Baltimore Ravens: Starting Ryan Mallett would be a win-win

For as much of an unmitigated disaster as Ryan Mallett was as a member of the Houston Texans, the Baltimore Ravens would be making a wise decision if they start him in Week 16 and 17.

At 4-10, the Baltimore Ravens have nothing to play for other than pride and a draft slot, and there’s plenty of pride on the line in the final two weeks of the season. Facing the red-hot Pittsburgh Steelers, who are fresh off of big wins over the Cincinnati Bengals and Denver Broncos, in Week 16 and another elite rival in the Bengals, who figure to have Andy Dalton back by that time, in Week 17 is no easy task. However, the Ravens are under no pressure, and they could be big-time spoilers against both of these AFC North teams with huge postseason aspirations.

ALSO ON SPIN ZONE: Who are the greatest head coaches in NFL history?

All the Ravens are aspiring for right now is to steal a game or two and maybe find their backup quarterback in the process. According to ESPN NFL Nation’s Jamison Hensley, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh stated that the team is considering starting Ryan Mallett, who was signed last week as a high-upside backup, this week against the Steelers.

More from NFL Spin Zone

• Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
• Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
• Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
• Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
• Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens

No final decision has been made, but the fact that the Ravens seem to want to get Mallett on the field so quickly is incredibly interesting, particularly since there aren’t many other storylines surrounding the Ravens.

Starting Mallett would be a decision that has little to do with the competency of the other healthy quarterbacks on the roster, because even though the Ravens were blown out by the Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks, you can’t fault journeyman second-stringer Jimmy Clausen for his work in either game. Not only do the Chiefs and Seahawks feature two of the best pass defenses that the NFL has to offer, but Clausen managed to avoid embarrassing himself in either game, which is all you can ask for out of a non-starter against two elite foes.

The Steelers pass defense is a much easier beast to crack, which is why it makes more sense to move on to Mallett in this type of a game. Since Mallett was just signed and is still learning the offense, you can’t fairly evaluate him against a beastly pass defense. But against Pittsburgh? Now you have a fair shot to see what he can do, especially with Kamar Aiken and Jeremy Butler doing some nice things at the wide receiver position.

Mallett, as per Hensley in the piece above, has impressed the Ravens with his work ethic, which is a development that cannot be understated. We all know just how much Mallett’s attitude and work ethic were put into question as a member of the Texans, and he completely failed Bill O’Brien in Houston. Now that he has a second chance, he’s apparently done everything possible to reward the Ravens organization for their faith in him, and greater maturity on his part can help him in his ultimate goal to earn a starting job somewhere (it sure as heck wouldn’t be in Baltimore with Joe Flacco on the roster).

If Mallett fails, then the Ravens will know they cannot rely on him as a backup and will instead roll with a more reliable veteran. Of the quarterbacks on the roster, only Mallett is signed through 2016, as both Clausen and Matt Schaub were inked to one-year deals as emergency options. Mallett is the one with the long-term potential that Harbaugh and the Ravens crave, so the impetus to get him on the field is completely understandable; they need to know if he can be the answer behind Flacco.

Dec 20, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Ryan Mallett (7) looks on prior to the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

Additionally, failure on Mallett’s fault would likely result in two more losses for the Ravens, and a 4-12 record is more preferable to a 6-10 record from the front office’s perspective.

Coaches, fans, and players hate losing, but the front office could at least take solace in the fact that they have a better pick and that they know they’ll have to target a better backup option.

Now, if Mallett succeeds- or, at least, shows the Ravens sufficient progress or ability- then they can feel confident in keeping him around as Flacco’s backup in 2016. Success on Mallett’s part would also help the front office, because everyone likes a potential trade chip on their roster at the second-string quarterback spot.

Teams, such as the Ravens, always have interest in strong-armed QBs they feel they can use or groom, so, again, increased maturity on Mallett’s part would aid his trade value. Even if this boost is only marginal, it’s still a nice “secondary benefit” to the primary benefit of having a legit backup QB around.

Next: What are the greatest teams in NFL history?

And, oh yeah, if he plays well enough, then the Ravens could upset the Steelers, Bengals, or both. The benefits to this? Let’s just say, they are quite clear to the fan base, players, and coaching staff.

For the record, I have absolutely no faith in Mallett, and yet I can see the benefits to giving him a start in the final two contests.