Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers runs the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans in Baltimore on Oct. 5. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

By Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper
AFRO Publisher and CEO

There’s no sugarcoating it — that 44–10 loss hurt. It was hard to watch and harder to explain. The Texans didn’t just beat us; they embarrassed us in our own house. It was the worst home loss of the John Harbaugh era, and it left many of us stunned.

Still, one thing hasn’t changed — we’re fans.

Real fans don’t disappear when things go bad. We don’t hide the jersey, stop talking football, or lose faith in the team we’ve supported through better days. Being a Ravens fan isn’t a hobby. It’s part of who we are.

Yes, the roster is banged up — badly. Lamar Jackson is out with a hamstring injury and may miss more time. Justin Madubuike, Marlon Humphrey, and Roquan Smith are among those sidelined, and there are many more. When that much experience and leadership are missing, it shows.

Even so, we expect a Ravens team to play with discipline, focus and heart. None of that was on display Sunday. The defense looked out of sync, the offense couldn’t protect the quarterback, and the Texans controlled the game from start to finish.

It was painful to watch, but it also reminded us how quickly momentum can shift — and how badly we need to get back to the kind of football that built this franchise: smart, physical, and relentless.

This week, the mood across the city will be mixed. Some fans are discouraged, and understandably so. But when Friday rolls around, purple will still be everywhere — in schools, in shops, and on the streets. It’s what we do.

Purple Friday isn’t just a tradition; it’s an expression of pride. Win or lose, we show up. That’s Baltimore. We don’t quit on our city or our team.

A 1–4 record is not what any of us hoped for, but it’s not the end. Other teams have started this way and found their footing. The 2015 Chiefs, the 2018 Colts, and the 2002 Titans all dug themselves out of early holes and made the playoffs.

We’ve got 12 games left. That’s time to regroup, get healthy, and rediscover who we are. It’s time to tighten the defense, protect the quarterback, and reestablish our rhythm on offense. None of it will be easy, but nothing worth having ever is.

Baltimore has never been afraid of hard work or long odds.

Sunday’s loss was humbling, but it doesn’t erase everything this team has built. We can be disappointed and still be devoted. We can expect accountability without losing heart.

The Ravens have given this city more moments of pride than pain, and we know they’re capable of turning things around.

Next Sunday, I’ll be in the stands — not because the team is winning, but because they’re ours. I’ll be there to clap, to hope, and to believe. And if we don’t make the playoffs this year, I’ll still be a fan. Because once a fan, always a fan.