Ravens blow an opportunity with a crucial drop in the mix.
The day didn’t go well for Bateman along with the drop. He had just one catch for 28 yards. Also, adding to the mix, the drop played a key role in the Ravens’ big upset loss to the Browns.
Ravens WR Rashod Bateman has seen better days
Those days included last week, when Bateman hauled in four passes for 121 yards and a touchdown. The previous week he went for 71 yards with four catches. So while it looked like his performances trended upward, they crashed against the Browns.
The Ravens got a big game from Zay Flowers, who caught seven passes for 115 yards despite entering the weekend with an injury designation.
But the game turned into a struggle for Lamar Jackson as the Browns’ defense played surprisingly well. Jackson threw for 289 yards with a pair of scores but gained only 46 yards on eight rushing attempts. Throughout the game the Browns’ defense harassed Jackson into tough passing situations.
Batemen came to the Ravens in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Unfortunately he hasn’t been able to live up to the potential of that billing. He had 46 catches for 515 yards as a rookie, but couldn’t top 400 yards in the next two seasons despite 17 overall starts.
“That’s what we expect from Rashod Bateman,” Harbaugh said. “He’s expected to be a top receiver in the league for us. That’s what we’re planning on.”
Uh, check that. Revise? It didn’t look so good Sunday.
