Week 13 Ravens Fall to Eagles 24-19: Special Teams and Situational Football Key

Ravens Out Rush, Out Pass, Win Time of Possession Battle vs Eagles, But Fail to Score

The Baltimore Ravens played a sloppy game on Sunday, but when looking at the stats, they were far more effective than the Eagles at controlling the ball and sustaining long drives. On the ground, the Ravens outperformed the Eagles, rushing for 166 yards to the Eagles' 144, averaging 5.2 yards per carry compared to the Eagles' 4.2.

In the passing game, the Ravens outpaced the Eagles with 206 yards to 112 yards. While Lamar Jackson did take more costly sacks (3 for 31 yards vs. 2 for 6 yards), the Eagles struggled to generate much offense through the air.

Overall, the Ravens controlled the football for the majority of the game, holding possession for 33:51 while not turning the ball over. Despite fumbling 3 times, they managed to recover all of them, which was incredibly fortunate.

They played a clean game in terms of penalties, committing just 4 for 20 yards, while the Eagles were flagged for 8 penalties totaling 55 yards.

A combination of these factors usually result in winning football.

So what made the difference?

The Eagles were able to execute in the red zone and on special teams.

Jalen Hurts scored a touchdown on a tush push that could have been a false start, and in the 4th quarter, the Eagles orchestrated a long drive, with Saquon Barkley contributing 4 touches for 46 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown run, to put the Eagles ahead 21-12 with 7:56 remaining.

The Ravens, on the other hand, were 2-for-5 in red zone trips, while the Eagles converted 2 of 3 (this does not include the 25 yard touchdown run by Saquon Barkley).

The Ravens’ second red zone conversion came with 3 seconds left in the game, when the outcome was effectively sealed, barring a miracle.

In the kicking game, Justin Tucker converted 2 of 4 field goals and 1 of 2 extra points, leaving 7 of 14 potential points on the board.

Jake Elliott, in contrast, was perfect, converting his only field goal attempt and all 3 extra points for a total of 6 of 6 points.

Punting also played a key role in the game. Eagles punter Braden Mann had 6 punts, pinning the Ravens inside their own 20-yard line on 5 occasions.

In contrast, Ravens punter Jordan Stout punted 4 times, but never managed to put the Eagles inside their 20-yard line.

Despite jumping out to an early lead while the Eagles offense stalled, the Ravens failed to capitalize on key opportunities, making the tough loss even more frustrating. Heading into Week 14, the Ravens face critical issues to address, but they benefit from a bye week to rest and regroup. With the playoff picture still in their control, they’ll look to refocus and prepare for the final stretch of the season.

Justin Tucker Has Chance to Right the Ship, Misses Left Once Again

On the Ravens’ second offensive drive, they mixed the run and pass effectively, moving methodically down the field until QB Lamar Jackson found TE Mark Andrews in the end zone to give the Ravens a 9-0 lead. However, cracks began to appear when Justin Tucker missed his extra point attempt.

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens opened the second half with the ball and moved it well down the field to set up Tucker for a 47-yard attempt. Unfortunately, Jackson made Tucker’s job harder by taking a 14-yard sack on a 3rd and 5 from the 15-yard line, courtesy of Zach Baun and Jalyx Hunt. Tucker missed wide left again, leaving the struggling Eagles offense with great field position at their own 37-yard line. The Eagles went 3 and out for -1 yard, and punted deep into Ravens territory, pinning them at the 13-yard line.

The Ravens again moved down the field, giving Tucker another makeable 53-yard field goal attempt. But this time, he pushed it wide right—the first miss right this season—giving the Eagles great field position once again at their own 43-yard line. Fortunately, the Ravens defense tightened up, forcing another 3 and out. The Eagles punted to the Ravens 5-yard line.

All 3 scoring chances came in quick succession, and making them would’ve given the Ravens a 19-14 lead in the 3rd quarter.  Instead they didn’t score a single point in the second half until 3 seconds left.

Leaving 7 points on the board against one of the best teams in the league is always difficult, but the missed kicks also hurt the Ravens' field position battle. This allowed the Eagles defense, which had struggled against the Ravens' sustained drives, to capitalize on favorable field position and make key stops.

