Late for Work: Pundits React to Another Ravens…
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The feel-good vibes from last week’s thrilling overtime win were replaced by a gut-wrenching feeling of déjà vu Sunday in Cleveland.
After an impressive win in Atlanta, the Ravens entered Sunday’s game against the Browns hoping they had put the narrative of not finishing off opponents to bed, but the 13-10 loss was too familiar.
For a league-high 17th time since 2018, the Ravens lost after holding a double-digit lead. It’s the second time it’s happened this season, the first coming in the home opener in Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints.
Instead of celebrating what would’ve been their fourth consecutive win on Sunday, the Ravens had to field questions about why the collapses keep happening.
“I’m not going to sound like a broken record,” safety Kyle Hamilton said. “It’s Groundhog Day with this question. I don’t know. I’m not going to give you an answer. I really don’t know. So, sorry, that’s the best I can give you, but we’ve had this conversation so many times. I don’t even feel like addressing it again.”
With the way the Ravens started the game, it seemed unlikely that they could lose to a Browns team that appeared overmatched.
Quarterback Tyler Huntley, starting his second straight game with Lamar Jackson sidelined because of an ankle injury, picked up where he left off in Atlanta, leading the Ravens to 10 points on their first two possessions. The Ravens’ defense was suffocating, limiting the Browns to seven yards in the first quarter.
However, the offense didn’t score another point, and the defense, which was stout for most of the game, was not at its best when its best was needed.
The Browns scored 10 unanswered points in the final 6:30, aided by a missed 49-yard field goal try by Tyler Loop that would’ve made it a two-score game and a Derrick Henry fumble in Ravens territory that led to the Browns’ game-tying touchdown.
The game was still tied when the Browns got the ball with 1:59 left. They drove into Ravens’ territory and won it on Andre Szmyt’s 37-yard field goal as time expired.
It was a costly loss for the Ravens (4-2), who now have the same record as the Browns and Steelers in the AFC North. The surprising Browns sit atop of the division by virtue of their wins over Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
“[Head Coach] Jesse Minter told the Ravens heading into Sunday’s game that a win in the AFC North would be extra valuable,” The Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Shaffer wrote. “He called it ‘plus one and a half’ in the standings. Which means that the opposite is true, too. The Ravens not only wasted an impressive defensive performance, but they suffered an extra-valuable loss, too.”
Here’s what pundits said about the game:
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec: “As it turned out, it was all a tease. The clutch field goals, the flawless late-game execution, the defensive playmaking when the game is on the line. Yeah, all of it. You can no longer say with any conviction that these are the new Baltimore Ravens, that they’ve learned their lesson from so many previous letdowns, that they’ve completely flushed the maddening habit of dropping games they have no business losing. Maybe you thought that was the case after the win over the Dallas Cowboys in Brazil or the overtime victory in Atlanta. Maybe you concluded they were ready to go on a long run of finding different ways to win, with their offense, defense and kicker all taking turns playing the starring role. Sunday, however, brought a crisp slap in the face and a hard jolt back to reality.”
The Baltimore Banner’s Giana Han: “The Ravens have changed! They’ve won games they would have lost! Well, not really. The offense turned the ball over on a critical drive. The defense didn’t hold. And then the offense responded to the Browns’ touchdown drive by going three-and-out. All phases of the game were at their worst when their best was needed.”
The Baltimore Banner’s Kyle Goon: “The Ravens love to find ways to burn down their leads, as they did in a 13-10 loss on the road to the Browns. It’s a haunted legacy that we can now see transcends any one player or coach. … We’ve seen this season that the Ravens are capable of rising up when they hit the mat and coming back to win. We haven’t seen that they’re capable of staying ahead when they’re expected to romp — actually, we’ve seen significant evidence that they’re still haunted by their old ways.
“Minter has attempted to tackle rebuilding Ravens culture with a tagline: ‘We need to play our best when our best is needed.’ But rooting out a tendency this deeply entrenched cannot be accomplished with a slogan. … The change in poise has to come from the players, and they know it. Nnamdi Madubuike and Hamilton both said the Ravens need to win these games. Henry said his fumbles can’t happen. But the mission statements need to evolve into action, and I don’t think it’s up to a coach to lead the Ravens there. They have to grow up.”
The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker: “It happened again. Another opponent the Ravens had every chance to handle, another fourth-quarter lead they squandered. Weird things happen when these teams get together, but this was next-level bad. New coaching staff, same problems. Even without Lamar Jackson, the Ravens should have put the Browns away.”
The Baltimore Sun’s Bennett Conlin: “These storylines feel too familiar. Baltimore had no business losing this game, given how it started, just like it had no business losing its home opener to the Saints. This team is making defensive strides under Jesse Minter, but they still have stunning late-game lapses, even accounting for last week’s clutch rally against the Falcons. With consistent late-game execution, the Ravens could be 5-1 or 6-0. How does this keep happening?”
Baltimore Beatdown’s Nikhil Mehta: “I’m not coming out of this game with any sweeping conclusions. The alarm bells aren’t going off. The coaching and talent is there; the Ravens just need to get (and stay) healthy to let it shine.”
Ravens Entering ‘Most Daunting Stretch’ of Season
Another consequence of the Ravens squandering leads against the Saints and Browns is that their schedule is about to get significantly more difficult.
The Browns are the only team the Ravens have faced that has a winning record. Their other five opponents have a combined record of 9-21.
“The Ravens are now 4-2, and they head into arguably their most daunting stretch of the season as they have a healthy Cincinnati Bengals (3-2) team coming off a bye at M&T Bank Stadium next Sunday,” Zrebiec wrote. “Then comes a game at Buffalo (5-1), then a Thursday nighter against the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2).”
One thing for certain is that the Ravens always have a chance with Jackson on the field. Unfortunately, the two-time MVP’s health status remains uncertain.
“The Ravens badly need Jackson back from his ankle injury, and there’s optimism this will be the week — though that was the belief at this time last week,” Zrebiec wrote. “They also could use center Cam Jurgens (concussion) to make his Baltimore debut and solidify an offensive line that was overrun for much of Sunday.
“They also have to hope that the injuries that forced out left tackle Ronnie Stanley (undisclosed) and wide receiver Rashod Bateman (shoulder) against the Browns don’t keep them from the field next Sunday, and that Trey Hendrickson’s postgame trip to the X-ray room late Sunday afternoon was more precautionary than a sign of another issue. Hendrickson described his health situation as ‘ongoing.'”
Rookies Ja’Kobi Lane and Josh Cuevas Were Bright Spots on Offense
While it was a disappointing game for the offense, the performances by rookie wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane and rookie tight end Josh Cuevas were encouraging.
“Lane missed four games with a broken wrist but jumped right back into the action in Cleveland, with two catches on the first drive,” Press Box’s Antonio Barbera wrote. “He finished with four tough catches for 40 yards. It was a strong second debut for the rookie.
“Josh Cuevas stepped up. The Ravens already lost tight end Durham Smythe for the season due to an Achilles tear. Matt Hibner missed the Browns game with a hand injury. Cuevas took over as the second tight end behind Mark Andrews and had four catches for 44 yards and the Ravens’ only touchdown. He will likely continue to see targets in future games.”
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https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/ravens-browns-loss-lead-squandered-jakobi-lane-josh-cuevas-2026
