Well, Just About Everybody!
0-2. Historically a highly undesirable start to an NFL season – one that suggests that the remaining 15 games will be an uphill battle. And if the first two games are any indication, this season will be as tantalizing for Ravens fans as a prostate exam.
The Ravens had 10 days to prepare for the Raiders, a team that was on the road during Week 1 in Los Angeles and traveled across the continent for a 1PM kickoff on the east coast – normally a recipe for failure for the visitors. But the Ravens opted to be hospitable hosts, eventually succumbing to the great Gardner Minshew by the score of 26-23.
After two games, the AFC North favorites find themselves two games back of the division leading Steelers. But never fear, ball coach Harbs has got this moving forward.
“We’re going to play a 17-game season, and we will be defined by the next 15 games, so that’s going to be our objective – to play the best 15 games we can, be the best football team we can be, and if we do that, then we’re going to have a really good season, have a shot to win a lot of games and get in the playoffs and make a run, so that’s what we have to do.”
So, as we wait to see how the Ravens will be defined over the next 15 weeks, let’s talk about how they’re defined after the first two. The Ravens are a sloppy, poorly prepared, error-prone team that looks like they are in preseason mode. The defense seemed to have a solid plan until the fourth quarter. And as they’ve done more than any other team with two-score plus leads heading into the final frame, they wilted. When the 4th quarter rolls around, the Harbaugh Ravens are like the Wicked Witch to Dorothy’s bucket of water.
“Who’s got it better than us?”
Well, today, Gardner Minshew and the Raiders along with 23 other teams with better records than the cellar-dwelling Ravens.
THE GOOD
Derrick Henry struggled to get going early on thanks to an offensive line that couldn’t block The Little Sisters of the Poor. His first five carries netted a total of -3 yards. But Henry remained focus and eventually found some rhythm. His next 13 carries produced 87 yards and a touchdown. The quick pitch plays to Stanley’s side were great. Getting Henry along the edge is where he excels. More please!…Zay Flowers had 6 catches for 83 yards before intermission. He finished the game with 7 catches for 91 yards. How does that happen?…Mark Andrews had 4 grabs for 51 yards, but it could have been a lot more had Lamar Jackson not sailed a pass over the head of a wide-open Andrews who broke free from the second-level of the Raiders defense at the beginning of Q2.
The Ravens defense limited the Raiders to 27 yards rushing – just four yards in the first half…They also pressured Minshew throughout, sacking him 5 times and hitting the Raiders QB 10 times. Nnamdi Madubuike and Travis Jones pushed the pocket while edge rushers Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy contributed a combined 4 ½ sacks.
THE BAD
Rashod Bateman and Lamar have struggled to develop a rapport. Jackson doesn’t have the same confidence in Bateman that he has with Andrews, Flowers or Isaiah Likely. After yesterday’s game, that might not change anytime soon. Bateman dropped a dart from Lamar that caromed off the receiver’s hands and into the waiting arms of Raiders LB Robert Spillane. At the time the Ravens had a 16-6 lead with good field position (44-yard line). Seven plays and 3:28 later the score was 16-13.
Marlon Humphrey is paid to be a shutdown corner, but opponents see him as a target – a weak link that will eventually make a mistake. Humphrey had 10 tackles and that’s not a good sign for a corner. The Ravens need to get Nate Wiggins back on the field as the starter along the perimeter and bump Humphrey inside…After all the pregame talk, you might have expected a better outing from Kyle Hamilton who through two games is not the same player as the 2023 edition. Maybe DC Zach Orr hasn’t figured out the proper way to deploy his unicorn defender the way his predecessor Mike Macdonald did…the Ravens secondary was supposed to be the league’s best. Through two games, they are statistically the NFL’s worst.
— Spencer Schultz (@ravens4dummies) September 16, 2024
THE UGLY
The offensive line has been, still is and will probably continue to be the team’s Achilles heel the entire season. As the age-old saying goes, “You can’t make chicken salad out of chicken shit”, and that’s exactly what the right side of the Ravens O-line is. And that just might be an insult to chicken shit. Daniel Olay-Lay is not a starting-caliber NFL player. You know it, I know it, the Ravens opponents know it, Lamar Jackson certainly knows it and so too does everyone on the planet not named John Harbaugh, Eric DeCosta or Mr. & Mrs. Faalele. Is Ben Cleveland really THAT bad? Is Harbaugh’s doghouse still a thing? …Patrick Mekari hasn’t been much better than Olay-Lay. Once again, opposing edge rushers move Mekari as if he’s on skates. I’m still waiting for him to finally nail that triple axel… Roger Rosengarten was much better manning up on Maxx Crosby, but the Ravens brain trust seems to think a rotation of Mekari and Rosengarten makes more sense. The visual evidence tells a different story.
