Charm City Sports

Keys to Victory vs Lions

Monday Night Football returns to Baltimore tonight as the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions face off at M&T Bank Stadium at 8:15pm on ESPN. Both teams come in with identical records at 1-1 and both have the goal of getting an early season win against a fellow 2024 playoff team. Here are the keys to the game that the Ravens have to focus on if they want to come out tonight with a victory:

1. Get Derrick Henry in the Game

Derrick Henry is coming off debatably his worst game of his Ravens career as he rushed 11 times for 23 yards in their last game against the Cleveland Browns. The Ravens must get Derrick Henry going early, as that will open up the entire offense and make it much harder for the Lions defense to key in on all the weapons that the Ravens boast on offense. If he can be a weapon early on, that will prove to be the start of a long night for the Lions defense.

2. Mark Andrews

Mark Andrews has been disappointing two games into the season as he’s dropped passes, including what looked to be a sure touchdown last week. The Ravens have so many deep threats, and make no mistake about it, Mark Andrews can be a deep threat. The Ravens have to try to get some designed plays for Mark Andrews early on to remind the Detroit Lions that he can be a weapon in this offense as well. If Mark Andrews can get some targets early on, that will open up the field Zay Flowers, Deandre Hopkins and Rashod Bateman and allow them to make some big plays as well.

3. Control The Middle of the Field

The Lions where offense was very effective in their last win against the Bears, and the reason for that was they targeted the middle of the field. Instead of throwing the ball downfield, they targeted matchups vs linebackers. Sam Laporta was one person who benefited from that as he was able to make some medium range catches. This then allowed Jared Goff to open up his aerial attack on the Bears secondary going downfield as Amon Ra St Brown and Jameson Williams were able to get behind the secondary and bring in some big catches. If the Ravens can limit those plays early on, they’ll make it a tough night for a dangerous Lions offense.

The Ravens boast a 6-1 record all time playing the Lions as their last defeat came almost 20 years ago on October 9^th 2005. Kickoff tonight is set for 8:15pm

Three Things We Learned in Win vs Browns

The Baltimore Ravens got their first win of the year in a commanding victory against their division rival Cleveland Browns, 41-17. Although the Ravens ended the game with a blowout on the scoreboard, the Browns were able to expose some weaknesses in the first half. Below are 3 things we learned as they take the practice field today in preparation for a Monday Night Football game next Monday against the 2-0 Detroit Lions.

1. Derrick Henry is Human

1. Derrick Henry had a great game 2024 campaign and started the year off against the Bills looking like he was going to pick up where he left off as he rushed for 169 yards against the Bills. The Browns defense was able to limit him this week as the Ravens handed the ball off to Henry 11 times and he ended the game with only 23 yards. The Ravens must be prepared to move forward to have a way to respond if Derrick Henry isn’t able to get in a rhythm. It looked like the offense was caught off guard by this and it took them out of their rhythm until the second half.

2. Deontez Walker Need to See the Field More

Second year wide receiver Deontez Walker had two touchdowns against the Browns. Walker has three receptions and with those three receptions he has three touchdowns.

EVERY PASS HE’S CAUGHT HAS BEEN A TOUCHDOW!

That is a wild stat, he’ll obviously not continue that trend as he sees the field more, but Deontez Walker has earned more playing time. The Ravens found yet another weapon on offense to leave opposing defenses guessing, “Who’s going to get the ball this time?”

3. Tavius Robinson Can Play

Tavius Robinson saw the field much more as Kyle Van Noy dealt with some injuries which limited his playing time. With this increased playing time, Robinson was able to notch his first sack of the year as he got to quarterback Joe Flacco. Robinson also finished third on the team with 6 tackles and 1 tackle for loss. At 6-6, 260, Robinson is a physical presence on the defense, and he earned himself more of a rotation on the defense.

The Ravens look to continue their momentum next Monday as they welcome Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions next Monday night at M&T Bank stadium.

Ravens Fall to Bills 41-40

In a game in which the Baltimore Ravens seemingly seemed like they had the game in hand, the Ravens ultimately fell to the Buffalo Bills in a shootout 41-40.

The game started out as Josh Allen seemed like his MVP self and led the Bills offense down the field, ending the drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dalton Kincaid to put them up 7-0. The Ravens responded to that scoring drive with a long one of their own as it ended with a Tyler Loop 52-yard field goal to make the score 7-3 heading into the second quarter.

