It's 'Murphy's Law' for Ravens in Buffalo
Reflecting on the unfortunate circumstances of Sunday's 36-10 loss at Buffalo, inside linebacker Roquan Smith said the NFL "will slap you right in the face at any given moment."
That's what happened to the Ravens, as Lamar Jackson's highly anticipated return to action after missing three games with a high ankle sprain was over when he suffered an injury to his right thumb on the offense's first play of the game. His season is "potentially" over, too, as Head Coach Jesse Minter said Jackson will undergo surgery and be placed on IR.
Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley was knocked out of the game in the second quarter with a toe injury, and emergency No. 3 rookie quarterback Joe Fagnano got banged up but remained in the game.
The succession of injuries at one position in the same game was reminiscent of the Ravens' Week 3 contest against the Dallas Cowboys when centers Jovaughn Gwyn and Ethan Pocic suffered long-term injuries, forcing rookie right guard Vega Ioane into emergency duty.
The Ravens (4-4) have lost three straight. They've been outscored 71-23 the past two weeks, and 68-3 in the second half the past three weeks.
Next is a Thursday night home game against the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2), who routed the Indianapolis Colts, 42-7, Sunday.
It's not an overreaction to say that the Ravens' season is on the brink.
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec: "This is starting to feel like one of those seasons for the Ravens. With all their inconsistencies in all three phases, what this team could least afford was for Jackson to miss more time. And that's where this is headed, with Jackson being knocked out of the game on Baltimore's first offensive play and being out for a minimum of four games as he heads to IR. A Jackson multi-week — and potentially season-ending — injury changes everything for the Ravens, who lost their third straight game and fell to 4-4. They could tread water with Huntley (if healthy) and maybe even win a few games, but they no longer can be considered a legitimate threat in the AFC. … Making matters worse is that the Ravens play one of the NFL's toughest schedules the rest of the way."
The Baltimore Sun’s Sam Cohn: "Murphy's Law suggests anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and perhaps that's all Jesse Minter needs to say when he answers questions for this disconcerting epic. … Three quarterbacks were injured, the offensive line allowed four sacks and 12 combined quarterback hits, Zay Flowers did not record a catch, Tyler Loop doinked a chip shot, plus the largely healthy defense allowed 20 second-half points."
The Baltimore Sun’s C.J. Doon: "It was shocking to see how quickly this game went off the rails. When Lamar Jackson returned after weeks of injury scrutiny, I expected him to go punch-for-punch with fellow MVP Josh Allen. It felt like we were in for a thrilling shootout with two high-powered offenses and two defenses that couldn't stop anyone. So when he jogged to the sideline immediately, knowing something was wrong with his injured thumb, I thought, 'How could this be happening again?' … We all thought this game would give us a clear indication of which way this Ravens season was headed. Unfortunately, it looks like things have only gotten worse."
Baltimore Beatdown’s Zach Canter: "What an awful day. To get Lamar Jackson back just to lose him to the first play of the day to a freak football play injury. It's all too common to see quarterbacks hit their hands on their follow through when throwing and this one turned disastrous. Then the offensive line proceeded to get bullied all day, resulting in Tyler Huntley getting hurt and Joe Fagnano getting harassed in his NFL debut. The defense wasn't much better and was heavily aided by Buffalo mistakes that kept Baltimore in it longer than they should have been. The only positive from today was the defense did play with energy, even after Jackson went down, getting multiple turnovers but it didn't amount for much as they still got shredded."
Which Quarterbacks Could Ravens Pursue Via Free Agency or Trade?
Given the Ravens' murky quarterback situation, another arm will need to be added to the roster via free agency or trade.
"Josh Johnson, who is on the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad and has experience with the Ravens and in such situations, could be an option," Zrebiec wrote. "The list of the top free-agent quarterbacks includes Jimmy Garoppolo; Cooper Rush, who was with the Ravens last year; and Clayton Tune, who played under Ravens Quarterbacks Coach Israel Woolfork in Arizona for a few seasons.
"Potential trade options include Anthony Richardson (Indianapolis Colts) and Tua Tagovailoa (Atlanta Falcons). It seems unlikely, however, that General Manager Eric DeCosta will be willing to trade a significant asset for a quarterback who doesn't improve Baltimore's big-picture chances."
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio said a name to watch is Chicago Bears backup Tyson Bagent.
