Ravens LB Takes Blame for Loss to Chiefs

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith shouldered the blame for their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) runs the ball as Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith (0) defends during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Stopping Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs' high-octane offense is a tall task for any defense, let alone one that's in their first game with a new defensive coordinator and replacing multiple important players from last season.

Ultimately, those factors were too much for the Baltimore Ravens defense to overcome in a 27-20 loss to the Chiefs on Thursday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. While football is the ultimate team sport, Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith is shouldering the blame for the defense's performance in Kansas City.

"I'm the leader of the defense, and there's countless other leaders out there as well, but I look myself in the mirror, and I hold myself to the highest of high standards," Smith said. "At the end of the day, I get the call in from the DC [defensive coordinator Zach Orr], and I echo the call out to the guys, and I have to make sure we're all on the same page. That's what it is, and it'll be that way."

Zach Orr was in his first game as the Ravens' defensive coordinator. Along with finding his way as the play caller, Baltimore's defense is trying to find its way without outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, linebacker Patrick Queen and safety Geno Stone, all of whom signed elsewhere in free agency and were pivotal to a Ravens defense that was arguably the best in the league last season.

The Chiefs' offense had 353 total yards, was 4 for 9 on third downs and tallied three touchdowns, two of which were from rookie receiver Xavier Worthy. Mahomes completed 20 of 28 passes for 291 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

It wasn't all bad, though. Smith had an interception that led to a field goal at the end of the first half. Queen's replacement, Trenton Simpson, nearly had an interception in the fourth quarter, safety Ar'Darius Washington broke up a pass in the end zone and outside linebacker David Ojabo had a sack.

Those are things Baltimore's defense can build on heading into their Week 2 matchup at home against the Las Vegas Raiders. For now, though, Smith and the defense are taking everything in stride and the All-Pro linebacker knows the unit won't be able to reach their full potential unless he takes his game to another level.

"All of the great things, and then all of the negative things, [we're] just building off of those," Smith said. "We have to look at ourselves in the mirror, each and every individual. There were a lot of plays, personally, out there today that I wish I could get back. I didn't feel like I played my best game, and I think when I play my best game, I feel like that echoes out throughout the defense. It starts with myself personally, and I have to be better in order for us to be better as a defense. When we do that, we'll be great."

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