The Ravens continued the scoring early in the second quarter with a drive led by Derrick Henry, who capped the drive off with a 30-yard run to the end zone to put them up 10-7. The Ravens scored on their next drive after Derrick Henry again put them in scoring territory after a long run and Lamar Jackson ended the drive with a 10-yard run into the end zone to put the Ravens up 17-7 with 9:47 left in the first half.  

On the ensuing Bills position, the team put together a solid drive ending it with a 25-yard field goal by kicker Matt Prater to bring the score to 17-10. The Ravens responded to that field goal by adding on a field goal of their own to bring their lead to 20-10. Josh Allen and the Bills offense had some more in the tank however, as they had some heroics at the end of the half to put them in field goal position and Matt Prater ended the half with a 43 yard field goal to make the score 20-13 at halftime.

The Ravens offense continued to showcase their firepower to start the second half, as Zay Flowers and Lamar Jackson connected multiple times on the opening drive, and Zay Flowers ultimately ended the drive with a 23-yard touchdown catch to extend their lead to 27-13.  Josh Allen and the Bills offense kept coming close as they drove down the field and ended the ensuing drive with a 2-yard run by James Cook. After the Bills failed their two-point attempt, the score stood at 27-19. The Ravens offense showed some of their new weapons on their next drive as Lamar Jackson found Deandre Hopkins, who made a spectacular one-handed catch, in the back of the end zone to make the score 34-19 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Bills proved to be dangerous in the fourth quarter as Josh Allen connected with James Cook, who scrambled for 40 yards to put the team on the 2-yard line. Josh Allen capped off the drive with a 2-yard run of his own to make the score 34-25 with 12:51 left in the game. The Ravens tried to put the nail on the coffin on their next possession as Derrick Henry ran 46 yards for a touchdown. However, after Tyler Loop missed extra point the score stood at 40-25.

After the teams each had a possession of their own, the Bills continued the scoring as Josh Allen found Keon Coleman, who caught the ball of a tip, in the back of the end zone to make the score 40-32 with 3:56 left in the game. Derrick Henry gave the ball right back to the Bills on the next drive as he fumbled to give Josh Allen and the Bills offense the ball on their own 40. Josh Allen and the offense capitalized on this mistake as Josh Allen found rookie tight end Jackson Hawes for a long completion to put the Bills offense on the 2-yard line. Josh Allen capped the drive with a 1-yard rushing touchdown. After a missed two-point attempt, the score was at 438 with 1:58 left in the game.

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense tried to put the game away on the next drive, but the Bills defense was able to force them to a 3 and out to get a chance to win the game with 1:33 left in the game. The Bills were able to get in scoring position thanks to Keon Coleman as he caught a pass from Josh Allen and ran to put them on their 10-yard line. Matt Prater ultimately put the game away as he hit a 32-yard field goal as time expired to give the Bills the win 41-40.

The Ravens will have to have a short memory this week as they take on their AFC North Rival Cleveland Browns and quarterback Joe Flacco this Sunday at 1pm at M&T Bank Stadium.

Ravens 2025 Draft Preview

With the Philadelphia Eagles defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the super bowl last Sunday, it means fans can now officially look forward to the 2025 draft. What better way to start looking forward to next year, then analyzing the top three positions that the Ravens should focus on when evaluating draft prospects. The Ravens have 11 picks between April 24th-26th, which means they will have plenty of opportunity to bring in quality young starters and depth to compete with their young returning players.

