The Baltimore Ravens‘ 2025 season can summed up by what occurred after Jaylin Noel’s touchdown on Sunday that stretched Houston Texans‘ lead to 31 points early in the fourth quarter.
Noel celebrated his first career touchdown by mimicking Ray Lewis’ patented squirrel dance. Noel’s celebration was interrupted by Ravens cornerback Jaire Alexander, who tried to steal the ball away before shoving Noel.
Alexander’s act was symbolic of the pain a proud franchise is currently enduring.
Baltimore, the heavy preseason favorite to repeat as AFC North champion, is now 1-4 through five games. Sunday’s 44-10 loss was its worst defense since 2017 and is tied for the biggest defeat of the John Harbaugh era.
“Just complete disappointment,” Harbaugh said afterward. “We’re gonna have to find a way to turn it around and figure out who we are this next week and into the bye and after the bye. We’re gonna have more than half the season left, and we’re gonna have to find ourselves.
“That’s what our aim will be moving forward.”
30-point losses in Ravens history
While Houston’s efficiency on both sides of the ball had something to do with it, Sunday’s outcome was largely the byproduct of the Ravens being without a slew of key staters due to injury.
Sunday’s inactive list for Baltimore included quarterback Lamar Jackson (hamstring), offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (hamstring) linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring), cornerback Marlon Humphrey (calf), fullback Patrick Ricard (calf), safety Kyle Hamilton (groin).
The Ravens were already without defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, who suffered a season-ending injuring during Baltimore’s lone victory of the year, a Week 2 win over the Browns.
Overall, Baltimore was without it’s six-highest paid players (they combine to make $160 million this season), and the lack of that much talent clearly showed.
Houston, which improved to 2-3, rolled to the tune of 417 yards, 27 first downs and 7 of 12 efficiency on third down. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud feasted on the Ravens’ toothless secondary, going 23 of 27 for 244 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions.
Conversely, Baltimore’s offense — led by backup quarterback Cooper Rush — wasn’t able to muster any type of momentum until it was too late. Rush threw three picks while presiding over an offense that generated just 207 yards of offense.
With Rush struggling, and with the game out of hand for virtually the entire the second half, Baltimore’s best available offensive weapon — running back Derrick Henry — was a non-factor. Henry rushed for just 33 yards on 15 carries, although he did make history in the second half when he tied Walter Payton for the fifth-most rushing touchdowns in NFL history.
Immediately after Henry’s score, though, Houston’s offense went right back to work as Stroud hit Christian Kirk for a 47-yard gain. The big completion set up Noel’s score and Alexander’s subsequent shove.
Speaking of Alexander, the former Packers Pro Bowl cornerback had been a healthy scratch for each of Baltimore’s previous three games and was only playing because of Baltimore’s injuries in the secondary. Alexander tried, but in the end, he couldn’t make up for what the Ravens are currently missing.
The same could be said for the rest of the Ravens who suited up on Sunday.
“We’ve got young guys and they’ve got to grow up fast,” veteran linebacker Kyle Van Noy said after the game. “They don’t have time to mature over time. We need them, now, to step up, and the older guys need to step up, too.”
