OWINGS MILLS — Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was almost in disbelief after the team fell to 0-2 with a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday after squandering a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead.
There was an almost immediate sense of urgency to get the season back on track with another challenging game against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3.
“[We’ve] just got to find a way to win,” Jackson said. “I’m not used to being 0-2. [We’ve] just got to catch our momentum and get it started right away.”
The Ravens are 0-2 for the first time since 2015 when they went 5-11. Baltimore was favored to win a second straight AFC North title, but now the coaches and players face an uphill battle to make the playoffs.
Only 9 percent of the teams since 1970 that started 0-2 made the postseason — 407 teams lost their first two games and only 39 made the postseason.
“I’m not comfortable at all with how the start has gone,” said left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who is just one of two returning starters on the offensive line. “What we’re trying to do here is win. It’s not like we have a lack of talent or people to do it. Our standard is very high, and that’s definitely not OK for us to start that way. The type of effort and tenacity these guys are giving is second to none.
“I’m not doubting the type of people we have and the type of character that we have in this locker room, but we have to buckle down on these details that really make a difference when you’re playing at this level.”
While the Ravens have been largely inconsistent on offense, they rank No. 7 for rushing yards per game (168.0) and No. 5 for passing yards per game (249.5).
The Ravens signed running back Derrick Henry to give them a boost. Henry is still adjusting to the Ravens’ playbook, and he’s run for 130 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries in two games.
“We definitely don’t want to be 0-2,” Henry said. “We wanted to get off to a good start, but we’ve just got to keep working [and] keep having faith in one another. There are a lot of teams that start 0-2 and then finish the season strong, and we’ve just got to look at it that way.
“We’re out to a slow start right now, but we’ll just keep believing in each other and keep working and keep getting better, and the wins will come soon.”
Baltimore also has issues defensively. While they rank No. 1 in run defense (49.5 yards per game), the Ravens are last against the pass, allowing 257 yards per game.
The Ravens also have trouble putting teams away. Since 2007, the Ravens have 10 losses when leading by seven or more points in the fourth quarter, the most by any NFL team, according to CBS Sports.
That’s been especially bothersome to coach John Harbaugh.
“Giving up a fourth-quarter lead is never OK – it’s not acceptable; it should never happen,” Harbaugh said. “You do it because you don’t play consistent football to get the stops that you need to get, and our guys know that – they’ll take accountability for it. Coaches will take accountability for it. When I say, ‘Us,’ I mean all of us – players and coaches together. That’s our job to get that done.”
The Ravens will need to get the job done this week against the Cowboys. A third straight loss could prompt some personnel moves.
“I think we’re always going to be searching for ways to make our team better,” Harbaugh said. “There’s a lot of variables here and there. It’s not just in like, who’s starting and who’s not starting, it’s in who’s playing in what groups, how many reps guys play, what plays they play in. Same thing on defense [and] defensive personnel groups.
“We’re going to look at everything all the time. You’re always going to do what you can do with the players that you have [and] the schemes that you have to try to get better.”