1. Tackle:
   Ronnie Stanley, Patrick Mekari, and Josh Jones are all pending free agents once the league year officially starts. If both Stanley and Mekari opt to sign a contract elsewhere, that means the Ravens will have two fifths of their starting offensive line to replace. With a team so heavily focused on running the football, finding quality starters to play tackle in the draft should be a major point emphasis. These players can all come in day one and compete to start on the offensive line next season:
   • Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota-The Ravens love their senior bowl players which Ersery participated in last week, and they have a history of drafting players from Minnesota. Being as Ersery fits both of these categories that the Ravens have a history with, coupled with the fact that he’s one of the top tackles in the draft who should be on the board when the Ravens draft at pick number #27, it could make sense to draft the 6’6 331 pound offensive lineman to be a plug and play day 1 starter.
   • Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College-Eric Decosta loves his Boston College players as he hails from the area so we can bet that he’s paying a close eye on Ozzy Trapilo. Trapilo has played both left tackle and right tackle during his time in college, which shows his ability to move about on the line and play multiple positions. Trapilo has been projected to be drafted between the 3-5th rounds so it could make sense for the Ravens to gain great value by drafting him in the middle rounds.
   • Jonah Monheim, USC– Monheim is projected to be drafted between the 3rd and 5th rounds and I’ve termed him the swiss army knife of the offensive line prospects. During his college career he hopped around the offensive line starting at tackle, guard, and center. Monheim could be a viable depth piece for the ravens to draft if Patrick Mekari signs elsewhere.
2. Safety
   Ardarius Washington and Marcus Williams are both pending free agents going into the offseason. In all likelihood, Marcus Williams will not be on the Ravens roster next year. Despite the strong end of the year that Ardarius Washington had, he still has some question marks give his size. It could be a smart move to draft a player to rotate in with him during games where they need size in the secondary because they are going against a bigger wide receiver. These three players could all be worth taking a look at:
   • Kevin Winston Jr, Penn State-Winston is a local product who spent his high school years at Dematha. He’s projected to be a late first round pick to second round pick. He could be a great rotational piece to have in the secondary to put in certain packages where his size could make all the different when compared to Washington. He could be a solid starter and what better way to be a starter than for your hometown team.
   • Dante Trader, Maryland-Dante Trader is going to be a late round pick who could be a solid option for the Ravens to take with one of their multiple 6th round picks. Trader played Football and lacrosse at Maryland and is a very athletic and versatile player who could rotate in at secondary and be great on special team. As someone who watched a lot of Maryland football this past season, and saw him fly around the field I think he fits the Ravens mold.
   • Jonas Sanker, Virginia-Jonas Sanker is projected to be drafted between the 3-5th rounds of the draft and could be a great depth piece for the safety group. Sanker started every game at safety for the Cavaliers the past two season and has the ability to fly to the ball and break up passes. He could be a player similar to what they had in Deshon Elliott or Chuck Clark who comes in for a season and learns and eventually becomes the starter opposite Hamilton.
3. Linebacker
   Linebacker should be a position the Ravens should invest in to find someone to compete with Trenton Simpson for the starting role next season. Malik Harrison is a free agent, and if he signs elsewhere, Simpson didn’t prove himself enough last year to be automatically penciled in as the starter besides Roquan. These three players could be solid options to target.
   • Jihaad Campbell, Alabama– Jihaad Campbell is projected to be a late first round pick or early second round pick in the draft in April. With Alabama great Ozzie Newsome still helping in a behind the scenes role, you can bet he’s brought Campbell up to Eric Decosta. Campbell, is very quick and athletic and can do everything form rushing the passer to dropping back into coverage. He’s very raw as he’ll be 21 during his rookie season but he could be a great player to draft to learn under Roquan Smith
   • Jack Kiser, Notre Dame-Jack Kiser was a centerpiece for the Notre Dame defense this past season. He’s a very athletic player who can be put in different spots on the field. Kiser could be valuable competition to bring in if they want to rotate a snaps with Simpson as they did with Malik Harrison towards the tail end of this past season.
   • Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon-Bassa is a physical run stuffer who could be great to put in packages in which the Ravens know their opponent will be running the ball more that game. He’s quick to get to the line of scrimmage and would be a great late round value pick to plug and play alongside Roquan Smith as they would both be intimidating and physical run stuffers.

What to Watch for In Lead Up To Season Finale

The Baltimore Ravens find themselves in a position to control their own destiny when it comes to winning the division this Saturday at home against the Cleveland Browns. A win on Saturday would secure the Ravens their second AFC North title in two years and guarantee that they have a home playoff game next weekend. Keep it eye on these below storylines as the next few days before the Ravens take the field on Saturday.

1. Who will be under center for the Browns on Saturday?

When the Ravens lost to the Browns earlier in the season, Jameis Winston was the starter for the Browns. However, heading into this game the Browns have left the door open for either Dorian Thompson Robinson or Bailey Zappe to start. Being that the Browns have a chance to play spoiler if they beat the Ravens on Saturday. I would keep an eye on whether Jameis Winston practices because I wouldn’t count out Kevin Stefanski pulling a fast one and going with the quarterback in Winston who’s already proved he can win against this Ravens team earlier this year.

2. What Browns Starters will play on Saturday?

The Browns have an extensive list on injuries as Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, and David Njoku all did not practice earlier this week. Keep an eye on the injury report today to see the status of these players as if they don’t practice today, there’s a high likelihood we won’t see all three take the field in their final game of the season.

