Once again, the Baltimore Ravens suffer another late-game collapse after losing to the Buffalo Bills, 41-40, in Week 1. Despite building a sizeable lead and showing moments of brilliance, the Ravens couldn’t hold on when it mattered and ultimately lost the game.
For Ravens fans, this is a feeling that is all too familiar, and many are starting to become worried about the team’s ability to close out games, raising the question:
Is this a cause for concern or just a temporary setback?
Baltimore Ravens Suffer Another Late-Game Collapse
Causes For Concern
It’s Becoming a Trend
Since 2021, the Ravens have been the league leaders in losing games in which they have had at least a 90% chance to win, losing eight times. This statistic highlights that despite having such a stacked and talented roster, the Ravens falter in the fourth quarter and have trouble closing games out. This pattern of failing in crucial moments has fans voicing their concerns about the coaching strategy. With so much talent at their disposal, the fact that leads are repeatedly lost in the fourth quarter is a concerning trend that cannot be ignored.
The Ravens have now lost 8 games since the 2021 season in which they, at one point, had a win probability of at least 90%.
That’s three more than the next closest team.
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) September 8, 2025
Mistakes in Critical Moments
The Ravens struggled with several individual mistakes throughout the game. Rookie kicker Tyler Loop missed an extra point, and running back Derrick Henry fumbled the ball on the Ravens’ 35-yard line with 3:10 remaining, allowing the Bills to get back in the game. However, the most significant reason why the Ravens lost was the defense’s inability to stop Josh Allen. The defense allowed Allen to march down the field on numerous occasions, including giving up a field goal at the end of the first half, and allowing decisive points in the final minutes, handing the Bills the victory.
These mistakes in crucial moments are not new for the Ravens. They have occurred in previous seasons, and if the team hopes to compete at the highest level, serious changes are needed to prevent this pattern from repeating.
Temporary Setback
New Defense and Improving
While the late-game collapse to the Bills was disappointing, it may not correlate to similar results in the past. This year’s defensive unit is still new, and they may take a while to gel together and get up to speed. From here, the focus will be on improvement and ensuring players, both new and old, are confident to see out the win in high-pressure situations.
“We’ll go back to work like we always do, we’ve been here before, it’s how the NFL works … hopefully you learn from it and keep getting better, get better throughout the course of the season, become the team you’re going to be, it’s a long journey,” John Harbaugh said.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, the Ravens have the necessary talent and coaching expertise to improve on their Week 1 outing. If they can fix the careless mistakes and work on closing out games, the sky’s the limit. Next week, against the Cleveland Browns, is the perfect opportunity to prove it
Main Image: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
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