News Ravens Team Notes

[Baltimore Ravens]

Ravens Snap Count Analysis, Week 5: Defense labors again in blowout loss

Offense​

The Ravens played only 43 total offensive snaps in this game, and they did not make the most of them. Cooper Rush and all five starting offensive linemen played 100% of the contest. Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman were the only two other players to exceed an 80% snap share, with 36 and 35 snaps each, respectively. Flowers caught five passes for 72 yards while Bateman had zero catches on three targets.

Derrick Henry dominated the running back snaps this week, a change from the previous couple of games, but had a minimal impact with 33 yards on 15 carries. In his season debut, Keaton Mitchell saw only four snaps on offense, trailing Justice Hill (13 snaps). Neither exceeded eight yards rushing and each had one reception.

Snaps at tight end were split very evenly between the team’s top trio. Mark Andrews played 25 snaps, Isaiah Likely played 23, and Charlie Kolar played 20. Unfortunately, none of them had a standout performance, with Likely and Kolar each being targeted just once. Andrews caught two passes for 22 yards but dropped another target that was intercepted.

Rounding out the skill position group in snaps were wide receivers Deandre Hopkins (11), Tylan Wallace (four), and rookie LaJohntay Wester (four). Hopkins finished second on the team in receiving, catching two passes for 46 yards with a highlight 29-yard snag in the first quarter.

Defense​

Any time your defense nearly doubles the snap count of your offense, that usually spells trouble. That happened for the Ravens in Week 5, as the defense was on the field for 70 total snaps. They had no answers for the Texans all day and allowed 40+ points for the third time this season. Houston scored on eight drives and punted once.

In the absence of Roquan Smith, Teddye Buchanan played all 70 snaps at linebacker and Trenton Simpson played a season-high 94% of snaps as the opposite starter. Malaki Starks played 100% of snaps at safety again, as did fellow rookie Reuben Lowery — who was activated and started in-place of Kyle Hamilton. Lowery bumped out Sanoussi Kane, who did not see a defensive snap for the first time this year.

T.J. Tampa led all cornerbacks in playing time with 60 snaps. Like Lowery, UDFA rookie Keyon Martin played a season-high in snaps with 49. Martin got the bulk of nickel cornerback reps with Marlon Humphrey out of the lineup. Jaire Alexander returned to the rotation for the first time since Week 1 and played 28 snaps. Nate Wiggins played 53 snaps after nursing an elbow injury during the week leading up to this game.

Up front, Travis Jones (33 snaps) and Kyle Van Noy (19 snaps) each returned from injury. Veteran John Jenkins played a whopping 76% of snaps at defensive tackle, while Tavius Robinson once again paced all edge rushers in playing time with 50 snaps. Odafe Oweh, who was questionable to play with an eye injury, saw his playing time dwindle further. Oweh played 26 snaps, trailing Mike Green by a decent margin. Green played 42 snaps.

Source: https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/b...s-week-5-defense-labors-again-in-blowout-loss

 

[Baltimore Ravens]

Ravens HC John Harbaugh on changes after 3rd straight loss: ‘Everything is on the table’

During his Monday press conference, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh indicated that the team was considering wholesale changes after their third straight loss.

“There’s a long list, all three phases,” said Harbaugh. Based on the rest of his answers – and the team’s play thus far this season – that list seems to be all-encompassing.

When asked about the offensive line: “Everything is on the table.”

When asked about playing Tyler Huntley in Week 6 if Lamar Jackson is sidelined: “We consider everything.”

And despite saying that defensive staff changes were not the answer on Sunday, Harbaugh revealed that he spoke with former Ravens DC Dean Pees on Monday. Pees returned to Baltimore last season to help stabilize a struggling defense, and though another reunion does not appear to be on tap, the conversation alone is telling.

Harbaugh also said that the defense would lead on secondary coach Chuck Pagano (also an ex-Ravens DC) as the team implements the necessary changes. He was not directly asked about giving play-calling duties to Pagano (or another coach), but that would be worth at least a discussion.