Daniel Faalele can’t get to Maxx Crosby in time on a stunt as he shuffles his feet, causing a sack in one of the biggest moments of the game pic.twitter.com/jSEMNcFxQz
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) September 15, 2024
The bigger picture across the offensive front is frightening. What if something happens to Ronnie Stanley and/or Tyler Linderbaum? This youth movement was an awful idea, particularly when the youth includes a 2023 7th-round pick coming of an ACL injury; an over-drafted player discovered by Jim Harbaugh during a football academy (those Harbaugh brothers sure do stick together) and a 2024 2nd-round pick who rotates with a UDFA.
That’s how DeCosta wants to protect his $275M QB? That’s how he hopes to get the most out of the team’s investment in Derrick Henry? Instead of improving Jackson’s chances to succeed, DeCosta, through his actions or lack thereof, is asking his franchise quarterback to carry the team on his back and make the extreme weaknesses magically disappear. They won’t, and they might get worse if something isn’t done.
What he’ll probably do is go out and sign another safety. But I digress.
Meanwhile, his quarterback will be running for his life and is unlikely to dress for all 17 weeks. And that will simply place DeCosta in a better position during the 2025 NFL Draft to select a defensive tackle.
Special teams are supposed to be a team strength. That’s where Harbaugh is supposed to excel, right? Well, the team looks confused by the new kickoff rule which forces them to start drives deeper in their own territory than opponents. Meanwhile, Father Time is catching up to Justin Tucker who seems to be the only kicker in the league missing from 50+. And then there’s Jordan Stout – another 4th-round pick who seems to shank a punt whenever the team needs him to crush one. He’s like a Shankapotomus when the pressure is on.
The Ravens had 11 penalties for 109 yards – AT HOME. Is that the sign of a well-coached team? And here are a few other stats that might suggest the Ravens won the game, but this Ravens team seems quite capable of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
• Ravens had 383 yards of offense to the Raiders 260
• Ravens had 151 yards rushing to the Raiders 27
• The Ravens had 5 sacks: the Raiders 2
• Turnovers were 1 each
What is going on?
[Related Article: Ravens Report Card]
COACHING
Offense
Let’s start with Todd Monken. Anyone playing the Raiders must find a way to at least slow down Maxx Crosby. Instead, Monken gave him a launching pad. There was little in the way of deception with the cadence; there were times when the Ravens O-line passed off on Crosby; there were other times when they were dominated in one-on-one matchups. And Monken did next to nothing to slow down that relentless freight train wearing 98. The Ravens did little in the way of shallow crossers, slants, screens – ANYTHING to get the ball out of Lamar’s hands more quickly and schematically slow down the pass rush.
.@Raiders went into @Ravens and @CrosbyMaxx got real busy disrupting the Raven offense. The following is some of the destruction #RaiderNation #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/NnY09h2WuD
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) September 16, 2024
Henry was gaining traction as the game wore on. Up 23-16 with 7:46 left in the game, the Ravens faced a 3rd-and-1. The play screams King Henry. Instead, the Ravens opt to get cute with Charlie Kolar behind center flanked by Henry and Ricard. With pre-snap movement from Henry, 3rd-and-1 became a failed 3rd-and-6 leading to a Stout punt. (Side bar: That cute play is one that Andrews used to run…another sign that the All Pro tight end isn’t right!)
Defense
Zach Orr has gotten off to a slow start, just as his predecessor Mike Macdonald did as the team’s defensive coordinator. And just like Macdonald early in his tenure as DC, Orr’s defense wilted when it mattered most. This is a team that seemed so proud of its secondary’s quality and depth, yet Gardner Minshew found a way to rally the 8 ½ point underdog and will them to victory. Gardner f-ing Minshew. Unbelievable!
Harbaugh
I’m of the opinion that John Harbaugh has taken the Ravens about as far as he can. They compete. They win a lot of regular season games. They can make it to the playoffs and boy does John create an inviting culture for his players. But I don’t see how he can guide them any further, particularly after the massive losses of assistants Joe D’Alessandris, Anthony Weaver, Mike Macdonald and Dennard Wilson. I’d love to be proven wrong. But I don’t think it will happen.
