After dominating Jacksonville, San Francisco, and Miami in consecutive weeks, the Baltimore Ravens regarded just like the dominant power everybody had been ready for all season. Neglect in regards to the hiccup Saturday night time in opposition to Pittsburgh (minus Lamar Jackson), Baltimore is considered by many as the favourite to symbolize the AFC within the Tremendous Bowl. Regardless of latest explosive performances in opposition to a number of the finest groups within the NFL, it’s nonetheless exhausting to belief the Ravens based mostly on earlier postseason failures.
Since 2018, the Ravens have had one postseason victory, the lone playoff win in Jackson’s profession. In reality, this franchise has only one different postseason win since hoisting their second Lombardi trophy over a decade in the past. Whereas they’ve been persistently within the combine underneath head coach John Harbaugh over the previous 10 years, the Ravens don’t have a lot playoff success to point out for it.
This season Baltimore flew underneath the radar for fairly some time, as they’ve in earlier years. Most sports activities discuss exhibits exterior of Maryland have been busy rambling on and on in regards to the Dolphins, Payments, and Chiefs. All good groups in their very own proper and Kansas Metropolis are the defending champs. Nonetheless, as regular as this Ravens squad has been all 12 months, they’ve ceaselessly fallen down the checklist of speaking factors for many NFL pundits.
Baltimore has been quietly dominant however, at the same time as they’ve made their ascent up the mountain, Harbaugh’s crew has nonetheless been overshadowed by groups just like the 49ers, Cowboys, and Eagles. That’s till a few weeks in the past after they put a particular Christmas butt whooping on San Francisco. The ultimate rating in that recreation (33-19) made it appear loads nearer than it was. Baltimore went on the market with one thing to show and beat down most individuals’s favourite (to that time) in their very own stadium.
On the subject of successful on the street, the Ravens have been one of the best this 12 months — posting a 7-1 report. Baltimore additionally sports activities one of the best level differential within the league (+203) and ranks first in factors allowed on protection and fourth in factors scored on offense. The Ravens are arguably essentially the most well-balanced crew within the NFL. The second loss to the Steelers in Week 18 wasn’t a superb look, however whenever you relaxation your famous person quarterback that’s the largest shock on the planet.
Having already locked up home-field benefit, which left coach Harbaugh with a choice, and he selected to go for Jackson to relaxation. And looking out again at Jackson’s historical past of lacking video games late within the season over the previous few years, that appears just like the sensible selection proper now. The final time the Ravens completed atop the AFC within the common season they confirmed up within the divisional spherical and have been upset by the Titans, 28-12.
That was a recreation wherein Jackson tossed the ball 59 instances enjoying from behind by your entire contest. Whereas Jackson was solely in his second 12 months as a professional, he was coming off an MVP marketing campaign — so to see the Ravens bounced in such a means was surprising. That doesn’t imply the identical destiny awaits this time round, however it’s obtained to be at the back of their minds. That loss seems like so way back, however we all know how historical past has a means of repeating itself. It’s as much as the Ravens to take away all doubt and show to the world they should be the favourite within the AFC.
