The Baltimore Ravens had the kind of afternoon that can turn on one play and spiral from there.
At home on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore opened up a 13-0 cushion and looked in control despite again being without Lamar Jackson, with Tyler Huntley starting in his place. Then guard Vega Ioane went down with a knee injury, and the game changed fast.
“The Ravens declare Vega Ioane out with a knee injury,” reported Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic on X, formerly Twitter.
Not long after Ioane left, Cincinnati answered with 14 straight points to start the second half, flipping the game and putting Baltimore behind for the first time all day.
There was more concern on the Ravens sideline, too. Jamison Hensley of ESPN later reported that “Ravens LB Roquan Smith (knee) is questionable to return.”
Baltimore had been trying to shake off last week’s ugly loss to the Cleveland Browns, a game the Ravens also played without Jackson. Huntley has held up fairly well in the interim, but there’s no question the offense looks different without its multi-time MVP.
Ioane, meanwhile, is a significant piece up front for a Ravens team that recently traded for center Cam Jurgens of the Philadelphia Eagles. The hope in Baltimore will be that the knee issue doesn’t turn into something longer-term.
After the Bengals game wraps up, the Ravens will move on to a road matchup with the Buffalo Bills next week. That game is scheduled for 1:00 pm ET.
In Other News...
Ravens Need Tyler Huntley To Hold Up In Their Toughest Spot Yet
Tyler Huntley is set to take the Ravens offense into another division test in Week 7, with Lamar Jackson still sidelined by the high ankle sprain that has kept him out for two straight games. Against a Bengals defense that has been a sturdy run unit, Baltimore will need Huntley to keep the offense on schedule and avoid putting the game in a position where every snap feels heavier than it should.
The matchup also brings a few layers beyond the quarterback spot, with Baltimore eyeing how it can attack Cincinnati while managing the other side of the ball. Trey Hendrickson is in line for his first game against the Bengals since leaving the team, adding another edge to a matchup that already asks plenty of the Ravens as they try to navigate a tricky road in the AFC North. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens O Line Has Another Injury Concern Fans Will Hate
The Ravens offensive line took another hit in Week 7 when rookie guard Vega Ioane went down with a knee injury, adding to a season-long run of up-front concerns. Ioane has been a key player for Baltimore, and losing him in the middle of a game only adds more pressure to a unit that has already had to shuffle through injury trouble.
Ioane exited during the Ravens third drive and was replaced by Emery Jones Jr., leaving Baltimore to adjust on the fly again. His status to return was listed as questionable, and for a team that has already spent plenty of time managing its line depth, this was the kind of scare fans did not want to see. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Collapse Put One Late Decision Under The Microscope
The Ravens had an early lead and looked capable of riding out Lamar Jacksons injury with backup Tyler Huntley under center, but the game slipped away in a hurry against the Bengals. Baltimore was outscored badly after halftime in a 35-13 loss, a result that left the whole afternoon feeling like a missed chance long before the final whistle.
What drew the sharpest scrutiny was a late fourth-down call from Jesse Minter, one that ended without a payoff and seemed to swing momentum squarely to Cincinnati. With the Ravens already trying to survive without Jackson, the decision became a focal point in a game where every possession mattered, and it only deepened the frustration around a collapse that had been building for much of the second half. [Read more 🡒]