Let the outcries begin in Baltimore this week now that the Ravens have been force-fed two straight defeats and understand what it feels like not to be in first place. Suffering the loss to New England was one thing; There is no shame in losing to a team whose expectations are higher than yours. The Patriots provided the initial shock that comes with the first loss of the season, but most of us were not expecting to have to deal with it two weeks in a row.

It would be a nice relief to have a team like Cleveland on the schedule for next Sunday, but the fact is that the Ravens are entering a stretch of their schedule where there are no breaks. Up next is a trip to Minnesota to face Brett Favre and the Vikings. Not only have the Ravens had trouble winning games lately, but the Vikings have seemed to find the key to avoiding losing. Sporting a 5-0 record, Minnesota looks to prove that they are as good as their play has made them seem. The Ravens have a challenge ahead of them that will prove to be more difficult than the Bengals; Fans can only hope that they’ve figured out their problems and we’ll see the same team that started the season 3-0.

1. What is with all the penalties?

Frank Walker reacts to being called for a penalty.

The Ravens have always had an aggressive defense. In fact, over the past few years, led by Rex Ryan, the team had arguably the fiercest “D” in football. While Ryan has left for “greener” pastures, Greg Mattison has not looked to change the style of play that has defined the Ravens as an organization. However, it seems as if the Ravens have forgotten the discipline that Ryan instilled. They lead the league in penalties, many of which have been the fault of the defense. Just last week, the three penalties called to extend the Bengals’ 4th quarter drive came back to haunt the Ravens in the worst way ever, causing the team to drop out of first place and struggling to stay afloat.

It wasn’t like the team wasn’t aware of the penalty problem before the game against Cincinnati. In fact, it was a topic that was thoroughly discussed by John Harbaugh, players, and the local media. The hardest part to swallow is how stupid some of the mistakes are. There are always going to be certain penalties because of the passion behind the play, but mental lapses should never be a reason to give an opponent 15 extra yards. The verdict around Baltimore seems to be pretty apparent; Each week, there has been a failure by players to think things through completely. In reference to Ray Lewis’ hit on Chad Ochocinco at the end of the game, Baltimore Sun reporter, Ken Murray, had this to say.

“Ray may have aimed for the shoulder, but he certainly got some of the helmet to knock it off in such a stunning fashion. Of all the penalties in the game, that was the least objectionable, in my book. Bad, dumb play.”

Without fixing the penalty problem that has draped its shadow over Baltimore, the Ravens are going to find the rest of the season much more difficult. With a schedule that includes the Steelers twice, Denver, Minnesota, and Indianapolis, just to name a few, the last thing that Baltimore wants to do is make the journey even harder. Whether or not Harbaugh can figure out how to fix the problem remains to be seen, but with week five in the books, there isn’t much more room for error.

2. The two faces of Cam Cameron.

Trying to figure out what Ravens’ offense is going to show up is like trying to determine when the Chicago Cubs are going to win their next World Series; The answer is impossible to figure out and almost not even worth making an attempt to understand. Once again, we saw a side of the offense that has left a lot of people confused as to what Cameron is thinking sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, he is one of the best and most creative offensive coordinators in the league, and the Ravens are lucky to have him on their sideline. But, why does he make certain decisions that seem to negatively impact the production of Joe Flacco and the rest of the skill players.

McGahee had few opportunities against Cincy.

This week, Cameron decided that Willis McGahee’s involvement was going to be severely limited. There have been no reports of injury, and it didn’t seem as if he was even in the game long enough to have suffered from anything while playing on Sunday. Whether Cameron is over-thinking his game plans when facing opponents each week may have an impact on why some of his decisions have seemed a bit obscure. McGahee has seen a revival of his career this season, due mainly to his limited action. This week, however, Cameron took the word “limited” to a whole new level. McGahee might as well have not put pads on this week, and it’s hard to understand why.

