The Baltimore Ravens lost to the Tennessee Titans in Week 11, dropping to 6-4 on the season. While the loss is concerning because of what it means to the team’s playoff hunt, the most troubling things happened after the final whistle. For the first time this season, the Ravens’ players sounded like they’d given up.
If you’ve listened to any post-game press conferences before, you’ve likely heard a lot of platitudes from players and coaches after a loss. Things like “they got the better of us today but we’ll work to get better,” are the typical non-answers to questions after any game. Those types of phrases admit defeat but also say they’ll get better. But after Sunday’s loss to the Titans, several of Baltimore’s players sounded defeated, like they know they’re not good enough. Both quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back J.K. Dobbins echoed a similar sentiment following the loss:
“It looked like that team wanted it more than us,” Jackson said.
“They just gave more effort than us,” Dobbins said.
Teams lose games every single season and no one bats an eye. But it’s beyond rare that you’ll hear several players disparage the amount of effort shown in a game. Even the worst teams in the league see their players give a “we’re focused on next week” when they’ve got nothing better to say. Anything more pointed about their own team than that is pretty damning.
But it’s not only what Jackson and Dobbins said that’s concerning. The Titans disrespected them before kickoff, dancing and celebrating on the Ravens’ mid-field logo. It earned the ire of coach John Harbaugh and earned a chippiness typically reserved only for divisional rivals. But after the loss, Tennessee went right back to work disrespecting the team and city only to get no response in return from Baltimore’s players.
Btw for all of the attention the logo stuff got, the most savage move by the #Titans’ players today was singing the bass line of “Seven Nation Army” after Derrick Henry’s TD in OT. Thought that might spark something postgame but the #Ravens’ players didn’t react.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) November 22, 2020
I’m not saying anyone should have been out there throwing haymakers over some taunting but in football, respect is a real and serious thing. From pee-wee ball all the way to the professional level, that type of taunting and disrespect often gets teams going nose-to-nose and barking at one another at the least.
The Ravens not even standing their ground when being laughed off the field doesn’t necessarily mean they’re “soft” but it’s not a great look for a team that prides itself on tough, physical football either. Despite all of Baltimore’s issues this season, you never had to wonder if they were going to have the right mindset or give their full effort . . . until now.
The Ravens still have a great core and they’re in the middle of a legitimate Super Bowl window. But that type of doubt and weariness can spread beyond just this season if Harbaugh doesn’t nip it in the bud immediately. That, beyond any other problem they face, is the most concerning right now.
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