Ronnie Stanley

The Baltimore Ravens surely envisioned nights like Saturday when they signed Derrick Henry in the offseason.

Henry and Lamar Jackson combined for 267 rushing yards while leading the Ravens to a dominant 28-14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Wild Card Round. Henry steamrolled his way through the rival defenders with 186 yards and two scores on the ground by himself with one of the touchdowns going for 44 yards to halt Pittsburgh's temporary momentum in the third quarter.

"I thought it was fun watching Lamar run, but watching Derrick Henry run for a touchdown, I think that might take the cake," Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley told reporters in the aftermath. "Maybe because he's like 6-foot-5 running like a gazelle."

ESPN's Jamison Hensley noted Baltimore's 299 rushing yards set a new franchise record and represented the most yards on the ground in a postseason game since the 2012 San Francisco 49ers ran for 323.

It was clear from the start which team was going to control the line of scrimmage, and the Ravens even ran on all 13 plays during an 85-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter.

The only hole in Jackson's resume coming into the season was his playoff performance, as he started his postseason career with a 2-4 record as a starter and six touchdown passes to six interceptions.

So Baltimore responded by adding an elite running back and putting defenses in positions where they would have to pick their poison as they attempted to stop the combination.

That offense looked to be in its final form in the most important moment of its season to this point during the win over the Steelers, and the offensive line surely wasn't going to complain about all the run blocking for two of the NFL's best.

Just ask Stanley.

Ronnie Stanley is not happy with the officiating from Week 1.

The Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman said that he felt the referee crew was aiming to "make an example" of him as the league heightens its focus on illegal formation penalties during his team's 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

He also believed that the calls may not have been going both ways.

"I thought it was a little different," Stanley said, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN. "And then the way it was going through the game, I really feel like they were just trying to make an example and they chose me to be the one to do that. As far as I saw, they weren't doing it on both sides of the ball, and I know that I was lined up in good position the majority of those calls they made. But we'll go back and watch the film and we'll make sure of it and we'll send it in [to the league office]."

Stanley was penalized three times for illegal formation during the game. The Ravens overall had seven penalties for 64 yards and the Chiefs had six for 45 yards.

Of the Ravens' seven penalties, five were for illegal formation. Kansas City did not get flagged for illegal formation. Stanley said he felt like the Chiefs were not penalized when they should have been but that he would have to consult the film.

"I'm looking at their tackles, especially the right side, and I know I'm lining up in front of that guy," Stanley said, per Hensley. "And they didn't call him one time. It's a little bit of making me feel like I'm crazy, [that] I don't know where I'm lining up. I feel like we'll watch the film. They just need to be held accountable if that's what it is. If it's that egregious that they are making those calls—and they shouldn't be—they should be held accountable."

Thursday's opener was a rematch of last season's AFC Championship Game, which Kansas City also won. The Chiefs would go on to win a second consecutive Super Bowl and are now seeking the elusive three-peat.

Baltimore, meanwhile, is trying to recover from that disappointing end and build on a promising 2023 season. While a Week 1 loss is not ideal, losing to a juggernaut like the Chiefs is not an indicator of a slide back, and Baltimore will look to use it as a learning experience going forward.

The Ravens will look to get back on track in Week 2 when they host the Las Vegas Raiders.

Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley will return to the team's lineup on Sunday evening against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the news on Stanley, who has only played one game since suffering a significant ankle injury during the 2020 season.

Per Rapoport, Stanley suffered a fractured and dislocated ankle during his team's 28-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 1, 2020. He returned for the 2021 season opener but landed on injured reserve in October to continue to rehab his ankle.

"They haven’t really pinpointed when it happened," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told reporters. "It just didn’t work out. I guess the best way to explain it. Ronnie is much more involved, he’s talking to the doctors."

Stanley ultimately had a season-ending ankle surgery with an eye toward returning in 2022. He passed his physical and came off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list in August. He returned to practice but missed the first four games as he worked his way back to better health.

Stanley's last full season (2019) ended with him earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. The former Notre Dame star was tasked with protecting quarterback Lamar Jackson's blind side, and he was exceptional en route to helping the superstar signal-caller earn NFL MVP honors. The Ravens also finished with a league-best 14-2 record and an AFC North title.

Stanley returns to a 2-2 team that has lost a pair of heartbreakers to two 3-1 teams (the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins) that overcame double-digit deficits to take down the Ravens. Baltimore looks much better than its record, though, with Jackson looking like his MVP self again. Having Stanley back can only help as Baltimore looks for a return trip to the playoffs after missing out last year.

The Baltimore Ravens are going to be without six players, including three starters, when training camp opens next week.

The team announced Friday that J.K. Dobbins, Marcus Peters, Ronnie Stanley, Gus Edwards, Tyus Bowser and Ar'Darius Washington have been placed on the physically unable to perform list.

None of this comes as a surprise, as all six players are coming off significant injuries. Edwards and Peters suffered torn ACLs during the same practice session on consecutive plays on Sept. 9. Dobbins tore his ACL in the Ravens' final preseason game against Washington on Aug. 28.

Stanley played in the season-opening loss to the Las Vegas Raiders before being shut down with an ankle injury. He had season-ending surgery in October. The injury originally occurred in Week 8 of the 2020 season against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Bowser tore his Achilles in Baltimore's final game of the 2021 season on Jan. 9 against the Steelers. Washington broke his foot in practice on Nov. 26.

All of those injuries paint a picture of just how bad things were for the Ravens roster last season.

Citing Football Outsiders' metrics, ESPN's Mina Kimes noted in April that Baltimore had the worst injury luck of any NFL team in 20 years.

In addition to those players being unavailable for long stretches, quarterback Lamar Jackson and cornerback Marlon Humphrey both missed five games in 2021.

Head coach John Harbaugh was vague on when some of the players who suffered season-ending injuries last season will be back on the field when he spoke to reporters last month:

"I'd say they're all on schedule, but what is the schedule?" Harbaugh said. "The knee injuries are a little tougher to say what the schedule really is. "So, [if] you talk to J.K., he's the starting running back today, [and] he should have been practicing today, but he's got work to do still, [and] so does Gus. But they're both doing great.

"Ronnie's ankle is looking great. Ronnie's mission right now would be to get in the best shape of his life and get ready to play football, and that's what he's been working on."

The stage was set for Dobbins to have a breakout 2021 season. He had run for 805 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie, averaging six yards per carry. Mark Ingram II's departure also meant he was set to become the No. 1 running back.

Jackson was the team's leading rusher (767 yards), and the pair of Devonta Freeman and Latavius Murray combined for 1,077 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.

If the Ravens have better luck with injuries than they did last season, there is no reason to think they can't compete with the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers for the top spot in the AFC North.

Baltimore was 8-3 at one point last season before losing its final six games, including all five without Jackson after he suffered a sprained ankle in Week 14.