With the Baltimore Ravens starting 0-2 for the first time in nine years on Sunday, it's officially code red in Charm City.
Last week's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs was somewhat expected, even if it came in heartbreaking fashion. Sunday's loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, though? A complete shock and absolutely deflating for a supposed Super Bowl contender. A 10-point lead blown in the fourth quarter yet again is cause for some soul-searching in Baltimore.
For linebacker Roquan Smith, the leader of the defense, the results through the first two weeks aren't good enough, plain and simple.
"All we can do is respond, and I think that's what defines each and every human being," Smith said after Sunday's game. "I know the guys in the locker room and how we feel about it. Trust me, it sucks for us more than anyone else. I just know we're gonna put our head down and keep going and, you know, correct our mistakes. There's no way we should be 0-2, but hey, it is what it is."
With the amount of talent on this roster, Smith is absolutely right that the Ravens' shouldn't be 0-2 under any circumstances. The games aren't played on paper, though, and they've simply shot themselves in the foot far too many times through the first two weeks of the season. As a result, their backs are against the wall far earlier than anyone could've expected.
Right now, the only silver lining is that there are still 15 games remaining to get right. With an upcoming stretch against the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, though, the Ravens have to get it together soon if they want to salvage this season.
