After losing to the Chiefs in Week 1, the Baltimore Ravens at least had the assurance of a mini-bye week leading into a very winnable game against the Raiders. However, the Ravens dropped their second consecutive game against an AFC West opponent, falling to the Las Vegas Raiders and creating booming questions about the state of the franchise.

Here’s a look at three takeaways for the Ravens in the unfortunate loss.

Not time to panic… yet

While an 0-2 start isn’t the start to the season that Ravens fans wanted, there are some reasons for hope. The Ravens lost both games by a combined toe out of bounds and a miraculous series of events that benefited the Raiders. Going forward, the luck is certain to swing back in favor of the Ravens. At this point, any conversations about the team getting the number one seed again should be tabled.

However, the path to the playoffs is still open. That said, if the team starts 0-3, there is a very short list of teams in NFL history that have made the playoffs. The sky isn’t falling, but it might only be one game away from doing so.

Zay Flowers is a legit No. 1 receiver in 2024

While the state of the team overall is in a questionable place, the team can be proud of their No. 1 receiver.

Zay Flowers had every reason to throw in the towel after fumbling the football in the AFC Championship last year. Instead, he has turned in an impressive performance in one of his first two games of the year.

Thus far, one can only argue that he came into the season somewhat rusty and now is ready to play at full speed. Flowers has earned 13 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown so far this season.

Baltmore Ravens miss Mike Macdonald

The Baltimore Ravens lost defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to the Seattle Seahawks this offseason. There could have been several factors that contributed to the Raiders’ 13-point run in the fourth quarter, but losing Macdonald could be Exhibit A.

Fans can only hope that Patrick Graham’s scheme takes root quickly. Otherwise, the Ravens could find themselves giving up more than just 13-point runs this season.

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