After losing to the Las Vegas Raiders, 26-23, the Baltimore Ravens are now 0-2 for the first time since 2015. Both losses were one-possession losses, with the outcome not being decided until the closing seconds.
“All we can do is respond,” said inside linebacker Roquan Smith, who led the game with 11 tackles.
“I know the guys in the locker room, and how we feel about it. Trust me it sucks more for us than anyone else…There’s no way we should be 0-2, but hey, it is what it is.”
Roquan Smith: “All we can do is respond… Trust me it sucks more for us than anyone else.”#RavensFlock @FOXBaltimore pic.twitter.com/GbOpkA69bs
— AJ Gersh (@AJGershTV) September 15, 2024
Smith is taking ownership of the suboptimal situation and conveying savvy leadership, which the Ravens need right now. Smith is a two-time All-Pro whose talent and ambition inspire linebackers at all levels of football, including Northwestern’s Xander Mueller.
“He’s resilient, and he represents himself [in contract negotiations], so he’s obviously a very smart player, and that shows on the field,” said Mueller, an All-Big Ten selection, in an exclusive interview with RG. “He’s a very determined guy, who plays very physical as well.”
As Mueller, a rising star in his own right, perfectly points out, Smith is dominant at both a cerebral and a physical level. His extremely heady play can help provide steady veteran leadership to a somewhat reeling unit.
Clearly, this Ravens defense sorely misses its former coordinator, Mike McDonald, who left to become head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. Anyone paying attention will also notice that new coordinator Zach Orr is experiencing some growing pains as he adjusts to the new role.
A transitional situation like this is difficult, but it becomes rather adverse when you factor in the demoralizing nature of a 0-2 start.
This is when you need your most accomplished veterans the most. You desperately need them to say all the right things and convey the proper attitude to get back to winning ways.
Roquan Smith is doing exactly that right now, and if other members of this defense follow his lead, the Ravens will soon get out of this rut.