Baltimore knows how fast hope can slip away. Their Super Bowl chase ended in yet another ‘almost there’ after a 27-25 loss to the Bills, where a failed two-point conversion crushed the dream. It’s been more than a decade since the Ravens last reached the big stage. And Lamar Jackson said it best during the post-game interview: “I’m tired [of] this sh*t… I’m tired of being right there. We need to punch it in. We need to punch in that ticket.”

But a new season means new hopes. So, all eyes remain glued on Lamar and Co. And so far, so good.  After a solid 24-16 preseason win over the Colts, the buzz in Baltimore was all about what’s next. Right now, Jackson is the heartbeat of this offense, and all eyes are locked on him. And he wasn’t shy about the ups and downs in camp. “I felt like we did pretty good, besides the little ‘BS’ interceptions,” he said. There have been flashes of frustration as well, like Tuesday, when a missed pass and a misread route had him visibly irritated with himself. The offense is still ruling out from penalties and blitz pickups, but Jackson looked healthy, which is what mattered most… until today.

So, when Jackson reposted that picture on his Instagram stories with the caption, “Bro I cut my forehead tryna bust a pimple,” fans finally exhaled. For a split second, Baltimore thought they were staring at the start of a nightmare. Turns out, it was just Lamar being himself, lighthearted about something that could’ve been a lot worse. Ravens can’t afford to lose their main guy. And Tuesday’s joint practice with the Colts was just a glimpse of that, where he pulled off vintage Lamar action. On just the third play of the first full-team session, Jackson rolled right like he was about to take off, then suddenly twisted his body and fired a dart across the field to Rashod Bateman for about 15 yards.

Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who’s seen that magic plenty from his Bengals days, just chuckled. “Coach was telling me that he’s glad he doesn’t have to face me twice a year anymore,” Jackson said. “But I told him, ‘It’s always going to be competitive.’” That throw to Bateman was one of several highlights in Jackson’s most competitive work of the summer, which also saw him hit Mark Andrews twice for touchdowns. The inconsistencies are still there.

This is the same defense they face in camp every day, one that’s among the league’s best, and the regular-season opener against the Bills is still a month away. They set records last season, becoming the first team to top 4,000 passing and 3,000 rushing yards in one regular season, but they also tied for the second-most penalties in the league. Cleaning that up might be just as important as keeping Lamar upright.

Lamar Jackson’s patience tested as Ravens’ penalty problem exists

John Harbaugh didn’t sugarcoat the problem back in November. “The penalties on offense are the one thing that is holding us back. That’s the biggest issue.”  Those miscues plagued the Ravens in 2024. And as 2025 camp intensifies, the issue remains. During Sunday’s session (August 11), the offensive line committed two false starts. And it fueled Lamar Jackson’s visible frustration. This time the culprits were Ronnie Stanley and rookie Roger Rosengarten, not Daniel Faalele, according to Jeff Zrebiec.

Looking to strengthen another area of concern, the Ravens hosted free-agent safety Jordan Whitehead for a workout on Friday, August 8, per BaltimorePositive.com’s Luke Jones. The former Bucs and Jets veteran has 101 NFL starts and a Super Bowl ring. So, he could fill the void left when breakout safety Ar’Darius Washington tore his Achilles in May. Whitehead brings range, physicality, and experience alongside All-Pro Kyle Hamilton and first-round rookie Malaki Starks. So, this gives DC Zach Orr the depth and flexibility his scheme demands. But before any of that. It’s the penalties that need to tone down.

For fans, the deja vu is maddening. Some are already calling for a new offensive line coach, while Harbaugh himself hit a breaking point, pulling the entire line after the repeated mistakes. It’s not the first time the Ravens have had pre-snap communication breakdowns, and Harbaugh knows the cure is simple but unforgiving: more reps, better chemistry, and tighter discipline. “It stops with me, so it’s my job to make sure we’re doing the things that we have to do,” he said. But his patience is wearing thin. NFL reporter Giana Han posted on X, “John Harbaugh yanked the second offensive line after three false starts in four plays. When asked what happened to making them run laps like he did last year, he said he has a variety of false start punishments he can pull out.”

That’s the thing! This isn’t about meaningless practice flags. On paper, Baltimore might have the most championship-ready roster in the league. Lamar is in his prime, and the Ravens can’t afford to let self-inflicted wounds steal drives, momentum, and games. Harbaugh put it bluntly: “It’s not helping us win ball games when it happens. That’s the biggest thing in winning games.” Once the ball is snapped, anything can happen. But if these penalties keep showing up, the Ravens might just lose games before the play even begins.