With the season less than two weeks away, it’s time to start looking at the 2016 Baltimore Ravens schedule and see what is in store for this year’s Ravens. This year’s slate of games looks a lot different than most other previous years, and last year’s disappointing 5-11 season might have something to do with that. For starters, the Ravens only have two primetime games on the schedule, a far cry from the five games last season. Due to some of the lowest expectations in recent years for this franchise, the NFL did not deem the Ravens worthy of the number of primetime games as they have in years past. Another big difference in schedule is the level of difficulty. The Ravens are tied with the Houston Texans for the 19th hardest regular season schedule (.484 2015 winning percentage). Being dealt the NFC and AFC East divisions looks to be way less arduous than the NFC and AFC West draw of the 2015 season.
Other highlights of the 2016 schedule include a Christmas Day showing against the bitter rival Pittsburgh Steelers, a seemingly easy start to the season with only one 2015 playoff team in the first seven games (a home tilt against the cross-town rival Washington Redskins in Week 5), and a very difficult end of the schedule with away meetings against the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cincinnati Bengals sandwiched around a home matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles in the last four weeks of the season. Lastly, a big reason behind the Ravens deceptively low level of difficulty schedule comes in the form of the two “wild-card” games (as in, the two games a year that are not pre-determined by division scheduling). In Weeks 3 and 4 this season the Ravens play at the Jacksonville Jaguars and host the Oakland Raiders. Looking at their win-loss records from last year this does not seem like a difficult two-game stretch. However, these two teams are thought of as two of the up-and-coming young teams in the league so these games might end up being way more grueling than originally believed.
2016 Baltimore Ravens Schedule Analysis:
Week 1 vs. Buffalo Bills
At home to start the season, the Ravens look to have the upper edge against the Buffalo Bills especially as they’ll be down star defensive tackle Marcell Dareus as well as rookie first round pick Shaq Lawson to start the season. Interesting tidbit: Newly handsomely-paid quarterback Tyrod Taylor makes his return to Baltimore.
Prediction: Ravens win (1-0)
Week 2 at Cleveland Browns
The first away game of the year comes at a beautiful time against the very low expectation filled Cleveland Browns. The Browns do not seem poised to be very competitive this season and barring an extremely disappointing showing by the Ravens a win should be in order here.
Prediction: Ravens win (2-0)
Week 3 at Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville looks like a team that absolutely can surprise people with their much-improved defense and already electric offense. A rematch of last year’s thriller (and unfortunate Ravens loss) the Jaguars definitely have what it takes to pull off what some might consider a slight upset.
Prediction: Jaguars win (2-1)
Week 4 vs. Oakland Raiders
Everything said above about the Jaguars could be said about this matchup against the Raiders, but the difference here is the home-field advantage the Ravens will have. The Ravens have traditionally played extremely well at home and will look to avenge last year’s last-second loss.
Prediction: Ravens win (3-1)
Week 5 vs. Washington Redskins
This home game against the cross-town rival ‘Skins looks to have a lot of fireworks. Both teams look to have some firepower coming into the season as well as potentially struggling secondaries. Even with the home crowd behind them, the Ravens will struggle to contain Kirk Cousins, DeSean Jackson, and company.
Prediction: Redskins win (3-2)
Week 6 at New York Giants
This might be an underrated test for the Ravens. Looking at the roster, one of the bigger weaknesses looks to be at the cornerback position and the Giants are likely to be very electric passing the football this year with Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. leading the charge. The Ravens are probably the more talented team and will likely finish with a better record than the Giants but this looks like a tough matchup.
Prediction: Giants win (3-3)
Week 7 at New York Jets
This matchup looks better on paper for the Ravens than the previous New York matchup. Also, the Ravens were given a huge helper in the schedule by putting both New York games back-to-back potentially minimizing the travel time for the team. There is no way the Ravens would be happy with losing both games on this New York trip so the Ravens will likely pull this one out.
Prediction Ravens win (4-3)
Week 8 BYE
The bye comes smack in the middle of the season which will probably be beneficial so the Ravens can rest up.
Week 9 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
This is the first meeting in perhaps the biggest rivalry in the NFL. The home game against the Steelers is probably the biggest game of the year for the Ravens. No matter the success level of each team, this game is always close (see last year’s five-win Raven team pulling off two upsets against the ten win Steelers) and always a joy to watch. The Ravens will win the home matchup between these two rivals.
Prediction: Ravens win (5-3)
Week 10 vs. Cleveland Browns
The second matchup against the Cleveland Browns should be similar to the first matchup. The better team does not always win in the NFL, but in this case, they will, especially at home and in primetime.
Prediction: Ravens win (6-3)
Week 11 at Dallas Cowboys
This game is hard to decipher. With Tony Romo out 6-10 weeks, he definitely could be back by this matchup, but who really knows given his history? As for his replacement, fourth-round rookie Dak Prescott has impressed mightily this preseason. But let’s be honest, the preseason is nothing compared to the regular season so it remains to be seen what he will be. With Romo in the fold the Cowboys can totally cause some damage against the Ravens secondary, but without him, which just feels more likely, the Ravens probably have the advantage against the abysmal Cowboys defense.
Prediction: Ravens win (7-3)
Week 12 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
The Ravens now enter the really tough part of the schedule. Last year’s division champions come into town and recently have had the Ravens number. But the Bengals might struggle a little more than usual this season with all their injuries already and free-agent defections. Even still, this game will be difficult.
Prediction: Bengals win (7-4)
Week 13 vs. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are always an enigma. The roster always looks solid but then they usually disappoint. Ryan Tannehill probably has one more chance to really prove his worth and the young receiver corps looks threatening. But the Ravens should have the upper hand in this one.
Prediction: Ravens win (8-4)
Week 14 at New England Patriots
Probably the most difficult game on the schedule. A road trip up to Foxboro to visit the Patriots is about as tough as it gets. The Ravens always play the Patriots well and honestly have outplayed them in almost every one of their meetings of late, but this team will be hard to defeat.
Prediction: Patriots win (8-5)
Week 15 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are going through a rebuilding season so this one should not be too difficult for the Ravens. But Week 15 could mean Carson Wentz time and if you are as much of a believer as some are, he may cause problems to some of the teams later on in the year.
Prediction: Ravens win (9-5)
Week 16 at Pittsburgh Steelers
The away matchup later on in the year in this rivalry will be much more challenging for the Ravens than the first one. Again, every game in this rivalry usually is pretty close but it is a lot to ask of the Ravens to sweep their rivals two years in a row.
Prediction: Steelers win (9-6)
Week 17 at Cincinnati Bengals
The final game of the regular season might end up being for the division crown or a wild-card berth. The Ravens play pretty well with their backs against the wall (see their playoff record since head coach John Harbaugh and quarterback Joe Flacco joined the team in 2008) and do not look like a team that will lose to Cincinnati twice this year. The Ravens will pull off this win and finish the season in great shape.
Prediction: Ravens win (10-6)
Considering the Ravens finished with only five wins in an injury-rattled season a year ago, a ten win season is a success and should lead to a playoff berth in the wide-open AFC. A successful bounce-back season looks to be waiting in the wings for the Baltimore Ravens, and the schedule most certainly helps.
