Game recap: Ravens collapse at the finish line against the Dolphins

I knew I was going to be producing this article, but as a Baltimore Ravens fan, I had to give it some time before revisiting this embarrassing loss to the Miami Dolphins. In one of the craziest games of week 2 of the NFL, the Dolphins would overcome a 21-point deficit to defeat the Ravens 42-38. This game was the definition of the phrase “roller coaster of emotions.” 

Ravens fans across the world who sat and watched all four quarters would have experienced every range of emotion humans are capable of feeling. It went from explosive excitement to confusion to anger to relief and back to frustration. Results aside, it was one of the most exciting football games I have watched in recent memory.

The Positives

It seems odd starting with the positives considering Baltimore blew a 21-point lead, but there were plenty of performances to be enthusiastic about. The bulk of these will rightfully be on offense, as the final score indicates. 

Lamar Jackson, who bet on himself coming into the season, was fantastic. He yet again proved why he is one of the most exciting players in the NFL. Lamar would finish with 318 passing yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions. This alone would be an impressive performance, but he also managed 119 rushing yards with a touchdown, capped off by a 79-yard touchdown run. 

While the numbers prove just how well he played, there were a few aspects of week 2 that stood out to me. As someone who has watched Jackson since he took over for Joe Flacco in 2018, I was impressed by his execution in the passing game.

He completed 21 of his 29 pass attempts for a completion percentage of 72%. He was calm and threw the ball with confidence, something that hasn’t always been the case. I was pleased by his competence in the passing game, something I hope to see continue for the remainder of the season. 

Another takeaway from the game was Rashod Bateman continuing to prove that he can be a number one wide receiver. The sophomore wideout reeled in four catches for 108 yards, capped off by a massive 75-yard touchdown pass from Lamar Jackson. Bateman is flashing the consistency and potential that Raven fans hoped they would see entering the season. He currently sits at 167 yards and two touchdowns on the season. 

Before I get into the pathetic performance by the defense in the second half, I would like to acknowledge Marcus Williams. The former New Orleans Saint safety has now recorded three interceptions this season, with two of them coming this past Sunday.

Williams has been a major addition to the porous Baltimore secondary. His three inceptions are a Ravens record, as he is the only player in Baltimore history to record three in the first two games.

The Negatives

Oh my, where to begin? I still don’t know what happened, but my fantasy football league-mates have been sure to remind me at every opportunity. Poor coaching decisions, appalling defensive effort, and a cheetah resulted in one of the most shocking fourth quarters I have witnessed the Ravens play.

Before I dive into the decisions made by the coaching staff, let me say that I have never coached a game of football nor played one. If your team is up 21 points with 12 minutes on the clock and your team is renowned for their ability to run the ball, why not chew up the clock?

This team is built to take a lead and hold it. Again, I am not a football coach so I might be wrong, but game management shouldn’t be as difficult as the Ravens made it seem.

Unfortunately, Baltimore’s inability to run the ball was not the only coaching decision that helped contribute to the defeat on Sunday. The team’s willingness to pass up on a field goal in favor of attempting plays on fourth down has gone from admirable and courageous to infuriating. These are free points that the team leaves off the board. 

There were several reasons that the Ravens missed the playoffs last season, but the decision to “go for it” cost the team at least two games. If you have the greatest kicker of all time, kick the ball. 

It has commonly been said that “defense wins championships”. If that’s truly the case, we will not make the playoffs again. The game started well for the defensive unit before ultimately being embarrassed by Tua Tagovailoa aka the next Peyton Manning.

The secondary came out after halftime and decided to stand still as Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill ran past them repeatedly.

Rookie cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis was given a rude welcome to the NFL by Tyreek Hill, as he seemed completely outmatched and overwhelmed by the Dolphins receiver. Communication between the veterans and rookies seemed to be absent because on a Tyreek Hill touchdown Armour-Davis stood still as Hill ran by him. 

The defense appeared fatigued, beaten up, and beaten down by the Dolphins and Tagovailoa. The culture in Baltimore has always been hard-nosed, with a bone-rattling defense that played with their heart. It may be a very long season for the Raven’s defense if they cannot come together as a unit.

Next up, New England

Week Three will see the Ravens traveling to the hostile Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. It is always tough for opposing teams to walk into New England and defeat Bill Belichick and the Patriots, so I expect the Ravens to have a hard-fought battle.

Both teams are sitting with 1-1 records, yet Baltimore will most likely enter the game as the betting favorite.

While I do expect a Ravens victory, I don’t foresee it being a walk in the park. Belichick will undoubtedly have a plan to stop the explosive offense and draw up a scheme to exploit the Raven’s lowly defense.

My prediction: Ravens win by 3