The Baltimore Ravens have seen some lean times — not many — in their 31-year history.
However, they’ve never been as bad as they’ve been in the last month under rookie head coach Jesse Minter, after Thursday night’s 33-10 home loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It was the Ravens’ fourth straight loss, dropping them to 4-5 before a Week 10 Monday Night Football game against the winless Los Angeles Chargers.
“The Ravens’ struggles without quarterback Lamar Jackson have reached a historic-meltdown level, even if no one is blaming the stretch on the loss of the injured two-time NFL Most Valuable Player,” ESPN’s Jamison Hensley wrote on Thursday night. “Baltimore (4-5) was held under 14 points for a fourth straight game, breaking a team record in futility. The Ravens also lost by 20 or more points in three straight games for the first time in their 31-year history.”
Minter has seemed downright incompetent in his first season — no more so than on Thursday night against the Jaguars.
Ravens Ignore Simple Formula to Winning Games
The Ravens ignored a simple formula to winning games that’s worked in all four of their victories this season — getting NFL All-Pro Derrick Henry at least 20 carries.
In the four games the Ravens have won, Henry has had at least 20 carries. Against the Jaguars, he had 17 carries.
Even worse, the Ravens’ refusal to do the simplest thing possible comes following a week in which an NFL team won a game with zero passing yards when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers, 16-0, becoming the first team to win a game with zero completions since the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 29, 1974.
Jesse Minter’s Leadership Comes Into Question
To say Minter’s shine is completely gone might be an understatement.
While Jackson’s injuries have certainly played a role in losing some games, it’s hard to ignore that this looks like a roughshod, undisciplined team.
“Through nine games, the Ravens have committed an NFL-worst 74 penalties, including a league-worst 36 before the snap,” The Baltimore Sun’s Josh Tolentino wrote on his official X account on Thursday night.
“The pre-snap penalties are unacceptable … there’s a definition of insanity – if you keep doing the same things over and over again expecting different results,” Minter said after the loss to the Jaguars.
“The Ravens charade was exploded Thursday again,” Sports Illustrated’s Jason La Canfora wrote on X. “Minter can’t call the defense, DeCosta better sell at deadline, Jacoby Brissett ain’t fixing this. Key takeaways as this sad franchise (expletive) the bed again.”
Ravens Reach Historic New Low Under Rookie HC Jesse Minter