Stop the presses if you have heard this before, but the Baltimore Ravens couldn't have drawn up a much better opening act on the road vs. theIndianapolis Colts. Baltimore piled up more than 500 yards of offense, forced two turnovers, rushed for over 200 yards, and left Lucas Oil Stadium with a convincing 41-23 victory.
They were breaking in a new coaching staff and two first-time starters on the offensive line, Vega Ioane and Jovaughn Gwyn. There was plenty to like. The Ravens looked explosive, physical, and capable of winning in multiple ways. Still, nobody inside the building is treating Week 1 as a finished product. Kyle Hamilton graded thedefense as average, while Derrick Henry's postgame message focused on avoiding complacency after a strong
start. With a home matchup against the New Orleans Saints looming, here are three areas where Baltimore can still improve.
Clean up the penalties and self-inflicted mistakes
Again, stop us if you have heard this before. The final score suggests Baltimore cruised, but the Ravens repeatedly got in their own way. Baltimore was flagged 10 times for 86 yards, and several of those penalties erased game-changing plays. Ja'Kobi Lane appeared to have his first NFL touchdown before a holding penalty wiped it off the board. Rashod Bateman converted a key third down, but it also disappeared because of a flag. Chris Moore delivered a 49-yard return that would have flipped field position, only to see it called back.
The Ravens were the better team throughout the afternoon, but penalties kept Indianapolis within striking distance longer than necessary. Cut those mistakes in half, and the margin of victory could have been even larger. It seems the Saints can't win in Week 2 unless the Ravens help them
Find more answers at wide receiver
Baltimore's passing attack looked dynamic early, especially with Zay Flowers stretching the field. Flowers accounted for 150 receiving yards in the first half before exiting with a hamstring issue, and the offense understandably lost some of its explosiveness afterward.
The situation became more complicated when Ja'Kobi Lane suffered a fractured wrist. After the news broke, CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz reported that Lane is expected to undergo surgery, with the current hope that he can return in roughly a month.
Chris Moore's 53-yard catch helped close out the win, and the veteran could see a larger role moving forward. Meanwhile, Devontez Walker missed Week 1 with a groin injury, and Elijah Sarratt was inactive despite being healthy. Baltimore may need both players involved sooner rather than later.
Tighten up the pass protection
The offensive line dominated as a run-blocking unit, helping Henry score three rushing touchdowns and powering Baltimore's 202-yard rushing performance. Pass protection told a slightly different story. According to Pro Football Focus, the Ravens allowed 10 pressures on 33 pass plays. Lamar Jackson was sacked twice and faced several snaps in which pressure arrived much faster than Baltimore would prefer.
The contrast showed up in the Pro Football Focus grades. Notice the numbers:
PFF run-blocking grades for the Ravens offensive line
- Ronnie Stanley - 53.9
- John Simpson - 70.0
- Jovaughn Gwyn - 88.2
- Vega Ioane - 76.0
- Roger Rosengarten - 70.7
PFF pass-blocking grades for the Ravens offensive line
- Ronnie Stanley - 69.6
- John Simpson - 47.1
- Jovaughn Gwyn - 0.0
- Vega Ioane - 76.0
- Roger Rosengarten - 61.1
Raise your hand if anything jumps out at you. Don't adjust your screens or restate your devices. These aren't misprints.
Gwyn earned an outstanding run-blocking mark but struggled in pass protection, while veteran guard John Simpson also posted a significantly lower pass-blocking grade than his run-blocking score.
Considering two starters were making their first NFL starts, some inconsistency was expected. The encouraging part is that pass protection issues are often easier to correct than physical shortcomings. If Baltimore cleans up the penalties, gets healthier at receiver, and improves protection, an already impressive Week 1 performance could look even better in the weeks ahead.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: 3 areas where the Ravens can still improve following a dominant opener
