People aren’t entirely sure what to think about the Baltimore Ravens in 2019. Some pundits are feeling pretty low about their chances of even making the postseason, while others think they might be the best team in the league.
Regardless of how anyone feels about Baltimore right now, there seems to be an understanding the Ravens are heading in the right direction. With a young quarterback, a retooled defense and some intriguing offensive additions, Baltimore is trending upward after making the postseason last year.
While things could change in year two (for better or for worse), here are four reasons why the Ravens will win Super Bowl LIV.
Lamar Jackson
Jackson himself is a reason why the Ravens could win the Super Bowl in 2020. After an impressive rookie season, Jackson has shown improvements as a passer this offseason. He looks poised for a big jump in his second season.
As a rookie, Jackson only started the final seven regular-season games but he completed 99-of-170 passes for 1,201 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. On the ground, he added 695 rushing yards and another five touchdowns.
Jackson’s maturation has been astounding. He’s grown not only as a passer but as a leader. In practices, he’s been seen asserting himself, telling players to get in the right position and making sure everyone knows the play call in the huddle. It might not sound like a lot, but that leadership and accountability make an impact on the field too.
With his ability to make plays on the ground and his improved accuracy, footwork and decision making, Jackson has all of the tools to be a top-10 quarterback.
Depth, depth and more depth
Something the Ravens pride themselves on year in and year out is having quality players down their depth chart. That hasn’t changed this season, as the team has quality pieces all over the field.
In the NFL, the most talented team doesn’t always win, especially by the end of the season. The team that has the fewest injuries and the best quality depth is likely the team that’ll go the furthest.
For Baltimore, cornerback is their prime example. The defense has three starting-caliber cornerbacks: Marlon Humphrey, Jimmy Smith and Brandon Carr. They arguably had four with Tavon Young, but a neck injury that put him on injured reserve has the Ravens dipping into their depth chart. Baltimore now turns to a combination of Cyrus Jones, Anthony Averett and Carr to fill Young’s role as a slot corner.
The Ravens have three good tight ends, three good running backs, three promising inside linebackers and several good safeties. They even have a starting-caliber backup quarterback in Robert Griffin III. If injuries hit hard, this team has the depth to get through them. That’ll matter in December and January.
Revamped offense
The Ravens finally seem to have gotten the memo that you need an offense from this century in order to compete.
They fired offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg and promoted Greg Roman. They added running back Mark Ingram in free agency. They brought in intriguing weapons through the draft with Marquise Brown, Miles Boykin and Justice Hill. Though they might not suddenly turn into the New Orleans Saints overnight, those strides will make a huge difference in 2019.
Roman threw out the old playbook that was a mishmash from several former coordinators. Instead, Roman said he redefined everything and created a scheme that fit the players on the roster — something Ravens fans had been complaining about over the last decade. By simply tailoring the offense to Baltimore’s strengths, they should improve automatically.
But with several big weapons on the field, the Ravens have a pick-your-poison style of offense. If a defense puts extra emphasis on stopping the run game, Jackson will have weapons down the field. If a team shuts down the middle of the field, guys like Brown and Boykin should be open on the outside. If, as the Chargers did in the playoffs last season, a defense puts extra defensive backs on the field to keep Jackson from running, misdirection plays down the field should be there.
It might not be the ideal offense that can beat every team with just one thing, but it’s a sustainable offensive strategy that should work regardless of the opponent.
An (almost) wide-open NFL
This year, there aren’t any real juggernaut teams. Outside of the Chiefs, Patriots, Saints and Rams, few teams look like locks to even make the postseason.
Though the Cleveland Browns have been anointed the champions of the offseason, they haven’t proved anything yet. The Houston Texans sit at the top of their division but still have plenty of questions after trading Jadeveon Clowney. The Indianapolis Colts lost quarterback Andrew Luck to retirement. The Chargers and running back Melvin Gordon are locked in a contract dispute. The New England Patriots have been cycling through tight ends looking for Rob Gronkowski’s replacement, and look like they’re trying to replace their entire offensive line with trades at the last minute. The Pittsburgh Steelers lost their two biggest offensive weapons and are questionable on defense.
