Post-Game Breakdowns Expose Flaws in the Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens’ post-game film sessions and coaching reviews have become painful but necessary rituals during their late-season slump. What these breakdowns reveal isn’t just random mistakes—it’s a set of recurring, fixable flaws that have derailed their playoff hopes. From predictable offensive playcalling to defensive communication failures, the Ravens’ post-game analyses lay bare the gaps between their potential and their on-field performance. Post-Game Breakdowns Expose Flaws in the Baltimore Ravens dives into the key issues uncovered by these reviews, using specific plays from recent losses to the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs to illustrate how these flaws have cost the team critical wins.

Post-Game Breakdowns Expose Flaws in the Baltimore Ravens begins with the most glaring issue: offensive playcalling rigidity, which opposing defenses have exploited with ease. Film from the Week 16 loss to the Bengals shows the Ravens relied on the same three formations (shotgun with two running backs, single-back with one tight end, and empty backfield) for 78% of their offensive snaps—a predictability that let the Bengals’ defense pre-snap adjust. On a critical third-and-5 in the fourth quarter, the Ravens called a deep pass to Zay Flowers, even though film shows the Bengals had shifted to a “Cover 3” look designed to shut down deep routes. The pass was intercepted, ending the Ravens’ final chance to tie the game. Post-game reviews also highlighted a lack of adaptation: when the Bengals stacked the box to stop J.K. Dobbins (who still rushed for 89 yards), the Ravens failed to pivot to short passes or screen plays to exploit the empty secondary. “We’re not adjusting to what the defense is giving us,” offensive coordinator Todd Monken admitted in a post-game meeting. “That’s on me—we need to be more creative, and we need to do it faster.”

Post-Game Breakdowns Expose Flaws in the Baltimore Ravens delves into defensive communication lapses, which have turned routine plays into costly touchdowns. A frame-by-frame review of the Bengals’ 45-yard touchdown pass in Week 16 shows safety Kyle Hamilton signaled for a “Cover 2” look, but cornerback Marlon Humphrey misread the signal and played “Cover 1”—leaving Ja’Marr Chase wide open down the sideline. Post-game interviews revealed the issue wasn’t a one-time mistake: the Ravens’ secondary has miscommunicated assignments on 12% of defensive snaps over the last five games, compared to just 4% in the first eight weeks. Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald’s breakdowns also highlighted inconsistent hand signals and rushed huddles as root causes; players often argue over assignments or fail to confirm signals before the snap. “Communication is the foundation of any good defense, and we’re failing at the basics,” Macdonald told his staff after the Bengals loss. “We need to simplify our calls and make sure everyone is on the same page—no exceptions.”

Post-Game Breakdowns Expose Flaws in the Baltimore Ravens examines red-zone inefficiency, a problem that has turned scoring opportunities into missed chances for the Baltimore Ravens. Film from their last three losses shows the Ravens have a 40% touchdown rate in the red zone (well below the NFL average of 55%), with most failures stemming from poor play design and rushed decisions. In the Week 15 loss to the Chiefs, the Ravens had first-and-goal from the 5-yard line but opted for a trick play: Lamar Jackson faked a handoff to Dobbins, then tried to throw a backward pass to Flowers, who was immediately tackled for a 3-yard loss. Post-game reviews criticized the playcall for being too complex in a high-pressure situation; the Ravens had run the same trick play twice earlier in the season, making it predictable for the Chiefs. “We overcomplicate things in the red zone,” head coach John Harbaugh said in a review session. “We have Lamar, we have Dobbins—we should be leaning into our strengths, not trying to outsmart the defense.” For the Baltimore Ravens, this inefficiency has cost them an average of 7 points per game—enough to turn losses into wins in their tightest matchups.

Post-Game Breakdowns Expose Flaws in the Baltimore Ravens explores special teams errors, a often-overlooked issue that has haunted the Baltimore Ravens in critical moments. A breakdown of the Week 14 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars highlights a costly punt return mistake: Ravens returner Devin Duvernay failed to call a fair catch on a high punt, letting the ball bounce and be recovered by the Jaguars at the Ravens’ 10-yard line. The Jaguars scored a touchdown two plays later, taking a lead they never gave up. Post-game reviews also noted inconsistent kickoff coverage (the Ravens rank 26th in the NFL in average kickoff return yards allowed) and a 75% field goal conversion rate from kicker Justin Tucker—well below his career average of 90%. “Special teams is supposed to be our strength, but right now it’s a liability,” special teams coordinator Chris Horton said. “We’re making fundamental mistakes—missed tackles, poor decision-making, inconsistent execution—and they’re costing us games.” For the Baltimore Ravens, these special teams flaws are particularly frustrating because they’re avoidable; post-game drills have since been added to practice to address punt return decisions and kickoff coverage.

Post-Game Breakdowns Expose Flaws in the Baltimore Ravens wraps up with late-game execution struggles, which have defined the Ravens’ slump and exposed a lack of clutch performance. Film from the Bengals and Chiefs losses shows the Ravens have a -12 point differential in the fourth quarter this season, with key mistakes coming on both offense and defense. In the final two minutes of the Bengals game, Jackson threw an interception while trying to force a pass to Mark Andrews, and the defense allowed Burrow to complete three straight passes for 45 yards to set up the game-winning field goal. Post-game reviews attributed these failures to a mix of anxiety and poor preparation; players admitted to rushing decisions instead of sticking to their training. “We practice late-game scenarios every week, but when it counts, we’re not executing,” Jackson said after the review. “We need to stay calm, trust the plan, and play like we do in practice.” For the Baltimore Ravens, these post-game breakdowns aren’t just about pointing out mistakes—they’re about finding solutions. While time is running out on their 2025 season, the flaws uncovered in these reviews will shape their offseason preparation, ensuring they don’t repeat the same errors next year. As Harbaugh put it: “The only good thing about losing is learning from it. We’re learning—now we just need to fix it.”