The Ravens have blown nine double-digit fourth-quarter leads under John Harbaugh, the most for any coach since 1991. The team threatened to add another one to the ledger on Sept. 22.
A game that once featured convincing Ravens lead turned into a nail-biter. The Ravens were up, 28-6, at the end of the third quarter against the Cowboys, who came charging back with three fourth-quarter touchdowns.
The Ravens won, 28-25, to improve to 1-2 on the season.
“I think the one thing we look at with this is the previous history of the Ravens where they’ve given up those leads in the fourth quarter with a seven-plus lead,” Ismail said on Glenn Clark Radio Sept. 23. “It wasn’t like it’s a, ‘Oh, it’s a one-point game,’ or ‘It’s just a field goal away.’ It’s been seven-plus and there have been some times where a double-digit lead just evaporates and you end up on the losing end of it all. I think what we saw with the Dallas game was the same thing.”
A wide receiver for the Ravens from 1999-2001, Ismail is now a co-host of the “Purple Pregame Show” for WJZ. He believes this team has a lot to learn from in order to grow in a short period of time given the Ravens’ challenging upcoming schedule. He isn’t panicking about the situation, but he understands that if the Ravens’ inability to close out games isn’t addressed soon, it could end up being problematic for Baltimore.
“I am not necessarily pushing the panic button. However, I do see where if you don’t get a handle on it — the it being from the coaching, through the recovery of the coaching, through the player responsibility and accountability — then it will be more of the same,” Ismail said. “But if you’re looking at yourself in the mirror truly and changing the mindset then I think you will have an opportunity before you to right the ship.”
The Ravens have battled inconsistency with their pass defense, and that showed up again in Week 3. Cowboys star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb took advantage of multiple one-on-one situations against rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins. The Ravens shouldn’t allow the rookie to be left stranded with one of the top receivers in the league, according to Ismail.
“I don’t know why that occurred,” Ismail said. “I could see a little bit at times to change it up but in those critical moments … your football intelligence would say, ‘All right, what’s their quickest way to get back into this game? CeeDee Lamb. OK, let’s take him away.'”
Ismail did offer high praise for running back Derrick Henry, who showcased his ability impose his will on a defense. Henry’s presence brings a new wrinkle to the Ravens’ offense. An elite, game-changing running back could change the dynamic of the offense moving forward.
Henry ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries against the Cowboys.
“I’m hoping that Todd Monken is saying, ‘OK, we know we can spread teams out. We know that we have this wide-open offense, but we can also counter-punch based upon our matchup versus the other team’s matchup by getting into two-back, two-tight-end, one-receiver type formations and having a go with it.’ I think if that’s the case then sure, you can win games like this because you’re going to win based them upon your matchups.”
As the Ravens look to find their footing this season, the emphasis on adaptability and precision has never been greater. The team’s ability to adjust on the fly and execute when it matters most could be the key to turning things around for good.
“I think that’s the thing. If you are capable of changing it up in-game, finishing drives, being really smart about your play-calling and your execution, then you’re setting yourself up for success.”
For more from Ismail, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox