The Baltimore Ravens‘ 2025 season can summed up by what occurred after Jaylin Noel’s landing on Sunday that stretched Houston Texans‘ result in 31 factors early within the fourth quarter.
Noel celebrated his first profession landing by mimicking Ray Lewis’ patented squirrel dance. Noel’s celebration was interrupted by Ravens cornerback Jaire Alexander, who tried to steal the ball away earlier than shoving Noel.
Alexander’s act was symbolic of the ache a proud franchise is presently enduring.
Baltimore, the heavy preseason favourite to repeat as AFC North champion, is now 1-4 by 5 video games. Sunday’s 44-10 loss was its worst protection since 2013 and is tied for the largest defeat of the John Harbaugh period.
“Simply full disappointment,” Harbaugh stated afterward. “We’re gonna need to discover a strategy to flip it round and work out who we’re this subsequent week and into the bye and after the bye. We’re gonna have greater than half the season left, and we’re gonna have to search out ourselves.
“That is what our purpose might be transferring ahead.”
30-point losses in Ravens historical past
Whereas Houston’s effectivity on each side of the ball had one thing to do with it, Sunday’s end result was largely the byproduct of the Ravens being with out a slew of key staters as a consequence of harm.
Sunday’s inactive listing for Baltimore included quarterback Lamar Jackson (hamstring), offensive sort out Ronnie Stanley (hamstring) linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring), cornerback Marlon Humphrey (calf), fullback Patrick Ricard (calf), security Kyle Hamilton (groin).
The Ravens had been already with out defensive sort out Nnamdi Madubuike, who suffered a season-ending injuring throughout Baltimore’s lone victory of the yr, a Week 2 win over the Browns.
General, Baltimore was with out it is six-highest paid gamers (they mix to make $160 million this season), and the shortage of that a lot expertise clearly confirmed.
Houston, which improved to 2-3, rolled to the tune of 417 yards, 27 first downs and seven of 12 effectivity on third down. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud feasted on the Ravens’ toothless secondary, going 23 of 27 for 244 yards with 4 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Conversely, Baltimore’s offense — led by backup quarterback Cooper Rush — wasn’t capable of muster any kind of momentum till it was too late. Rush threw three picks whereas presiding over an offense that generated simply 207 yards of offense.
With Rush struggling, and with the sport out of hand for nearly the whole the second half, Baltimore’s greatest out there offensive weapon — working again Derrick Henry — was a non-factor. Henry rushed for simply 33 yards on 15 carries, though he did make historical past within the second half when he tied Walter Payton for the fifth-most speeding touchdowns in NFL historical past.
Instantly after Henry’s rating, although, Houston’s offense went proper again to work as Stroud hit Christian Kirk for a 47-yard achieve. The massive completion arrange Noel’s rating and Alexander’s subsequent shove.
Talking of Alexander, the previous Packers Professional Bowl cornerback had been a wholesome scratch for every of Baltimore’s earlier three video games and was solely taking part in due to Baltimore’s accidents within the secondary. Alexander tried, however in the long run, he could not make up for what the Ravens are presently lacking.
The identical may very well be stated for the remainder of the Ravens who suited up on Sunday.
“We have younger guys they usually’ve received to develop up quick,” veteran linebacker Kyle Van Noy stated after the sport. “They do not have time to mature over time. We want them, now, to step up, and the older guys must step up, too.”
