Pundits have more questions than answers about the Ravens after they fell to the Chiefs in Week 4 and were decimated by injuries.
Baltimore, which is 1-3 for the first time since 2015, is as high as No. 10 in FOX Sports and The Ringer's league rankings. The Ravens are as low as No. 24 by Pro Football Focus, which moved them down 21 slots from last week's hierarchy.
Here's where the Ravens stand in power rankings:
| Source | Ranking | Last Week's Ranking | Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFL.com | No. 16 | No. 7 | "Last week, I held my cards on the Ravens. This week, I have no choice but to fold -- at least for now. Sunday's blowout loss at Kansas City dropped them to 1-3, and Lamar Jackson had multiple turnovers before leaving the game in the third quarter with a hamstring injury. Even if Lamar's health setback is not serious, the Ravens' troubles appear to be just that. They're getting wrecked defensively, and they suddenly can't pass block for Jackson. He wasn't the only one to get hurt in Kansas City; joining him were LT Ronnie Stanley on offense and Roquan Smith, Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey on defense. Furthermore, John Harbaugh announced on Monday that Nnamdi Madubuike is out for the season. The Ravens' next three games are in Baltimore, with a much-needed bye in the middle, but they really need wins to avoid falling farther into the abyss." |
| The Athletic | No. 15 | No. 10 | "Rookie spotlight: Malaki Starks. The Ravens drafted 11 players this spring, but only six made the 53-man roster. Starks, the first-round safety, is third on the team with 24 tackles and has a tackle for loss. Second-round edge rusher Mike Green had five tackles Sunday but is still looking for his first sack. He’s tied for 11th among rookies with five quarterback pressures, and his pressure rate is only 5.6 percent." |
| The Ringer | No. 10 | No. 5 | "Baltimore’s been projecting an air of confidence all month in spite of its rocky start, as though it were waiting to flip a switch and play like a contender. Last week, Safety Kyle Hamilton went as far as to say that Ravens fans have been 'spoiled' by the team’s success, and I expected that kind of arrogance to translate to their play once their backs were against the wall. Instead, Baltimore flopped against Kansas City. The Chiefs offense was able to do whatever it wanted against the Ravens defense, while Baltimore’s offense gave the ball away in crucial situations (again). Worse, more injuries are piling up, and it seems like the mask has been pulled off this team. There’s nothing about Baltimore that screams playoffs right now, let alone the Super Bowl." |
| ESPN.com | No. 15 | No. 7 | "The two-time NFL MVP left Sunday's loss midway through the third quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return. Coach John Harbaugh declined to say whether Jackson would play in Week 5 against the Texans, which creates more concern for a Ravens team that has started 1-3. Baltimore has struggled mightily without Jackson in the past. The Ravens are 4-10, including the playoffs, over the past six seasons when Jackson hasn't started. If Jackson is sidelined, Cooper Rush would get his first start for Baltimore." |
| FOX Sports | No. 10 | No. 7 | "A 1-3 team in the top 10? Save your complaints. The Ravens' three losses are to the Bills, Lions and Chiefs. That said, their defense stinks and if Lamar Jackson’s hamstring keeps him out a while, they won’t be this high for long." |
| Sports Illustrated | No. 13 | No. 4 | "Speaking of bad defenses, the Ravens are simply victims of the early-season injury bug. Just look at this list of players who got banged up on Sunday alone: Lamar Jackson, Ronnie Stanley, Roquan Smith, Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins. This…atop three defensive tackles, their edge-setting fullback and Kyle Van Noy. Are we really overreacting to a slow start when Jake Browning and a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers are the other quarterbacks in this division?" |
| USA Today | No. 16 | No. 7 | "They don't leave Baltimore again until Oct. 30, their bye coming in Week 7. Is it sufficient time to get this battered roster − namely QB Lamar Jackson and his bum hamstring − healthy in time to dig out of what could very well become a deeper sinkhole?" |
| CBS Sports | No. 11 | No. 5 | "They are 1-3, Lamar Jackson is hurt and the defense is awful. This is not the start we expected to see." |
| Pro Football Focus | No. 24 | No. 3 | "Nothing is going right for the Ravens right now. They’re 1-3 after the 37-20 blowout loss to the Chiefs in Week 4, a game Lamar Jackson exited early with a hamstring injury — and now, his availability for a Week 5 matchup against the Texans is in doubt. On top of that, the defense has lost star defender Nnamdi Madubuike for the season with a neck injury. That’s a major concern for a defense that already ranks 29th in EPA per play allowed." |
