The Baltimore Ravens lost for the fourth time in five games Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, putting up a grand total of 16 points and 208 yards of offense. It’s the third time in the past five games that Baltimore has failed to put up more than 16 points.
And it starts with Joe Flacco under center. For the fifth consecutive game, the former Super Bowl MVP failed to tally multiple touchdowns. Now, through seven games, Flacco has thrown for five scores compared to eight interceptions. Even his score on Sunday came during garbage time with the Ravens down 24-9. Needless to say, things aren’t going too swimmingly for Baltimore’s offense.
Despite this, Flacco himself is trying to put a positive spin on it.
“You go back to work. You get better. You look at where you made mistakes,” Flacco said, via the team’s website. “But I wouldn’t say overall that we’re trying to fix something that’s completely broken. We can’t look at it that way.”
Yeah, you can. And you should. That’s the only way to fix what’s quickly becoming an absolute dumpster fire for the 3-4 Ravens. Sure the early-game concussion Mike Wallace suffered on Sunday hurts. It also doesn’t help that Baltimore has three offensive linemen on injured reserve and saw another retire prior to the start of the regular season.
Even then, you have to overcome these shortcomings if you’re going to stand a chance in today’s NFL. Flacco needs to recognize this. He also must recognize that the offense is completely broken. Until that comprehension pops into his head, these struggles will likely continue.
By virtue of Sunday’s loss to Minnesota, the Ravens now find themselves two games behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North. Whatever fixes are in store for this team must take place soon. If not, it will be another lost season for John Harbaugh’s squad.