With the best record in the NFL last year at 13-4, the Baltimore Ravens will look to repeat success as the league’s best. After losing in the AFC title game in their building 17-10 to the Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs, they will have a chance to set the tone early with a win, or loss against the two-time back-to-back champs.
Last year, this offense got the benefit of the doubt, as it was the first season with Todd Monken and Lamar Jackson in his system. There were flashes of greatness, but the inconsistencies from Jackson and the guys around him were enough to cost them offensively at the end.
Despite beating the league’s best in the NFC, especially in 2023, the Ravens get to match up with the NFC East and AFC West in this upcoming year. The AFC North will be tough as it always is, being the best division record-wise from last season.
Along with the roster turnover on defense with a new coordinator Zach Orr, Baltimore will have to settle business as usual in the regular season and lock in for the playoffs for me, as a fan, to be convinced this is a team that can get to the big dance under head coach John Harbaugh.
Baltimore Ravens: Easiest Stretch
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Contrary to popular belief, I think the Raven’s schedule is easier than their later half. Sure, Baltimore faces the Chiefs in their opener, and then the Dallas Cowboys away for Week 3, to come home against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4. But they get the Las Vegas Raiders in their home opener in Week 2, and I would say that can, more likely than not, be a win for the Purple and Black.
Right after that and even in between, there are enough games against I would say, average to below-average, teams are sprinkled in compared to later in 2024.
It is pretty mixed even with saying that, as Weeks 5-9 has the Ravens against division rival Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, so that is always not easy. The Buccaneer’s game in Tampa Bay might be a high-scoring game in Week 7 but one Baltimore should take care of. The Flock also gets the Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos at home.
I would say those are favorable games for Baltimore, as double-digit wins might be the minimum and a potential AFC North repeat champion should be expected for them, even with all the changes within the team and across the league.
Baltimore Ravens: Toughest Stretch
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With the second most prime-time games, with 5, and facing the most playoff teams from 2023, at a league-high 10 in 2024, the Ravens are in for a challenge. Technically, it is 7 standalone games if you count the Saturday afternoon game in Week 16 against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers and the Christmas game against the Houston Texans (17) the week after.
This is similar to last year, as Baltimore dismantled the NFC’s best Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, and San Francisco 49ers. The Miami Dolphins game last in the season was another barn burner, taking care of the rest outside of the AFC North and besides the Indianapolis Colts (in overtime) early in the year.
The Ravens will get some rest, as they have 16 extra days over their opponents, according to ESPN’s Brian Burke.
Even with that stat, Baltimore has a brutal stretch late in the season, with a ridiculous three-game turnaround within 10 days over the holidays. This is in Week 15-17, with two of those games away, at a crucial time when playoff stakes are potentially on the line.
Before those games, Baltimore will face the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank, their biggest test on paper in the later portion of the season. They also play in the first week of the preseason, as that game is before their Week 14 bye week. For Thanksgiving weekend, John will face his brother, Jim, and the Chargers in Week 12 in Los Angeles at SoFi.
Baltimore Ravens: Important Games
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Ultimately, the key games for the Ravens will be their division games and how they finish at the end of the season, heading into the playoffs. Baltimore fell to the Steelers twice in 2023, while the Bengals didn’t have Joe Burrow fully healthy for most of the year.
Pittsburgh is a total wild card, as they did improve their quarterback situation and still won 10 games with Mike Tomlin as head coach once again.
The Browns split their games with them, so those games will still be toss-ups to who shows up for the pivotal matchup, especially when Baltimore plays them late in 2024. That could have playoff implications in Week 18, as the Ravens face them as the home finale this upcoming season.
I am sure the Texans have Week 17 circled, as Baltimore beat them in the AFC divisional game in the playoffs in 2023. The beginning of the season is still going to be an uphill climb, seeing how they combat certain opponents that are playoff caliber and battle-tested for the rest of the 2024 NFL season.
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