He’s outcoached regularly. His clock management is pathetic. It’s like every other coach has a state-of-the-art Apple watch equipped with apps to help manage the play clock while John sticks with his trusty sundial. And his strategy with challenges goes something like this: “I’ll throw it and maybe something good will happen but if not, at least our players get a little rest during the review.”
We don’t have to see the remaining 15 games to determine how the team will be defined. We already know. The Ravens are a talented albeit underachieving team due to coaching inadequacies and an awful offensive line that was dead on arrival.
Harbaugh is a history buff. He can quote Winston Churchill. He’s memorized scripture from The Bible. Well, here’s a little history for you John. The Ravens have started (0-2) on the season four other times in their history. During those seasons, not only did they miss the playoffs, but they also didn’t finish with a winning record. But we’ll wait to see how you all define the team 15 weeks from now.
Fans are screaming for Harbaugh’s head. On one hand that seems a bit premature. But change must happen, even if it’s as simple as taking away Harbs’ little red hanky. Steve Bisciotti enjoys the benefits of continuity in his organization. But this team, guided by a man whose teams shit the bed during big games; a team that is regularly outcoached when it matters most; a team that regularly outsmarts itself, is treading in dangerous territory. And the owner is apparently struggling to tell the difference between continuity and complacency.
Since 2019 John Harbaugh is 8 for 30 (.267) on challenges.
Here's the win rate of a few of Harbs' contemporaries during the same period:
Andy Reid: 17 for 26 (.654)
Mike Tomlin: 9 for 23 (.391)
Sean McVay: 10 for 21 (.476)
Mike McCarthy: 4 for 10 (.400)
Sean McDermott: 9 for 23… pic.twitter.com/qW6sQYwqyn— Tony Lombardi (@RSRLombardi) September 16, 2024
Player of The Game
Last week I teased the notion that Megan Fox would be replaced by a newcomer to represent the Player of the Game. But I’m not feeling a POTG this week. I considered either Oweh or Van Noy, but after a demoralizing loss like that, it’s best to wait a week – or maybe more (hopefully not) to anoint the new POTG namesake.
Instead, we’ll remember Jacoby Jones, the touching tribute and Flowers TD celebration, both in his honor.
Zay Flowers with a nice tribute to Jacoby Jones on this celebration. pic.twitter.com/E3rPYYXlKW
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) September 15, 2024
The Ravens put together an emotional tribute for Jacoby Jones, who passed away two months ago
RIP #12 pic.twitter.com/FVXspdDiD3
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) September 15, 2024
18 Responses
Tony Lombardi, Spot on re John Harbaugh. I didn’t realize that you wrote this review. I have to give you A+ on every point you made. I hope someone is listening. It is almost criminal to waste the talent on this team (and previous teams) with such pathetic coaching. John’s effort to distract with his magical slight of hand to focus on the next 15 games entirely ignores the FAILURES of the first two games right in front of us. This is very sad for the fans and players.
John H hardly goes from being an intelligent coach who wins big games against the Lions, Seahawks, 49ers, and Dolphins to suddenly being unable to figure out how to coach in 2024. John is a facilitator of coaches, not a coaching genius. He has had too many coaching changes that the organization has been unable to replace adequately.
John has complete control over who he hires as assistants. If they aren’t adequate or better, that’s on John. No one else.
Agree 10000000% on this. If we lose the next 3 games … watch for him to make some changes to the staff in hopes of turning it around … or he will be next. Though even with a losing seasons i dont see SB firing him.
Thank you Mr. Lombardi. I think many of us know where most of the problems originate. Now the only problem is how do we correct them.
Until something happens to open Mr. Bisciotti’s eyes then we are bound to deal with this underachieving team for the foreseeable future.
Will this be the season where things finally hit rock bottom?
They need to hit rock-bottom for there to be any potential of a conversation between the owner and the HC where his @ss is lit under a fire taking the results into question… but they’ll flirt with the playoffs and then excuse away the season… injuries, loss of coaches, loss of personnel in the offseason… and likely Harb’s will be safe for another season and “Rah! Rah! We’ll get ‘m next year boys! [F’n save it!]
Ive ripped my fellow Ravens fans for 20 years for only caring about Super Bowls and not appreciating how much fun it is to win 12-13 games. I suspect after this painful 8-9 season more will come over to my side
Tony, I’ve always admired and respected your affinity for Harbaugh who, obviously is a good person, but who has a lengthy history of coaching inadequacies, particularly on game days and in the post season! I often wonder what his record would look like had he not had the good fortune to start Joe Flacco in their rookie season! The same could be said for Lamar who, despite unparalleled athleticism, is not Flacco’s equal as a pocket passing QB! It’s way past time for a change and, the sooner, the better!
