Week 2 Preview: Can The Ravens Bounce Back After Week 1 Humiliation?
Week 1 of the NFL season is officially in the books, and for Baltimore Ravens fans, it might have been the toughest game they’ve ever had to watch.
Before we get into Week 2, we have to talk about Week 1 briefly and the disappointing display by the defense and the coaches. Yes, Derrick Henry fumbled at the worst possible time, but let’s not act like he wasn’t one of the main reasons the team had a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter. The defense never slowed down Josh Allen the entire game, and it seemed as if they expected the offense to keep scoring. One stat that caught everyone’s attention: this was the Ravens’ 17th blown double-digit lead under head coach John Harbaugh. Is it time for Ravens fans to ask the hard question?
“At times on Sunday night, they looked like they were in midseason form. But that fourth quarter was something I’ve seen a few too many times from Baltimore. Still, a team that can make explosive plays in the air and on the ground is going to find a way to make my top five,” said NFL legendary quarterback Tom Brady.
Going into Week 2, the Ravens’ defense has to perform much better, especially against a divisional rival. Although the Cleveland Browns are not typically viewed as a major threat, they played much better in Week 1 than most anticipated. Cleveland’s defense held Joe Burrow, a top-three quarterback, to just 113 yards. Burrow led the league in passing yards last season with 4,918, which says something about their defense, regardless of whether analysts believe Burrow simply played poorly.
Truthfully, this Browns defense should not be enough to hold back the Ravens’ offense, especially after Baltimore's dominance for three quarters against the Bills. But as that game proved, the Ravens can lose to a team by simply beating themselves.
Key Matchups
The key matchup will be the Ravens’ defense against the Browns’ offense. The Ravens’ defense, filled with former All-Pros and Pro Bowlers, gave up 251 passing yards in the fourth quarter in Week 1! Even if Baltimore wins, as I’m predicting, if Joe Flacco, Dylan Sampson, or Jerome Ford have a field day, Baltimore has a serious problem!
Raven’s Keys To Victory
The Ravens’ keys to victory are simple! If they have a commanding lead, they should not start playing conservatively. Lamar Jackson and Henry dominate the run, which can keep the defense honest and help Zay Flowers and Rashad Bateman get involved. One more thing the offense should do is get DeAndre Hopkins more involved! He had two targets in Week 1, caught both passes, including a 29-yard one-handed touchdown. Hopkins was heavily promoted in training camp and OTAs but was barely used, which I believe is unacceptable.
On defense, the focus should be on getting stops and forcing turnovers. The Ravens have one of the best defensive rosters in the NFL. If Jaire Alexander is not fully healthy, he should sit out! Alexander had one of the worst performances in his career during his Ravens debut after being taken off the injury list the Friday before Sunday’s game. From the looks of it, he was not ready or fully healed.
Hot take: A poor defensive performance from the Ravens this week could put Zac Orr on the hot seat.
Prediction
The Ravens will control the game, and their defense will have a better outing. However, given that it is an AFC North rivalry, I don't see them scoring more than 30 points.
Ravens 28, Browns 14