CLEVELAND — The Baltimore Ravens had victory of their grasp with 1:03 left on Sunday when All-Professional security Kyle Hamilton had Jameis Winston’s errant move briefly in his fingers. However Hamilton bobbled after which dropped what would have been the game-winning interception, offering essentially the most painful second in what has been a collection of them for the Ravens protection this 12 months.
One play later, the Ravens misplaced in acquainted style when Cleveland Browns broad receiver Cedric Tillman bought behind Ravens security Eddie Jackson for a 38-yard landing catch with 0:59 left within the sport. The 29-24 loss to the Browns ended the Ravens’ five-game profitable streak and prolonged Baltimore’s distress of late-game collapses.
It marked the Ravens’ eighth loss when main inside the ultimate two minutes of the fourth quarter because the begin of the 2022 season. That is essentially the most such losses within the NFL over that span.
Close to the halfway level of the season, the Ravens (5-3) have confirmed to have a championship-caliber offense and a weak protection. The most important impediment to a Tremendous Bowl title is the protection’s late-game lapses and the struggles within the secondary.
Requested the place the Ravens can be if the protection was taking part in at the next degree, security Ar’Darius Washington mentioned: “I imply, we would in all probability be undefeated proper now.”
Washington is not exaggerating an excessive amount of. Within the Ravens’ final two losses — towards the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland, who’re final of their divisions — the profitable rating got here in closing minute.
“I really feel like we work laborious,” Jackson mentioned. “We are available in each week, we work laborious in observe, [and] we simply should let it translate to the sport. Then once more, like I mentioned, we’ve got to make these performs when [the football] involves us. I had just a few of them on the market that is bought me sick. We simply have to return on the market and make them. Coach [defensive coordinator Zach Orr] is placing us in that place to make these performs. We simply should get out of this funk that we’re in.”
Hamilton and center linebacker Roquan Smith didn’t converse to reporters after the sport. Others tried to clarify how Baltimore has gone from a traditionally dominant protection final season — changing into the primary to steer the NFL in factors allowed, sacks and takeaways in a single season — to one of many worst in 2024.
There have been some adjustments this offseason in free-agent losses (pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney, inside linebacker Patrick Queen and security Geno Stone) and training departures (defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald turned the Seahawks head coach and two different assistants turned defensive coordinators).
Below Orr, who’s in his first season as defensive coordinator, the Ravens rank final in move protection (291.4 yards per sport) and are tied for many landing passes allowed (17) by way of eight video games. Baltimore has given up 40 completions of 15 yards or extra, essentially the most within the NFL.
“We are the Ravens. We delight ourselves on protection,” Ravens defensive sort out Nnamdi Madubuike mentioned. “Clearly, everyone is referring to how nice we have been final 12 months and simply evaluating it to this 12 months, it is simply not the identical. … This can be a sport we must always have gained, and we did not, so it’s totally irritating.”
The struggling protection has been damage even additional by accidents. Baltimore was lacking its prime two cornerbacks in Sunday’s sport with seven-year starter Marlon Humphrey (knee) and rookie first-round cornerback Nate Wiggins (shoulder/sickness) being inactive. Then, the Ravens misplaced two defensive linemen within the first half, when Brent City sustained a concussion within the first quarter and Michael Pierce suffered a calf damage within the the second.
All of this led to Browns broad receivers working open over the center of the sphere and Winston getting an excessive amount of time within the pocket. The Ravens turned the primary protection to surrender over 20 factors to the Browns this season.
“I imply it is not possible to actually put a metric on [injuries],” Ravens coach John Harbaugh mentioned. “It is clearly an element.”
The Ravens additionally benched beginning security Marcus Williams. In seven video games, Williams has damaged up two passes and has made no interceptions.
It was solely two years in the past when Williams was the Ravens’ prime free agent addition, signing a five-year, $70 million cope with $37 million assured.
“I really feel very assured Marcus goes to be on the market taking part in nice soccer the remainder of the season,” Harbaugh mentioned. “I am going to simply speak about it being an inside kind of state of affairs.”
With Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, Baltimore can put up the factors to win video games. However the Ravens can provide up factors simply as shortly.
Baltimore has allowed essentially the most factors within the fourth quarter this season (93), a regarding pattern that the gamers really feel they’ll repair.
“We delight ourselves in ending, and we’ve not completed that — particularly we did not do it as we speak — however it’s simply going to take work, day in and time out, to excel,” Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens mentioned.