All 3 phases of the game contributed to playing “good enough to lose” once more. I’m going to lean towards new players, new coaches, new kickoffs, and minimal pre-season reps for this team’s sloppiness for now and give them a few more games before I waive the white flag for the season. And I’m not sure what Cleveland did either because he’s a way better guard than Faalele. Feels like we are trading one at some point. Lamar still trying to hit for extra bases with most throws when singles keep the drives alive. Had Henry in the flat at one point who could have picked up 5-10 yards immediately while punishing a DB in the process. This would have also helped to slow down the pass rush. But opted to run for his life behind our line to buy time only to throw to a receiver downfield who was tightly covered for an incompletion.
Tony-spot on re: Monken and Harbaugh. I’ve been a Harbaugh supporter over the years. I think Harbaugh is at his best with scrappy teams who he can get go overachieve through implementing great leadership, organizational structure and culture. The problem is that’s not this team. This is a team, that while flawed, has elite talent up and down the roster. They don’t need scrappiness. They need elite tacticians coaching them and putting them in strategically advantageous positions.
Harbaugh is not a tactician. Never was. This is simply a case of a team that needs a different skill set than what he has. Because he doesn’t have that, he cannot reign Monken in and get him on track.
Monken is Marc Trestman with a slightly better playbook. He is pass happy, and marrying run and pass game concepts is not his strength. He is also empowered to run fewer of Roman’s run concepts than he did last year and it shows in our inconsistent rushing attack.
Nailed it again, Tony. Perfectly said. Thank you!
Great write-up Tony. But I don’t think Mr. Bisciotti really gives a crap whether his team wins or loses at this point. It’s value isn’t going to drop if they go 6-11. He could sell it tomorrow for a record amount or he could sit on it for another 2-3 years and sell it for even more. No matter what though, the money is all that matters and an NFL team is going to keep increasing in value, whether they win or not.
There is a point in every work relation that you can go as far as you can with your abilities. Harbaugh is a great motivator and players coach. He will win more games in the regular season than lose due to the talent he has been provided with. If this is what Bisciotti wants to make the playoffs or be competing for the playoffs then Harbs is his man. He will never win a Super Bowl again, he just isn’t a playoff caliber HC.
Spot on analysis as usual. I would include EDC in some of this mess especially with the JV O line and the failed Faalele experiment. I’d like to add that watching Mark Andrews his body language isn’t the same. I think he knows that Likely is going to be the TE of the future and he clearly is not happy especially when he is wide open and the ball sails 8 yards over his head. That one actually had 6 written all over it. Tucker is now Matt Stover and thats manageable for the time being but your going to miss those 54 yarders. Marlos better days are over. Hamiltons magic playmaking is awol for now. But Oweh and Ajabo are finally emerging. Van Noy is incredible with a fracture of the eye socket and shades of the old days playing hurt and playing well! Even if the Ravens totally collapse this season nothing will happen until the off season coaching wise. Lots of football left in a crazy league.
1/9 from 50 2 misses in 2 games…Justing Tucker, you are NOT the GOAT
Great job Tony. You are one of the few writers willing to blunt / honest. Guys on the Raven’s site cannot and do not discuss problems especially with mgmt. I have supported Harbs, but you are 100% correct. He hired his coaches and he missed big time with the OC and too early to give Orr the DC role.
Tony you are spot on as usual. I waited until today to read this – honestly, the Ravens dont have to play anyone else. They will beat themselves in every game going forward. John has had a good run with this team – but yeah its time to move on.
Has everyone forgotten the almost-KC-like-catch Likely almost made at the end – only to have Flowers’ way-too-close-defender knock the ball out. Coaching or player error?
Here’s the REAL bottom line – Lamar is just a TEASE. And will never be more than that. Makes incredible escapes from the pocket and great runs from RPO and plenty of rocket throws. Only too many of those throws are off target. And too many of those throws come at too many inopportune times.
There are at LEAST 10 QBs that I’d take for Lamar! Right now!
Calculated risk re the O-line: don’t take E de C to LAs Vegas with you. Maybe they could be traded en-mass to Carolina!?!I For Bryce Young. IF they ever gel up to a C level, it won’t be until game 15 or 16.