While figuring out the Willis McGahee situation, it’s also hard to look over the play-calling that didn’t seem to get Derrick Mason involved. While Mason’s touches rely more on Flacco’s willingness to throw to him, as well as his own ability to beat the defender and get open, you would think that Cameron would understand that Mason’s involvement directly effects the outcome of the game; Therefore, Cameron, using his offensive genius and experience, should have called plays that gave Mason the best chance to get his hands on the ball. While the situation was not ideal because the team was struggling against an opponent that most thought would be a relatively easy victory, Cameron seems to pay strict attention to detail, mainly when finding the right players for the immediate task at hand. So, it’s fair to ask how he seemed to overlook Mason’s lack of contributions to an offense that depends so heavily on his ability to make the big play when it’s most desperately needed.

3. The season is still relatively young.

Week five isn’t necessarily a time to start panicking for a team that has so much potential. Yes, it’s tough to face two consecutive defeats and act like they weren’t disappointing. Yes, there have been some causes for concern, especially regarding the skeptical pass coverage and the stupid penalties. However, the Ravens are a team made up of veterans that have put their work in as NFL players. While things need to be corrected in order to meet the expectations of the season, there is hardly a roster across the NFL that anybody would rather have then what we have in Baltimore. Ray Lewis is still an emotional and physical leader, the pieces of the rest of the defense have been playing as a unit for several years now, the offense has put up a display of firepower that has skyrocketed them close to the top of the league, and John Harbaugh seems to have a knack for relating to players, bringing together a locker room, and getting down to business.

With a tough road ahead of them, the Ravens need to buckle down. They are about to face the hardest stretch of the season, playing teams that they will be competing with for playoff positioning. This is the time for them to come out and prove that they are an elite team in the NFL, and they can win the big games. Everybody knows who the competition is, and what it will take to knock them down. Right now, Baltimore needs to understand that it’s about execution, leadership, and fixing the problems that have plagued them so far.

4. Samari Rolle is not the answer to the secondary problems. Neither is Chris McAlister.

There has been a small request around some fans that Samari Rolle return quickly in order to save a secondary that is getting eaten up by opposing offenses. Domonique Foxworth, Fabian Washington, and Chris Carr are losing the battles week in and week out, causing many around Baltimore to cry for better cornerbacks. With Samari Rolle coming off of surgery, his return to the locker room is a possible scenario in the somewhat near future.

Samari Rolle is not the answer to the Ravens' secondary problems.

Samari Rolle is not going to solve the Ravens’ problems at that position. First of all, nobody knows his true condition. He has suffered through injuries and personal problems, and it has been a rare occurrence over the past year and a half to even see him on the field. If he does return, it will take time before he is back in game shape. With that said, the plan is not to put Rolle back in a starting cornerback position anyway. Not only has the team signed Foxworth to a solid contract paying him big bucks, Rolle’s role (ha!) if he returns will be to solidify nickelback. While the thought is nice that help could be on the way, Samari wouldn’t provide much in breathing room.

Chris McAlister is also a name that has been dropped over the past few weeks. If you remember, McAlister was shut down by Harbaugh last year for an apparent injury. Only later did we find out that McAlister’s behind the scenes attitude didn’t sit well with the coach, and subsequently led to him being released. The relationship between the two was never patched up, and the chances of Chris coming back to the organization is as far fetched as the St. Louis Rams naming Kyle Boller their permanent starting QB. McAlister will never see another game in a Ravens’ uniform, mainly because he became a cancer to the team. Keeping him out of Baltimore is the best thing that the team can do.

When Sunday rolls around, Ravens’ fans are not going to have nearly as much confidence as they had only two short weeks ago. The team, however, should be riding with a head full of steam. They need to focus on the Vikings and get the job done. That means no more dumb mistakes, carry out a well-thought out game plan, and send Minnesota to their first defeat of the season. A win will go far, and as long as the Ravens don’t let Favre take over the game, they should be ok. A loss, however, may mark the beginning of the end.