"Ravens Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle had that same position last year in Chicago. And the Bears have three quarterbacks," Florio wrote. "Bagent has a $4 million salary in 2026, and a $4.25 million compensation package in 2027. The Bears also have Case Keenum under contract, behind Caleb Williams.
"The Ravens, we're told, may explore the possibility of acquiring Bagent. We're also told that it won't be cheap to get him. That's how it goes when a team develops an in-season need for a quarterback. The price goes up, as reflected by the urgency of the effort to find a replacement."
Bagent, 26, signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He has six career starts and has thrown three touchdown passes and nine interceptions.
The Baltimore Sun’s Michael Howes identified several other quarterbacks who could be trade targets for the Ravens, including the Arizona Cardinals' Gardner Minshew or Jacoby Brissett, Cleveland Browns' Shedeur Sanders, and Keenum.
The most compelling of all the names Howes mentioned is also the most improbable: the Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Flacco.
"Imagine the reunion," Howes wrote. "Flacco spent 11 seasons in Baltimore, won Super Bowl 47, and remains one of the franchise's most recognizable players. At 41, he's still hanging around the NFL as Joe Burrow's backup in Cincinnati. Flacco proved he could still deliver in 2023, coming off the couch to lead Cleveland to the playoffs. He showed there's still something left in the tank last season, throwing 13 touchdown passes against four interceptions after being traded to Cincinnati. The problem? Convincing an AFC North rival to send its backup quarterback to Baltimore. Good luck with that."
Like Zrebiec, The Athletic’s Austin Mock doesn't expect the Ravens to trade "serious draft capital" for a quarterback.
"Kirk Cousins is probably the only starter who makes sense, but I'm not sure if the Las Vegas Raiders would be willing to do that," Mock wrote. "Mac Jones will certainly be buzzy, but I'm skeptical what we saw in half a season under Kyle Shanahan in the 49ers' system is the type of production you'll get in Baltimore. At the end of the day, you have to be content with understanding that the future is more important than the now and that's where I'm at with the Ravens. Maybe you can win some games down the stretch with poor quarterback play, but if not, you get a better draft pick to supplement Lamar Jackson for 2027 and beyond."
Could Ravens Be Sellers Ahead of Trade Deadline?
Speaking of trades, there has been speculation in recent weeks about which players the Ravens might look to add before the Nov. 10 trade deadline. Now there's a different conversation regarding the Ravens' potential moves, specifically whether they could be sellers.
"It's not really in the organization's DNA to waive the white flag, but they absolutely should consider it based on Jackson's latest extended absence," Zrebiec wrote. "And if they also expect Huntley to miss time, they should start gauging the market on some of their players.
"The real question is: who do they even have who would draw considerable interest? This isn't a total rebuild situation, so they aren't in a position to trade talent from their young core. And many of the veterans, like left tackle Ronnie Stanley, tight end Mark Andrews, linebacker Roquan Smith and cornerback Marlon Humphrey, are not playing up to their contracts."
Baltimore Beatdown’s Kevin McNelis wrote: "Looking at this schedule over the next few weeks, I'd wondered if the Ravens could shift from being buyers to sellers at the deadline in a worst-case scenario. Folks, I'd call this a worst-case scenario. … It might be time to bite the bullet, shed some of these larger contracts where you can and hope you can build forward with draft capital in a stacked 2027 class."
Loop Again Under Microscope After Another Missed Field Goal
It was another uneven game for Loop.
The second-year kicker's opening kickoff went out of bounds, giving the Bills the ball at the 40-yard-line. Buffalo took advantage of the short field to take a 7-0 lead. With the Ravens trailing 13-7 midway through the second quarter, Loop's 34-yard field-goal attempt hit the left upright.
"He has already missed as many field goals through eight games (four) as he did all of last season," ESPN’s Jamison Hensley wrote. "This was also the shortest field goal missed by a Baltimore kicker in 10 years. With Jake Moody on the practice squad, the Ravens have a decision to make at kicker."
Last season, Loop went 29-for-30 on field goal tries under 50 yards, but just 1-for-4 from 50-plus. This season, he's 8-for-12 from under 50 and 5-for-5 from 50-plus.
"This season, he has had some highs, including the 56-yard game-winner against the Dallas Cowboys and a 64-yarder against the Tennessee Titans, but his misses have put him under the microscope," Press Box’s Antonio Barbera wrote. "Two weeks ago, Minter said the kicker position is 'completely results-driven' after Loop missed a kick in a three-point loss to the Cleveland Browns."
