How the Ravens Handed the Patriots Their First Loss of the Season

It was a familiar story-the Patriots were one of the only two NFL teams that remained unbeaten nine weeks into the 2019 season.

Tom Brady sat comfortably at the helm of the team, with players like Julian Edelman and Sony Michel also on the roster to rack up the touchdowns. The New England-based team have six Superbowl victories under their belts, tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the record of the most titles. So it came as a surprise to many fans when the powerhouse team was soundly defeated 37-20 by the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. The Ravens certainly don’t sport a 0-8 record like the Bengals, and their 5-2 record was better than quite a few of the teams in the NFL, but many didn’t expect the game to tip in their favor for the first time in seven years. Let’s take a look at how the Baltimore Ravens were able to spoil the New England Patriots’ perfect record.

The Ravens’ Offense

Lamar Jackson, the quarterback for the Ravens, leads the offense of the Baltimore team and is a big reason why they were able to take down the Patriots. The 22-year-old quarterback is playing in just his second season, but already holds several NFL records, including the most rushing attempts by a quarterback in a season and the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a three-game span. This season, Jackson has continued to demonstrate his impressive offensive presence, with over 1,500 rushing yards, 12 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. But a quarterback isn’t the only piece of the offensive puzzle, and the Ravens’ running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends have stepped up to the challenge, most notably Mark Ingram Jr., Marquise Brown, and Mark Andrews. Combined, the three offensive players have scored 13 touchdowns. The Ravens’ offense has been superb this season thus far, and on Sunday, they proved able to puncture the NFL’s best defense.

The Patriots’ Defense-Or Lack Thereof

Before the game against the Ravens, the Patriots had the best defense in the league, giving up an average of just 234 yards a game. Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower have a combined total of 67 solo tackles that had contributed to the Patriots’ previously perfect record. However, the Patriots’ defense couldn’t hold a candle to the Raven’s offense. In the game, the New England team gave up over 200 rushing yards for the first time since 2014, and they allowed more than 35 points for the first time in over a year. The Patriots’ defense made several crucial mistakes, including a fumble by Julian Edelman that led to a touchdown for Baltimore. Patriots Defensive back Devin McCourty admitted that his team had lost control of the game, had given up big plays, and had trouble with each player on the field doing his respective job. Whatever the reason, or reasons, the Patriots’ defense was not able to withstand the power of the Ravens’ offense.

Looking Forward

In Week Nine, the Patriots, who are still leading the AFC East, will have a bye and will face the Philadelphia Eagles in the next week. As for the Baltimore Ravens, who are leading the AFC North, they will travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals, which should be an easy victory for the red-hot Ravens. It’s still early in the season, and a long way away from the Super Bowl, but based on their respective performances, it’s a distinct possibility that the Patriots and the Ravens may face each other again when there is much more at stake than a regular-season win.