OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- As the Baltimore Ravens walked onto the practice field Wednesday, a large dark cloud hovered over the heads of this 0-2 team.
The players understand the significance of Sunday's game at the Dallas Cowboys. A loss would drop the Ravens to 0-3 for just the second time in the franchise's 29-year existence.
"We're trying to right our wrongs, get our pride back," Ravens linebacker Odafe Oweh said. "So, it's kind of tense in terms of we do not want to go 0-3. That's not what's going to happen. Everyone I think is pretty focused and understands what we have to do, even if it's not outwardly spoken."
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson said this practice turned out to be one of the best of the season and that he believes no one in the locker room is doubting each other.
Jackson is looking to avoid the first three-game losing streak of his seven-year career. He is encouraged by the attitude of his teammates. Jackson hasn't seen anyone hanging their heads or pointing fingers.
Echoing Ravens coach John Harbaugh, Jackson has turned his attention toward Sunday's game and put the close losses to the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders behind him.
"Let's get 1-0," Jackson said. "We're starting the season off slow, but I believe guys in the locker room, we know what we want to do when we go out there Sunday. It's like we coming up short, but I feel like at the end of the day we beating ourselves."
Baltimore is looking to find its identity on offense. The Ravens lead the NFL in total yards (417.5) but are tied for 14th in scoring (21.5).
Baltimore tight end Isaiah Likely was impressed by Wednesday's practice, saying everyone was focused on fundamentals and being more disciplined. He saw more communication between teammates to get on the same page.
"We were missing the juice a little bit at practice," Likely said. "So just seeing everybody fly around, do what they're supposed to ... obviously having that smile is going to help a lot."
The Ravens are 0-2 for the fifth time in team history. In the previous four 0-2 starts, Baltimore failed to reach the postseason.
But the Ravens feel this team is too talented to continue this downward spiral. Baltimore finished with the best record in the NFL at 13-4 a season ago.
"If we just continue to be together, we've got the group of men to turn this 0-2 start and make it something legendary," Ravens tight end Mark Andrews said.
The only time the Ravens started 0-3 was in 2015. Baltimore finished the season 5-11, the only 10-loss season under Harbaugh.