The most encouraging thing about the Baltimore Ravens' 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills might be that the final score doesn't tell the entire story. Baltimore had stretches when it competed with one of the NFL's better teams, and several individual performances offered something worth carrying into Thursday night's matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
There is no disguising how much went wrong in Buffalo, particularly after Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley left with injuries. The offense never found its footing, and the defense eventually spent too much time on the field. Still, the Ravens cannot afford to treat the entire afternoon as a failure.
With a short week and with Joe Fagnano making his first start at quarterback, they need to identify
what worked and find ways to build on it. The challenge now is turning isolated positive moments into repeatable production. Baltimore needs more than a few standout plays if it hopes to change its season's direction.
Justice Hill's dual-threat ability
Justice Hill was one of the few bright spots in another Ravens loss that was honestly tough to watch. He averaged five yards per carry, gaining 15 yards on three attempts, and added four receptions for 20 yards. His contributions weren't enough to change the outcome, but they showed Baltimore has another way to generate offense when its primary options aren't producing.
Derrick Henry hasn't consistently looked like the dominant force Baltimore expected, and the receiving corps has struggled to find reliable production beyond Zay Flowers. Even Flowers was held without a catch against Buffalo. Hill adds a different dimension because he can contribute as both a runner and receiver, creating opportunities for a quarterback with limited experience.
The Ravens shouldn't treat Hill as a replacement for Henry or suddenly make him the offense's centerpiece. However, getting him more involved would give Jacksonville another player to account for and help Baltimore avoid becoming too predictable. His versatility could be particularly valuable with a rookie quarterback starting.
The defense must continue its ball-hawking approach
Baltimore finally generated multiple takeaways against Buffalo, something the defense desperately needed after going through a stretch without consistently creating turnovers. Broderick Washington Jr. intercepted Josh Allen, setting up Henry's first-quarter touchdown, while Roquan Smith forced a fumble that T.J. Tampa recovered. Those plays gave the Ravens opportunities to stay in a game that eventually got away from them.
The significance goes beyond the individual statistics. Washington's interception came on a tipped pass, while Tampa was in position to recover the football after Smith forced the fumble. Both plays required defenders to recognize an opportunity and finish it. Baltimore needs more of that awareness and urgency against Jacksonville, especially with Lawrence playing confidently under Coen.
The Ravens cannot rely on turnovers to compensate for every offensive shortcoming, but creating extra possessions would take pressure off an offense that's operating with an inexperienced quarterback. Jacksonville has shown it can score in bunches, so Baltimore needs its defense to disrupt that rhythm rather than simply trying to survive each possession.
Rasheen Ali's explosiveness can change field position
Rasheen Ali gave Baltimore a much-needed spark with a 59-yard kickoff return, the team's longest of the season. He finished with 147 kickoff return yards on five attempts, providing an important source of production on a day when the offense managed just 144 total yards. His return helped put the offense in a better starting position for Joe Fagnano's first possession.
That contribution deserves more attention than it usually gets. When an offense is struggling to sustain drives, a productive return unit can shorten the field and create scoring opportunities without requiring the quarterback to engineer a long possession. Ali has shown he can provide that kind of spark, and Baltimore should keep giving him opportunities to make plays.
The Ravens will need every advantage they can find against Jacksonville. Ali's ability to flip field position could become especially important if Baltimore struggles to move the ball consistently. The return game has offered a positive development, and the team needs to preserve that production while cleaning up the mistakes elsewhere on special teams.
Baltimore needs to turn small positives into consistent production
The Ravens won't erase their problems in one game, especially with the injuries and uncertainty at quarterback. However, a few encouraging developments are worth carrying into Jacksonville.
Hill can provide versatility, the defense has shown it can create takeaways, and Ali has given the return game a needed boost. Those contributions need to become part of a more complete performance. Baltimore cannot afford to have its positive moments disappear for long stretches, especially against a Jacksonville team coming off a convincing victory. The Ravens need to build on what worked in Buffalo and give themselves a chance to compete for four quarters.
Final note
With undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano making his first NFL start Thursday night, the Ravens cannot afford to consistently put their offense in difficult situations against a Jacksonville Jaguars team coming off a 42-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Baltimore must find ways to shorten the field, create manageable down-and-distance situations, and generate additional possessions to take pressure off its inexperienced quarterback. Justice Hill's versatility could provide Fagnano with reliable short-yardage options, while Rasheen Ali's explosiveness in the return game could give the offense favorable starting field position. The defense also must build on its two takeaways against Buffalo, creating opportunities for Derrick Henry and the running game to control possession. Against a Jacksonville offense that can score quickly, the Ravens need contributions from all three phases rather than asking Fagnano to consistently engineer lengthy scoring drives.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens have 3 encouraging trends to build on against the Jaguars
