A week off has done wonders for my mood, even if the Ravens’ latest performance has not.
The AFC North in toto was a mess Sunday, with no wins and no decent football offered except by opponents. While there’s been a few personnel moves since the weekend’s follies, none are realistically expected to improve anyone’s chances.
Really.
Here’s what happened.
Vikings 21, Browns 17
In rookie QB Dillon Gabriel’s starting debut, he more or less looked the part – as much as any Cleveland QB has this season, anyway. Gabriel’s numbers weren’t spectacular (19-33, 190 yards, 2 TDs), but showed no critical mistakes either, which alone is worth celebrating. Fellow rookie RB Quinshon Judkins (23 carries, 110 yards) continued to prove worthy of a starting role, and TE David Njoku (6 catches, 67 yards, 1 TD) provided the sort of underneath support a rookie QB requires.
Defensively, the Browns held firm until 0:00:25 remaining in the fourth quarter, when they surrendured the winning points on a Vikings’ QB Carson Wentz TD pass to WR Jordan Addison. Prior to then, emerging star LB Carson Schwesinger (team-leading 12 tackles) continued to lead as a rookie, and DT Maliek Collins posted two sacks.
Texans 44, Ravens 10
Not to pile on, but I’m going to.
The Ravens’ Ineptitude Tour 2025 continued in earnest with their latest embarrasment at home. This installment showcased the distinctive passing talents of backup QB Cooper Rush (14-20, 179 yards, 3 INTs) and an apparently-enfeebled RB Derrick Henry (15 carries, 33 yards, 1 TD) bolstering the way to another stinging defeat. WR Zay Flowers added five catches for 72 yards in the otherwise floundering offensive effort.
The defense fared no better in surrendering 417 total offensive yards and four passing TDs to the Texans. The Ravens’ pitiful afternoon included 15 mostly-downfield tackles by rookie LB Teddye Buchanan and 10 by rookie S Malaki Starks, neither of whom should be blamed for the team’s current malaise.
The Ravens have since traded wholly-ineffective edge Odafe Oweh to the Chargers for S Alohi Gilman, which is puzzling considering the pass rush is the biggest problem on defense by a substantial margin.
Lions 37, Bengals 24
In his latest horrendous outing, Bengals QB Jake Browning (26-40, 251 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs) continued to shatter the coinfidence of the organization. The Bengals were apparently disturbed enough in Browning’s eight picks this season to trade for erstwhile, wizened Browns and Ravens QB Joe Flacco, presumably to upgrade the position. Time, as always, will tell.
WR Ja’Marr Chase produced six mostly-fourth quarter catches for 110 yards and two TDs, while the team rushed for 85 total yards, including 31 by Browning.
The defense didn’t help much in key moments. DE Trey Hendrickson added two more sacks to raise his season total to four, and LB Logan Wilson made eight downfield tackles.
That’s pretty much it. Next time.
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