Ample time for Ravens to fix problems

NFL teams don’t change their rosters much after the opening game, so the Ravens aren’t expected to have a revolving door of personnel during their bye week.

This is the NFL, not Major League Baseball.

But three straight losses need to be put in perspective. The defeats came against marquee quarterbacks such as the New Orleans Saints’ Drew Brees, the Carolina Panthers’ Cam Newton and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger. Nov. 18, 1 p.m. TV: Ch. 13 Radio: 97.9 FM, 1090 AM

The Ravens could have won two of those games if quarterback Joe Flacco had been more accurate in finishing off potential touchdown drives instead of settling for field goals against the Steelers and if one of the football gods had not blown Justin Tucker’s extrapoint attempt wide right versus New Orleans. If, if, if … The bye week is more about selfscouting, and the Ravens could use a few tweaks before the Cincinnati Bengals come to town Nov. 18.

It starts with defense and thirddown efficiency. The Ravens have allowed first downs on 35.2 percent (44 of 125) of opponents’ third-down conversion attempts, the fifth-best mark in the league, but have allowed 52.3 percent (22 of 42) to be converted in the past three games.

Here’s part of the problem: Against teams with top receivers, the Ravens still play press coverage, but they aren’t physical. They’ll push around receivers from the Buffalo Bills or Tennessee Titans, but don’t challenge receivers from Cincinnati or Pittsburgh because they don’t want to give up a big play.

“When you’re playing the type of coverages that we play, and people are throwing the ball short and intermediate routes, I equate it to, I’ll take the paper cut instead of somebody stabbing me in the heart, so I’m not trying to give up any big plays,” Ravens

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