Welcome back to Loose Feathers, a regular round-up of all of the latest news and analysis regarding the Baltimore Ravens. In today’s edition, we cover recent concerns about field conditions for the team’s upcoming trip to Brazil, early-season concerns after Sunday’s loss to the Saints, and the officiating pool report on Tyler Shough’s controversial game-winning touchdown.
Ravens’ Week 3 trip to Brazil to proceed as planned
Multiple reports over the weekend raised concerns about the field conditions at Maracaña Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where
the Ravens are scheduled to take on the Cowboys next Sunday. Members of CR Flamengo, the home soccer team, have criticized the playing surface, but NFL field director Nick Pappas said on Monday that there are “no concerns right now.”
NFL: ‘No concerns’ over field conditions in Rio for Cowboys-Ravens – Jamison Hensley (ESPN)
‘Look, there’s the realities of managing any playing surface and then there’s also the realities of managing a grass playing surface that’s being used midseason,” Pappas told ESPN on Monday. “So it’s all about monitoring it. It’s all about having a plan in place and then being able to react to anything that maybe comes our way.’
Pappas added, ‘So what we’ve seen in Rio is a significant amount of rainfall, a record kind of rainfall over the last six weeks. And that obviously poses challenges just from a management perspective, but nothing that we’re not capable of managing or prepared to take.’
Ravens-Cowboys in Brazil ‘full speed ahead’ despite field concerns, Stephen Jones says – Jeff Howe, Mike Jones and Dan Pompei (The Athletic)
‘I don’t have concerns only because the league has said full speed ahead. … I think if there was a real concern, there would have already been contingent plans being made,’ [Cowboys co-owner Stephen] Jones said. ‘I know how the league works, about where we play the game if it weren’t there, and there’s none of that. So, I think we’re full speed ahead.‘
‘Whatever work needs to be done on the field to make sure that it’s safe and great for our players, no one understands that more than the league, that we’ve got to have great surfaces and great playing fields that are very safe for our players. As far as I’m concerned, we’re full speed ahead and we’re ready to go to Rio.’
Let’s be realistic here. The NFL has invested heavily in expanding football’s international appeal. It would take something extreme for the league to change their plans for a game featuring one of the most recognizable teams in the world and one of the sport’s biggest stars. The Ravens and the Cowboys will simply have to prepare and adjust.
For Baltimore, that could mean a conservative approach with players dealing with lower-body injuries like Zay Flowers (hamstring) and Ronnie Stanley (toe). Teddye Buchanan (knee) and Nnamdi Madubuike (neck) could also have to wait another week to make their 2026 debuts after months away from the field.
Ravens expected to rebound from Week 2 loss to Saints
NFL Week 2 panic meter: Caleb Williams’ injury, another Chargers no-show shake up early season – Jeff Howe, Mike Jones and Dan Pompei (The Athletic)
Which version of the Baltimore Ravens is closer to reality? The team that blew out the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1 or the group that blew a second-half lead and lost 24-17 to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday?
Pompei: The Ravens’ collapse was rough with self-inflicted wounds, and head coach Jesse Minter’s leadership will be tested early. Their performance was sloppy — not unusual for many teams early in the season. The Ravens have committed 17 penalties in two weeks. That cannot continue if the Ravens are going to be contenders. But this is a talented team that’s capable of high-end football, as they showed in Week 1 against the Colts. It will be a surprise if the Ravens don’t rebound and remain one of the better teams in the AFC. They just need to get in a groove.
Jones: The Ravens are somewhere in the middle, but a smidge closer to the Week 1 product. Many elements of Sunday’s performance resemble the Ravens of last season (penalties and ill-timed turnovers, a couple of head-scratcher offensive play calls, late-game defensive collapse). But the roster and energy within the organization improved. It’s important to remember that Baltimore has a 30-year-old rookie offensive coordinator in Declan Doyle, and that the unit wasn’t at full force with two of Lamar Jackson’s top wide receivers injured.
There were some drops (even one by the reliable Mark Andrews) that, if caught, could have extended drives, and extended drives lead to heavier emphasis on the run. And had Doyle displayed more discipline/patience by giving Derrick Henry the ball on third-and-1 late rather than calling a deep shot downfield, perhaps the Ravens would have kept moving the ball and eventually scored. The Ravens hurt themselves on Sunday, but they’re still one of the better teams in the AFC.
Howe: The Ravens’ inconsistent start is reminiscent of issues with blown leads under the previous regime, ceding control of a winnable game while falling out of sorts in the second half. Jackson and the offense went three-and-out on back-to-back drives while the Saints orchestrated consecutive touchdowns. The Ravens should be in the playoff conversation throughout the season, but I’m curious to see if this team can distinguish itself from past incarnations.
NFL explains officiating call on Tyler Shough’s controversial game-winning touchdown
Pool report with NFL Vice President of Instant Replay Mark Butterworth – Jamison Hensley (ESPN)
Question: Was there clear evidence that Tyler Shough crossed the goal line on the fourth down quarterback sneak (1:32 remaining, New Orleans 4th and 1, Baltimore 1 yard-line)?
Mark Butterworth: “The key here is the ruling on the field is a touchdown. So, we need clear and obvious video evidence that he didn’t score in order to reverse the on-field ruling. We stopped the game, it’s a high-leverage play, we wanted to make sure to either find clear and obvious video evidence that he didn’t score or to confirm the call on the field. We exhausted all available angles and could not prove clear and obvious that he did not break the plane of the goal line.”
Question: During any of the replays, did it show that Tyler Shough lost control of the ball at any point while trying to get the ball across the goal line?
Butterworth: “No. If he did lose control of the ball, we would need to find, after he regained possession, if the ball broke the plane of the goal line. In that mass of players, we weren’t able to find clear and obvious video evidence that the ball did not break the plane of the goal line. Therefore, the ruling on the field stands.”
Ravens get ‘C’ grade for Week 2 showing
NFL Week 2 grades for all 32 teams: Rams earn an ‘A’ for steamrolling Giants on Monday night – John Breech (CBS Sports)
The Ravens’ new offense looked unstoppable in Week 1, but it came crashing back to earth on Sunday. The Ravens had multiple chances to put this game away, but the offense was only able to muster a total of 32 yards on Baltimore’s final three possessions of the game combined. The Ravens also seemed to forget that Derrick Henry existed. Their star running back had just five carries in the second half, including just one in the fourth quarter. With the Ravens leading 14-3 at halftime, it’s surprising that they didn’t lean on Henry more in the second half. One reason the Ravens got rid of John Harbaugh is because of the blown leads in the second half. Well, in his second game on the job, Jesse Minter now has a blown fourth-quarter lead on his resume.
