Ravens’ 37-20 Loss To Chiefs Raises Doubts After Lamar Jackson Injury
The Ravens’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday wasn’t just another defeat; it was seismic. The 37-20 final score doesn’t capture the full weight of what slipped away: money, momentum, talent, and perhaps even the foundation of their Super Bowl hopes.
It was felt in the silence of the locker room, in the sight of Lamar Jackson sitting on the bench with his hamstring wrapped, and in the monotone promises from players that things will turn around. Few losses in recent franchise history have carried such a sense of finality.
The biggest blow came when Jackson, a two-time MVP and centerpiece of the Ravens’ offense, left in the third quarter with a hamstring injury. His return timeline is uncertain, and without him, the team’s outlook becomes even cloudier.
Head coach John Harbaugh tried to stay optimistic, saying no injuries looked “season-ending.” But the Ravens’ growing list of sidelined stars tells a harsher story.
Baltimore came into the game already without defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike and fullback Patrick Ricard. Then, one by one, more key players fell: left tackle Ronnie Stanley, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, linebacker Roquan Smith, and finally Jackson. By the fourth quarter, cornerback Nate Wiggins was carted off as well.
Running back Derrick Henry put it bluntly: “The injury bug is real right now for us. Hopefully, guys can get healthy. Other guys have to step up.”
The problem is, “stepping up” may not be enough. Even before the injuries, the Ravens’ offense looked disjointed and their defense vulnerable. Backup quarterback Cooper Rush may be serviceable, but he’s no Jackson. Without their star quarterback, how will Henry find lanes? How will receivers like Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman get open downfield?
The defense faces similar questions. Already among the league’s worst against the run, Baltimore could now be without its defensive leader (Smith) and its top cover corners (Humphrey and Wiggins). Against Patrick Mahomes, that weakness was glaring. The Chiefs’ quarterback carved up Baltimore’s patchwork defense, throwing for 270 yards and four touchdowns to improve to 6-1 all-time against the Ravens.
By the end of the night, frustration was clear. “We got beat in all three phases,” said center Tyler Linderbaum. “It sucks when your guys go down,” added linebacker Tavius Robinson, “but people have to step up.”
History offers little comfort. Since the Super Bowl era began, just 11% of teams that started 1-3 have reached the playoffs, according to ESPN. The Ravens, now 1-3 for the first time since 2015, are staring at that uphill climb again.
The road ahead isn’t forgiving. Baltimore next faces the Houston Texans, whose defense just blanked Tennessee, followed by the Los Angeles Rams, who are riding high after a statement win over previously unbeaten Indianapolis.
There is still time, but not much. Maybe Jackson’s hamstring heals quickly. Maybe the defense can patch itself together. Maybe the home crowd at M&T Bank Stadium helps stop the bleeding. But if not, Week 4 may mark the beginning of the end.
As safety Kyle Hamilton put it: “Something is wrong, so it’s up to all of us to try and fix that.”
Whether they can, or whether it’s already too late, may define the Ravens’ season.
Ravens’ 37-20 Loss To Chiefs Raises Doubts After Lamar Jackson Injury was originally published on 92q.com
