The Ravens are trying to flip the script in the Minter era and finish games strong, something that was too often an Achilles heel in recent years. Minter and his staff emphasized the message all summer. They even had an end-of-practice drill dedicated to it.
"Be at our best when our best is needed" was the Ravens' mantra.
The Ravens didn't play to that standard Sunday, as they were outscored by the Saints, 18-3, in the second half. The offense sputtered. and the defense surrendered two long touchdown drives in the fourth quarter.
It's the Ravens' 15th loss after holding a double-digit lead since 2019, per ESPN. And it left the Ravens with an all-to-familiar sour taste in their mouths, one they had hoped they cleaned out.
Fourth-quarter losses are a part of life in the NFL. It happens. But for it to happen in the home opener just two weeks into the season is a bitter pill to swallow.
"Everybody is going to just say the same old thing of having a lead and things like that," Minter said. "So, we will own this. We'll look in the mirror; we'll figure out what we can do to improve."
The Ravens' second-half stumbles had too many familiar elements: penalties, questionable play calls, not a lot of Derrick Henry, and a splash of officiating controversy.
The Ravens' offense and defense controlled the game for much of the first half and seemed to have it in their grasp late in the third quarter following sacks by Trey Hendrickson and Mike Green. Jackson and the offense took the field in Saints territory (on the 49-yard line) with an 8-point lead.
That's when things went sideways. First, they started backwards with a false start, tackle for loss, and sack.
The Saints' offense, led by second-year quarterback Tyler Shough (27-of-34 for 252 yards) marched 68 yards on nine plays the other way, capped by a wide-open 21-yard touchdown pass to Chris Olave. New Orleans tied the game on a two-point conversion after a Ravens penalty (holding on safety Jaylinn Hawkins) gave them a second crack at it after inside linebacker Trenton Simpson tripped up Shough in the backfield.
Baltimore's offense responded with a three-and-out, highlighted by a third-and-1 decision to take a deep shot to veteran wide receiver Chris Moore, who began the season on the practice squad. The pass was perfect but broken up at the last second by Saints cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry.
Minter said the Ravens liked the play and though they had a shot for an explosive play, which they did. Henry didn't question the play-call, either. Had the Ravens had top receiver Zay Flowers (hamstring) or big-bodied Ja'Kobi Lane (wrist), perhaps it would have gone differently. But either way, when it doesn't work, it's questioned.
"We're going to ride with 'Dec' [Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle], whatever he calls," said Henry, who had just five carries in the second half. "We've just got to go make the play. Obviously, we didn't."
The Saints went back down the field for another 68-yard touchdown drive, this time chewing up six minutes, 38 seconds on 16 plays. The Ravens couldn't get off the field on three third downs but made a goal-line stop to force a fourth down. The Saints went for it with another Shough sneak and got it â maybe.
It looked like the Ravens stopped Shough short, as Roquan Smith flew over the top to pull him backwards. However, one of the two referees on the goal line signaled a touchdown, and there wasnât enough evidence on replay review to overturn the call on the field.
Baltimore's offense had one last gasp. They got into scoring range, but Jackson threw a wayward pass to an unknown target that easily landed in the hands of Saints safety Julian Blackmon to seal the Ravens' defeat. Jackson pointed to fatigue on the play, and said Rashod Bateman â the closest receiver â ran the right route.
"I feel like I want that pass back," Jackson said. "Things just don't go our way sometimes, at the wrong time."
Cornerback Marlon Humphrey said the two big team themes this week were reversing the team's porous home record (3-6) from last year and not losing second-half leads.
"The consensus amongst the team is like, everyone is kind of tired of doing what we just did," Humphrey said. "I think it is a lot of older guys â a lot of guys that it just feels like it is time. Hopefully we will make this a hiccup and not [let] this be a bridge that is final and cannot be repaired."
After a high-flying season debut in Indianapolis, the injury-hampered Ravens were grounded in Week 2. But in the postgame locker room, they weren't panicking.
While Smith acknowledged that history did repeat itself, he's confident the Ravens will write a different story this season.
"Obviously, no sides of the ball played the way we wanted to play, and especially on the defensive side of the ball, we did not play to the standard that we hold ourselves to," Smith said. "So, I think it is the first test of adversity. It is about how you would respond, and I think that is the truth-teller for us all."
"I feel like this is a whole new team with a whole new energy," added veteran leader Mark Andrews. "These guys, this coaching staff, everybody â there is not one similarity I can feel. I feel like this team is built for adversity, built to get better, learn from our mistakes."
