Knee-Jerk Reactions: Rams 17 Ravens 3

The Ravens fell to 1-5 for the first time since 2015, losing to the Los Angeles Rams 17-3 at M&T Bank Stadium. They head into the bye licking their wounds and facing quite a battle to get back into any kind of contention.

RSR staff react to the loss here.

Kevin McNelis

Stick a fork in ‘em, they’re done.

1-5 into the BYE is catastrophic. The worst part of this game was that it was a TIE GAME at the half. The defense actually showed up and made some plays and the offense couldn’t find the end zone if they had an airport ground crew with strobe lights and fluorescent wands.

The offensive play-calling in pressure situations was nothing short of idiotic. I hate to put it that way, but am I wrong? The biggest spark on the offense today was when #22 had the ball, and they chose to take him off the field when it mattered most. Two high-profile tight ends, a future Hall of Fame running back, and this staff can’t come up with a viable play call in the shadow of the goal posts. Todd Monken looks like he’s coaching himself out of a job next season.

Part of me is numb to this. Part of me is livid, and if you’re a fan of this team, you should be, too.

Chad Racine

The Ravens were given gift after gift in the first half and still couldn’t find a way to power through.  There were improvements this week defensively but too many costly mistakes including four turnovers. At 1-5 I don’t know if it’s possible they can make the playoffs.

John Hughey

There’s not another team in the NFL who needs an early bye week more than the Ravens. In a game where the defense finally showed up, the offense decided to take another day off, outside of Derrick Henry. It’s the second lowest scoring game in Ravens home history, after multiple failed red zone trips for yet another week. Tom Brady said it perfectly: “If you can’t get a yard, you don’t deserve to win.” Ater three consecutive failed attempts to gain just one yard, it seemed almost evident to the Ravens were destined for a 1-5 start.

With a week to get healthy, you could make the case the Ravens season is still alive. But it’s going to take a lot more than players healing to turn things around inside that locker room.

Chris Schisler

I had no hope. Until I it was 3-3 and a good game at the half. They sucked me back. They broke my heart. Zay Flowers can’t hold on to the ball. The tush push isn’t for us, heck the easy things, the simple things aren’t for us. Cooper Rush had the liveliness of a lethargic dream, and the Ravens took too long to go to Tyler Huntley. The crowd was literally chanting for it, heck putting Todd Monken under center would have been better, grabbing Elvis Grbac out of retirement would have even been better.

The Ravens showed up for work but they just can’t do the simple things. Scoring from the one? No thank you. Holding on to the ball? No thank you. Pass protection? No thank you. Rushing more than two defensive players on a fourth down? Nah, let him have all day to throw the ball.

The Ravens are a bad football team right now, regardless of the quarterback under center. Though I will say, I never want to be subjected to the boring nothingness that is Rush at the quarterback position. There was no expectation. I just wanted signs of life and even though I got those signs of life, in true Harbaugh-ian fashion that feels worse. The bye week is a merciful gift.

Nick Polinsky

So many dumb mistakes costed the Ravens this one. This was perhaps the best coached game of the season in my eyes.

They did a great job establishing the run and had a clear plan for how to slow down a Rams offense with a ton of weapons.

The major issue with this game was the offensive goal-line blunder going halftime and the turnovers. Zay Flowers couldn’t hold onto the football down the stretch and it cost them.

The defense looked really good. The front seven held their own and the secondary once again had some holes but looked much improved.

I still do hold out some hope. If Lamar comes back after the bye the schedule gets very easy and a four-game winning stretch is achievable. Get to .500 and go from there.

Rob Shields

I said it in our predictions earlier in the week but i thought the Ravens had a chance to win this game and they would have if they didn’t give the ball away and make some dumb decisions.

Not getting a TD at the end of the first half was a killer. I know everyone wants to blame coaching there and I didn’t love the tush push twice but the players need to execute and get that yard.  Now, with the way Henry was running, I would have rather seen two or three runs instead of just one telegraphed one but still, you need to win your one-on-ones.

The ridiculous Andrews OPI call was a low key huge moment in this game.  Instead of a first down at mid field after a 16-yard completion, Flowers feels he has to make a play and fumbles it.  That effectively ended the game.

If that doesn’t happen, maybe you have a chance but Flowers gave away two huge fumbles and really killed the team’s chances.

If you want a positive, it’s the defense.  Held them to 17 points and less than 250 yards.  No one would have thought that, even with Puka missing a lot of the game.  Run defense was good and they didn’t let Stafford go off like he has all season.

The one thing i will say about the defense is, when the Rams scored their first TD, they had a 4th and 3 and the Ravens had a two-man rush!  Sure, Stafford didn’t find someone at first but if you give them that much time, someone is going to get open. No idea what Orr was thinking. You have to be more aggressive there.

1-5 isn’t impossible to make the playoffs.  The Colts did it in 2018, and the Commanders did it in 2020. Let’s hope Tavius Robinson isn’t hurt bad and can be back for Chicago.  Otherwise, assuming Lamar is back, the Ravens will get healthy and they do have a chance to make a run because of their schedule.  Margin for error is very small though.

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