5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs
Childs Walker, The Baltimore Sun
The Ravens’ big offensive line risk looks … risky
We spent the past four months debating general manager Eric DeCosta’s grand gamble — three starting offensive linemen out, including stalwarts Kevin Zeitler and Morgan Moses, replaced by players with precious little experience.
DeCosta recently called the overhaul a necessary response to salary cap constraints created by Jackson’s five-year, $260 million extension, but he and Harbaugh both acknowledged the growing pains we might see early this season.
Kansas City’s All-Pro defensive tackle, Chris Jones, made sure we did not have to wait.
Jones beat Daniel Faalele, starting at the right guard position he just began learning in the spring, to pressure Jackson on the Ravens’ first drive.
On the first drive of the second quarter, Jones tossed rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten aside and fired past Faalele to strip Jackson, handing Mahomes a short field.
Jackson could not look downfield, because he rarely had more than two seconds before a red jersey invaded his personal space.
When the Ravens got moving late in the third quarter, a hold by Tyler Linderbaum on Jones wiped out a 29-yard run by Jackson that would have put them on the Kansas City 13-yard line.
This was the risk DeCosta embraced in designing his roster, and we’re seeing the short-term price.
The Breakdown: Brown’s Five Thoughts on Tough Road Loss to Chiefs
Clifton Brown, BaltimoreRavens.com
Likely Is a Budding Star
There was plenty of excitement about Likely before the season, but the hype may have undersold him. He was sensational with nine catches for 111 yards, and his 49-yard touchdown catch that was punctuated by a juke move that left Bryan Cook of the Chiefs grabbing at air was a thing of beauty.
Likely looked uncoverable and his catch radius and run-after-catch ability makes him a unique player. In Likely and three-time Pro Bowler Mark Andrews (two catches, 14 yards) the Ravens have the league’s best tight end duo, which should give opponents matchup problems all season.
Likely sounded like he would love to see the Chiefs again in January.
“I’d say this is probably the worst game we’re going to play all year,” Likely said. “So, if this is the best that they got, good luck in the postseason.”
2024 NFL season, Week 1: What We Learned from Chiefs’ win over Ravens on Thursday night
Eric Edholm, NFL.com
Henry quiet in Ravens debut. On the Ravens’ gutsy opening drive, overcoming three penalties and converting three third downs, Derrick Henry capped it with a plunging 5-yard TD run, putting the Ravens up, 7-0, on the champs. It was Henry’s fifth carry of the drive and a strong start for the Ravens’ big free-agent acquisition. Henry then touched the ball only three more times the entire first half, finishing the game with 13 rushes for 46 yards and no catches on two targets.
Henry averaged 16.5 carries per game last season with the Titans, and he had six games with 13 or fewer, so this wasn’t some shockingly low usage by recent Henry standards. Plus, when the Ravens went down two scores in the second half, Henry came off the field in favor of Justice Hill, and the ball was mostly in Lamar Jackson’s hands, so clearly there was a game-flow effect that worked against Henry in his debut. He did convert a huge fourth-and-1 run with 6:34 remaining in the game — his final touch — that helped the Ravens stay in it, down 10 points. Hill had one carry, and Flowers had two. The rest of the rushing attempts went to Jackson and Henry. You can’t read too much into this usage, although it does highlight Henry’s limitations when the Ravens are down and/or going tempo.
How each newcomer for the Ravens played against the Chiefs
Paul Mancano, The Baltimore Banner
RB Derrick Henry (signed 2-year, $16 million deal): Henry didn’t wait long to get into the end zone, scoring on the first drive of his Ravens tenure. But offensive coordinator Todd Monken went away from Henry after that, and the 30-year-old received just 13 carries for 46 yards (3.5 average). On a night when Jackson did the heavy lifting in the run game, Henry was mostly a nonfactor.
S Eddie Jackson (signed 1-year, $1.5 million deal): A two-time Pro Bowler in Chicago, Jackson was signed to be the third safety, an important role for a team that frequently mixes and matches with its secondary. The veteran finished with a pair of tackles in 22 defensive snaps.
OT Roger Rosengarten (drafted No. 62 overall): The Ravens have high hopes for their second-round pick out of the University of Washington, but Rosengarten’s NFL career could not have started worse. Replacing veteran Patrick Mekari on the team’s third possession, Rosengarten allowed Chris Jones a free lane to Lamar Jackson, who fumbled on a strip sack. The Ravens’ coaching staff stuck with Rosengarten on the next possession, but the rookie never quite found his footing. When it mattered most, Baltimore went back to Mekari on the final drive of the game, a sign that Rosengarten isn’t quite ready to wrestle the job away. Rosengarten finished with 19 snaps to Mekari’s 55.
Gap between Chiefs and Ravens is bigger than toe that decided game
Mike Jones, The Athletic
Contrast that with the lack of consistency in options and production for Baltimore’s offense, and the gap between contender franchises feels far more significant.
The Ravens have an All-World quarterback of their own in Jackson. And this offseason, they signed running back Derrick Henry in hopes that the longtime Tennessee Titans workhorse could help ensure balance and ease pressure on Jackson.
But Baltimore’s offense encountered the same problems Thursday night as it has throughout Jackson’s six seasons as starting quarterback. Unless Jackson does it all, there is next to no spark. Outside of Jackson, who may go down as the greatest dual-threat quarterback the game has seen, versatility is scarce.
The Ravens are counting on second-year wideout Zay Flowers to continue to ascend. But Thursday, he was used in similar fashion to his rookie season, when he primarily snagged quick-hitters and tried to use his speed and elusiveness to break those short throws for big gains. Likely did rack up nine catches for 111 yards and a touchdown, but the Ravens struggled to get No. 1 tight end Mark Andrews involved (he finished with only two catches for 14 yards).