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The Ravens didn’t even need two-time MVP Lamar Jackson for their best attempt to score against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

On second-and-1, they ran a tush push play, and as coach John Harbaugh told reporters in March, “Well, we don’t do it with Lamar."

Even when Jackson is healthy, the Ravens typically run the play with tight end Mark Andrews carrying the ball, center Tyler Linderbaum pushing in front and running back Derrick Henry and fullback Patrick Ricard pushing from the back.

On Sunday, they had all of those players except Ricard, who is out with a calf injury. Even with Zaire Mitchell-Paden filling in for Ricard, they had Pro Bowlers in the front, carrying the ball and in the back.

“You’ve got to get pad under pad, and you have to get push. ... We’re a big, physical offensive line with big, physical guys. Mark is a big, physical guy, and he’s pushing, so that should happen,” Harbaugh said.

And yet they found themselves at a standstill at the 1-yard line not once but twice, forcing them to try something else on the third attempt. And that third play resulted in lost yardage and a turnover on downs.

The Ravens really wanted that touchdown. But the Rams wanted the stop more, Linderbaum said.

“It should get pushed in on the first one,” Harbaugh said. “And, if not the first one, it should get pushed in on the second one. So, yes, we gave consideration [to a different play]. The fact that it didn’t go in, I think it’s easy to criticize it. I do the same myself, but come on, we should be able to put that in there.”

It’s quite telling that, the one time it didn’t require Jackson, this Ravens team couldn’t get the job done.

The Ravens felt the absence of their MVP quarterback in other ways, but the real problem goes beyond that. It isn’t skill or effort or game-planning.

“I’ve been on a lot of teams, but I think in critical situations we’ve got to be better,” wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins said.

This is an issue that has cropped up for stars on the team in the biggest moments over the past three years. Wide receiver Zay Flowers fumbled into the end zone in the 2023 AFC championship game against the Chiefs. Andrews dropped a pass and Jackson fumbled in the 2024 AFC divisional game against the Bills. Henry fumbled in the 2025 season opener against the Bills.

But it’s becoming more problematic, especially in the red zone.

Last season, the Ravens gave the ball to Henry on every opportunity from 3 yards out. He scored on nine of 15 attempts. This season, he has scored on one of four.

The two tush pushes should have worked, but the third attempt, a handoff to Henry, was stuffed as well.

To make matters worse, the offensive line actually stepped up in the run game and Henry averaged 5.1 yards per carry on his way to 122 yards. But at the goal line it couldn’t create enough force to allow Andrews to move 1 yard.

“We had two instances where we have not gotten it in, so that kind of pisses me off, but I can’t change anything about it now,” Henry said. “All you can do is, when you get another opportunity to try to get it in there, but we have to be better. I mean, that’s just unacceptable. That’s not good enough, as far as us as a whole, and on myself as well. I need to get it in there. So, [we’ll] watch the film and try to get better. But, like I said, it just seems like a repetitive thing, which is kind of frustrating, but it is over now.”

The Ravens saw another red-zone opportunity spoiled by penalties. After they marched to the Rams’ 11-yard line, two penalties stalled the drive and forced them to kick a field goal, their only score of the day.

The Ravens are 8-for-18 on red-zone attempts this season after going 0-for-3 against the Rams.

The errors went beyond the red zone.

The receivers were limited by the lack of talent passing to them, but when Flowers got the ball in his hands, he fumbled it. Although he was credited with only one fumble, he was involved in a second. Tight end Isaiah Likely later caught a pass, fumbled it and recovered it, erasing a 3-yard gain.

“Once you have self-inflicted wounds, it’s hard to overcome, especially in this league,” said Henry, who took accountability for his fumbles this season.

The Ravens are 3-for-8 on converting third downs of 2 yards or shorter.

The good news is Harbaugh expects Jackson to be back after the bye. The bad news is, that won’t make much difference if the team can’t figure out how to make plays in critical moments.