Ravens Looking for Answers After Defense Struggles Again
BALTIMORE — The Ravens are determined to fix a defense that is having some of the worst performances in franchise history.
Baltimore is 5-2 heading into its bye and the players are confident there is time to fix these issues.
"We’re not very consistent yet," defensive end Calais Campbell said. "We’re trying to find ourselves still. We have flashes. We had flashes of it today, and then we had moments where we didn’t play so [well]. One thing for sure is that I believe in everybody we have in the room.
"I believe in my guys. The mistakes we made I know we’re going to fix, and we’re going to go out there and play some good football. In the second half of the season, we’re going to be a force to be reckoned with, that’s for sure.”
In a 41-17 loss to the Bengals in Week 7, quarterback Joe Burrow shredded Baltimore's secondary for 416 yards with three touchdowns.
It was the most points Baltimore has allowed since Dec. 22, 2013, when the New England Patriots left M&T Bank Stadium with a 41-7 victory.
Cincinnati wide receiver C.J. Uzomah got behind Baltimore's secondary for two of those scores from 55 and 32 yards, The Ravens had no answer for Bengals rookie wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who had 8 catches for 201 yards with a long touchdown.
"We do have to play better in the secondary, for sure," Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. "Going into this week, the biggest assignment was on me to kind of stop their top guy, and I lost that matchup. So, a lot of it, kind of, is on me. I’ve just got to play better, especially when the game plan is for me to have a big day. The c
The Ravens allowed an opponent to rack up more than 500 yards of offense for the second time in three weeks.
Opposing quarterbacks have found holes in Baltimore's secondary, which is hindered by the season-ending knee injury to cornerback Marcus Peters.
Anthony Averett has filled in admirably in Peters' absence despite being targeted the most times in the NFL. Humphrey managed his first turnover of the season with an interception against the Bengals but has missed several tackles throughout the season.
The Ravens have allowed 2,073 passing yards over seven games, the worst performance in franchise history. Baltimore is just the third team in NFL history to allow three 400-yard passers in the first seven games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Here's a look at how opposing quarterbacks have fared against the Ravens>
Week 1: Derek Carr (Raiders) 34-56, 425 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 89.5 RTG.
Week 2: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs) 24-31, 343 yards, 3 TDS, 1 INT, 131.5 RTG.
Week 3: Jared Goff (Lions) 22-30, 217 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INT, 93.3 RTG.
Week 4: Drew Lock, Teddy Bridgewater (Broncos) 19-37, 178 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT 62.7 RTG
Week 5: Carson Wentz (Colts) 25-35, 402 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 128.5 RTG.
Week 6: Justin Herbert (Chargers) 22-39, 195 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 67.8 RTG
Week 7: Joe Burrow (Bengals) 416 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 113.5 RTG
The Ravens have struggled with their tackling all season
Humphrey and safety Chuck Clark whiffed on a tackle that allowed an 82-yard touchdown to Chase. That play gave the Bengals a 27-17 lead and the Ravens never recovered.
The Bengals then put the game away with a 21-yard touchdown run by Joe Mixon that boosted the lead to 34-17. Cincinnati running back Samaje Perine also had a 46-yard touchdown scamper on the next drive,
Both times, the Ravens missed several tackles, a problem that has resurfaced numerous times.
“It’s just all part of having pride. In these situations, especially when you’re down, it’s all about pride and just ‘man’-ing up," linebacker Tyus Bowser said. "We’re not going to just let them score. We have to have pride in ourselves and our defense. Honestly, man, we’ve just got to understand that in situations like this, when we’re feeling down, we can’t give up. Don’t quit. Have pride in yourself and your teammates, and go out there and make sure we stop them.”
