Pro Football Focus (PFF) just started beta testing their new game simulator, and early results indicate that the Baltimore Ravens are in for a rough 2023. According to the machine, The Ravens will finish with an atrocious 6-11 record, setting them up for a top-10 pick instead of a push for the Super Bowl.
Obviously, it’s important to note that this tool is still in beta testing for a reason: the machine is still learning how to accurately process data, so some of the results are going to be a little strange. On top of that, even when beta testing is done, there is no machine that can predict the future with 100% accuracy. That being said, it’s still fun to take a look at what the PFF Game Simulator believes the future might hold for the Baltimore Ravens.
Baltimore Ravens Go 6-11 in PFF Game Simulator
Biggest Takeaways and Surprises
The Baltimore Ravens have one of the hardest schedules in the league, and it’s clear that the PFF Game Simulator does not believe the team is up for the challenge. According to the machine, the Ravens start the season with a woeful 2-6 record. You can understand why the Ravens might lose to Cincinnati and Detroit, but PFF also believes the Ravens will drop winnable matchups against the Indianapolis Colts (20-9), Cleveland Browns (9-6), and Arizona Cardinals (29-20).
Quite frankly, it’s hard to justify those projections. Maybe the Ravens lose the Browns game, but it’s hard to imagine a world where both teams only score a combined 15 points. The Colts and Cardinals games, meanwhile, make no sense in the slightest. Both teams have some of the worst rosters in football, and their quarterback situations leave a lot to be desired. Anthony Richardson has the talent to be a great quarterback, but he’s still raw and will probably battle through some growing pains in Year 1. Kyler Murray, meanwhile, is coming off of injury and even if he is on the field, probably won’t look like himself this early in the season.
The bad news doesn’t stop there, as the PFF Game Simulator also believes that the Ravens will go 1-5 in the division, with their lone win coming in a 40-7 blowout against the Cleveland Browns. All four of the Steelers and Bengals games will be somewhat close, but the machine doesn’t believe Baltimore will be able to seal the deal in those matchups.
Ravens Stats From the PFF Game Simulator
The PFF Game Simulator also includes projections for some of the top players on the Ravens. You might believe that a 6-11 record implies Lamar Jackson struggled, but this projection actually has him recording the best season of his career. The game simulator believes that the quarterback will complete 402 of his 565 passes (71.2%) for 5,131 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. These numbers do not include rushing yards, as PFF believes Jackson will add another 599 yards on the ground.
Day 1 of posting a Lamar Jackson passing highlight until people stop calling him a RB
— 𝘼𝙧𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘 (@AtlanticArctic) May 15, 2023
Quite frankly, this would be a historic season for the quarterback. While it’s not quite 6,000 yards, it’s easily the most in Jackson’s career. To date, the former MVP has yet to throw for more than 3,200 yards in a season, so projecting him to join the 5,000-yard club is certainly a bold prediction.
Of course, someone has to catch these passes, and the PFF Game Simulator believes that all three of the Ravens wide receivers will impress in 2023. Odell Beckham Jr leads the way with 72 receptions for 1,083 yards and three touchdowns, but Zay Flowers isn’t too far behind with 74 receptions for 925 yards and three touchdowns. Bateman, meanwhile, has a respectable season of his own, finishing the year with 57 receptions for 866 yards and nine touchdowns.
Main Photo: Brent Skeen – USA Today Sports
