Marlon Humphrey has built his reputation on holding himself to a high standard. He can also wear his heart on his sleeve. It's an interesting dichotomy, one that has long defined one of the Baltimore Ravens' vocal leaders.
It also makes his assessment of Thursday night's performance particularly telling. The Jacksonville Jaguars wasted little time testing Baltimore's secondary. On the second play of the game, Trevor Lawrence connected with Nate Boerkircher for a 52-yard completion, setting up the visiting team's opening touchdown.
That was just the beginning. Jacksonville continued to attack Baltimore's secondary throughout the contest, but the veteran won't hide behind the team's broader struggles. He went straight to the details he believes
he needs to clean up. He isn't looking for excuses. He was asked about his play in post-game media, and he acknowledged the areas the defense needed to handle better.
"[We] gave up an explosive. I think when we've got some guys out on offense, whatever the game plan was, it kind of kills momentum to give up one early. So, that was just an explosive, [on] a scramble drill. [I] just have to play better fundamental football, and that's kind of just been [what] I'm chasing. I'm chasing a perfect game. One play out of the rest of the good ones you have... [I'm] kind of rambling, but [I] just have to do better."
Humphrey's emphasis on fundamentals is notable because Baltimore's coverage issues haven't been limited to one game. The secondary has struggled to maintain consistency, and the Jaguars found multiple opportunities to capitalize on those problems. For a veteran who takes pride in his performance, those mistakes are clearly weighing on him.
He also acknowledged that the defensive struggles aren't limited to one player. When asked whether he could identify a common problem behind the team's recent performances, Humphrey admitted that he couldn't point to a single issue.
"To be honest, it's so much [of] everybody kind of having a play that they wish they could have back. But no, I can't really put a single thing on it."
Here's the good news. Humphrey believes Ravens have the personnel to turn things around.
Baltimore has little time to dwell on another disappointing performance, but he understands that correcting the problems won't happen simply because the team wants it to. He acknowledged that the recent stretch has been difficult and admitted that he's still searching for answers himself.
"I think you [have to] wash it. I mean, you address it [and] you figure it out. I mean, it's unfortunate what we put out there together. It's a rough stretch. I don't know, three weeks, and honestly, I'm still searching as well. I know the game just ended, but it's just disappointing. I mean, I look at myself. It's a conflict of you look at the game and you're like, 'Man, there was 50 plays. You play good on 49, but it's that one [where] it's just the momentum that it killed. It's just difficult.' But we have the guys that can turn it around. I believe in myself, My guys believe in me, so I just have to do better, really. I think it starts with me."
That belief matters for a team trying to keep its losing streak from defining the rest of the season. Humphrey didn't suggest Baltimore has already figured out how to fix its problems, but he made it clear he hasn't lost confidence in the players around him and their ability to do so.
Humphrey's willingness to point the finger at himself is one thing. Baltimore needs that same level of accountability from the entire secondary. It's clear that he still believes in the group, but that confidence has to show up in the details and execution that have been missing on the field.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Marlon Humphrey addresses Ravens' coverage issues vs. Jaguars