3. Contract Incentives for Ravens Starters

Kyle Van Noy has 11.5 sacks on the year. If he can get one more sack on Saturday, it’s going to be an expensive sack for the Ravens as he will earn 250,000 if he reaches 12 sacks on the year. Keep an eye on Van Noy on Saturday as I’m sure he’ll be very motivated to get to the quarterback and add some more money in his pocket.

Orioles Sign 8-Time Japanese All Star

After signing Outfielder Tyler O’Neil and Catcher Gary Sanchez last week, The Orioles switched the focus to their pitching depth yesterday as they signed right hander Tomoyuki Sugano to a one year deal with the team.

Sogano has played his entire 12 year baseball career in Japan with the Yomiuri Giants. Over the course of his career, Sogano has won the Sawamura Award (the Japanese equivalent of the Cy Young Award in MLB) twice, has been a three time MVP and 8 time all-star. Since he came into the league in 2013, he has a combined win loss record of 136-74 and a career 2.43 ERA.

Sogano is the third Japanese born player to sign with the Orioles, with the former players being Koji Uehara, who signed with the team in 2009, and Shintaro Fujinami who came in a trade from the Athletics in 2023. It’s not clear whether the Orioles envision him as a bullpen arm or as a starter, however pitchers and catchers report in February, we’ll be able to see where he will fit into the pitching depth.

Including the addition of Tomoyuki Sugano, the Orioles 40 man roster currently sits at 39.

Ravens Take Care of Business in New York

The Baltimore Ravens were the heavy favorite heading into New York to face the Giants and they didn’t disappoint, as they took care of the Giants 35-14.

Lamar Jackson gave fans a scare on the opening drive as he fumbled on the teams opening possession, however, the defense was able to hold the Giants to a punt as both teams exchanged possession of the ball. The Ravens were able to get on the board first with the help of Derrick Henry and Justice Hill pushing them down the field. Lamar Jackson was able to whiz a ball past two giant defenders and find Mark Andrews in the end zone to put them up 7-0.

The giants were able to make some plays with their next offensive drive, but were ultimately stopped on a 4th and 1 to give Lamar Jackson and the offense the ball back. On the next drive, Lamar Jackson found Rashod Bateman down the sideline who juked his way past two giant cornerbacks to get in the endzone, and put the Ravens up 14-0 with 10:53 left in the first half. The ensuing drive saw the Ravens defense commit four costly penalties to keep the drive alive. Giants took advantage of the free yardage and capped it off with a Devin Singletary one yard run to tighten the score at 14-7. The Ravens weren’t done with their scoring though, as they drove down the field with the 2 minutes they had left in the half, and Lamar Jackson found Rashod Bateman in the back of the end zone with 36 seconds left to take a 21-7 lead going into halftime.

When Tim Boyle entered the game in the third quarter (due to a Tommy DeVito concussion that kept him out of the second half) the Giants saw some of their best offense all game. Tim Boyle was able to make some throws that were needed to move the ball down the field, but the Ravens defense was able to hold them and eventually force punts. The next Ravens possession came with nine minutes left in the third quarter. The Ravens marched down the field with a heavy dose of Derrick Henry, and Lamar Jackson found Deontez Walker (who made an incredible toe tap to keep his feet in) in the endzone and extend the lead to 28-7 with 4:01 left in the third quarter.

The Ravens defense continued to hold the Giants to a turnover on downs on the ensuing possession, which gave the ball back to the Ravens offense again. The offense continues where they left off as Justice Hill led the charge and eventually capped off the drive by catching a 1 yard pass in space and trotted 30 yards into the endzone for the last Ravens touchdown of the day to put them up 35-7. The Giants were able to get another touchdown on the board with 6 minutes left to make the final score 35-14

The Ravens come back to Baltimore for what will be one of their most important games to date this coming Saturday December 21st for a 4pm matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

What to Watch For As Ravens Take on Giants

The Baltimore Ravens take the field on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey against the New York Giants. Keep an eye on these three Ravens on Sunday in what will be an important matchup the Ravens need to win to keep their division hopes alive.

