On Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens continued their familiar theme of collapsing down the stretch of big games with a 41-40 road loss to the Buffalo Bills to open up their 2025 season. The Ravens led this game by 15 points more than halfway through the fourth quarter but ultimately ended up relinquishing three scoring drives down the stretch en route to the loss.
Lamar Jackson had an elite game for most of the night but came up a bit small down the stretch, unable to convert a first down late in the fourth quarter that would have put the game on ice.
Recently, former NFL head coach Rex Ryan took to the ESPN airwaves to highlight what he thinks is holding Jackson and the Ravens back in these big moments.
“I think the mentality of the Ravens has always been that we are a defensive football team first. The pride of that franchise is that defense, having the baddest defense on the planet… I think right now John (Harbaugh) needs to take a hard look and I think realize you got a great football team. This is my pick to win the Super Bowl. But the mentality right now is John, the best thing you have is your offense. It's not your defense anymore. Let your offense win games,” said Ryan.
Harbaugh came under fire during Sunday's game for not going for it on fourth down late in the fourth quarter from just a couple of yards away and instead punting the ball, which allowed the Bills to drive down the field and win.
A troubling start for the Ravens
As Rex Ryan mentioned, the Ravens' calling card has historically been their defense, but that has shifted in recent years.
The Ravens' defense got off to a putrid start to the 2024 season and that trend continued on Sunday night, with league MVP Josh Allen eviscerating the Baltimore secondary and immediately causing fans to wonder whether the Jaire Alexander acquisition may have been a huge mistake.
The good news for the Ravens is that they still have 16 more games to turn things around and shake off the big game demons.
