The Baltimore Ravens‘ 25-29 divisional loss to the Cleveland Browns set off alarm bells about the performance of the team led by quarterback Lamar Jackson. Head coach John Harbaugh knows he has time to make drastic changes to go far in the 2024 NFL season.
The Ravens are second in the AFC in points allowed so far this NFL season, but they are avoiding a negative record thanks to the contributions of MVP candidate Jackson. The Baltimore franchise quarterback completed 23 of 38 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns in Week 8 against Cleveland.
“We’re going to continue to turn over every stone with our defense and with every other part of our team, too, to get as good as we can get it over the course of a long season. I am very confident that we will make moves in the future,” Harbaugh said in press conference.
The loss to the Browns snapped a five-game winning streak for Jackson’s Ravens. The Baltimore franchise’s current form warrants a change on defense, as they have given up at least 25 points in every game this season. Against Cleveland, for example, they allowed Jameis Winston to throw for 334 yards and three touchdowns, including Cedric Tillman’s last-minute game-winner.
The addition of Dean Pees as defensive coordinator has to pay off
The addition of veteran assistant and defensive coordinator Dean Pees has not solved the Ravens’ defensive woes. However, the input of an old acquaintance could be crucial for Harbaugh as he looks to implement changes in that aspect of the team.
The personnel changes don’t seem to be enough at the moment, but it has to pay off for the Ravens, who will also need to be more accurate in their play-calling in order to limit the amount of points against per game.
Lamar Jackson’s performance in the 2024 NFL season
Jackson is the mainstay of the struggling Ravens this campaign, and his level of play makes him a possible candidate to win his third MVP award. In eight games played this season, he has already contributed 17 touchdowns, the same amount as in the 2022 campaign. In addition, in the 2024 NFL he has completed 158 passes in 236 attempts for 2099 yards and has been intercepted only twice.