The Baltimore Ravens are about to embark on a daunting stretch in the season. But at 1-2 and getting ready to face the Kansas City Chiefs, head coach John Harbaugh now has a whole new set of issues now as Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike has been ruled out of the Week 4 game with a neck injury.

“I would say I am concerned about it,” said Harbaugh when asked if it is a long-term injury. “But I’m not really in a position to comment on it right now. I haven’t been given the OK to comment on it at this point.” Madubuike was absent from Wednesday’s practice, and so was Kyle Van Noy, who suffered a hamstring injury in Week 2.

Madubuike initially began experiencing symptoms following Baltimore’s Week 2 victory against the Cleveland Browns and was tested more extensively last week. The Ravens were not quite sure when the injury happened during the contest, and still have not placed a timeline on his return. “So, he’s not going to play this week, I can tell you that,” Harbaugh stated. “And we’re going to have to see going forward when they know what they need to know.”

Defensive tackles Travis Jones (knee) and Broderick Washington Jr. (ankle) were also sidelined from Wednesday’s practice, along with left tackle Ronnie Stanley. The lone defensive linemen from the 53-man roster who practiced were veteran John Jenkins and rookie Aeneas Peebles.

Peebles, who had two tackles and one quarterback hit in the loss against the Lions, could really fit into Madubuike’s shoes. Not everyone can, considering he has led all NFL defensive tackles with 21.5 sacks since 2023.

Ravens’ safety sends strong message to locker room amid Nnamdi Madubuike’s absence

The impact of Madubuike and Van Noy’s absences was clear in Monday night’s 38-30 loss to the Detroit Lions. Detroit rushed for 224 yards — the third-most any club has accumulated against Baltimore during the Harbaugh era and pinned up 98- and 96-yard scoring runs that chewed the clock.

Harbaugh himself wasn’t shy in his postgame evaluation. “There’s nobody in that locker room that thinks that’s good enough,” he stated.

The defensive breakdowns were augmented by a weak pass rush. Baltimore did not sack Jared Goff, but Detroit sacked Lamar Jackson seven times. “We sent some number five-man rushes. We had a couple of six-man rushes,” Harbaugh said. “We have to get a better pass rush. There’s no doubt about it.’’

Even with those difficulties, the Ravens’ players would not resort to injuries as an excuse. “Shame on us if we need a Pro Bowl guy to play good defense,” said safety Kyle Hamilton. “I think we have a plethora of guys who have accolades, but there are teams in the league that don’t have that and play good defense.”

Cornerback Marlon Humphrey seconded Hamilton’s frustration, saying, “They just simply executed better than us, and we never got them off schedule. … We’re just not very good.”

Now facing the Chiefs, the Ravens need to recharge in a hurry. They are attempting to fend off their first 1-3 start in a decade. The staff is hoping Jenkins and Peebles can man the barricades in Madubuike’s absence, but without their Pro Bowl anchor and experienced linebacker, Baltimore’s room for error has narrowed significantly.

Whether the Ravens are able to reverse their defensive struggles in the absence of their two key players will determine their course in the early season.