The Ravens’ pass rush has done enough to make life uncomfortable. The problem is that too often, the coverage behind it has let the pressure go to waste.
That showed up again Sunday, even in a win. Baltimore brought heat and still watched the back end crack late, with the cornerbacks and safeties failing to finish the job once the rush had already started it. Over the past two weeks, that has become a clear blemish on the defense.
The numbers from Week 3 tell the story. Trey Hendrickson and Calais Campbell combined for 11 pressures and 5 QB hits, and Dak Prescott still managed 276 yards and 1 touchdown while leading an admirable fourth-quarter comeback attempt.
The rush was there. The finish wasn’t.
That’s the issue Baltimore has been carrying for the past two years: not enough consistency off the edge, and not enough support from the secondary when the front does win. The Ravens do have pieces to change that.
Hendrickson is elite. Mike Green flashed in Week 2.
Tavius Robinson and Zion Young bring a relentless, rugged edge against both the run and the pass. Inside, Calais Campbell, Nnamdi Madubuike, and Travis Jones can all wreck a play.
Even with only six sacks through three games, this front hasn’t exactly been invisible. Hendrickson is tied for fourth in the NFL with 17 total pressures, including 8 quick pressures, and the Cowboys’ offensive line had its hands full in Week 3. Still, the sack total is just one for Hendrickson, and Green needs to take off.
But the bigger concern isn’t the front. It’s the coverage.
Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey have been solid enough to start the year, but they’ve also had too many reps where Chris Olave, George Pickens, and CeeDee Lamb got the better of them. That happens when good players face good players, but Baltimore needs more from those corners if the pass rush is going to pay off.
The safety play has been the most troubling part. Malaki Starks and Jaylinn Hawkins haven’t been there, and through three weeks both have posted coverage grades of 50.1 or lower, per Pro Football Focus. That has left the defense exposed, especially in the short passing game, where opponents have found room to work.
The tackling has been just as damaging. Baltimore’s effort in that area has been disastrous, and it’s created the kind of easy yards and big-play chances that keep drives alive. A defense can’t stack sacks or force punts when the back end is leaking and the tackling is sloppy.
Jesse Minter has a lot to clean up if this group is going to look like an outstanding defense in 2026. For now, the hope is that Baltimore can start getting the secondary to do its part in Week 4 against the Tennessee Titans.
In Other News...
Ravens Just Got Pulled Into The NFLs Next Pass Interference Fight
Week 3 brought a fresh jolt to the NFLs long-running pass interference debate, and the fallout has quickly spilled beyond the teams directly involved. Around the league, the latest controversial calls have revived the familiar argument over whether interference should be reviewable, with some writers once again pushing ideas like a replay system closer to soccers VAR or a league rule that would force every such call into review.
For Baltimore, the issue matters because the Ravens know how thin the margin can be when a drive turns on a judgment call. The conversation is unlikely to quiet down soon, either, with possible rule changes not expected to come up until the NFLs league meetings in 2027. Until then, the same old tension remains: the league wants to preserve the human element, but more and more voices are asking whether pass interference is too important to leave entirely to the officials on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Derrick Henry Just Made Ravens-Titans Even More Personal
Derrick Henrys move to Baltimore was already one of the more fascinating Ravens storylines of the offseason, and now the backstory gives it an even sharper edge. Henry said the Tennessee Titans did not offer him a contract before he signed with the Ravens in 2024, calling the moment bittersweet while also admitting he could feel the organization was ready to move on during the 2023 season.
For Ravens fans, it adds another layer to a running back who has fit right in and kept producing at a high level since arriving in Baltimore. For Tennessee, it only deepens the contrast, with the Titans still trying to find their footing while the player who once defined their offense has continued rolling somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]
Lamar Jacksons Practice Status Brings A New Week 4 Concern
Lamar Jacksons week got a little more interesting on Wednesday when the Ravens listed their quarterback as a limited participant because of a minor issue, a development confirmed by head coach Jesse Minter. Jackson was still out on the practice field in full uniform and later spoke with reporters without signaling that anything was keeping him from preparing for the upcoming game.
Ronnie Stanleys return to practice offered Baltimore a more encouraging note on the other side of the offensive line, with the left tackle back after missing Week 3 because of a toe injury. Still, any practice update involving Jackson tends to draw immediate attention in Baltimore, and the Ravens will be watching closely to see whether the limited workload is simply a one-day pause or something that lingers deeper into the week. [Read more 🡒]