The Baltimore Ravens fell one play short of reaching the postseason in 2017. On 4th and 12 with 53 seconds left on the clock, Andy Dalton hit Tyler Boyd down the seam for a 49-yard touchdown. The last-second play crushed Baltimore’s hopes of making the playoffs in 2017. Even though this was a devasting loss and horrible ending to their 2017-2018 season, it’s in the past now. The Baltimore Ravens will make the playoffs this year and end their three-year absence from the postseason.
Top Five Reasons the Baltimore Ravens Will Make the Playoffs in 2018
1. Top-Ranked Defense is Coming Back
In 2017, Baltimore’s defense ranked sixth in points allowed per game and 12th in yards allowed per game. The Ravens recorded three total shutouts in the 2017-2018 season against the Bengals, Dolphins, and Packers. The only real change to Baltimore’s defense is the loss of defensive coordinator Dean Pees, who left for the Tennessee Titans in the offseason.
To replace Pees, the Ravens promoted Dan “Wink” Martindale from Linebackers coach. So far, players are already raving about the freedom they’ve been given with the new system. Veterans such as Eric Weddle, C.J. Mosley, and Terrell Suggs have now been given free reign. This means they can diagnose and change the defense based on what they see from the opposing offense.
The depth at the cornerback position is also the strongest it’s been in years. With a healthy Jimmy Smith, an up-and-coming Marlon Humphrey, veteran Brandon Carr, and Tavon Young returning from an ACL tear last season to man the slot, the Ravens are loaded with talent at cornerback.
2. The Re-Emergence of Joe Flacco
Uncharacteristically, the Baltimore Ravens have missed the playoffs four out of the last five years. A big reason for that has been Joe Flacco‘s inconsistent play. Injuries, bad footwork in the pocket, and a lack of reliable pass catchers on the outside have all played a role in Flacco’s regression. The former Super Bowl MVP has played like a bottom 15 QB in this league. With fans getting restless, Baltimore officially put Flacco on the clock by drafting his successor, Lamar Jackson. Flacco now understands more than ever that he must come out and perform at a high level if he wants to continue to hold onto the starting job.
Last offseason, Flacco suffered a back injury and missed most of training camp and all of the preseason. This was a huge setback as he struggled mightily to find his consistency the first few games of the regular season. This offseason, Flacco seems to be 100% healthy and he’s making the most of it. According to Jamison Hensley, Flacco’s deep ball accuracy looks as good as it’s ever been. With new weapons at his disposal and the same offensive system, Flacco will have one of his best seasons.
3. Upgrades at the Receiver & Tight End positions
Once the offseason began, Ozzie Newsome made it clear he wanted to upgrade the receiver room. Baltimore brought in some fresh, new faces to try and revamp their offensive unit. Michael Crabtree, John Brown, and Willie Snead are veterans who are still hungry to prove themselves. Crabtree, who caught eight touchdown passes for the Raiders last year, will be the perfect red zone threat. Snead will be the reliable, possession receiver in the slot. Meanwhile, Brown is the burnert the Ravens have desperately needed these past few seasons.
The Baltimore Ravens also have a very good group of tight ends on their roster. Baltimore double dipped at tight end, selecting Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews. They will join tight end’s Nick Boyle, Maxx Williams and Vince Mayle on the roster. Training camp and pre-season will be a crucial time to see which players develop the most chemistry with Flacco. Flacco frequently targets tight ends, and the depth here is a good sign for the offense.
4. Great depth along the Offensive Line
The Ravens offensive line is a very underrated unit. Last season, they only gave up 26 total sacks. Most impressively, they did that without Marshall Yanda, their best offensive lineman. Yanda missed a total of 14 games with an ankle injury but James Hurst stepped in and performed extremely well in his absence. Baltimore rewarded Hurst with a four-year extension this offseason because he’s very versatile and can play both the tackle and guard position.
Ryan Jensen, who signed a huge deal with the Buccaneers this offseason, may seem like a huge loss for Baltimore. However, the Ravens have some good options to replace him on the roster. So far in offseason practices, Matt Skura and Alex Lewis have taken most of the reps at center. Lewis missed six games last year due to injury but is dependable all along the line.
Skura, on the other hand, only played guard for Baltimore last year. However, he will most likely win the starting center job because of his toughness and strong blocking at the point of attack. With former first-round pick Ronnie Stanley protecting Flacco’s blindside and rookie Orlando Brown Jr. most likely taking the reigns at right tackle, the Ravens are set at the tackle position for the near future.
5. Alex Collins is returning as the starting RB
It’s safe to say Seattle made a mistake getting rid of Alex Collins last season. In 15 games and 12 starts with Baltimore, Collins rushed the ball 212 times for 973 yards. He averaged 64.9 yards per game and 4.6 yards per carry. His production in the 2017-2018 season led to Baltimore tendering him as an exclusive rights free agent this offseason. Collins signed the exclusive-rights free-agent tender in April to return back to Baltimore and be their lead back for the 2018-2019 season.
Even though Collins was dominant rushing the ball last season, he was not much of a threat out of the backfield in the passing game. Last season, Collins only had 23 receptions for 187 yards on 36 targets. Pass catching, however, is something that Collins said he specifically worked on over the summer.
When asked about being more of a threat in the passing game, Collins said, “I can catch, I can protect, and I would love that role as well… I just want to be groomed into it.” Collins is hoping that with more opportunities, he can show that he’s effective as a runner and receiver. His goal this upcoming season is to prove that he can be an every-down back in the NFL. As long as he stays healthy, he can turn a lot of heads.
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