The Baltimore Ravens avoided falling into a trap after their upset win over the New England Patriots, easily taking care of business against the Cincinnati Bengals with a 49-13 win. The team has risen to 7-2 atop the AFC North. With their Week 10 win over the Bengals, we know quite a lot more about where Baltimore sits entering the second half of their season.
Here are the three biggest takeaways from the Ravens’ Week 10 victory:
1. Baltimore is hitting its stride
The Ravens got off to a hot start, going 2-0 with Lamar Jackson looking unstoppable. But then they lost the next two games with a defense that was frequently picked on and an offense that was struggling at times. Baltimore looked like it had patched up some of its weak spots in weeks 5 and 6 but still didn’t look like a real Super Bowl threat.
Then the Ravens went into Seattle and dominated the Seahawks in Week 7. It continued in Week 9 with an even more dominant over the previously undefeated Patriots. Both the offense and defense have been playing at a high level in recent weeks, and it has the Ravens well on their way to their second straight AFC North title.
2. The Marcus Peters trade changed the season for Baltimore
General manager Eric DeCosta traded linebacker Kenny Young and a fifth-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams for Marcus Peters before the Ravens’ Week 7 matchup against the Seahawks. The move was a low-risk, high-reward gamble for a team with a struggling secondary that was bringing down the whole defense.
And so far, the Ravens have been reaping the rewards. Peters’ ballhawking tendencies have fit well with Don Martindale’s aggressive defense. He immediately made his presence known with a pick-six of Russell Wilson in Week 7, and he had another one against the Bengals. With the recent return of Jimmy Smith from injury and the continued growth of Marlon Humphrey, Peters gives the Ravens one of the deepest and most dangerous secondaries in the entire league.
3. Lamar Jackson is playing at an MVP level
Entering this season, Jackson was a long shot to win league MVP with 50-1 odds. Most Ravens fans were simply hoping for him to show signs of growth as a passer. He started out strong and turned some heads, but in these last few weeks, Jackson has legitimately built a case for why he should be voted the NFL’s MVP.
Jackson led the Ravens to a win in Seattle, making defenders look like fools with his legs when the passing game couldn’t get going. Against the Patriots, Jackson and Baltimore’s offense hung 30 points on a defense that had stifled opponents to a 7.6-point average through the first eight weeks of the season, forcing the entire nation to realize that he was for real. With his second perfect passer rating in Week 10, he strengthened his case for the MVP award.
Jackson has led one of the best offenses in the league. His dynamic running ability and his much improved passing ability have made him a nightmare for opposing defenses almost every week.