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Fantasy football waiver wire pickups: NFL Week 6
Young tight ends are shining: A.J. Barner, Theo Johnson and Mason Taylor are three of the eight highest-scoring fantasy tight ends over the past two games, and all three are widely available. Another week of the 2025 NFL season is just about in the books. Here are the players you should be targeting in your fantasy football leagues, including options for smaller leagues and deeper leagues, as well as players to avoid. Jump to a position group: QB | RB | WR | TE QUARTERBACKS Jaxson Dart, New York Giants (Rostered in 44.1% of leagues on ESPN) League Size: 10 Time Frame: Short Term, Long Term While Sam Darnold and Tua Tagovailoa were the top-performing quarterbacks available on the waiver wire this week, we now have a five-game sample on both, and neither is averaging more than 17 fantasy points […]
NFL Week 5 Team of the Week: Rico Dowdle Fills In and Shines on Sunday
<!--> [--> Greg Auman NFL Reporter <!--> --> Each week, we’ll offer up the very best of the NFL for a given week, kind of like the fantasy football team you wished you had.We’ll pick one quarterback, two running backs, two receivers and a tight end – OK, this is sounding a lot like a super-hindsight fantasy football team – as a way to look back on the weekend that was.We have a familiar face that stood out at wide receiver, and another return performer at running back. Let's break it down.Pretty strong week for quarterbacks, with five guys throwing 3+ touchdowns without an interception. But the most compelling game was Mayfield, who finished 29-for-33 for 379 yards with two touchdowns, outdueling Seattle's Sam Darnold in a shootout in Seattle. Darnold led Seattle on five straight touchdown drives, including a […]
Why Baker Mayfield Should Be Early Frontrunner for 2025 NFL MVP Award
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are rolling, and Baker Mayfield has a legitimate case to be considered a frontrunner for the NFL MVP trophy.The Buccaneers improved to 4-1 after a thrilling shootout with the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5. Mayfield outdueled Sam Darnold in a clash of 2018 NFL Draft top five quarterbacks. Mayfield finished with a career day passing the football. He had 379 passing yards and two touchdowns on 29-of-33 passing. He also rushed the football five times for 15 yards. Since arriving in Tampa Bay, Mayfield has completely turned his career around. The Buccaneers needed a quarterback to pivot off of Tom Brady retiring. Just a few seasons later, it’s Mayfield that has the Buccaneers looking like a serious contender in the NFC. Before the season, Mayfield was +2500 to win MVP on FanDuel Sportsbook. In just five […]
Tensions rise in the WNBA as Napheesa Collier, Caitlin Clark, and Cathy Engelbert clash over leadership
The WNBA has seen its fair share of disputes, but recent tensions between star forward Napheesa Collier and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert may represent a pivotal moment in the league's evolution. Collier, Vice President of the WNBPA Executive Committee, didn't hold back in her postseason exit interview, accusing Engelbert of tone-deaf leadership and alleging behind-the-scenes comments that have ignited league-wide controversy.Engelbert's alleged "be grateful" remark sparks outrageCollier claimed Engelbert had said Caitlin Clark should be "grateful" for earning millions in endorsements, crediting the WNBA for giving her a platform. If true, the comment would suggest a dismissive view of Clark's individual marketability and a broader lack of appreciation for the athletes driving the league's current success. Engelbert has denied making such a statement, calling Collier's claims inaccurate in a press conference before the WNBA Finals.What followed has only deepened the divide. […]
Tigers-Mariners Game 2 takeaways: Polanco powers Seattle past Skubal, Detroit
SEATTLE – The Seattle Mariners had done the hard part in Game 2 of this American League Division Series, building a lead off Tarik Skubal and taking it into the late innings on Sunday night. But after fumbling away their edge with a critical error in the eighth, they wasted no time in wresting the game back to pull even with the Detroit Tigers.AdvertisementCal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez came through in the bottom of the eighth inning to rescue the Mariners with a 3-2 victory before 47,371 raucous fans at T-Mobile Park. Facing Kyle Finnegan with one out, Raleigh, the slugging catcher, doubled into the right field corner. He scored when Rodríguez ripped a double of his own into the left field corner.Raleigh and Rodríguez had combined for all five Seattle hits in Game 1, when the Tigers escaped with […]
Tigers-Mariners Game 2 takeaways: Polanco powers Seattle past Skubal, Detroit
SEATTLE – The Seattle Mariners had done the hard part in Game 2 of this American League Division Series, building a lead off Tarik Skubal and taking it into the late innings on Sunday night. But after fumbling away their edge with a critical error in the eighth, they wasted no time in wresting the game back to pull even with the Detroit Tigers.AdvertisementCal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez came through in the bottom of the eighth inning to rescue the Mariners with a 3-2 victory before 47,371 raucous fans at T-Mobile Park. Facing Kyle Finnegan with one out, Raleigh, the slugging catcher, doubled into the right field corner. He scored when Rodríguez ripped a double of his own into the left field corner.Raleigh and Rodríguez had combined for all five Seattle hits in Game 1, when the Tigers escaped with […]