1. Tylan Wallace-In the days that followed the Ravens loss against the Eagles, it was announced that Diontae Johnson would be suspended this week due to conduct detrimental to the team. Why does this effect Tylan Wallace you ask? This in all likelihood means that Tylan Wallace will get the snaps on offense that were reserved for Johnson. Wallace has been a reliable target for Lamar Jackson when he’s taken the field ever since the team traded for Johnson. It will be interesting to see if he can further separate himself from Johnson and lead to even more playing time heading into the playoff stretch.
2. Keaton Mitchell-Mitchell was a bright spot for the team last year, making the team as an undrafted free agent, and having a solid rookie season, until it was cut short due to injury. Since he’s been healthy enough to suit up for games this season, he’s yet to crack the rotation at running back. That’s not fault of his own due to the dominance of Derrick Henry and the effectiveness of Justice Hill. However, Mitchell has been utilized mostly as a return specialist. As the Ravens take on the struggling Giants, it may be a good time to get him some carries to see how our offense can incorporate yet another weapon.
3. Lamar Jackson-Everybody knows Lamar is someone to keep an eye on for every game, however, It will be interesting to see how Lamar sparks the Ravens offense coming out of the bye week. Jackson has played some of his best football this season, but he’s also shown an increased leadership when communicating to the media and team. After the Ravens loss to the Eagles, Jackson stressed the importance of the key weapons on offense taking a breath, and not getting in their heads after making a mistake early in the game. It will be exciting to see how Lamar lifts the offense up with his play and leadership as the Ravens head into this important four game stretch.

Tucker Struggles Lead To Ravens Loss

Missed Kicks. Justin Tucker missed an extra point and two field goal attempts in the 3rd quarter which ultimately led to the Ravens dropping a game they could have won to a really good Philadelphia Eagles team. Look, usually for these recaps I take you through each quarter of the game and describe what happened in each quarter, however, I’m not going to bore you with the details when we all know when the Ravens lost this game.

I’m going to fast forward to the third quarter, because that’s’ the quarter that the Ravens lost the game. In the third quarter, the Ravens defense held the Eagles (who had scored the most second half points of any team in the NFL up to yesterday) scoreless in the third quarter. The Ravens offense struggled to find their way marching down the field against a stout Eagles defense. Despite the struggles on offense, Lamar Jackson was able to get the Ravens offense into what seemed like scoring position TWICE but both drives ended negatively with missed Justin Tucker field goals.

That negativity from that third quarter took the sails out of the entire Ravens team. The boo birds came out at M&T bank and the Ravens defense let Saquon Barkley run on them which led to the Eagles extending their lead in the fourth quarter. The frustration on the tem was visible as CBS even showed Zay Flowers after the second of the two drives taking his helmet off in clear frustration. Other players see the stars of the team do that and that energy gets contagious. All of that culminated into an eventual loss for the Ravens 24-19.

The Ravens have their bye week this week which is coming at a good time. As Lamar Jackson said in his postgame press conference, it will give the team a chance to “take a deep breathe” and get ready for the next few weeks of the season and possible playoff games. The Ravens take the field next on December 15th when they face the New York Giants at the Meadowlands.

What To Watch Before Monday Night

The Ravens take the practice field this week as they start preparations for their Monday Night Football game against the 49ers next week, below are three storylines to pay attention to as the team looks to bounce back from their loss on Sunday:

1. Added Depth In The Secondary

The Ravens added more depth to their secondary yesterday as they signed former all pro cornerback Desmond King to their practice squad yesterday. King, 29, was cut by the Houston Texans last week after playing in only one game so far this season. Look out for the practice report to see the status of Arthur Maulet, if he’s limited farther into the week, we will likely see the Ravens use a practice squad elevation on Desmond King later in the week.

2. Will Roquan Smith Play?

Roquan Smith was not on the practice field today after he suffered an injury against the Steelers on Sunday. Losing Smith would be a major problem heading into Monday night as the Ravens will likely go with a combination of Malik Harrison and Chris Board to fill in for the absence of Roquan Smith. The Chargers have a powerful running game that the Ravens know very well in JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards, so not having Roquan Smith practicing is a major concern that Ravens fans should keep their eyes on as the week develops.

3. Harbaugh Brothers Media Availability

It’s no secret that the Harbaugh brothers are two of the most competitive head coaches in the NFL. Be sure to keep an eye on each of their press conferences this week to see the type of answer they give. Given as to how they know each other so well, one can only assume that they’ll be giving a little less info to the media on how the team is going into the game so as not to give their brother ay more information than they needs.

Tuckers Miscues Lead To Loss In Pittsburgh

In a back and forth battle at Accrisure stadium in Pittsburgh on Sunday, missed kicks were the story of the game as the Baltimore Ravens fell to their AFC North Rival 18-16.

