Ravens Prove Dismissal as Super Bowl Contenders Was Premature
The question posed by some pundits coming out of the Ravens’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 1 was whether they should still be considered legitimate Super Bowl contenders.
After Baltimore’s resilient, 24-10 win over the Colts in Indianapolis on Sunday, the narrative has changed.
“The Ravens cannot be dismissed as a top contender after they made the best of their worst possible week,” The Baltimore Sun’s Childs Walker wrote.
That week included All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley suffering a season-ending ankle injury, All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey testing positive for COVID-19, and several key defensive players missing practice practically all week. Things got even gloomier Sunday when All-Pro defensive end Calais Campbell exited the game with a calf injury during the first series, and the offense was stifled in the first half.
The Ravens seized control of the game in the second half, however, winning the battle on both sides of the ball and reaffirming their status as one of the league’s top teams.
“Many pundits seemed to write off the Ravens’ chances in the AFC North after they faltered at home against the undefeated Steelers,” Walker wrote. “That loss, combined with their sudden rash of high-profile injuries and [Lamar] Jackson’s uneven performance, marked them as a falling star.
“After the Colts victory, which put the Ravens on a 12-win pace halfway through their schedule, the pessimism feels like an overreaction. By metrics such as point differential and Football Outsiders’ DVOA, they never stopped being one of the league’s best.”
NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal wrote: “Outside of the defending champions, there still isn’t a team in either conference I trust more.”
One of the main reasons Rosenthal is bullish on the Ravens is their defense.
“I believe this group of Ravens defenders, ranked first in points allowed, is their best since Ray Lewis, Haloti Ngata, Terrell Suggs and Ed Reed roamed the land,” Rosenthal wrote. “The addition of Yannick Ngakoue gives Defensive Coordinator Don Martindale even more options when it comes to deploying his creative blitzes and excellent man-coverage secondary.
“Baltimore’s defense suffocated AFC contenders Pittsburgh and Indianapolis in successive weeks, with Jackson’s turnovers against the Steelers being the only reason there isn’t full-throated ‘The Ravens are back!’ talk after their win over the Colts.”
