Ravens Make Unwanted History in Thanksgiving Night Loss
The Baltimore Ravens found themselves on the wrong side of history on Thanksgiving night, suffering a disheartening 32-14 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals. This loss not only cost them the division lead to the Pittsburgh Steelers but also marked a series of alarming records for the franchise.
A Night of Fumbles
In a game that will be remembered for its turnovers, the Ravens lost four fumbles—a feat they had not experienced since Week 10 of the 2007 season, also against the Bengals. The significance of this moment is underscored by the fact that, during that last occurrence, John Harbaugh had yet to become head coach and Lamar Jackson was just a 10-year-old.
Jackson bore much of the blame for the mishaps, losing two fumbles himself. He was not alone in this struggle; tight end Isaiah Likely and receiver Zay Flowers contributed to the Ravens’ turnover woes as well. This collective mismanagement resulted in a total of five turnovers, a figure that Baltimore hadn’t reached since a Week 4 game in 2013 against the Buffalo Bills.
Record-Breaking Turnovers
The implications of this performance are stark. The Ravens hadn’t committed five turnovers in a home game for 18 years, a statistic that stretches back to a loss against Peyton Manning’s Colts in December 2007. ESPN Research highlights the rarity of such a performance for Baltimore, emphasizing the severity of their struggles on this fateful night.
As the Ravens regroup after this crushing defeat, the focus will undoubtedly turn to rectifying these costly mistakes. The team’s inability to protect the football not only stings in the standings but raises questions about their ability to compete moving forward.
