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Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens look like Super Bowl favorites

By Cody Williams

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 25: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens warms up before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 25, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 25: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens warms up before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 25, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens have looked unstoppable lately and here’s why they might just be the favorites to win Super Bowl LIV.

After beating the Seahawks in Seattle, people started to respect the Baltimore Ravens. When Lamar Jackson and the birds ran through the Patriots, more fans took notice. Now, after three straight games of 41 or more points and victories over the Bengals, Texans and Rams (all by at least 34 points), they have won seven-straight games and look near-unbeatable.

On Monday Night Football in Week 12, Jackson and the Ravens stepped into the limelight again and delivered, winning 45-6 in a game that wasn’t much of a contest at all. Now sitting at 9-2 on the year, Baltimore occupies the No. 2 seed in the AFC Playoff picture. Of course, if they can stay this hot and the Patriots drop a game, the Ravens own that tiebreaker and would be the top seed.

But is this regular-season success all a facade or is it something that’s here to stay? For my money, it’s the latter. Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens aren’t just the NFL MVP and one of the most fun teams in the league — they’re a team that should be considered a favorite to win Super Bowl LIV.

Let’s delve into why that’s the case.

5. Diverse weaponry on offense

Outside of the quarterback, there’s no skill-position player on the Ravens offense that you would consider a top-five player at the position, save for maybe tight end Mark Andrews. But while this team may not have bonafide star power on offense, what they do have is a group of players that offer diverse looks for defenses to try and stop.

Joining the speedy Jackson in the backfield is a powerful, shifty veteran in Mark Ingram, giving the run game different looks. Meanwhile, the receiving corps has Marquise Brown, giving the team a speed threat that can work at any level, and two 50-50 big bodies in Willie Snead and Miles Boykin. Then there’s Andrews, who’s been a safety blanket and reliable option in the middle of the field and in the red zone, a perfect complement to the other pieces.

And let’s not forget the Ravens offensive line either. A unit that ranks top five in the league in run blocking, per Football Outsiders, has performed up to par at every turn this season. They’ve been a critical cog in making this dynamic run game and overall diverse attack tick.

Put simply, there’s no one player that a defense can hone in on stopping. And while that’s not uncommon for great NFL teams, the fact that the Ravens have this type of luxury at their disposal does nothing but confirm they are a great team and make them more difficult to stop.

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