The effect of these misses was significant in disrupting the Ravens' game flow. Even if Tucker had made the first extra point, the Ravens would have only been 8 points down late in the game, rather than 9. 

This difference led John Harbaugh to make the decision to go for it, and fail, on 4th and 8 from their own 42-yard line with 6:18 left in the game. One could argue that the Ravens would have been more likely to punt, given the Eagles’ offense had struggled to move the ball all day. 

Following the game, Justin Tucker ranked 36th out of 40 kickers in field goal percentage for the season at 70.4%, highlighting a significant dip in his performance during a crucial stretch.  On Sunday he missed more kicks than he had in the 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2021 seasons COMBINED.

Coach Bellichek weighed in on the issue, and noticed that Tuckers kicks don’t have their dead straight accuracy that he normally has, but he also said that if he were the Ravens personnel decision maker he’d stick with the greatest kicker of all time. 

“There's nobody else out there that has no more experience or has mentally been in more situations than Tucker has. I think I would go with Tucker."

Justin Tucker's struggles will likely leave many Ravens fans calling for John Harbaugh to send the old dog to the Royal Farms — but the options at kicker are bleak. Tucker’s contract situation only adds to the complexity, making this a potential headache for the team. Signed through 2027, Tucker has the second-highest cap hit for a kicker at $6m AAV, tying him with some of the league's top-paid players at the position.  If he continues to struggle expect the Ravens to place him on the injured list with a made up condition as they bring in a new leg off the street.

Lamar Jackson Struggles Thanks to Broken Protection and Missed Opportunities

The best way to stop an elite quarterback like Lamar Jackson is to pressure him from the inside, preventing him from staying in the pocket and allowing his receivers to run their routes. The Eagles were able to do just that while rushing only four players, which allowed them to drop seven defenders into coverage and let their standout corners shadow Jackson’s weapons.  The Eagles made Jackson look very human at times on Sunday.

This approach harkens back to the battles between Ray Lewis’ Ravens and Tom Brady’s Patriots. The Ravens were able to defeat the Patriots more than most because difference makers like Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata constantly pressured Brady, disrupting his timing.

Against the Eagles, Lamar Jackson missed some critical throws to Isaiah Likely and Zay Flowers due to the pressure. He also took a huge 14-yard sack on third down, which led to Justin Tucker’s first missed field goal. While Jackson did have some success running the ball, with 8 carries for 79 yards, a significant portion of those yards came during the Ravens’ last drive, when the game was effectively out of reach.

After the game, Lamar Jackson admitted that he failed to see numerous rushing lanes that were open for him. He confessed that he was either worried about pressure or taking too long to find open receivers. 

In a candid moment, he shared that his mom "cussed him out" for not running more—something that has become a point of criticism from fans and pundits alike this season.

Against top defenses, where Jackson cannot afford to sit back and wait for someone to get open, he will need to rely on his legs to make up for the difference—something only he can do.

Ravens Lose at the Line of Scrimmage on Both Sides of the Ball

With two MVP-caliber running backs on display, it was surprising that Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry combined for just 80 yards in the first half. 

The Ravens were able to get a few big stops on 3rd down thanks to the return of All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith. 

However, the Ravens offense could not get much going in the red zone and the second half against Philadelphia’s stout defensive line, led by former Georgia Bulldogs Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Nolan Smith. This defensive front proved too much to handle for Ravens guards Daniel Faalele and Patrick Mekari, who struggled throughout the game. Mekari was beaten 1-on-1 time and again by the stronger defensive linemen, while Faalele often looked lost, missing blocking assignments and being caught on the ground far too often.

On the offensive side, Philadelphia’s big offensive line, featuring tackles Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson, paved the way for Saquon Barkley in the fourth quarter. Barkley finished with 23 carries for 107 yards and a crucial 25-yard rushing touchdown in the final period to seal the win for the Eagles.

Lamar Jackson is now 24-2 against the NFC in his career, with his only other loss coming against Barkley’s former team, the New York Giants.

