Need to tighten up

Last week it was special teams giving up long kickoff and punt returns as well as a blocked punt and missed extra point. This week, it was stupid penalties at the worst possible time and an offensive gameplan that was needlessly aggressive.

Against Cleveland, Baltimore gave up three penalties that negated three fourth-down stops. Had they not committed those penalties, they would have stopped the Browns on both of their touchdown drives, allowing just three points in this entire game. It seems pretty obvious, but spotting an opponent two touchdowns doesn’t help a team win games.

Regardless of what it’s been, the Ravens are beating themselves a little too often against bad teams. Though they’ve been able to overcome those problems to thoroughly beat their opponents, those types of errors will kill them in the postseason against a good team.

I fully expect John Harbaugh and this team to sort them out by the time the playoffs roll around but it should be a clear point of emphasis in the meantime.