Surging Ravens Still Have One Massive Concern

The Baltimore Ravens have one major concern looming over their heads in spite of their winning streak.

Sep 15, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) celebrates with teammates zaftret intercepting as Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew (not pictured) pass during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

All appears well in Maryland, as the Baltimore Ravens have reeled off four straight wins to rebound from an 0-2 start and establish themselves as legitimate contenders in the AFC.

However, while the Ravens have certainly been playing some impressive football and may very well represent the conference's biggest challengers to the Kansas City Chiefs, they have one very major concern that doesn't seem to be getting any better.

The secondary.

Baltimore's pass defense ranks 31st in the NFL through six weeks, as the Ravens have been allowing 275.7 passing yards per game.

For comparison's sake, Baltimore ranked sixth in that category last year.

So, what has gone wrong?

Well, to be fair, the Ravens' defensive backfield is banged up. Arthur Maulet is on injured reserve, and Marlon Humphrey has been playing through some nicks and bruises.

This has forced Baltimore to rely on a pair of rookies in Nate Wiggins and T.. Tampa, both of whom have experienced their fair share of struggles thus far in 2024.

Additionally, the Ravens lost fellow cornerback Ronald Darby to free agency, and linebackers Patrick Queen and Jadeveon Clowney departed, as well.

Head coach John Harbaugh has been scrambling to find answers, and it has resulted in Baltimore getting torched. The Ravens did manage to hold their own (and then some) against Josh Allen in Week 4, but quarterbacks like Gardner Minshew and Jayden Daniels experienced a great deal of success versus Baltimore's ailing secondary.

Right now, Baltimore is coping thanks to some superhuman play from Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. That's all well and good for October, but what's going to happen in January when the Ravens need to stop Patrick Mahomes?

Luckily, Baltimore has until the Nov. 5 trade deadline to rectify this issue, and it has already been mentioned as a potential trade destination for corners who could be available in the coming weeks. There is also hope that Maulet gets back on the field soon.

This is not something we are accustomed to seeing from the Ravens, who are typically among the best defensive teams in football. But all of their offseason subtractions appear to be rearing their ugly heads at the moment, and there doesn't seem to be any quick fix in sight (not that there ever is).

Again, Baltimore is winning right now, so the pass defense has not been a hot-button issue. Yet. But there is no doubt that the Ravens' inability to stop the aerial attack is an alarming concern as we head into the meat of the regular season.

We'll see if Baltimore can find a solution in the coming weeks.

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Ravens Sign Veteran Defender to Active Roster
• Ravens Miss Out on Davante Adams
• Commanders Show Respect to Ravens Offense
• Ravens' Derrick Henry Hits Another Historical Mark
• Takeaways: Ravens Offense Finally Looks Complete