A season ago, they owned an NFL-best 13-4 record. They led the league in rushing and were led by the league’s Most Valuable Player. They gave up the fewest points in the league, totaled the most sacks, and were tied for the NFL lead in takeaways. They throttled the Houston Texans in the divisional playoffs, and hosted the AFC Championship Game for the first time.
Kansas City Chiefs 17, Baltimore Ravens 10.
At the start of the NFL’s 2024 campaign, John Harbaugh’s club looked like a much different club that dominated the previous season. The Ravens got off to a stunning 0-2 start. There was a tough 27-26 Thursday night loss at Kansas City, followed by a stunning 26-23 home setback to the Las Vegas Raiders in which Baltimore squandered a 10-point fourth quarter lead.
Ravens can clinch the AFC North title on Saturday
The Ravens would go on a five-game winning streak, then stumbled a bit over the next six weeks. When it was all said and done, Harbaugh’s club owned an 8-5 mark (1 more loss than in 2023) and took a 24-19 home loss to the Eagles into their off-week.
Apparently, the team got a wake-up call and stopped hitting the snooze button. Baltimore has won three straight games. They’ve totaled at least 31 points in each victory, and bested the Giants, as well as the playoff-bound Steelers and division-champion Texans by a combined 100-33 score.
Yes, the pass rush for Baltimore hasn’t been as potent as it was a year ago, but it’s making strides. Including last year’s playoff split with the Texans and Chiefs, the Ravens allowed a total of 307 points in 19 outings. This season, Harbaugh’s club has already surrendered 351 points, 13th in the NFL. Baltimore has just 15 takeaways in 16 contests, down considerably from a year ago. But this unit is making strides.
What Harbaugh does have is a dynamic 1-2 offensive punch in quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry. They have been named to the Pro Bowl, along with wideout Zay Flowers, fullback Patrick Ricard, and center Tyler Linderbaum. The team has scored 483 points this season, equaling last year’s total in one less contest, and the offense has reached the end zone 54 times in 16 outings, compared to 53 offensive TDs in 17 contests a year ago.
This Ravens’ team is playing its best football of the season, and can wrap up the AFC North top spot with a win over the Browns on Saturday afternoon. Are Harbaugh and company better equipped to reach the Super Bowl this time around?