The Ravens’ defense struggled in Week 1, but sometimes the hardest lessons provide the most insight.
For the first time in franchise history, the Ravens lost a game in which they scored 40 points or more, dropping a 41-40 decision to the Buffalo Bills. Failing to contain Bills quarterback Josh Allen when it counted most, Baltimore lost despite leading 40-25 midway through the fourth quarter.
That’s a difficult way to start the regular season, and it’s something the Ravens don’t want to carry over into Sunday’s home opener against the Cleveland Browns. Baltimore started 0-2 in 2024 and didn’t hit its stride defensively until the second half of the season.
“We’re going to have to take a look at [the film] and really figure it out and figure it out fast,” outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy said. “We don’t want to start how we did last year.”
Pass rush and pass coverage work hand in hand, and the Ravens had breakdowns in both phases. Allen passed for 394 yards, including 251 in the fourth quarter, and had his way down the stretch against a secondary that includes five former first-round picks.
Nnamdi Madubuike had the only sack for Baltimore, and whenever Allen felt pressure, he escaped the pocket too easily for the Ravens’ taste. Giving Allen extra time and open receivers is a recipe for losing. Whether he escaped outside or evaded Baltimore’s rush by stepping up inside, Allen kept finding ways to make plays.
“We couldn’t keep him in the pocket,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said. “That’s probably the No. 1 disappointment for me. I think when you let him extend plays like that, he’ll run for yards, but he’ll also find receivers downfield, and they do a good job of getting open.
“I would say pass rush lanes – that’s something that we’ve got to go to work on. It’s not just four lanes. There’s different patterns that we use, and we just weren’t as good as we need to be at that.”