Schematically, Harbaugh admitted that the defense, particularly linebackers Teddye Buchanan and Trenton Simpson, was giving up too much open space in their soft zone coverages. It was also one of several times that he mentioned the lack of experience showing up on the field.

“I see us playing man in the future quite a bit,” added Harbaugh, though he noted that an anemic pass rush would make man coverage less viable. He did not offer any specifics about their changes offensively, but again referenced a need to run more plays and play ahead of the sticks.

The Ravens’ focus on stability and continuity would seem to preclude any sweeping changes, but the times that Harbaugh has made such decisions, they have generally worked out. Three examples: firing offensive coordinator Cam Cameron in 2012, turning the keys over to Jackson permanently in 2018, and parting ways with Wink Martindale to bring in Mike Macdonald in 2022.

Other than relieving Orr of play-calling duties, it is unclear what move they could make. A big trade seems like an unwise investment given the present state of the season. Monken is not going anywhere.

Even smaller personnel changes seem unlikely. The Ravens don’t seem to believe that they have any guards on the roster who are better than their current starters. Maybe Huntley could play a few short-yardage snaps, but Cooper Rush is not getting benched after one start against a top-10 defense.

Harbaugh insisted that the entire team has a “massive sense of urgency,” but the rest of his comments betrayed the fact that the Ravens are not quite sure how to solve their problems. Harbaugh and several players have offered some version of “play better” in the last few weeks, but it feels like it will take more than that.

Source: https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/b...-3rd-straight-loss-everything-is-on-the-table

 

[Baltimore Ravens]

AFC North Recap: Week 5

If it is possible to win on your bye week, the division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers certainly did as they watched the three other AFC North teams bumble around to losses on Sunday.

---

Cincinnati Bengals (2-3)​

Another day without starting quarterback Joe Burrow, another interception (or three) for Bengals backup signal-caller Jake Browning.

Cincinnati dropped their third straight game without Burrow at the helm, losing 37-24 to the Detroit Lions in Week 5. The team at least showed some fight, unlike a certain division rival that we will get to next, by clawing their way back from a 28-3 deficit to make the game somewhat interesting by pulling within 11 points at one point in the fourth quarter. Browning’s miserable three-interception performance was at least accompanied by three touchdowns and 251 yards on 26 completions, finally connecting with superstar wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Chase exploded in the fourth quarter with two touchdowns, including a 64-yard score to make it a two-possession game with a little over 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Browning has now thrown eight interceptions to six touchdowns since taking over for the injured Burrow in the Bengals’ Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor seemed to open the door for a potential change at the position on the horizon while still expressing belief in Browning.

“After a game like that we’re going to look at all personnel to make sure we’re doing the right thing,” Taylor said. “I won’t shy away from that because it’s a very fair question after the amount of turnovers we had. To say Jake can’t win games for us, I believe Jake can win games for us. I do. We’ll just continue to look at everything we can personnel-wise.”

During the writing of this article, the Bengals indeed made a move to potentially replace Browning.

According to NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, Cincinnati has acquired veteran quarterback Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns.

The #Bengals are trading for Joe Flacco, per me and @TomPelissero

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 7, 2025

The 40-year-old Super Bowl MVP has bounced around the league since his days with the Baltimore Ravens, and though he struggled this season before being benched in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel, Flacco could provide a boost to Cincinnati’s offense if he can distribute the ball to the team’s pair of star receivers more effectively than Browning.

---

Baltimore Ravens (1-4)​

The season from hell continued for the Ravens in Week 5 as the Houston Texans unleashed a 44-10 thrashing upon them.

To pretend that Baltimore is not largely where they are due to an insurmountable number of injuries to key players would be naive, but there is more to the story than just that. In the past, even when fielding severely undermanned teams, head coach John Harbaugh has demonstrated the ability to prepare his guys for a fight. The optics around the Ravens at the moment suggest something else, as the team has laid over and taken their beating multiple weeks in a row now.

