Ravens most to blame for Week 2 loss to Raiders

The Baltimore Ravens suffered one of the biggest upset losses of the NFL season in Week 2. They lost at home to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday 26-23. After a 0-2 start, fans are looking for people to blame. Lamar Jackson, Todd Monken, and cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens should shoulder the blame for this loss.

A brutal first half ended with a 9-6 Ravens lead on the power of three Justin Tucker field goals. The offense could not get moving but the defense was standing up and giving them a chance. Jackson and the offense came out firing in the second half, scoring the game’s first touchdown on the first drive of the third quarter.

Gardner Minshew and the Raiders scored two touchdowns and held the ball at the end to get a game-winning field goal. The Ravens lost because they could not get the offense moving, did not run the ball effectively, and did not cover Davante Adams.

Lamar Jackson must figure out fourth-quarter woes

The third quarter was the best quarter the Ravens had in this game offensively. They scored that first touchdown and finished off the quarter by completing a touchdown drive with a Derrick Henry touchdown. At that point, the Ravens were up by ten points with 12:11 to go in the fourth quarter. Lamar Jackson did not keep the offense on the field in the fourth quarter to ice the game.

Jackson’s biggest difference-making trait is his legs. In the game, he only picked up 45 yards on five carries, which includes a last-second scamper that ended the game. He must get back to his 122-yard form in Week 3 for the Ravens to beat the Cowboys next Sunday.

The Ravens have struggled closing out games in the Jackson era. Between multiple playoff games and a failed last-second drive in Week 1, this stereotype will stick with the team until they prove otherwise in a big spot. This game was far from a big spot and they failed to do so against the Raiders.

Todd Monken abandoned the run game again

One of the biggest reasons the Ravens have struggled in the fourth quarter is that they refuse to run the ball. In their possessions, offensive coordinator Todd Monken did not rely on Derrick Henry to run the clock out. Jackson threw an unnecessary interception that led to the Raiders’ first touchdown.

After the Raiders tied the game at 23, Monken and the offense got the ball back with a chance to win the game. While Justin Tucker has struggled from 50+ yards this season, they do have a great kicker that could have won them the game. Monken called a pass play that ended in a sack on first down. After a Justice Hill run went for no gain, Jackson and Hill connected for a three-yard pass that ended the drive.

This drive is the epitome of Ravens fans’ complaints about Monken. They picked up Henry to give him a great running back to rely on. While he is in the twilight of his career, getting no touches on an important drive is not the recipe.

Ravens secondary struggled against Davante Adams

The Raiders’ offense struggled mightily in Week 1. Going against Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers, Minshew threw for 257 yards and Davante Adams had 59 receiving yards. They turned it around on the road against John Harbaugh’s Ravens by relying on Adams down the stretch.

Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens were both burned by Adams, who racked up 110 yards on nine catches and scored his first touchdown of the season. With a matchup against Ceedee Lamb looming, these players must fix their issues quickly. Neither cornerback travels with the top receiver, so they both must shine against the Cowboys.

Brock Bowers also had the best game of his young career, scaring the 100-yard mark in his second game. The defense was cooked by Rashee Rice in Week 1 and did not show any improvements against the Raiders. Expect things to improve before their matchup against the Cowboys.