The Ravens and Chiefs entered Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday trying to survive.
One team put forth an emphatic statement. So did the other, in all the wrong ways.
Baltimore was humiliated, losing 37–20 to drop to 1–3, two full games behind the AFC North–leading Steelers. For Lamar Jackson, perhaps the fourth quarter was the toughest, watching from the bench with a wrap around his right hamstring and an eternity to ponder what’s next.
Rarely does a great team feel helpless, but Baltimore is in such a spot.
Six days ago, the Ravens allowed seven sacks to the Lions in a 38–30 loss at home. Against the Chiefs, Jackson was once again under pressure throughout, as Kansas City notched three sacks and eight quarterback hits. After starting 5-of-5 for 52 yards and a touchdown on the opening drive, Jackson was 9-of-15 for 95 yards, an interception and a lost fumble.
While the severity of Jackson’s injury is unknown, any missed time could be a fatal blow for a team already sinking in the AFC North. The Ravens have already lost head-to-head tiebreakers with the Bills and the Chiefs.
If Jackson is sidelined, coach John Harbaugh will desperately need his defense to step up. Based on the first four games of the season, the Ravens could be in trouble.
Defensive coordinator Zach Orr has watched his unit get smoked all year. The Ravens came into the week having allowed the most yardage per game (415.0) and the second-most points (32.0). Nothing from Sunday helped those metrics, as Kansas City totaled 382 yards with relative ease, racking up 24 first downs while Patrick Mahomes threw four touchdowns.
Baltimore’s injury situation appears dire. While left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle) and Jackson (hamstring) are significant concerns on offense, the defense is a MASH unit. The Ravens went into the game or left the game without defensive tackles Nnamdi Madubuike (neck), Broderick Washington Jr. (ankle) and Travis Jones; edge rusher Kyle Van Noy (hamstring); linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring); and corners Marlon Humphrey (calf), Jaire Alexander (knee) and Nate Wiggins (arm).
Van Noy and Jones are expected back next week, while the others all range from unknown (Humphrey, Smith, Wiggins and Alexander) to on injured reserve (Washington and Madubuike).
At some juncture, any roster, no matter how deep, reaches a tipping point, and the Ravens are there.
Ravens recovered in 2024
For Baltimore, this season is reminiscent of last year in some ways, but also much more concerning in others. In 2024, the Ravens were awful defensively through their first 10 games, allowing 25.3 points per game. The Ravens then adjusted, moving Ar’Darious Washington from corner to safety alongside All-Pro Kyle Hamilton. From there, the Ravens went 5–2, permitting 15.4 points per game to catapult themselves to a second consecutive AFC North title.
That same script could play out. The Ravens could move around some personnel, find the right mix and get rolling. But they also have the aforementioned crush of injuries which didn’t exist last season and they were 7–3 last season when they found the right mix defensively. That record seems highly unlikely given the roster’s current state. However, the schedule could be favorable, with three consecutive home games against the Texans, Rams and Bears before road games against the Dolphins, Vikings and Browns.
In the NFL, the season can change quickly. Baltimore knows that better than anybody. After all, it held a 34–19 lead against the Bills on Sunday Night Football entering the fourth quarter of Week 1, only to allow 254 passing yards to Josh Allen in the final 15 minutes to lose 41–40.
Instead of a dream start to the season, Baltimore sustained a nationally televised nightmare.
Three weeks later, the enduring image of the Ravens’ blowout loss was Jackson watching from the bench, replaced by Cooper Rush, as Mahomes and the Chiefs righted their proverbial ship at their expense.
Baltimore now has to regroup, if it’s going to survive while some of its key players get healthy.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Injury-Riddled Ravens Are in Trouble After Loss to Chiefs.
