The Ravens gave us highlight reels for the ages last year: Lamar Jackson’s scrambles, Zay Flowers’ breaking ankles, the defense flying around. But it was the little, frustrating stuff that kept coming back to bite. Drives falling apart before the snap. Third downs are turning into third-and-long because of sloppy mistakes. Flags were flying just when things started clicking. John Harbaugh‘s biggest challenge this offseason? Finding a way around those penalties. But now, with September just around the corner, you’d think the growing pains were in the past. Well, as the camp gets going in Owings Mills, some of those same old issues are creeping back in. The pattern? All too familiar.

Yeah, those pre-snap penalties? They’re still a problem. In one of this week’s more intense full-team practices, the offense couldn’t stop shooting itself in the foot with presnap penalties. According to The Baltimore Banner, there were at least five flags for false starts or illegal motion, and yeah, the coaches snapped. Guys were getting yanked mid-series, and others were sent on punishment laps. This probably reminds you of your High school HC, but no, this is John Harbaugh we’re talking about.

The moment that really said it all came late in 11-on-11s. Ronnie Stanley (who usually keeps his cool), ripped off his helmet and slammed it to the turf after getting hit with a false start. Just seconds earlier, rookie Roger Rosengarten had been pulled for the same penalty. This wasn’t isolated. Earlier in practice, Ben Cleveland also jumped early, setting the tone for a whole morning that felt more like a rewind of last year.

And to make things worse, O-line coach Joe D’Alessandris has been way more fired up than usual. The guy is constantly stopping drills to pull guys aside, dishing out quick corrections mid-rep like he’s trying to plug leaks in a dam. Even Tony Michalek, the former NFL ref, who worked 23 years as an umpire in the league, the Ravens brought in this offseason specifically to fix these issues, but it clearly hasn’t worked just yet.

What’s not helping? The Ravens are putting a huge emphasis on mixing up cadences this year. Basically shifting between tempo and silent counts to get ready for those deafening road games. Smart in theory, sure. In practice? It’s been messy. The timing just isn’t clicking yet. Harbaugh keeps hammering home that the offense needs to “push through” the heat, the fatigue, all of it. But with all these flags, the message obviously hasn’t landed. And after what these penalties cost the Ravens last season? Fixing it is a matter of urgency.

What penalties cost John Harbaugh in 2024?

Ravens were absolutely stacked last season. They had a top-five offense, the league’s No. 1 scoring defense, and looked every bit like a Super Bowl team. But when it mattered most, they got in their own way. What made everything fall apart? Penalties.

They were flagged 132 times for 1,120 yards, the second-most in the entire league. And it wasn’t just those big-bang plays; all those little things added up real fast. False starts. Illegal shifts. The guys not lined up right. Drives were stalling before Lamar Jackson even had a chance to make something happen. OC Todd Monken didn’t sugarcoat it either, saying flat-out, “We’ve got to stop beating ourselves before the ball is even snapped.”

Take that home opener against Las Vegas. Up 10 in the fourth, looking like they were ready to slam the door shut… and then the flags started flying. Eleven penalties for 109 yards? Meanwhile, Vegas only got hit with three. A false start on Derrick Henry blew up a crucial third-and-one, and a DPI wiped out a promising defensive stand. Instead of closing it out clean, Baltimore let it unravel. What should’ve been a statement win turned into a 26–23 heartbreak.

The Ravens also ended the season with a –30 penalty yard differential. In layman’s terms, they gave up way more yards on flags than they got back. That’s not just a stat for the nerds; it mattered. That tied directly to some brutal swings in win probability. In a game where every inch counts and field position can decide momentum, giving away that much ground is like spotting your opponent a head start every week.

And away from home? Things just got worse. The Ravens averaged nearly eight penalties per game away from M&T Bank Stadium, putting them near the bottom of the league at 29th in road discipline. And come playoff time, that’s the stuff that gets you sent home early.

Lamar is poised to have an MVP season. Ravens are expected to make a Lombardi run (for real this time). And they do have the roster to do that and more. But unless John Harbaugh finds a way around those penalties, a Super Bowl will continue to be a distant dream.