After an impressive 14-2 record in 2019 when Lamar Jackson was nominated. Most Valuable Player of the YearThe house of the Ravens has three seasons with ups and downs. The loss to the Titans was avenged one playoff round later, but it feels like the division’s sensational missed opportunity was too good to pass up. Postseason losses to the Bills and Bengals in the last two playoff games, and a season loss between them, are understandable, with each team better equipped for the Super Bowl and the other with too many injuries to compete at the highest level. Jackson’s involution as an MVP that regular season was minor but permanent, further exacerbated by some physical problems. However, a monstrous new five-year $260 million contract signed this summer speaks for itself: Baltimore went all-in on the Louisville quarterback.who can’t afford a further decline in numbers so as not to jeopardize the future of one of the most solid franchises of the recent past in the NFL.
VIOLATIONS
The balance of positives always tilts in favor of Jackson.: 2,242 passing yards and 17 touchdown passes with only 7 interceptions, plus 764 yards and 3 extra rushing touchdowns. However, many of the 11 losses in total, including 4 fumbles, came at delicate moments in the game, and overall there was a sense that the quarterback was still missing something as the tension escalated. The knee injury from week 12 has recovered and a new contract has been signed, so it’s all in his hands now. Everything, inclusive one of the best broad admissions departments available to him after graduating from college. Along with Rashod Bateman, selected 27th overall in the 2021 draft and still expected to make a decisive improvement after two seasons with 800 total receiving yards, will be rookies Odell Beckham, Nelson Agholore and Zai Flowers. In five regular seasons with at least ten games played, Beckham has always passed the 1,000-yard mark, but the wide receiver hasn’t been on the field since winning the Super Bowl with a first touchdown with the Rams on February 14. , 2022. Traveler Agolor in the Patriots hasn’t touched the spikes he’s seen in the past, and a single 362 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 fumbles in 2022 marks a point of no return if he doesn’t restart play. But attention to Flowers: the Boston College product, selected 22nd overall in the last draft, is dynamic, versatile and has a lot of explosive power in the open field. Characteristics that could soon make him the reference receiver for Jackson, even though height and physique remain limited.
Another key point guard for the Ravens is tight end Mark Andrews., who literally exploded in 2021 with 1,361 yards and 9 touchdowns, fell to 847 yards and 5 touchdowns in the hope that a healthy and calm Jackson can return him to his former glory next season. Another attack force in Baltimore no doubt his offensive line is one of the best in the league. Ben Powers’ rocky start in the Broncos will be filled with Ben Cleveland and John Simpson, but he remains the only weak link in a department that has two great tackles, Ronnie Stanley on the left and Morgan Moses on the right, another fantastic defenseman. Kevin Zeitler and solid center Tyler Linderbaum. Line efficiency is key to maintaining and possibly increasing last season’s impressive 2,720 yards with five different players over 250: Justice Hill (262), Gus Edwards (433), Kenyan Drake (482), J.K. Dobbins (520) and of course, Jackson (764). Everything is confirmed for next season except for Drake, but Dobbins’ performance is limited by injury to just eight games and 92 carries (5.7 yards average), and he’s poised to move up significantly with any luck in 2023.
PROTECTION
As such, the offense is excellent, and the same can be said for the Ravens’ home defense. The top seven will suffer for Justin Houston’s 9.5 sacks and Kale Campbell’s 5.5, but he can count on Patrick Quinn’s impressive numbers of 117 tackles, 5 sacks, 9 tackles on losses, 6 deflected passes, 2 steals and 2 recovered balls. and in 2022, the LSU product, essentially the current head of the department, will be issued. Speaking of linebackers, Roquan Smith’s arrival was felt right away: he brought in 86 tackles, 2 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, 3 passes deflected and 1 interception in just nine games played in Baltimore, with hopes of returning them to the lead. fantastic seasons in Chicago starting from the first week. Rounding out the roster are Odafe Ove, with just 8 sacks in two years of NFL play, and David Ohabo, who only played two games in 2022, but promotes an influx of young talent, which makes the department, obviously ready to explode, very interesting. They also include an exceptional newcomer: Jadaveon Clooney, the first overall pick in the 2014 draft, a three-time professional bowler from 2016 to 2018, and yearning for redemption after a disappointing adventure with the Browns. Less intriguing is a three-man line-up led by Justin Madubuike, who scored 5.5 sacks last season, supported by Michael Pierce and Broderick Washington.
However, there is little doubt when the discussion turns to the extremely minor role of the Ravens.. At cornerbacks, the Raiders’ Rock Ya-Sin and the Broncos’ Ronald Darby arrived as free agents, ready to lend a helping hand to the exceptional Marlon Humprey, who amassed 71 tackles, 3 sacks, 3 tackles to lose, 7 passes saved and 3 interception, and also allowed only 46 receptions out of 70 targets in which he participated. An important departure is the safety of Chuck Clark, who married the Jets, while Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams remained steadfast. The 14th pick in the 2022 draft from Notre Dame left everyone breathless in his NFL rookie, and while he has yet to celebrate his first professional interception, he has all the characteristics to be an absolute draft hero. . near future. Williams, on the other hand, compiled 4 interceptions, which, combined with 8 deflected passes and just 14 receptions allowed in ten games played, makes the value of a terrific secondary ball all the more apparent.
SPECIAL TEAM
Speaking of outstanding players, no kicker in the NFL can match Justin Tucker’s reliability and efficiency. While his 2022 has been a little less exciting than the rest of his crazy career, with 86% field goals (37/43) and 9/14 from 50+ yards, Tucker hasn’t dropped below 89% in a single season since 2015. and this figure is enough to expect the best in the near future. However, Jordan Stout’s rookie season was very good, averaging 40.9 yards per punt and slipping within 20 yards on 26 attempts. Similarly, Deven DuVernay has provided confidence in the returner’s role and will be offered again as an all-rounder in the next regular season: 11.9 yards per punt and 25.5 per kickoff, with a touchdown included in the price.
COACHING COMPOSITION
John Harbaugh has been on the bench since 2008., eventually became one of the best head coaches the NFL has known in decades. His regular season record includes 147 wins in 242 games and ten playoff qualifiers in fifteen seasons, culminating in Super Bowl XLVII success. A year ago, Harbaugh signed a three-year extension with Baltimore through 2025, and the first semi-miracle was his last postseason qualifying despite countless injuries on the roster, including Jackson’s injuries within weeks. It was on his quarterback that he decided to rely, along with new offensive coordinator Todd Monken., who previously held the same role between the Buccaneers and the Browns before winning back-to-back NCAA national championships as Georgia Coordinator. Instead, Mike McDonald was confirmed as defensive coordinator and was looking forward to another all-time season like the one just finished in hopes of getting Baltimore back to the big game.
Expected record: 10-7
Offenses – 7.5
Protection – 8
Coaching staff – 8.5
8
The all-in on Jackson is Harbaugh’s attempt to get back into the Super Bowl: an attack to be found and a top-notch defense must do their part.