The game started as bad as it could get, as Derrick Henry fumbled on the Ravens opening drive. The fumble by Henry was his first in 538 touches. After the fumble, the Ravens defense played well, only holding the Steelers to a field goal putting them up 3-0. The Ravens responded by putting themselves in what seemed like suitable field goal range for Justin Tucker. However, Tucker sailed a 47 yard field goal wide left.

After back and forth possessions, and another Justin Tucker missed field goal, the Steelers were able to put together a drive and tack on three more as Chris Boswell hit a 52 yard field goal putting them up 6-0 with 8 minutes left in the second quarter. After the Boswell field goal, the Ravens offense was finally able to get on the board. Derrick Henry muscled through the defense for a long run to the 10 yard line, and the Ravens punched it in a few plays after, giving them a 7-6 lead.

After holding the Steelers offense to a three and out on the ensuing possession, the Ravens got the ball back with 38 seconds left in the half. As the Ravens tried to put a drive together, Isaiah Likely coughed up the ball in their own territory and gave the Steelers the ball with great field position. The Steelers capitalized on this a few plays later as Chris Boswell hit a 32 yard field goal to give them the lead 9-7 going into halftime.

The Steelers picked up the second half right where they left off the first half, as they put a lengthy drive together and ended it with a Chris Boswell field goal putting them up 12-7 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter. The Ravens responded with a drive of their own and Tucker was able to finally make his first kick of the day from 54 yards, decreasing the Steeler lead to 12-10. On the ensuing Steeler possession, Russell Wilson found George Pickens on a deep ball which put them in Ravens territory, however the Ravens defense held firm after that and held them to a field goal, extending the lead to 15-10.

The fourth quarter of the game saw the teams sharing possessions. One of the most costly mistakes for the Ravens came as Lamar Jackson sailed a pass to Justice Hill that was seemingly wrestled from him by Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson as the two hit the ground. On the next Steelers drive, Russell Wilson was able to find Tight End Darnell Washington to put the Steelers in field goal territory, and capped the drive off with a Chris Boswell field goal to put them up 18-10 with 3:35 left in the game. The Ravens had one more chance to make to try to score a touchdown and send the game into overtime. Lamar Jackson was able to find Justice Hill who scurried down the field and put the Ravens on the Steeler 20 yard line with a little over a minute left in the game. Shortly after, Jackson was able to find Zay Flowers in the end zone to make the score 18-16. However, the Ravens late game heroics were thwarted as the two point conversion play was stopped in the backfield and the Steelers escaped with the victory.

The Ravens have to put yesterday behind them as they have a big matchup with major playoff implications on the line as they travel to Los Angeles to take on the Chargers (7-3) next Monday night at 8:15.

Ravens Stories To Watch In Lead Up To Steelers

The Ravens take on their AFC North Rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at Accrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. The game has many stakes as the Ravens are one game behind the Steelers in the AFC North standings. Keep an eye on these headlines this week in the lead up to what will be a very important game with playoff implications.

1. Will we see new Cornerback Tredavious White make his Ravens debut?

Even with the victory last week, make no mistake about it the Ravens secondary is the weakness of the team. Marlon Humprey went as far as to call them the “little brothers” when compared to the offense. The Ravens made a mid-week trade right before the deadline for Rams cornerback Tredavious White. White is a former pro bowler who’s been hampered with injuries the past few seasons. Now that White has a full week of practice, be on the lookout for him as the Ravens take the field on Sunday.

2. Will Kyle Hamilton Play?

Kyle Hamilton was injured last week against the Bengals which definitely hurt the defense. Hamilton is one of the Ravens best players on defense having him out this Sunday would be a big cause for concern. The Ravens had some good news today as Hamilton didn’t practice, but he was running on the side of the field with trainers for a lengthy duration today. Be on the lookout for the injury report on Friday as that will show major news on his status for Sunday.

3. Trash Talk Between Former Teammates

The Ravens and Steelers are going to have a family reunion of sorts as the Ravens will see their former teammates Deshon Elliot, Patrick Queen, and Jeremiah Moon and the former Steeler Diontae Johnson will be returning to Heinz field for the first time since leaving in free agency. Deshon Elliott was on Marlon Humphrey’s podcast this week and started the ball rolling to give the Ravens some bulletin board material. It’ll be interesting to see if there’s any more social media smack talk in the lead up to the game on Sunday.