Veteran outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy had an interesting comment when asked if the messages of the coaching staff were getting through to the players.

“That’s probably a question that’s above my pay grade, probably,” Van Noy said. “I think that’s a [John] Harbaugh [or] a ‘Z.O.’ [Zach Orr] question, to be honest. I think their messaging is fine, and we have to be the group to take that, go out and do the simple things right – the fundamentals. Easy, basic stuff.”

Backup quarterback Cooper Rush’s stat line, which included three interceptions, was perhaps worse than his actual performance against the Texans. Still, the offense was anemic for much of the game without Lamar Jackson under center. The unit continued to struggle to generate push in the run game to get Derrick Henry going. Henry has yet to eclipse 100 rushing yards since Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills and has been held under 50 in three out of five games this season.

Baltimore risks falling to 1-5 before their bye week as they take on the Los Angeles Rams next week. The Ravens’ only hope at this point seems to be getting Jackson back at quarterback, along with several other star players who have no clear timetable for returns. The defense, in particular, has shown zero ability to stop opposing offenses without players such as Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, Roquan Smith, and Nnamdi Madubuike on the field, but the unit was struggling mightily even before the hits started piling up.

---

Cleveland Browns (1-4)​

It only took until Week 5 of the season for the Browns to make a change at quarterback, replacing Flacco with Gabriel. The rookie’s first start was admirable, but Cleveland ultimately fell to 1-4 with a 21-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

With the trade of Flacco to the Bengals, the Browns’ season is now purely in the hands of a rookie quarterback, whether that remains to be Gabriel or fellow rookie fifth-rounder Shadeur Sanders at some point down the line. Gabriel completed 19 of 33 pass attempts for 190 yards and two touchdowns in his first NFL start against a stingy Vikings defense. Rookie second-round back Quinshon Judkins continues to impress as well as he crossed 100 rushing yards for the first time this season.

Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski praised Gabriel when asked about his takeaways from his first start.

“Yeah, a lot of positives,” Stefanski said. “Obviously can always be better, and certainly we as an offense have to better and score more to help this football team. But for, you know, a young player in that environment versus that defense to take care of the ball, make the plays he made, I thought was a lot of positives with plenty to clean up. And that’s what he will do. And that’s the mentality he has, certainly to be a player that continues to get better week in and week out.”

Star defensive end Myles Garrett, who was kept off the stat sheet against Minnesota, also backed the rookie quarterback after the game.

“[Gabriel] looked like he usually does,” Garrett said. “Composed, making the plays that we know he can make. He put us in position to win. We’ve got to help ourselves out.”

Source: https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/general/76406/afc-north-recap-week-5

 

[Baltimore Ravens]

Week 6 odds signal doubt about Lamar Jackson, Ravens defense

The Baltimore Ravens opened Week 6 as 7.5-point underdogs in their upcoming matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, reflecting an expectation that Lamar Jackson will miss another game with a hamstring injury.

While oddsmakers may still favor the Rams given the Ravens’ struggles on defense, it is unlikely that they would be so confident against a Jackson-led team at home. But last week’s loss to the Texans has clearly shifted their perspective on Baltimore.

Last week, there was a four-point swing two-time MVP was expected to miss the game. If Jackson was trending towards playing, a similar swing would still leave the Ravens as home underdogs in Week 6.

That’s probably because of a Rams offense that leads the league in yards per play and a Ravens defense that has allowed the most points and the second-most yards this season. In the last two weeks, Los Angeles has put up 918 total yards while Baltimore has given up 809 yards, along with 81 points. Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua has been near-unstoppable this season and could tear through a banged-up Ravens secondary.

The Rams defense also appears to be suited to stop a Ravens offense that struggled to move the ball without Jackson last week. They rank third in yards per carry allowed and have a strong enough pass rush to make life difficult for backup quarterback Cooper Rush, especially if left tackle Ronnie Stanley misses a second game in a row.

