NFL.com: 7 (Previous: 7)
“The Ravens are clearly a dangerous team, but man, do they know how to lose. Baltimore built a 20-3 first-half advantage over the powerhouse Bills, only to watch it all slip away in a last-second loss that left John Harbaugh answering questions about a fourth-down gamble that went terribly awry. “So, hindsight, you could take the points,” Harbaugh said of the decision to bypass a go-ahead field goal and instead go for it on fourth down with just over four minutes remaining. “But if you look at it analytically, you understand why we did it.” Understandable? Sure. But poor execution — Lamar Jackson floated a pass into the end zone that was intercepted by Bills safety Jordan Poyer — led to a defeat every bit as bitter as the fourth-quarter meltdown against the Dolphins in Week 2. Get this out of your system now, gang.” – Dan Hanzus
ESPN: 9 (Previous 6)
“Defensive efficiency: 52.3
League rank: 16th
The biggest issue on defense is … finishing the game.
The Ravens have lost two games this season in which they have led by 17 points or more because they can’t stop teams late in games. In the second half, Baltimore has given up an NFL-worst 1,019 yards while allowing 67 points. The Ravens used to get offenses off the field when they had Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs forcing clutch turnovers. This season, Baltimore defenders are making it too easy with missed assignments and no consistent pass rush. In the fourth quarter, opposing quarterbacks have posted an NFL-best 88.6 QBR against the Ravens, throwing five touchdowns and getting sacked twice.” – Jamison Hensley
“Why did John Harbaugh go for the touchdown on fourth down? He can’t trust his defense.” – Mike Florio
“This is twice in four weeks that the Ravens have sprinted out to massive leads (28–7 vs. the Dolphins, 17–3 vs. the Bills) that they couldn’t close out. Their offense is still an absolute clock-draining menace (38 minutes of possession) but their inability to stop opponents on critical drives is starting to raise eyebrows.” – Connor Orr
“The Ravens’ defense rose to the occasion as much as possible against Josh Allen, but they again made some little mistakes to blow a lead against the Bills, much like Week 2 vs. the Dolphins. Lamar Jackson is still carrying much of the team but it was good to see more of a healthy J.K. Dobbins.” – Vinnie Iyer
“I get why John Harbaugh went for it instead of kicking a field goal in the fourth quarter on Sunday, but I think he should have taken the points. Then again, it’s hard to believe three points there was going to be enough to beat the Bills in regulation. It wasn’t an easy spot. The Ravens are still a very good team, one that will be even better with J.K. Dobbins reemerging to help Lamar Jackson in the run game. They just couldn’t hold off the Bills after taking a 20-3 lead, which isn’t ideal but not the end of the world either. Let’s see what happens Sunday night against the Bengals.” – Frank Schwab
“Their defense is awful right now, which limits their chances to win. That is not a Ravens team we’ve come to expect.” – Pete Prisco
“Lamar Jackson is having to do this alone. The Ravens are completely dependent on his heroics every single week to win football games. This week, Jackson was failed by his coaches. After going 12-of-16 for 108 yards and a touchdown in the first half, Jackson completed just eight passes for 36 yards and threw two picks in the second half against Buffalo. The Bills adjusted; Greg Roman didn’t. The longtime NFL offensive coordinator just isn’t putting Jackson (or the Ravens’ other skill players) in a position to succeed or capitalize on easy offense.” – Austin Gayle
“The Ravens have lost twice so far, but both came at the very end to two talented teams, the Bills and Dolphins. I support Baltimore’s decision to go for it on fourth down, but Lamar Jackson couldn’t throw that interception because it allowed Buffalo to start at the 20-yard line.” – Walter Cherepinsky
“We won’t overreact to the Ravens losing to the Dolphins and Bills, two teams deservedly near the top of our rankings. Lamar Jackson is once again an MVP candidate, and there’s just too much defensive talent for Baltimore not to solve its issues on that side of the ball.” – Staff
“Lamar can’t do everything guys and when he’s got nobody else to help move the football in the second half, we see losses like that. When was the last time you were so disappointed in a Ravens defense like most have been the past few seasons?” – Bryan Fischer
“Jim Harbaugh’s decision near the goal line is defensible, the gamble just didn’t pay off. The Baltimore Ravens came seconds away from a statement victory once again, but the defense’s inability to close out games is really becoming alarming. We’ll see if it proves costly in a Week 5 matchup that is pivotal for the AFC North race.” – Matt Johnson