Orioles Start 2024 Offseason with Several Moves

The Baltimore Orioles made several moves on Monday to get their 40 man roster set heading into the offseason. The roster will see many changes before the start of spring training, but have no fear, charm city sport is going to have all the updates as roster moves happen. Posted below are the Orioles initial moves on Monday and what each move means:

• Exercised the 2025 Club Option for Seranthony Dominguez, Ryan O’Hearn, and Cionel Perez
• Declined the 2025 Club Option for Pitcher Danny Coloumbe
• Reinstated Felix Bautista, Kyle Bradish, Jorge Mateo and Tyler Wells from the Injured List
• Selected the contract of Luis Gonzalez from Triple-A Norfolk
• Claimed P Thaddeus Ward off waivers from the Nationals and Catcher Rene Pinto off Waivers from the Rays
• Made Qualifying offers to P Corbin Burns and OF Anthony Santander

The Orioles have room to add three more players as their 40 man roster currently sits at 37.

Storylines to Watch in Lead Up to Thursday

As the Ravens start their preparation for their Thursday night football matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, keep a close eye on these storylines prior heading into Thursday

1. Will there be Another Trade?

The Ravens are already on the board with one trade, as they traded for Diontae Johnson last week to add another weapon to the offense. Many fans are left wondering if the team is going to make another move to bolster up their defense before the 4pm trade deadline today. It would make sense to move a draft pick to bolster up their defense for the second half of the season.

2. The potential return of Keaton Mitchell

John Harbaugh mentioned on Monday that “there’s a chance” running back Keaton Mitchell could be healthy in time for play on Thursday. The Ravens hit the practice field today, so if Keaton Mitchell practices that’s a very good sign that he’ll be suiting up for his 2024 debut on Thursday. Mitchell had an impressive rookie season that was cut short by injury but he should be a nice compliment to Derrick Henry in the run game.

3. Who’s Playing For the Bengals?

The Bengals are coming into this game with a plethora of injuries to starters on their offense and defense. Sam Hubbard, Geno Stone and BJ Hill were limited in practice on Monday for the defense and Tee Higgins and Orlando Brown Jr were both inactive on Sunday due to injuries. As the Bengals take the field for practice today, keep a close eye on who they have out there just two days before game time.

Perfect Day Leads to Ravens Win

After a slow first quarter, the Baltimore Ravens woke up in the late 2^nd and 3^rd quarters in route to a 41-10 thumping of the Denver Broncos at M&T Bank stadium yesterday.

The first quarter started out slow, as both teams offense exchanged a possession. However the Ravens eventually found the end zone first as Derrick Henry (who ended the game with 106 yards on 23 carries) punched in a touchdown with just over two minutes left in the first quarter. The Broncos responded with a long drive of their own in which was capped off by a Bo Nix Touchdown reception with 7 minutes left in the 2^nd quarter.

After the Bo Nix touchdown, The Ravens defense stepped up and made the stops they made it and the offense took over the game. Lamar Jackson led the Ravens offense down the field and ended that on a Zay Flowers 10-yard touchdown reception to put the Ravens up 17-7 with 4 minutes left in the 2^nd quarter. After the Broncos tacked on three more points to narrow the score to 17-10 with 58 second left in the half, Zay Flowers and Lamar Jackson were able to connect again on another touchdown. Zay Flowers used his shifty skills and speed to get in the end zone and extend the Ravens lead to 24-10 going into halftime.

The Ravens carried that momentum into the third quarter as Derrick Henry led the charge and capped off the opening drive of the third quarter with an 8 yard touchdown run to go up 31-10. After the Ravens defense stopped the Broncos offense, the scoring continued as they marched down the field and ended the next drive on a Patrick Ricard touchdown reception to go up 38-10. The Ravens starters on offense had one more drive after the Ricard touchdown and ended that next drive and the ended the scoring for the day on a Justin Tucker field goal to go up 41-10.

The Ravens (6-3) have a short week as the Cincinnati Bengals (4-5), who are riding a three game win streak, come to M&T Bank Stadium in a primetime matchup on Thursday Night Football.

What To Do Around Town This Weekend

Want to have a fun weekend but don’t know where to start? Take a look at some of the events happening around the city/county this weekend!

