Ravens: Ancient Fall Extends Beyond Fourth-Quarter Woes
The Baltimore Ravens suffered a heartbreaking 41-38 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 4, a defeat that has sparked scrutiny beyond just the final minutes of the game.While a controversial fourth-down decision and late-game turnovers loomed large, the Ravens’ collapse reveals a pattern of squandering critically important leads, a trend extending back to the divisional round loss to the Bills in January.
The Bills’ victory was fueled by a dominant performance from Josh Allen, who orchestrated a game-winning drive after a crucial Ravens turnover. buffalo advanced 66 yards in nine plays to set up the winning field goal as time expired. Reflecting on the game,Ravens coach John Harbaugh acknowledged his team’s inability to contain Allen. “We had a plan and we simply did not succeed,” Harbaugh stated. “We couldn’t execute it. much of the plan was to keep it in the protection bag. We couldn’t do it. That is probably my greatest disappointment.”
A particularly debated moment occurred with 1:33 remaining in the fourth quarter. Facing a fourth-and-three on their own 38-yard line while leading 40-38, the Ravens opted to punt. ESPN Analytics calculated Baltimore’s win probability at 81.4% had they gone for it, a figure that dropped to 73.2% with the punt.
Harbaugh explained the decision, stating, “You have to make the decision very fast and say: ‘Do we have a decision that we really like?'” He also revealed that lamar Jackson had briefly left the field, influencing his choice.”I saw that somthing was not going well and I told him that I had to get his clearance team,” Harbaugh said.Jackson later confirmed he was experiencing cramps, adding, “If I hadn’t had cramps, everyone knows that I would have tried a fourth Down and three.” Harbaugh defended his trust in the defense, asserting, “I’m not afraid to put our defense to the test…Our defense will be very, very good.”
Tho, the Ravens’ defensive struggles were evident throughout the game, having allowed touchdowns on four of their last six offensive series, including the final two before Allen’s late-game drive. This loss echoes a similar scenario from the divisional round against Buffalo in January, where a missed two-point conversion would have tied the game.This time, the costly mistake came from running back Gus Edwards, who fumbled the ball on the Ravens’ 38-yard line with 3:10 left to play while Baltimore led 40-32. Four plays later, Allen scored a one-yard touchdown, narrowing the gap to 40-38. Edwards took full responsibility, stating, “I have to take care of the ball…defeat is mine. I own him as a man.”
Despite the turnover, Edwards had enjoyed a stellar performance, rushing for a career-high 169 yards – the most by a Ravens running back in a Week 4 game in franchise history. Quarterback Lamar Jackson offered support, saying, “He already did enough for us…He was simply on a streak, but things happen.” Jackson also acknowledged his own past mistake, referencing a fumble in the playoffs.
the Ravens now face the challenge of addressing a recurring issue: protecting leads. The team must find a way to avoid these late-game collapses and secure victories when holding a significant advantage.