Related
Fantasy football waiver wire pickups: NFL Week 6
Young tight ends are shining: A.J. Barner, Theo Johnson and Mason Taylor are three of the eight highest-scoring fantasy tight ends over the past two games, and all three are widely available. Another week of the 2025 NFL season is just about in the books. Here are the players you should be targeting in your fantasy football leagues, including options for smaller leagues and deeper leagues, as well as players to avoid. Jump to a position group: QB | RB | WR | TE QUARTERBACKS Jaxson Dart, New York Giants (Rostered in 44.1% of leagues on ESPN) League Size: 10 Time Frame: Short Term, Long Term While Sam Darnold and Tua Tagovailoa were the top-performing quarterbacks available on the waiver wire this week, we now have a five-game sample on both, and neither is averaging more than 17 fantasy points […]
NFL Week 5 Team of the Week: Rico Dowdle Fills In and Shines on Sunday
<!--> [--> Greg Auman NFL Reporter <!--> --> Each week, we’ll offer up the very best of the NFL for a given week, kind of like the fantasy football team you wished you had.We’ll pick one quarterback, two running backs, two receivers and a tight end – OK, this is sounding a lot like a super-hindsight fantasy football team – as a way to look back on the weekend that was.We have a familiar face that stood out at wide receiver, and another return performer at running back. Let's break it down.Pretty strong week for quarterbacks, with five guys throwing 3+ touchdowns without an interception. But the most compelling game was Mayfield, who finished 29-for-33 for 379 yards with two touchdowns, outdueling Seattle's Sam Darnold in a shootout in Seattle. Darnold led Seattle on five straight touchdown drives, including a […]
Why Baker Mayfield Should Be Early Frontrunner for 2025 NFL MVP Award
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are rolling, and Baker Mayfield has a legitimate case to be considered a frontrunner for the NFL MVP trophy.The Buccaneers improved to 4-1 after a thrilling shootout with the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5. Mayfield outdueled Sam Darnold in a clash of 2018 NFL Draft top five quarterbacks. Mayfield finished with a career day passing the football. He had 379 passing yards and two touchdowns on 29-of-33 passing. He also rushed the football five times for 15 yards. Since arriving in Tampa Bay, Mayfield has completely turned his career around. The Buccaneers needed a quarterback to pivot off of Tom Brady retiring. Just a few seasons later, it’s Mayfield that has the Buccaneers looking like a serious contender in the NFC. Before the season, Mayfield was +2500 to win MVP on FanDuel Sportsbook. In just five […]
Tensions rise in the WNBA as Napheesa Collier, Caitlin Clark, and Cathy Engelbert clash over leadership
The WNBA has seen its fair share of disputes, but recent tensions between star forward Napheesa Collier and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert may represent a pivotal moment in the league's evolution. Collier, Vice President of the WNBPA Executive Committee, didn't hold back in her postseason exit interview, accusing Engelbert of tone-deaf leadership and alleging behind-the-scenes comments that have ignited league-wide controversy.Engelbert's alleged "be grateful" remark sparks outrageCollier claimed Engelbert had said Caitlin Clark should be "grateful" for earning millions in endorsements, crediting the WNBA for giving her a platform. If true, the comment would suggest a dismissive view of Clark's individual marketability and a broader lack of appreciation for the athletes driving the league's current success. Engelbert has denied making such a statement, calling Collier's claims inaccurate in a press conference before the WNBA Finals.What followed has only deepened the divide. […]
Tigers-Mariners Game 2 takeaways: Polanco powers Seattle past Skubal, Detroit
SEATTLE – The Seattle Mariners had done the hard part in Game 2 of this American League Division Series, building a lead off Tarik Skubal and taking it into the late innings on Sunday night. But after fumbling away their edge with a critical error in the eighth, they wasted no time in wresting the game back to pull even with the Detroit Tigers.AdvertisementCal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez came through in the bottom of the eighth inning to rescue the Mariners with a 3-2 victory before 47,371 raucous fans at T-Mobile Park. Facing Kyle Finnegan with one out, Raleigh, the slugging catcher, doubled into the right field corner. He scored when Rodríguez ripped a double of his own into the left field corner.Raleigh and Rodríguez had combined for all five Seattle hits in Game 1, when the Tigers escaped with […]
Tigers-Mariners Game 2 takeaways: Polanco powers Seattle past Skubal, Detroit
SEATTLE – The Seattle Mariners had done the hard part in Game 2 of this American League Division Series, building a lead off Tarik Skubal and taking it into the late innings on Sunday night. But after fumbling away their edge with a critical error in the eighth, they wasted no time in wresting the game back to pull even with the Detroit Tigers.AdvertisementCal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez came through in the bottom of the eighth inning to rescue the Mariners with a 3-2 victory before 47,371 raucous fans at T-Mobile Park. Facing Kyle Finnegan with one out, Raleigh, the slugging catcher, doubled into the right field corner. He scored when Rodríguez ripped a double of his own into the left field corner.Raleigh and Rodríguez had combined for all five Seattle hits in Game 1, when the Tigers escaped with […]
Be the first to leave a comment