Happy Hours Deals Tonight!
Don’t Know, Federal Hill
4pm-7pm, specials include $3 domestic beers, $5 crushes and $5 tavern fare (non seafood)

El Buffalo, Canton
4pm-7pm, specials include $3 beers and $5 rail drinks

The Point, Fells Point
11am-7pm, specials include $4 draft and $5 rail drinks

AJ’s On Hanover, Federal Hill
11am-7pm, specials include $3 select beers and $5 cocktails

Events this weekend
Friday November 1st
Billy Strings at CFG Bank Arena at 7pm

Comedian Christopher Titus at Magoobys Joke house at 7pm and 9:30pm

Half Priced Friday Night at the Baltimore Aquarium, 5pm-9pm

The Nevermore Haunt, Old Town Mall, 7pm-10pm

Saturday November 2nd
Doc Marten and The flannels, The Recher Theater, 10pm

Baltimore Craft Beer Festival, Canton Waterfront Park, 12pm-5pm

Family Fall Festival, Star Bright Farm, 10:30am-5pm

Keller Williams, Baltimore Soundstage, 11pm

Sunday November 3rd

Baltimore Ravens vs Denver Broncos at 1pm

Jimmy’s Famous Tailgoat, 1300 Russell Street, 9am

Maverick City Music, CFG Arena, 7pm

If your company has events in the coming weeks and want to be featured on our site! Don’t hesitate to reach out to us via email!

As the Ravens start preparing for the Denver Broncos, below are three storylines keep your eyes on this week leading up to Sunday:  

1. Health of defensive lineman: Brent Urban (concussion) and Michael Pierce (Calf) both went down last Sunday and couldn’t return. Those are two big bodies that are going to be day by day when it comes to practicing his week. The Ravens made a practice squad signing yesterday as they signed Josh Tupou, who spend time with them during the offseason. The fact that they made him a practice squad signing as opposed to the roster is a positive as it may mean he would be an emergency elevation if either Urban or Pierce isn’t ready to go
2. Status of Cornerbacks: The status of Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins are both up in the air in terms of practicing this week. In his press conference on Monday, John Harbaugh didn’t mention that Nate Wiggins is dealing with an illness that may sideline him from practice. If the Ravens make an elevation involving one of the cornerbacks on the practice squad (Anthony Kendall and Bump Cooper) then it may not be a good sign for our secondary going into Sunday.
3. Potential Trades: Marcus Williams was a healthy scratch on Sunday due to a “personnel decision”. John Harbaugh said after the game that Williams would be playing some good football for them this season. Although they’re not making a story out of the decision, Williams is highly paid and could be a solid trade option to send him and his contract in exchange for a pass rusher. This would also free up space for the team to bring in a free agent cornerback currently on the market like Xavien Howard.

The Ravens have the day off today and will get back to the practice field tomorrow as they prepare to face a young Denver Broncos team 1pm on Sunday.

Ravens Drop an Ugly Game in Cleveland

Drops.

If we’re finding one word to sum up the Ravens 29-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns yesterday, that one word alone can sum up the whole game. Drops on offense, big drops on defense, which culminated in the Ravens dropping the game.

The day started out as with Lamar Jackson commanding the offense down the field until Derrick Henry was stopped on a 4th and 1 on the Browns 10 yard line off a running back direct snap. The Browns used that momentum to propel their offense down the field and end the drive with a field goal to take the lead. The rest of the first half was back in forth, both offenses being stopped and while tacking in a field goal for each respective side. The first touchdown of the game came with 24 seconds left in the first half as Kyle Hamilton sacked Jameis Winston and forced a fumble on the Browns own 20. This led to a Lamar Jackson to Nelson Agholor 10-yard touchdown pass to help the Ravens take a 10-6 lead going into halftime.

The second half saw the Jameis Winston led Brown drive down the field and end it with a David Njoku 25-yard touchdown catch. A play in which he wrestled the ball away Ravens safety Eddie Jackson (who had a day to forget). The Ravens followed up as they had a long drive of their own ending in a Mark Andrews touchdown to put the Ravens up 17-13 with 4:33 left in the third quarter. After the Browns followed with a score drive of their own to take the lead back 20-17, this is where missed opportunities became the story of the day.

Rashod Bateman dropped a ball off a 60 yard throw by Lamar Jackson that would have been a big swing in the game. Eddie Jackson had two dropped interceptions that were even highlighted by the announcers. Despite the Ravens having so many missed opportunities, they still had a 24-23 lead with less than three minutes left in the game. But just as Ravens fans were beginning to think the mistakes couldn’t get any worse, Kyle Hamilton dropped game ending interception with a minute on the clock. But as is the story of the game, the drop lead to a Browns touchdown on the very next play and led to the Ravens dropping the game 29-24.

The Ravens have some soul searching to do this week as the Denver Broncos (5-3) led by rookie Bo Nix come to Baltimore next Sunday at 1pm.