After a hard-fought, last-second loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, the Baltimore Ravens have slipped in The Sporting News' NFL power rankings.
It's not a huge fall, as the Ravens drop from five to six after the 27-20 loss to open the season.
"The Ravens had some of the same clutch moment issues vs. the Chiefs, as Lamar Jackson and the defense had breakdowns at the wrong times. The one lingering concern will be the offensive line coming through as much as needed for Jackson and Derrick Henry."
It's true that the Ravens didn't put together a particularly compelling Week 1 performance. Though Lamar Jackson was clearly battling for the win, he didn't have an especially efficient performance, as he struggled on deep passes. The oft-discussed offensive line was a mess, committing penalties and struggling to protect Jackson or block for runners.
Read more: Four takeaways from the Ravens' brutal opening-night loss to the Chiefs
And yet, the Ravens still had a chance to beat the Chiefs in Kansas City. The Chiefs likely didn't play their best game, either, but Baltimore's defense and multi-dimensional offensive attack had a hand in that.
As both tight end Isaiah Likely and linebacker Roquan Smith declared after the game, Week 1 was the worst the Ravens will play this season. If that's the case, then they should climb next week's power rankings after a home opener vs. the Las Vegas Raiders.