Here are the full betting lines for Ravens-Rams, courtesy of FanDuel:

Spread​

Ravens: +7.5 (-115)

Rams: -7.5 (-105)

Over/Under​

44.5 points (—115/-105)

Moneyline​

Ravens: +295

Rams: -370

Source: https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/b...gnal-doubt-about-lamar-jackson-ravens-defense

 

[Baltimore Ravens]

5 starters still out, 2 return to practice on Ravens’ first injury report of Week 6

As the Baltimore Ravens continue to be stricken by an injury crisis over the past two weeks, they received a small dose of more positive news on Wednesday. All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton (groin) and starting left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle), who both missed last week’s game against the Houston Texans, returned to practice. Stanley also was sidelined for the majority of the team’s Week 4 contest after exiting early in the game.

While they practiced in limited fashion, Hamilton and Stanley each practicing this early in the week bodes well for their chances of suiting up this Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. Either of them returning to the lineup would be a significant boost for the Ravens on offense or defense. In their absences last week, the Ravens started UDFA rookie Reuben Lowery at safety and veteran Joseph Noteboom at left tackle.

Wednesday's Injury Report pic.twitter.com/fVKYqAfjxi

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 8, 2025

On the not-so-positive injury front, five injured starters remained sidelined and held out of Wednesday’s practice: QB Lamar Jackson (hamstring), LB Roquan Smith (hamstring), CB Marlon Humphrey (calf), CB Chidobe Awuzie (hamstring), and FB Pat Ricard (calf). In addition, WR Zay Flowers shoulder) and OT Roger Rosengarten (knee) were added to the injury report — although both still practiced as limited participants.

With the bye week on the horizon following Week 6, the Ravens may opt to play it safe with the return timeline for some of these players and not rush them back to action. That’s especially true for Jackson, whose availability is of utter importance for the Ravens’ hopes of a second-half turnaround this season.

Backup Cooper Rush started in-place of Jackson last week but after an underwhelming showing from the offense, the Ravens could make another change at quarterback. Head Coach John Harbaugh hinted earlier this week that the team may explore playing Tyler Huntley, who has started a number of games for the Ravens in previous years when Jackson has had to miss time.

Humphrey and Awuzie’s injuries forced the Ravens to give extended snaps to young defensive backs like Lowery and Keyon Martin last week. After the team added a pair of veteran safeties this week via trade (Alohi Gilman) and a free agent signing (Chauncey Gardner-Johnson), expect them to do more shuffling in the secondary again.

Ricard has now been sidelined for nearly two months with a nagging calf injury. Harbaugh finally provided some greater insight recently, claiming that Ricard was originally expected to be out for only a couple of weeks but suffered a setback. Now, he’s more than likely to be out again this week, with a targeted return to practice after the bye week.

Source: https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/b...ctice-on-ravens-first-injury-report-of-week-6

 

[Baltimore Ravens]

5 Questions for Ravens-Rams: can Baltimore’s defense slow Matt Stafford?

Welcome back to another editions of 5 Questions, a weekly collaboration with other SB Nation sites to preview the Ravens’ upcoming matchups. This week, the Los Angeles Rams are coming to Baltimore, so Evan Craig of Turf Show Times is on hand to answer Baltimore Beatdown’s questions about Week 6.

Also, check out Baltimore Beatdown’s responses to Turf Show Times’ questions about the Ravens!

1. The Ravens have a struggling defense at every level. The Rams could likely attack them however they want. What specific ways do you see the Rams attacking this defense?

Just breathing and showing up on the field.

