Late for Work: Pundits React to Short-Handed…

When it rains, it pours, and we’re not talking just about the precipitation during Thursday night’s game at M&T Bank Stadium.

With undrafted rookie quarterback Joe Fagnano making his first NFL start on a short week while dealing with a heavily wrapped right ankle, the Ravens needed to play a near-perfect game to keep up with the Jacksonville Jaguars, one of the best all-around teams in the NFL.

They didn’t come close. The Jaguars scored a touchdown on the opening possession, tacked on another just before halftime, and never looked back, cruising to a 33-10 win and extending Baltimore’s losing streak to four. The Ravens (4-5) have been outscored 104-33 during the skid.

Once again, giving up explosive plays on defense and committing pre-snap penalties on offense were problems. Adding injury to insult, All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton exited the game in the third quarter after suffering a hip injury.

Head Coach Jesse Minter didn’t have an update on Hamilton after the game. If Hamilton misses time, the Ravens would have lost their best player on offense (Lamar Jackson) and best player on defense within a span of four days. The Ravens’ misfortune actually began before the game, when top cornerback Nate Wiggins (illness/stinger) was scratched.

Here’s what pundits said about the game:

The Baltimore Sun’s Josh Tolentino: “Ravens football without Lamar Jackson is a drag, and Thursday night was among the ugliest performances I’ve watched in quite some time. Credit the coaching staff and players for installing a Wildcat-heavy offense in just three days, but its limitations were pretty obvious after a handful of reps. Midway through the third quarter, with Baltimore trailing 20-3, Derrick Henry took a direct snap and handed off to Zay Flowers, who gained just 1 yard and emerged from the pile visibly disgusted. I’m pretty sure those who braved the constant precipitation inside M&T Bank Stadium felt the same way leaving the forgettable Week 9 contest. The repeated presnap penalties at home were inexcusable, too, and hopefully [quarterback] Jacoby Brissett can at least make the remainder of the season interesting.”

The Baltimore Sun’s C.J. Doon: “This is rock bottom. Ravens fans knew this game could be a tough watch, considering the mismatch on paper. Then you add soaking rain, and the crowd that stayed at M&T Bank Stadium could be forgiven for showing their displeasure at every opportunity. They had a lot to be upset about. Ronnie Stanley and Mark Andrews derailed a once-promising drive with false-start penalties. Ja’Kobi Lane didn’t get set before a third-and-short. Marlon Humphrey and Malaki Starks were both directly responsible for giving up big gains. Mark Andrews couldn’t convert a pair of quarterback sneaks. But what really stood out was the lack of fire from anyone on the field, except reserve safety and special teams ace Keondre Jackson. Dwayne Ledford screamed at his offensive line and threw a tablet in an exchange captured on Prime’s broadcast, but even that didn’t seem to motivate anyone. The Ravens once again let go of the rope when things went wrong. It was 10-3 near the end of the first half, and the crowd was into it before Parker Washington beat Starks over the middle for a 50-yard touchdown. Game over.”

NFL.com’s Grant Gordon: “It’s pouring down in Baltimore. The rain, the boos, the losses, they were all coming down on Thursday night as Baltimore lost its fourth in a row. It was no doubt an uphill climb trying to topple one of the AFC’s best with an undrafted free agent quarterback, Joe Fagnano, under center. It’s just not that simple, though. Baltimore had five accepted penalties for 31 yards in the first half to set a horrible tone. The offensive game plan was clearly to milk the clock, get creative and use smoke and mirrors to help Fagnano find his way. Derrick Henry took some snaps at quarterback, attempted a pass and there was plenty of trickery in the backfield. But it played out like a plan to lose by a slimmer margin rather than trying to go out swinging looking for a win. Fagnano attempted one pass all night of more than 10 yards. As the offense drew boos and gained little, Baltimore’s defense – rookie Head Coach Jesse Minter’s calling card – hardly stood up to the occasion, continuing a campaign in which it’s been a massive letdown. Baltimore allowed seven scoring drives.”

The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec: “It had all the makings of a blowout and yet it felt even uglier than that. The Ravens weren’t functional offensively. For large swaths of the game, they struggled to complete a pass or stay onside. Fagnano threw two interceptions and averaged all of 3.3 yards per pass attempt. Tight end Mark Andrews lost a fumble on another short-yardage situation gone wrong. The defense didn’t measure up either, giving up a touchdown on its first series and a field goal on the next. And the special teams? It again was not very special with LaJohntay Wester adding to Baltimore’s woes by fumbling a kickoff. It was varsity versus jayvee, two teams heading entirely in two different directions.”

Baltimore Beatdown’s Nikhil Mehta: “It went, more or less, exactly as I expected. The Ravens showed up early and looked, in brief spurts, like they could hang around in the game, but it was clearly a mirage. [Offensive Coordinator] Declan Doyle’s creativity was limited by Joe Fagnano’s apparent inability to plant and throw off his ailing right ankle, especially behind a porous offensive line that could not hold the Jaguars’ defensive front. Baltimore’s defense was not going to miraculously turn around in less than a week, especially against one of the NFL’s top offensive minds in Liam Coen. That’s a perfect recipe for a blowout, especially with a home crowd that was (understandably) ready to check out early. The offense can flush this one and move on with Jacoby Brissett, but the defense under Jesse Minter and Anthony Weaver has been bad. Shockingly bad. The unit needs a major personnel overhaul this offseason.”

There Were Some Positive Takeaways on Both Sides of the Ball

As disappointing as the loss was, there were some positives, as noted by Russell Street Report’s Rob Shields:

• Jacksonville came into the game with the third-best third-down offense in the league, but it went just 4-for-12.

• The Jaguars had the 13th-best rush offense in the league, but they were held to 77 yards, about 46 yards below their average.

• The defense was put in several short-field situations and held up well.

• The Ravens held the Jaguars offense under their season average in total yards. About one-third of their 319 yards were on two plays of more than 50 yards each.

• The Ravens rushed for 172 yards, nearly 100 yards more than the Jaguars defense was averaging. Of that yardage, 65 came on one Justice Hill touchdown in the fourth quarter. Jacksonville came into the night with the best run defense in the league.

Pundit Says Brissett Has Been Told Jackson Could Return This Season

There is hope that Jackson can return from the injury to his right thumb late in the season, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Fowler said Brissett was on his way from Arizona to Baltimore on Friday to finalize the reported trade with the understanding that the goal is for him to keep Jackson’s seat warm.

“I’m told that he knows, or has the expectation, that Lamar Jackson could be back at some point late in the season, so he’s looking at this as really a five-to-six game run to try to keep the seat warm for Lamar if he can make it back,” Fowler said.

The Ravens placed Jackson on injured reserve before Thursday’s game, meaning he will miss a minimum of four games. Minter declined to comment after the game as to whether Jackson had undergone surgery yet and if there was any clarity on his possible return.

Quick Hits

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