Baltimore’s loss in Cleveland showed offensive limitations that only Jackson might be able to fix

Tyler Huntley looked more like a backup quarterback, Derrick Henry hurt the Ravens with a big fumble, and Baltimore three-game winning streak ended in frustration.

Now the updates on Lamar Jackson’s status — vague as they may be — take on even more significance.

The Ravens beat Atlanta with Jackson nursing an ankle injury, but a 13-10 loss at Cleveland on Sunday dropped Baltimore into a three-way tie for first place in the AFC North. The offense looked limited with Huntley at quarterback. Baltimore is 4-2, but Cleveland is the only team the Ravens have faced that currently has a winning record.

Now the Ravens host Cincinnati (3-2), with Buffalo (5-1) and Jacksonville (4-2) on the schedule after that. So it’s fair to view Jackson’s health as a more urgent issue.

Asked if he expects Jackson to practice this week, coach Jesse Minter said Monday: “Potentially, but we’ll see how it goes.”

Baltimore took an early 10-0 lead and then went scoreless on its last nine possessions. A fumble by Henry in the fourth quarter helped set up Cleveland’s only touchdown, which tied the game at 10. A field goal on the final play won it.

It was a setback for the Ravens, who made clutch plays late in wins over Dallas and Atlanta — the types of games they’d lost in recent seasons.

Just because the Ravens won a couple of tight games doesn’t mean they were never going to lose one again. And just because Baltimore faltered in this one doesn’t mean the team is doomed to keep blowing leads.

The failure against Cleveland was letting the Browns stay in it even as fans were booing quarterback Deshaun Watson and the offense. Cleveland’s first eight possessions yielded seven punts and a field goal. But Baltimore’s final nine produced seven punts, a missed field goal and a fumble.

“There’s so many plays between halftime and in the fourth quarter where we have a chance to create momentum, create a bigger lead, create momentum on special teams or defense, that we really weren’t able to take advantage of,” Minter said. “When you let a good team with good players hang around and have the opportunity to tie it up on one play, or something along those lines, then you put yourself in that position.”

What’s working

It’s hard to tell given Cleveland’s offensive limitations, but the Ravens appear to be moving in the right direction defensively. They allowed only 14 first downs and 237 yards, and the only touchdown the Browns scored came with the benefit of a short field.

What needs help

Huntley again avoided big mistakes, but the Ravens lacked any real explosiveness Sunday, and it’s fair to wonder how much they can produce with their backup quarterback against a solid, well-prepared defense. Jackson is the man to solve that problem, but it’s a question of when. Last season, a Week 4 injury kept him out until Week 9, and he still had his struggles after returning.

Stock up

A pair of rookies made a positive impact. Receiver Ja’Kobi Lane returned from a wrist injury and caught four passes for 40 yards, and tight end Josh Cuevas had four receptions for 44 yards and Baltimore’s lone touchdown.

Stock down

Tyler Loop has made some big kicks this season, but he’s also missed a couple of important ones, including a 49-yarder that could have put the Ravens up by 10 early in the fourth Sunday. Minter would not rule out bringing in some competition for Loop, who seemed to perform better after the team did that earlier this season.

Injuries

The Ravens traded for center Cam Jurgens, but he was in the concussion protocol and hasn’t played in the two games since arriving. Baltimore sent a second-round draft pick to Philadelphia as part of that deal, which will leave the front office with some questions to answer if this injury lingers.

“We feel that it’s come a long way over the weekend, and that there’s a real opportunity for him,” Minter said. “I don’t know the final deal, maybe today or tomorrow, as we go, but we’re excited to potentially get him in there this week.”

Key numbers

Henry has lost five fumbles since the Ravens acquired him in 2024, and Baltimore is 0-5 in those games. Four of those fumbles were on the Ravens’ half of the field.

Next steps

Baltimore hosts Cincinnati on Sunday. The Ravens lost to the Bengals at home 32-14 last season, but two weeks later they went to Cincinnati and won 24-0.

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