How Are the Baltimore Ravens Looking Through Week 2? Should You Be Worried?

The first two weeks of the NFL have been filled with excitement, but some fans might say they’ve been filled with embarrassment. The Baltimore Ravens are somewhere in the middle.

The Ravens are officially 1-1 and have shown both positives and negatives. Like past Ravens squads, this team has struggled to play well on both sides of the ball in the same game. In Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills, the Ravens’ defense gave up 354 passing yards to Josh Allen, 251 of them in the fourth quarter. In Week 2, the pass rush landed nine quarterback hits on Joe Flacco and kept him under duress, spoiling his return to M&T Bank Stadium as a visitor.

Baltimore’s secondary was strong in pass coverage, motivated by Nate Wiggins’ third-quarter interception that he nearly returned for a touchdown. The cornerback rotation, led by Wiggins, Chidobe Awuzie, and Marlon Humphrey, did not include Jaire Alexander, who was inactive after struggling in Week 1.

All three levels of the defense looked sharp and played with unity. The Ravens knew they were better defensively than they showed against Buffalo, but they still needed to prove it. Tavius Robinson’s sack and forced fumble, which led to Roquan Smith’s fumble return for a score, put the exclamation point on a defensive effort more in line with who the Ravens believe they are.

The Ravens might want to get DeAndre Hopkins more involved. He has four receptions and two touchdowns through two games, and it could have been three if not for being ruled down at the one-yard line against the Browns. Even with his age, Hopkins has proven he’s still a playmaker and a reliable weapon in the passing game.

One area the Ravens need to improve is third-down play-calling. So far, they are 9-of-23, which is below average. With elite talent like Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, Hopkins, and Rashod Bateman, the team should be converting more on third down.

Overall, the Ravens have shown they are contenders. Even in their Week 1 loss, the offense showed promise, totaling 238 rushing yards. If the defense had played just a little better, the team might have come out victorious. Agree or disagree? Share your thoughts and leave a comment.