Ravens Week 8 Report Card vs. Browns
The Ravens had a deflating 29-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday that snapped a five-game winning streak and dropped them to 5-3 on the season.
Here’s the Report Card
Offense
Quarterback: Lamar Jackson threw for 289 yards with two touchdowns. However, Jackson was hampered by the inconsistency of his wide receivers and a running game that was contained by Cleveland’s defense. Jackson did miss a couple of deep passes, but he was under pressure for most of the game. He did his part. Grade: B
Running backs: Derrick Henry scored a go-ahead touchdown with 2:36 remaining, but the Browns answered on the next drive. Henry, who entered the game leading the NFL with 873 yards rushing, finished with 73 yards on 11 carries. Justice Hill was ineffective with two carries for 5 yards. Grade: C
Wide receivers/tight end: Rashod Bateman had two critical drops on third down that would have extended drives. Nelson Agholor also had a third-down pass go through his hands but caught his first touchdown of the season. Wide receiver Zay Flowers, who was questionable because of an ankle injury, caught seven passes for 115 yards, which saved this unit from getting a failing grade. Tight end Mark Andrews caught a touchdown pass for the third straight week. Grade: C
Offensive line: Center Tyler Lunderbaum and left tackle Ronnie Stanley had critical holding penalties. The group struggled to pass block and Jackson was sacked three times. It could have been worse, but Jackson escaped several grasps. Grade: C-
Defense
Linebackers: Overall, it was a poor game for the linebackers who were pushed around by the Browns’ offensive linemen and blocking tight ends. Roquan Smith had eight tackles and fellow inside linebacker Trenton Simpson had trouble getting off blocks. Odafe Oweh was virtually invisible. David Ojabo was a healthy scratch. Grade: C–
Defensive line: The Ravens were hurt when defensive end Brent Urban (concussion) and defensive tackle Michael Pierce (calf) had to leave the game. Travis Jones played but was dealing with an ankle injury. Nnamdi Madubuike had a quiet game with two tackles. Browns running Nick Chubb, playing in his second game since recovering from a knee injury in 2023, finished with 52 yards on 16 carries. Grade: C-
Secondary: Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton dropped an easy interception with just over a minute remaining that could have sealed the win. Fellow safety Eddie Jackson was often lost in coverage and gave up the winning touchdown to Cedric Tillman. Jackson also dropped at least two interceptions. More miscommunication and coverage breakdowns led to the loss. Cleveland quarterback Jameis Winston, who was making his first start since 2022, completed 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards with three touchdowns. Grade: F
Special teams: Justin Tucker missed a 50-yard field-goal attempt that would have tied the game. He is now 3-for-10 on kicks from over 50 yards over the past two seasons. Jordan Stout averaged 52.3 yards on four punts. The Ravens also had costly penalties on returns. Grade: D
Coaching: Offensive coordinator Todd Monken implemented a wildcat with Derrick Henry on a fourth-and-1 and lost 3 yards. He did the same thing on a third-and-1 with tight end Charlie Kolar, who was penalized on the play. It’s head-scratching why Monken did not keep Lamar Jackson behind center. The defense is still struggling under Zachary Orr. Grade: D-