Rashod Bateman Says Ravens 'Deserve All the Criticism' amid 1-4 Start to NFL Season

The Baltimore Ravens entered the season tied with the Buffalo Bills as Super Bowl betting favorites but are now staring at an uphill battle to even make the playoffs following a 1-4 start that featured the home fans booing during Sunday's 44-10 blowout loss to the Houston Texans.

"The fans got every right to feel how they feel," wide receiver Rashod Bateman said Wednesday, per ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "They expect excellence. It's our job to deliver that. We are not upholding the standard right now, so we deserve all the criticism."

Baltimore had some built-in excuses for Sunday's loss to the Texans, as Lamar Jackson was one of a number of impact players sidelined by injury. 

The team was also without Kyle Hamilton, Roquan Smith, Marlon Humphrey, Nnamdi Madubuike, Patrick Ricard and Ronnie Stanley. Still, it was the third straight loss for a Ravens team that lost a grand total of five games all last season.

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Baltimore's only win came against the 1-4 Cleveland Browns, and its defense has been a problem throughout the campaign. In fact, the AFC North team gave up at least 37 points in each of its four losses.

Things might not get better in the immediate future either, as the Ravens face the Los Angeles Rams in the next contest and were without Jackson, Smith, Humphrey and Ricard during Wednesday's practice.

It is difficult to envision Baltimore getting the win over the Rams if Jackson in particular is sidelined once again, which means it may be facing even more criticism with a 1-5 start.

To hear Bateman tell it, that criticism will be deserved.