Baltimore’s worst defeat margin tied in loss.
The game was played in London–but for the Ravens, it felt like Waterloo.
Baltimore was beset by several ominous factors as it suffered its first defeat of the season to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 44-7, at London’s Wembley Stadium.
An injury-riddled team looked lethargic on both sides of the ball. Before the game even started, several players on both benches displayed locked-armed unity, with some kneeling, during the national anthem.
The display was one of many around in the league in response to President Trump’s comments regarding players who kneel during the national anthem–remarks that drew a strong rebuke from both commissioner Roger Goodell and the players union.
A group of about ten Ravens, including veterans Terrell Suggs and Tony Jefferson, participated in the protest. Suggs could be seen before the game in a long conversation with majority owner Steve Bisciotti, a telling precursor as to what was to come.
“We recognize our players’ influence,” Bisciotti said in a statement. “We respect their demonstration and support them 100 percent. All voices need to be heard.
“That’s democracy in its highest form.”
On the field, the display the Ravens put on in front of about 10,000 of their traveling fans — out of a crowd of 84,592 — was even more perplexing. They appeared to be a step slower than the Jaguars (2-1), who were playing in London for a fifth consecutive year, registering their third straight win. It was Baltimore’s first overseas appearance.
The Ravens (2-1) managed to avoid their first shutout since 2002 and third in team history when Ben Watson gathered in a short touchdown pass with (3:24) to go. But the final defeat margin tied the worst in team history; the Ravens were blanked in a 37-0 Sunday-night loss in Pittsburgh in 1997.
With penalty yards taken out, the Ravens — who turned the ball over three times– posted only 98 net yards, a team record low. The previous record was 104 in a 2007 Monday-night loss to the Steelers.
Not only that, standout defensive end Brent Urban became the latest high-profile injury concern, suffering a second-quarter foot sprain. With he and Brandon Williams (foot) both out, the vaunted Ravens’ run defense allowed 166 yards–part of a 410-yard overall effort by Jacksonville.
Courtesy ESPN.Com
“We got our butts kicked in all three phases,” safety Eric Weddle said. “That’s one of the worst losses — if not the worst loss — I’ve been a part of.”
If that weren’t enough, receiver Jeremy Maclin had to leave the field before halftime to enter concussion protocol–but he would return. Also, safety Tony Jefferson and cornerback Jimmy Smith both left the field at various points, but the tandem came back.
As sharp as quarterback Joe Flacco looked in the win over Cleveland, he was just as subpar as his teammates, completing just eight of 18 passes for 28 yards and two interceptions (career-low 12 rating) before being pulled for Ryan Mallett in the fourth quarter.
The Ravens gained just three yards over their first 13 scrimmage plays, not getting a first down until 4:15 remained in the first half. At that point, the Jaguars had 230 total yards.
Flacco tied a career low with eight first-half passing yards, completing four of 12 throws. That contributed to a franchise-record-low 15 total first-half yards.
He was also picked off twice, including once early in the third quarter by Jags cornerback Jalen Ramsey (his second against the Ravens). Two plays later, Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (20-for-31, 244 yards, four touchdowns, 128.2 rating) found tight end Marcedes Lewis for a 30-yard touchdown behind linebacker CJ Mosley for a 30-0 lead to end the competitive phase of the game.
On the next possession, the bad luck continued. Terrance West fumbled for the first time in 126 carries.
Two plays later, Lewis caught his third TD pass of the day to add insult to injury.
Meanwhile, Bortles had started out very hot before going to the locker room before the intermission to get rehydrated. But that proved to be only a temporary speed bump as he belied his mistake-prone reputation by playing clean, decisive football, dictating tempo from the start.
As a result, for the first time all year, the Ravens — despite an overwhelming advantage in fan support — found themselves trailing.
The team’s interior absences — guard Marshal Yanda (ankle) and Williams — hurt the Ravens on both sides of the ball. Despite good field position, the offense went three-and-out before the Jags would take over.
Not having Williams in the middle of the Ravens’ defensive line was certainly noticeable, as rookie running back Leonard Fournette carried twice for 12 yards and quarterback Blake Bortles scrambled for nine more to put the ball deep in Baltimore territory.
A 35-yard pass to Marqise Lee, who beat veteran corner Brandon Carr, also contributed to the 68-yard drive that ended with Jason Myers’ 23-yard field goal with almost six minutes elapsed in the game.
With practice-squadder Matt Skura playing right guard, the Ravens’ third option behind Yanda and Tony Bergstrom, that pattern would continue as Baltimore quickly punted and the Jags took over.
Bortles fouund Fournette with a pair of passes and prospered against the lack of a Ravens pass rush and poor downfield coverage. Even tight end Lewis, who had no catches all season before this game, hauled in a pair, including a 17 yarder behind linebacker Tyus Bowser for the game’s first touchdown.
Courtesy BleacherReport.com
Bortles, despite a league-leading 66 turnovers since 2014, kept the slow-footed, sleepy-looking Ravens off balance with good fakes and a nice fake reverse that allowed Lewis to score. He would complete nine of 11 first-quarter passes as the Jags outgained Baltimore, 169 yards to minus-1.
The Ravens then turned to London native and rookie fifth-round pick Jermaine Eluemunor to play right guard, but it didn’t prevent a third straight three-and-out, which in turn led to another Myers field goal and a 13-0 Jaguar advantage.
The nightmarish trend continued; Flacco was then victimized by a pass that bounced off Maclin’s hands and was intercepted by cornerback AJ Bouye. It was Flacco’s ninth straight game with a pickoff, his career-long streak and the longest current strike in the NFL–but Maclin would soon leave the field and go into concussion protocol.
The Jags took over at the Ravens’ 28 and soon found themselves holding a 20-point lead after Bortles found Allen Hurns from five yards out. Myers would add a 29-yard field goal to stretch the lead before halftime.
“One game or loss doesn’t define you,” said head coach John Harbaugh.
It’s how you respond that defines you.
Despite the coach’s hubris, the lead would grow even bigger, the day would get even longer, and talk of a special Ravens’ season would fade into a Waterloo-like exile.
(Joe Platania, a Baltimore native, was the 1998 Maryland Sportscaster of the Year, a 2010 Maryland Sportswriter of the Year finalist and has covered the Ravens throughout their entire history. He has spent 38 years in Baltimore sports media.)
