The Baltimore Ravens, once the NFL’s most feared offense, now look like they’re trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded. In a surprising reversal of fortunes, they fell to a 0-2 start after a heartbreaking loss to the Raiders, 26-23. This is their worst start since 2015 when they finished with an embarrassing 5-11 and some people are blaming Lamar Jackson. No Ravens fan should have to go through deja vu.

Now Michael Lombardi has some thoughts on what’s happening. He was every bit as annoyed as you might imagine. Lombardi opined that the team needs to define their players’ roles and also shared a solution. “Zach Orr, he’s only been a coordinator for three years, right? So like, he doesn’t have a lot of game experience,” Lombardi pointed out.

He even went as far as recommending that Harbaugh bring in a veteran presence, Chuck Pagano, to guide Orr through the maze of in-game adjustments Soon he looked toward John Harbaugh as well.

“What John Harbaugh said last week was so true. ‘We’re not featuring anybody. That’s right. He’s not featuring anybody,” Lombardi pointed out on The GM Shuffle. “You know what they when you don’t when you don’t feature somebody you don’t have an offense it’s what Dan Henning told me years ago. ‘If you don’t have any tendencies on offense, you ain’t any good.’ That’s Baltimore, they ain’t any good on offense right now because they’re trying to do too much.”

The Ravens’ offensive identity crisis is more evident than ever. It’s like watching a master chef forget how to boil water. This is the same team that set an all-time NFL rushing record with 3,296 yards in 2019. Now? They’re ranked 28th in passing, a stark reminder of the imbalance that former wide receiver Marquise Brown criticized before his departure.

As reported by SI.com on September 17, 2024, the Ravens have lost 10 games when up by seven or more points in the fourth quarter since 2021 – the most in the NFL. It’s a stat that’s sure to give Ravens fans nightmares and opposing teams hope. And the star quarterback Lamar Jackson isn’t easing the fears either.

Lamar Jackson’s late-game struggles add to the Ravens’ woes…

While the coaching staff grapples with the team’s identity crisis, all eyes are on Lamar Jackson. The two-time MVP quarterback, who signed a five-year deal a few months ago and became the highest-paid player in the NFL, is receiving a lot of criticism.

Jackson’s struggles in the fourth quarter have become a recurring theme. Against the Raiders, he failed to keep the offense on the field when it mattered most. So Lombardi didn’t mince words about Jackson’s role in the team’s struggles.

“I think a little bit of this is, it’s on Lamar because I think he can’t pin you no to win games in the fourth quarter you got to run it and you got to be so pinpoint accurate with your throws like CJ stroud last week against the Colts on that out route, it was perfectly placed. Lamar ain’t doing that. And until they start moving Lamar around and get him under center, it never going to happen.”

Similarly, Stephen A. Smith was unhappy with the QB. “I’m gonna put a lot of it on Lamar Jackson.” Those words from him on ESPN’s First Take might as well be ringing in John Harbaugh’s ears like tinnitus.

This also reminds us of their Week 1 against the Chiefs where Jackson missed two throws in the end zone. It was the final seconds as his team tried to either tie or win the game. While the Raven’s QB finally connected with Isaiah Likely in the end zone, the latter’s toe was out of bounds.

The quarterback’s running game, once his lethal weapon, seems to have lost its edge. Jackson picked up a mere 45 yards on five carries against the Raiders, a far cry from his 122-yard performance in Week 1. But let’s not throw Jackson under the bus just yet. The offensive line has been about as protective as a screen door on a submarine. In their final drive against the Raiders, Maxx Crosby welcomed Jackson with a nine-yard sack on the first play.

The pressure is mounting as the Ravens prepare to face an army of tough opponents – the Cowboys, Bills, and Bengals. Can Harbaugh and his staff find their identity? Let us know in the comments below.