Winners and losers from Ravens vs. Lions: Detroit’s pass rush turns it up to 11

If Monday night’s Week 3 showdown in Baltimore was a sneak peek at Super Bowl 60, then sign us all up.

The Ravens and Lions traded haymakers in a game that felt more like a prizefight than a football contest, ending in a 38-30 Detroit win that was even closer than the final score suggests. For the Lions, it’s another stamp of legitimacy in their rise to true contender status. For the Ravens, it’s a frustrating 1-2 start for the second straight year — though history reminds us they still clawed their way to a division crown last season.

WINNERS

Offense

Both teams moved the ball almost at will, just in very different ways. Detroit leaned on time of possession, eating up nearly 20 minutes in the first half alone, while Baltimore struck quickly when given the chance. Derrick Henry’s 28-yard rumble got the Ravens on the board, and Lamar Jackson later needed just 32 seconds to find Rashod Bateman for a short score. Detroit had its fireworks too, including David Montgomery’s jaw-dropping 72-yard sprint — the longest run in the league this year. By the end, both sides had combined for 68 points and nearly 750 yards of offense.

Lions pass rush

Detroit’s defense was relentless, sacking Jackson seven times — tying the most he’s ever endured in a single game. That included a fourth-and-goal stop that changed the momentum in the second quarter. Even though Jackson threw the ball brilliantly (21-for-27, 288 yards, 3 TDs), holding him to just 35 rushing yards felt like a win in itself.

Mark Andrews

Baltimore’s star tight end finally looked like himself again. After barely being a factor early in the season, Andrews erupted for six catches, 91 yards, and two touchdowns, reminding everyone why he’s Lamar’s security blanket.

Metallica

Yes, Metallica belongs here. The Ravens opened with “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” and “Enter Sandman” shook the stadium in the fourth quarter. Heavy metal and hard hits — the pairing felt right.

Jake Bates (the tackler)

Detroit’s rookie kicker showed some grit after his team’s second touchdown, making a clutch, open-field stop on a long Rasheen Ali return. Not bad for a guy usually saving his legs for field goals.

LOSERS

Jake Bates (the kicker)

And yet… football is cruel. Bates came up short on a 67-yard field goal try before halftime, one that would’ve broken the NFL record. The irony? The current 66-yard mark belongs to former Raven Justin Tucker — and yes, it happened against these very Lions.

Derrick Henry

For the second time in three weeks, Henry lost a fourth-quarter fumble. That’s almost unthinkable for the bruising back, who had never coughed it up late in multiple games in a single season before. Baltimore’s momentum vanished, and Detroit capitalized with points.

M&T Bank Stadium operations

The game-day atmosphere in Baltimore is usually top-notch, but the scoreboard failure early on left more than 70,000 fans in the dark — literally. No score, no down-and-distance, nothing. Not exactly playoff-caliber execution.

Ravens defense

Missing Kyle Van Noy and Nnamdi Madubuike proved costly. Detroit gashed the Ravens for 224 rushing yards and four touchdowns, while Jared Goff picked apart a secondary that never quite settled in. Two Lions touchdown drives spanned 96 yards or more. That’s not bad luck, that’s bad defense.

Buffalo Bills

The real winners Monday might not have even played. With Baltimore falling to 1-2, Buffalo suddenly has a cushy lead in the AFC race — effectively 2.5 games up with a head-to-head tiebreaker already in their pocket.

Baltimore’s superstitions

The Ravens’ once-feared black uniforms took another dent, dropping them to 20-7 when dressed head-to-toe in black. Lamar’s near-perfect record against NFC teams also took a hit. Some charms just don’t last forever.