After months and months of waiting, the Baltimore Ravens are finally set to begin their season against the New York Jets. While this game isn’t expected to be too competitive, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for Ravens bold predictions before the contest.
Baltimore Ravens Bold Predictions: Week 1 vs New York Jets
1. Isaiah Likely Scores Two Touchdowns
Anyone that has even passively followed Baltimore’s training camp knows that rookie tight end Isaiah Likely has stolen the show. The Coastal Carolina product impressed throughout practices, and that skill translated to the preseason. Recent reports state that he’ll be the third option in the passing attack, which is almost unheard of for a fourth-round tight end.
Seeing as he’ll get playing time, it’s not too much of a stretch to think that Likely could find the endzone against a subpar Jets defense. With Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman earning most of the defensive attention, Likely is in a perfect spot to show the world that his impressive summer was just the beginning of what is to come.
Isaiah Likely this preseason:
🟣 7 forced missed tackles on receptions (most since 2015)
🟣 94.1 receiving grade (best in PFF era)
🟣 100% catch rate (12/12) pic.twitter.com/ZpAlhX9yiV
— PFF BAL Ravens (@PFF_Ravens) September 6, 2022
2. Kyle Hamilton Sacks and Picks Off Joe Flacco
Speaking of rookies, Baltimore’s first-round pick is set for a big game against one of the most iconic players in franchise history. Former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco will face off against his former team in Week 1, but he shouldn’t expect to receive too warm of a welcome once the game starts. There is a reason he’s been a backup for most of the past four years, and versatile rookie Kyle Hamilton could take advantage of the aging passer.
Hamilton is a safety by name, but there is a good chance that Baltimore uses him in a hybrid role as a pseudo-linebacker. This means that he’ll spend a decent amount of time both as a blitzer and dropping into coverage against tight ends and linebackers. The Jets do not have a great offensive line, and Hamilton should be able to get home on a few well-timed blitzes. While Hamilton will likely need time to fully develop his coverage skills, he might end up hauling in an errant Flacco pass before the night is done.
3. Rashod Bateman Hits 100 Receiving Yards
Rashod Bateman is one of the biggest X-factors on the Baltimore Ravens roster. After showing some flashes as a rookie, the Ravens have essentially gone all-in on him being the real deal. With Marquise Brown in Arizona, Bateman will thrive as the top outside option in this passing attack. While Likely will earn the red zone looks in these bold predictions, Bateman will be primarily responsible for getting the Ravens in the red zone in the first place. Going up against Sauce Gardner won’t be easy, so having this type of game would just be all the more impressive for Baltimore’s young wideout.
4. Lamar Jackson Has More Rushing Yards Than Every Ravens Back Combined
In case you hadn’t noticed, the Baltimore Ravens are hurting at running back. J.K. Dobbins may or may not play, and even if he does suit up, he probably won’t get his full workload. This means that Mike Davis and Kenyan Drake will be a part of this rotation, and neither guy is a particularly great player at this point in their respective career. Assuming Dobbins can suit up, this will likely be a three-headed committee with all three failing to do much on the ground.
Jackson, meanwhile, is arguably the most dangerous running threat in the game. He’s easily the most explosive runner in Baltimore’s backfield and he should have no trouble outrunning the relatively underwhelming New York Jets front seven. Maybe Dobbins, Drake, and Davis eclipse Jackson in garbage time, but Jackson should run circles around his running back counterparts.