Derrick Henry was limited to just 82 yards on 19 carries. Henry has been so dominant that 4.3 yards per carry is considered an off game for him. He did get more involved in the passing game this week, with 3 catches for 29 yards. However, the Ravens offensive line struggled to contain Philadelphia’s defense, with key blockers like Ronnie Stanley, Tyler Linderbaum, and Patrick Ricard also getting beaten at the line of scrimmage.

The Eagles have one of the best defenses in football, so it was always going to be a tough test for the Ravens. This game highlighted the weaknesses in the Ravens' offensive line. It may be time for some changes. 

Changes in Baltimore’s Secondary Lead to Improvement: Can John Harbaugh Do it Again on Offense?

The coaching staff in Baltimore has shown a willingness to make adjustments this season, so it wouldn’t be surprising if we see some new faces on the offensive line when the Ravens face the New York Giants in two weeks. The team has already made significant changes in the secondary, moving Ar’darius Washington to starting safety and pushing Kyle Hamilton to a deeper role. Marcus Williams, the previous starter, was a healthy scratch, and Eddie Jackson was cut by the team.

The Ravens secondary did a solid job of containing Philadelphia’s passing attack, limiting star WR A.J. Brown had just 5 catches for 66 yards, with nearly all of those yards (3 catches for 44) coming on a single drive where the Eagles scored their first half touchdown. Since Washington moved into the starting lineup against the Pittsburgh Steelers three games ago, the Ravens have not been beaten deep, which has been a significant improvement in their pass defense.

Now, the challenge for Harbaugh and his staff is to replicate that same success on the offensive side of the ball. If they can make similar adjustments on offense, the Ravens could be in a good position for the stretch run.

The Ravens came into the season counting on young linemen like Faalele and rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten to step up, but they’ve failed to show consistency against top defenses, notably in their two recent losses to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. General manager Eric DeCosta has faced criticism for letting veterans like Kevin Zeitler, Morgan Moses, and John Simpson leave via free agency or trade. 

The Ravens have backup guards Andrew Voorhees and Ben Cleveland available on the bench, and it may be time to give them more reps after the bye week. Cleveland, who looked solid in a few starts last season at right guard, has reportedly been in John Harbaugh’s "doghouse" due to a perceived lack of effort.

In addition to addressing the offensive line, the Ravens must find a way to get newly acquired wide receiver Diontae Johnson more involved. Since Johnson was acquired before the trade deadline, he has played just 39 snaps since Week 9. Despite Rashod Bateman leaving Sunday’s game with a sore knee, Johnson didn’t see the field. Instead, Tylan Wallace took the snaps in Bateman’s place, which raises questions about the veteran wideout’s health and attitude. After the game, Harbaugh mentioned he would need more information and wasn’t ready to comment on why Johnson did not play on Sunday.

Ravens Week 14 Playoff Seeding Lookahead

As the Ravens (8-5) head into their Week 14 bye following a tough 24-19 loss to the Eagles, concerns are mounting across the board. While a division title appears less likely with each Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3) win, the Ravens’ playoff chances remain strong, and they should be more focused on securing their spot.

Currently, the Ravens sit at the 6th seed in the AFC playoff picture, trailing the Los Angeles Chargers (8-4) by half a game in the wild card standings, and tied with the Denver Broncos (8-5). However, they hold important head-to-head tiebreakers over both the Chargers and Broncos, and they lead teams like the Indianapolis Colts (6-7) and Miami Dolphins (5-7) by multiple games. While there are scenarios that could knock them out, the Ravens control their own destiny and face winnable matchups against the New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, and Cleveland Browns.

The Steelers' thrilling win in Week 13 against the Cincinnati Bengals (44-38) has made the Ravens’ path to a division title more difficult. They now trail Pittsburgh by one and a half games, but their playoff hopes remain intact.  The Ravens' key to a division title will be a victory against the Steelers in Week 16. There are alternate routes to the division title without a Week 16 win, but even with that victory, the Ravens would still need help from other teams to knock off the Steelers, and they’ll have to perform nearly perfectly.

Look for the Ravens to make key adjustments during the bye week to prime them for the final stretch of the season—and a potential playoff run.