A few months ago, the Baltimore Ravens were widely regarded as serious Super Bowl contenders. However, their 2023 NFL season has taken a dramatic downturn, and they currently find themselves struggling just to secure a playoff spot. After a dismal start that has seen them go 1-5 following their bye week, the Ravens face a critical juncture. Their upcoming game against the Chicago Bears is pivotal: a victory could ignite a turnaround and salvage their season, while a loss would plunge them to 1-6 and likely end their postseason hopes altogether. This assessment explores the key factors that have contributed to Baltimore’s struggles and evaluates their prospects for improvement moving forward.
One of the most glaring reasons behind the Ravens’ poor start is the relentless barrage of injuries that have decimated their roster. Baltimore has been hit hard in nearly every position group, with a laundry list of key players sidelined for extended periods. Notably, the team has been without star quarterback Lamar Jackson, fullback Patrick Ricard, offensive tackles Ronnie Stanley and Emerie Jones Jr., several defensive backs including Chidobe Awuzie and Robert Longerbeam, linebackers Tavius Robinson and Roquan Smith, safety Ar’Darius Washington, and defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike. Some of these players have missed weeks, while others have been lost for months. At times, the Ravens’ defense has been so depleted that it resembled a practice-squad lineup rather than a starting unit.
This week offers a glimmer of hope as Awuzie and Smith are expected to return, potentially shoring up a defense that has struggled mightily. However, the outlook is not entirely positive. Madubuike, a cornerstone of the Ravens’ defensive front and essential to their blitz-heavy scheme, suffered a season-ending neck injury. Though not a traditional one-on-one star, Madubuike’s ability to generate pressure was critical to Baltimore’s defensive identity. Without him, the Ravens will have to rely on veterans like Kyle Van Noy and a group of inexperienced rookies to create disruption, a tall order given the complexity of their defensive system. Losing Madubuike may prove to be the “Jenga piece” that causes the entire defense to collapse. While some injured players returning can help, the absence of such a key figure casts a long shadow over the team’s defensive prospects.
Assessing the chances of improvement on defense, it is reasonable to assign a moderate rating of 6 out of 10. The return of some players is encouraging, but the loss of Madubuike and the cumulative impact of injuries present serious hurdles.
Offensively, the Ravens’ fortunes are closely tied to Lamar Jackson’s health. When Jackson is in the lineup, Baltimore’s offense operates like a well-oiled machine. His unique skill set as a dual-threat quarterback elevates the entire offense and has consistently placed the Ravens in the upper tier of league efficiency. This season, with Jackson playing, the offense has registered a 46% success rate, ranking 11th in the NFL—solid enough to win games and compete effectively in the AFC.
However, Jackson’s absence due to a hamstring injury has been devastating. The offense has collapsed into one of the league’s worst units since he went down, ranking third-worst in efficiency. Backup quarterback Cooper Rush managed only 13 points across two starts before being replaced by third-stringer Snoop Huntley in a game against the Los Angeles Rams. Jackson’s return to practice on Wednesday has raised hopes he will be ready for the crucial Bears game, a development that would instantly boost Baltimore’s offensive capabilities.
Still, even with Jackson back, the offense is far from perfect. The offensive line has been a glaring weak point, consistently failing to provide adequate pass protection. Jackson’s mobility and quick decision-making have helped mask these deficiencies in the past, but without him, the line’s vulnerabilities have been brutally exposed. The running game, which serves as the foundation of the Ravens’ offensive strategy, has also been inconsistent. Derrick Henry, a key weapon in the backfield, has struggled with ball security and has frequently been tackled at or behind the line of scrimmage—a problem exacerbated by the offensive line’s struggles to open running lanes.
There have been bright spots, such as Henry’s 122-yard performance against the Rams in Week 6—the first 100-yard game since Week 1—but overall, the rushing attack has been too erratic. The Ravens’