After performing at a high level all year, the performance of Baltimore’s offensive line in last week’s 27-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers was somewhat of a surprise.
 
The Packers stuffed the Ravens for only 66 total rushing yards on 21 carries (3.1-yard average per attempt).  Quarterback Joe Flacco seemed like he was constantly running from the rush, as Green Bay netted three sacks and at least eight quarterback hits. Even if he didn’t get hit, Packers blitzers were in Flacco’s face on multiple occasions.

To make matters worse, tackles Jared Gaither and Michael Oher were both flagged for false starts.
 
“I think at times it was good and at times it wasn’t,” said head coach John Harbaugh.  “They’ll tell you they’re not happy about it.  I was impressed with their defense.  We thought we had a chance we would block their front a little bit better in the run game, and it didn’t happen.”
 
Several players acknowledged the unit needs improvement.
 
“I have to make no excuses,” said left guard Ben Grubbs, who has received some of the loudest criticism.  “I’m a man, and I’m going to stand up for my responsibilities.  I have to play better, and I think everybody in this locker room would say the same thing.
 
“It wasn’t a good game for me.  I have to prepare better during the week and get ready to play on Sunday.”
 
Harbaugh thinks Grubbs is playing gritty football after he had offseason surgery to clean out bone spurs in his ankle.
 
 ”It has been a factor,” said Harbaugh.  “He’s been fighting through it and he can play better than he did, obviously, on Monday night.  And I’m very confident that he
will.”
 
Center Matt Birk believes the line can bounce back.
 
“I have confidence in our group,” Birk noted.  “I have confidence in our coaches, and they have confidence in us. If you start questioning what you’re doing, then you start to change stuff up.  There are no magical answers.  We just get back to work and play to a level that we can play at.”