(Almost) kidding there, but I see the Rams just continuing to go pass-happy in attacking the Ravens’ defense. Matthew Stafford is averaging 29 passing attempts per game, including 98 attempts in the last two games against the Colts and 49ers. There were many legit concerns about Stafford’s health entering the season, yet he’s been off to the best start of his L.A. career since his first year in Hollywood. Passing at will primarily to Puka Nacua and Davante Adams has been the team’s most consistent offensive strategy so far this season, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

As for the ground game, that part of the offense hasn’t been as efficient … yet. Kyren Williams has had his moments and Blake Corum has also joined in on the fun on occasion. I think since the Ravens have been so bad on defense, this would be the perfect week to establish the run more consistently as the Rams inch closer to their bye. But generally, expect L.A. to pass early and often on Sunday.

2. The Ravens have been awful at keeping their quarterback protected, allowing a massive number of sacks, even when Lamar Jackson was back there trying to avoid them. Outside of Jared Verse, who else on the Rams could wreak havoc in the backfield on Sunday?

Linebacker Byron Young has been a menace for opposing quarterbacks this season, as he leads the team with 5.5 sacks through five games. He also has 10 QB hits, which is one behind Verse for the team lead. Young has excellent closing speed and can seriously chase down anyone when he has the opportunity. Other than Young, Defensive ends Kobie Turner or Braden Fiske, who amazingly hasn’t recorded a sack by the way, are two other guys to watch. There is so much young talent on this side of the ball for the Rams that it could really be anyone wreaking havoc in the backfield on a given week.

3. Conversely, is there a clear weak spot along the Rams’ offensive line that the Ravens could attack to give their anemic pass rush some life?

The offensive line has been a complicated issue for the Rams through these first few weeks, as nine different players have suited up for L.A.’s O-line so far. Continuity has been the main culprit due to injuries along the line. Steve Avila, Beaux Limmer and even stalwart Kevin Dotson have all shown signs of regression, so there is no definitive answer to this question.

However, attacking the left guard spot is the main area to go if you’re looking for pass rushing life. That area has seen the most change through these first few weeks, and now it’s looking like presumed building block Avila might have a starting role to fight back for. The inconsistency and continuity issues have been maddening for fans all season, and there’s no clear solution yet, unless there’s an overhaul this offseason.

4. We have seen Matt Stafford propel Calvin Johnson and Cooper Kupp to historic seasons and it appears that Puka Nucua is next in line. What about Stafford makes him unique in his ability to connect on such a level with his top wide receiver in any given year?

Matthew Stafford has always been the ultimate gunslinger, and that mentality has made him unafraid to take risks in the passing game, giving his top receivers the targets they need. Sometimes, that mentality has come back to bite him on a bad turnover when he tries too hard to force it, but usually it has worked wonders. Stafford simply knows how to get the most out of his top targets, and that’s how they wind up posting historic production.

In my opinion, Stafford could probably make most receivers stand out, regardless of who they are. Plus, I think it helps that wideouts like Johnson, Kupp and Nacua each share a natural nose for the ball that has made them prime targets for Stafford to throw to. He really is a wide receiver’s best friend. That is something that should factor in for Hall of Fame voters when the time comes, because all the great ones possess that gift, and Stafford’s had it his entire career.

5. Who has been the Rams’ biggest surprise and disappointment so far this season?

The biggest surprise has been linebacker Nate Landman, who has been quite the free agent pickup this offseason. Landman, in his first season with the Rams since leaving the Falcons, has 41 combined tackles (second on the team) and two forced fumbles, including one that saved L.A. in a season-opening win over the Texans. He’s in line for a big extension and has been the ideal fit at linebacker that the Rams have failed to prioritize for years.

The biggest disappointment in a way has been Kyren Williams, who signed an extension with the organization before the season. Williams was one of the reasons Los Angeles lost to the 49ers last Thursday, considering he fumbled the go-ahead touchdown at the goal line. That marked his 10th career fumble, and per The Athletic, he averages around one every four games. While his production has been fine, one of the core reasons it was a risk to extend him was due to the fumbles, and he has done very little to correct that issue. He has all the potential of being one of the NFL’s top backs, yet his troubling lack of ball security in key spots is holding him back from greatness.

Source: https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/b...ams-can-baltimores-defense-slow-matt-stafford