The Baltimore Ravens got absolutely smoked 33-10 by the Jaguars at M&T Bank Stadium on Thursday night, and honestly, it was unwatchable. Baltimore, now sitting at a dismal 4-5 after dropping five straight, was down to its third-string undrafted rookie quarterback, Joe Fagnano, and it showed. Big time.
The Ravens’ QB Nightmare Just Got Real
No Lamar. No Snoop Huntley. Baltimore rolled out Joe Fagnano for his first career start, and yeah, he looked exactly like an undrafted rookie QB thrust into a tough spot. Ravens Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle had to seriously dumb down the playbook for Fagnano, who simply isn’t anywhere near as mobile as Jackson or Huntley. We’re talking half-field reads, people. He only attempted *one* pass beyond six yards in the *entire first half*, even before the rain started to pour down and make throwing even harder.
Then the second half hit: two interceptions, both deep in Baltimore’s own territory. Ouch. The Ravens offense? Limited. Bad. Just plain bad. Now, about Jacoby Brissett, whose trade to Baltimore from the Arizona Cardinals is still to be finalized. He’s not going to be some miracle game-changer who suddenly elevates the Ravens. But he *will* bring competence under center, veteran experience, and a passer who can actually push the ball downfield. With the weapons the Ravens have on offense, that *could* be enough to stop the bleeding, but let’s be real, it’s not a magic wand.
Jags Are Rolling, But They’re Playing With Fire
Jacksonville (6-2) is looking seriously good right now, logging back-to-back wins by 20-plus points, and they absolutely whooped the Ravens in a game that was never close. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is a beast, playing at a high level since midway through last season, and he’s running that efficient offense with total command. They entered Week 9 ranked fifth in scoring and tenth in yardage, so they’re putting up numbers.
But let’s talk about something a little wild: the play clock. These guys are cutting it close, real close. On more than a few occasions Thursday, it ticked all the way down to one second before the snap. It even looked like it hit zero a couple of times on the broadcast, but somehow, no flags for delay of game. This isn’t new for them either. They snap the ball with an average of just 7.0 seconds left, which is the second-slowest in the NFL, and they barely use no-huddle, only 3.4% of the time, fourth-lowest in the league. They aren’t a penalty-heavy team generally, but consistently taking it down to the wire like that? That’s a huge risk. Imagine late in the season, in a loud road environment, and that clock hits zero when it matters most. Procedural penalties are a real threat. It might not be an issue *now*, but it’s definitely something to be wary of moving forward.
So, what’s next for these teams? The Jaguars are riding high, but that play clock habit could seriously bite them down the line if they aren’t careful. They need to keep that hot streak going, but maybe snap the ball a second or two earlier, just for peace of mind. For Baltimore? Man, they need Brissett’s trade to finalize ASAP. This five-game slide is brutal, and while he’s not a savior, getting *any* level of veteran competence back under center is absolutely crucial to stop the bleeding. Things look rough right now for the Ravens.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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