Baltimore’s secondary hits new low after missed opportunities and poor execution.
The Baltimore Ravens have a pass-defense problem.
Given that the Ravens have faced elite quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, and Dak Prescott, it’s somewhat understandable why they rank last in passing yards allowed per game. However, being exposed badly by an anemic Cleveland Browns team is not.
Jameis Winston torched the Ravens’ defense for 334 yards and three touchdowns. Baltimore had no answers for a passing attack that came into the game, averaging under 200 passing yards per game. It’s borderline unacceptable, but here we are.
Mistakes, miscommunication, and missed opportunities plagued Baltimore from the start.
The Ravens secondary played terribly against Jameis Winston and the Cleveland Browns
The Ravens’ secondary looked lost throughout the game. Blown coverages were evident on nearly every drive, and when a crucial stop was needed, the defense repeatedly came up short.
Up 24-23 with just over two minutes left in the game, the Ravens needed one stop to secure the win. Instead of putting up any fight, the Browns marched down the field in nine plays to score the game-winning touchdown.
Look at how out of position Ravens cornerback Eddie Jackson is. Browns receiver Cedric Tillman absolutely cooks him to catch an easy touchdown. It just can’t be that simple when the game is on the line. By the time he catches the touchdown, he has five yards on Jackson – it’s embarrassing.
Dropped interceptions will be the death of the Ravens’ Super Bowl hopes
As rough as the coverage was, the most frustrating aspect might have been the dropped interceptions. It felt like Baltimore could have picked off five passes. Eddie Jackson dropped at least three, but the most painful miss came from Kyle Hamilton, whose drop could have sealed the win.
Kyle Hamilton just dropped the game-winning interception
It was RIGHT in his hands pic.twitter.com/fJ6YCk3TmH
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) October 27, 2024
Kyle Hamilton has to make that catch. He may never get an easier opportunity. His missed interception perfectly sums up the “when it rains it pours” reality for this defense.
Dropped interceptions are nothing new for the Ravens’ defense – it’s been a glaring issue that’s plagued this team all season long. The best way to stop the opposing team from scoring is to take the ball away from them. At this point, they’re getting in their own way and making things tougher on themselves due to a lack of focus and execution.
Lack of accountability from Ravens’ secondary is going to be Baltimore’s downfall
To make matters worse, when asked how the defense can improve, Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens could only point to the team’s “willingness to want to get better.” It’s a ridiculous response, given the current struggles.
CB Brandon Stephens on what it will take to get the defense back on track. pic.twitter.com/GGgKTiI4rq
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 27, 2024
It’s a response that reveals more than he may have intended, suggesting a fundamental lack of desire or urgency from a defense that’s struggled all season. Winning masked these flaws for a while, but Sunday’s loss to a Browns team led by backup QB Jameis Winston exposed the harsh reality: Baltimore’s pass defense remains the worst in the league.
Facing a 2-6 Browns squad with a backup quarterback should have been a chance for the defense to rebound, but instead, it was more of the same. Blaming these issues on a lack of “want” feels like an oversimplification of a deeper problem.
If the Ravens are still talking about effort and willpower in Week 8 of a supposed Super Bowl campaign, the cracks are already too big to ignore.
Baltimore’s defense has officially hit rock bottom. It doesn’t get any worse than this. Sunday’s game was supposed to be a prime opportunity for the defense to make a statement, against a weaker opponent, no less, which makes the collapse even more glaring.