The last time Joe Flacco bet on himself, the Baltimore Ravens ended up on a platform next to Roger Goodell. You could say he is betting on himself again, trying to keep his job as the Ravens starting quarterback. Marshal Yanda and the rest of the offensive line are healthy. The defense is one of the best in the league. Every year there is a team that comes out of nowhere to make a strong playoff run. The Ravens are 40-1 to win the Super Bowl. This is why as a dark horse, the Baltimore Ravens are Super Bowl contenders.
Making the Case That the Baltimore Ravens Are Super Bowl Contenders
The Offense
Yanda is going to be the most important offensive player for the Ravens this year. He is arguably the best guard if not lineman of his generation. A full season will do wonders for Flacco and Alex Collins. Collins should have a great second season with the Ravens. Averaging 4.6 yards per carry in 2017 on 212 carries, Collins is looking to break the 1,000-yard mark. Collins slowed down a bit, only averaging 3.8 yards per carry after the week 10 bye. He should put together a better season, as he is expected to be the lead back for the year.
The passing game should be much better in 2018. John Brown, Michael Crabtree, Willie Snead, and Hayden Hurst are all new weapons. Hurst is out for a few weeks but should be back around week three or four. Every single receiver is an upgrade over what the team had last year. Going back to Yanda and the offensive line, their health should give Flacco time to put up good numbers. Brown has looked good in camp and had reinvigorated Flacco’s big arm, reminiscent of Torrey Smith. It’s going to come down to Flacco again to prove the Baltimore Ravens are Super Bowl contenders.
The Defense
Jimmy Smith will be back from his suspension in Week Five. In his place, Marlon Humphrey is going to look to build on an impressive rookie year in 2017. The Ravens have arguably the best safety tandem in football. Eric Weddle has made up for a lost step by playing incredibly smart. Tony Jefferson is his partner at strong safety and fills the box admirably. Brandon Williams is one of the better interior defensive linemen in football. Next to Michael Pierce and Terrell Suggs, the Ravens get great pressure on the opposing quarterback. They will be looking to break into the top 10 in sacks, finishing at 11th with 41 in 2017.
An interesting position battle to watch for the Ravens is the weakside linebacker. Patrick Onwuasor and Kenny Young are battling it out and should share snaps. Onwuasor is the veteran in this case, with Young being drafted this year in the fourth round. Patrick Onwuasor was second in the team in tackles last year, but Young has looked great in camp. Onwuasor will likely start the year, but watch for Young to make an impact as the season goes on. Inside linebacker is the weak spot on this team. If these two can play well in 2018, the defense will be incredibly formidable.
The Schedule
With the Le’Veon Bell holdout, the division may be up for grabs. The Ravens are going to need to start out strong if there are going to make a playoff run. The Ravens are favored in their first three games against the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, and Denver Broncos. They then have the toughest stretch in all of football, which I wrote about in depth. If they can get through Weeks 5-8 at 2-2, they will be on a great path for the playoffs. It’s not going to be easy though, which is why the first three games are incredibly important.
The Last word
It doesn’t sound like anyone outside of Baltimore expects the Ravens to make a run this year. The team seems to be better than last year when they finished 9-7. Coming into 2018, they have a healthier offensive line than they did heading into 2017. The weapons all around on offense are better. The defense hasn’t really lost anyone and is only more experienced. There is always a team that makes a surprise run into February to play for the title. This is why the Baltimore Ravens are Super Bowl contenders.
