For Mature Audiences Only

One day and three weeks ago, optimism enveloped Charm City as we anxiously awaited the kickoff for the Ravens 2025 season on Sunday Night Football. Twenty-two days later the season already feels old. Expectations have been ravaged by an underachieving team that seemingly lacks preparation, physicality and heart. And as the Ravens walked off the field as losers and owners of a (1-3) record, it looked and felt like a funeral.

Starting a season (1-3) paves the way for a daunting task ahead. Back in 2015, the Ravens season got off to an identical start – a season during which the team struggled through injuries to starting QB Joe Flacco, tailback Justin Forsett, No. 1 WR Steve Smith, Sr., Flacco favorite Dennis Pitta and the defense’s pulse, Terrell Suggs. They finished (5-11) that season. Since 1990, only 35 teams that dropped three of their first four games have successfully recovered to make a postseason appearance. That’s 1 such team per season.

Will the Ravens be the 36th?

Before each season, when the schedule for all teams drops in May, many will project a win/loss record. I had the Ravens at (13-4). I believed the hype. I believed what I thought I saw in the eyes of players – a steely-eyed determination to shed the sting of that Divisional loss to Buffalo and perform to their potential.

And as I went through the schedule, week by week, I was mindful that there will be a couple of teams that will surprise – they will pull it together and become a solid playoff participant. Others will not be anywhere near as good as the season before, and they’ll fall off the postseason dance card. What I didn’t expect was that the Ravens might be one of those teams.

Granted, the Ravens have played a difficult schedule so far, but few if any expected the painful results we’ve witnessed through the season’s quarter pole. Ravens’ games should be labeled, “For Mature Audiences Only”. This season to date has been like a horror story about satanic possession. It’s as though some evil and powerful force has ripped out the collective soul of the Ravens. There’s no more swagger. No joy. No teamwork. No confidence.

They are a broken team without answers and dwindling hope.

When asked how concerned he is with the Ravens 1-3 start, John Harbaugh replied:

“I’m concerned, but I’m not overwhelmed by it. We’ve played – the three losses are against probably three of the top teams in the league, for sure. That’s just the hand we’ve been dealt, but it doesn’t really matter. We have to win the next game. And then once you win the next game, then you have a chance to start stacking some wins. And that’s what we’ve got to do, big picture-wise. But small picture-wise, we have to do a great job of putting together a great gameplan and a great practice and then a great game.”

Each week we keep hearing about how the Ravens have to get back to work, to figure out a way to beat their next opponent. Last week we heard John Harbaugh say that but “our guys will be ready” while they prepared for the Chiefs. Did they look ready to you? They looked ready for a vacation.

Marlon Humphrey and Kyle Hamilton among others, talked about the team needing to play together, to understand their assignments and trust their teammates to do their jobs. When do these excuses end? The Ravens look as confused as Kamala Harris trying to explain storage clouds. And it’s not exactly like these guys are stepping on the field together for the first time. But it sure does look that way.

The Ravens defense gets caught up in dime packages against heavy offensive formations. They can’t generate a pass rush, yet they drop edge rushers who couldn’t cover a corpse with a blanket, into coverage. The Chiefs were hoping for a get-back game, a game to get their offense back on track. Zach Orr and the Ravens 32nd-ranked defense provided the perfect solution.

• The Chiefs scored on 7 of their first 8 drives and only a missed FGA from Harrison Butker prevented them from a perfect 8 for 8.
• The Chiefs hadn’t scored more than 22 points in any of their first 3 games, averaging just 20.0 PPG. They reached that total by halftime against the Ravens.
• In 11 of their last 14 defensive series, Orr’s defense has been scored upon and one of the three stops was the aforementioned missed FGA by Butker.
• Mahomes & Co. scored 20 straight points in the first half (keep in mind they’ve average 20 PPG) and punter Matt Araiza wasn’t called upon until the 3:35 mark of the fourth quarter when Andy Reid probably called off the dogs.
• During their 30 years as a franchise, the Ravens’ defense hasn’t given up 37 points or more 3 times in a season since the inaugural campaign in 1996 when they achieved this unsavory level of distinction. Through 4 games this season, the Ravens have allowed 41, 38, and 37 points. There are 13 more games to play. Could history be in the making?

But I digress…

Fans of Baltimore-based sports hoped that the Ravens might help to take away the sting of the Orioles underachieving campaign that now leaves them with a near 10% chance of earning the 2026 MLB Draft’s first overall pick. But if anything, the Ravens have just poured tequila and salt on those fresh wounds.

Is there time to remedy this spiraling season?

Sure, there is.

But with a coaching staff and team that has far more questions than answers, 13 weeks feels like 13 minutes and unfortunately, we are all too aware of the Ravens inability to manage the clock.

Pitchers and catchers report to Sarasota in 135 days.

Hey, could you please pass the tequila?

[Coming later…the Good, Bad & Ugly]

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Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2025/09/29/lombardis-way/ravens-lose-to-chiefs/