimore has any hopes of finally getting over the hump in the postseason, the sloppy and undisciplined coverage will need to come to an end.

The Ravens have an opportunity to right the ship when the Browns come to M&T Bank Stadium Sunday for the Ravens home-opener. Cleveland enters 0-1, with former Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco under center. The Browns are coming off a 17-16 loss to division rival Cincinnati, and are looking to carry over a suffocating defense led by Myles Garrett. The Browns defense held the Bengals to just 141 yards of total offense, including limiting reigning Triple Crown winner Ja’Marr Chase to just 26 receiving yards.

The pass rush was once again led by Garrett, who finished the game with five of the team’s eight total quarterback pressures, resulting in two sacks. Returning the pressure will be crucial for the Ravens gameplan heading into Sunday. The Browns offensive line allowed 17 pressures against the Bengals, all coming in the second half, and helping Cincy get away with a Week 1 win.

Baltimore’s defense managed just 17 pressures and one sack against the Bills despite a ton of dropbacks by Josh Allen, according to PFF, a number that should increase given the talent amongst the Ravens edge rush room. After surrendering 394 yards and two touchdowns through the air against the Bills, Baltimore’s secondary is also looking for an opportunity to prove they’ve learned from their past failures.

The starting secondary didn’t see much time together during training camp, and it was obvious on the field.  Newly acquired cornerback Jaire Alexander struggled, allowing 83 yards on three targets, and finding himself on the wrong end of multiple broken plays.

The Browns receiver corps is quite underwhelming outside of Jerry Jeudy, giving the Ravens an opportunity to focus on playing disciplined coverage and start to get into a groove.

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