When the Baltimore Ravens paired running back Derrick Henry with quarterback Lamar Jackson, the last thing they envisioned was an 0-2 start.

Contrary to head coach John Harbaugh’s assertion that Henry — a first-ballot Hall of Fame lock and the fifth player in NFL history with 10,000-plus rushing yards and more than 100 touchdowns in his first 125 games — wasn’t brought in to “be the guy that gets the ball 30 times a game,” it’s clear after ripping off four straight wins that Henry is the fulcrum of this offense.

Henry has racked up 575 total scrimmage yards throughout this winning streak, averaging 132 yards per game en route to solidifying himself as the NFL’s leading rusher. He’s currently on pace for around 2,000 total yards and 25 touchdowns, which would likely make him the NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

Some pundits have even made the case that Henry is the league MVP, but those watching games know Jackson is the key to making this offense hum.  

Since Baltimore’s consecutive losses to open the season, Jackson has posted 1,245 total yards and 10 touchdowns. Over that stretch, he completed 70% of his passes while rushing for five yards a carry.   

It’s not rocket science that when defenses are loading the box to stop Henry, wide receivers Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers have more room to work with downfield — giving Jackson larger throwing windows. 

And when opposing coordinators key in on those threats out on the perimeter, Jackson can feed tight ends Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, and Charlie Kolar off of run fakes. 

This versatility has helped the Ravens finish drives at a supremely high level this season, as they are tied for the NFL lead with a 75% red zone touchdown rate — scoring on three out of every four trips inside the 20.

There’s no question this is the most multiple offense Jackson has played in so far in his career. He no longer is required to lead Baltimore in rushing while operating an underdeveloped passing attack. 

Now, Jackson is the ultimate facilitator for the Ravens. 

He spreads the ball to myriad receivers and has been more shrewd than ever with the use of his legs, only pulling out his Superman cape when necessary for the most part in 2024. 

For a franchise whose roots are associated with hardnosed defense, having two MVP-worthy players on offense has to be a surreal feeling for general manager Eric DeCosta — who famously attempted to acquire Henry at last year’s trade deadline.

But the Ravens brass may not fully be able to relish in boasting the NFL’s fourth-ranked scoring offense considering how the side of the ball they’re used to dominating on is looking… 

How much is Baltimore’s defense holding it back?

Baltimore knew a drop-off was coming in 2024 when former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald left in the offseason to become head coach for the Seattle Seahawks. 

It was inevitable after last year’s team finished the season with a triple crown NFL record as the first defensive unit in history to lead the league in points allowed, sacks, and takeaways. 

The Ravens appointed former player and inside linebackers coach Zach Orr as Macdonald’s successor immediately upon his departure. It’s entirely too early to start questioning that decision. 

But even Orr wouldn’t deny he’s struggling to find his way right now. That’s why he recently added former defensive coordinator Dean Pees onto his staff as a senior adviser — who coached Orr during his three-year career as a linebacker. 

It’s unreasonable to expect the same level of consistency as the 2023 team, but Baltimore shouldn’t be the eighth-worst scoring defense in the NFL with the amount of talent it retained on that side of the ball.

What’s alarming isn’t just that the defense looks porous for long stretches in the second half many times, but the way it’s playing out. 

Many teams have been unable to match with the firepower of Jackson and Henry, allowing the Ravens to build a decent cushion and get the opposing offense in obvious passing situations. 

Forcing a team to be one dimensional is a defensive coordinator’s dream, but Orr has struggled to force stops at times when everyone knows a pass is coming. 

That the Ravens are the second-worst passing defense in the NFL so far in 2024 is a short-term problem that could become a huge one when compounded with Orr’s warts as a play caller. 

He has taken unnecessary risks with nearly all-out blitzes late in games a few times this season. 

Those instances didn’t backfire, but this validates what Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said about Baltimore’s propensity to “burn the house down” when all the chips are pushed to the middle of the table. It’s certainly something to pay attention to when this defense is called upon in a big moment.

What’s important right now is these issues haven’t prevented the team from winning games. But rectifying these deficiences could make the difference between another AFC Championship game appearance and a chance to compete in the Super Bowl. 

So while it’s tempting to revel in Jackson and Henry creating too many problems for defenses to solve, the Ravens can’t be crowned as the undisputed top team in the AFC until they address the side of the ball they pour the vast majority of resources into.   

The addition of Pees could help Orr find his rhythm quicker as the season progresses. And the Ravens will have to hope major injuries don’t start piling up in order for this defense to gel over the long term. 

It’s unclear how this will play out, and the truth is I hesitate to use any other word to describe this defense other than suspect right now. You can win a lot of games with a shaky defense, but “defense wins championships” isn’t one of the oldest saying in sports for no reason. 

It’s not impossible for Baltimore to win a championship with this defense playing at or near this level for the rest of 2024, but that would heap pressure on Jackson and Henry to play at MVP-level heights for the whole season.

That also opens the door for another vintage offensive implosion come January, which is what Henry was brought in to prevent in the first place. 

It’s not time to start going over doom-and-gloom scenarios yet, but Baltimore’s front office will be seething if another high-octane offense is shut down or outscored in the playoffs. 

With three out of their next four matchups being being divisional games, it’s time for the Ravens to start proving their defensive mettle. That’s not something Baltimore typically lacks, but it remains to be seen whether this team has it or not.

With the NFL preseason behind us, we’ve finally reached the dawn of the regular season.

The elation that football fans feel right now is unmatched to any other point during the cycle of a season. The final rosters are set, most teams are at or near full health, and no “real” games have been played.

At this point, it truly seems as if the Lombardi Trophy is anyone’s for the taking. 

That cozy feeling of optimism will quickly devolve into all-out panic as soon as your favorite team loses a game, but it’s refreshing to relish in this hopefulness before then. 

For Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs fans, they could fall into that pit of despair on opening night of the season. Baltimore will take on the defending champions on Sept. 5 at 8:20 p.m. in Arrowhead Stadium. 

While everyone is frothing at the mouth to watch the Ravens exact revenge for completely falling apart in the 2023 AFC Championship, it’s important to keep in mind that this is only one game. 

An NFL season is a roller-coaster experience for every team in the league. 

What keeps us hooked each year to watch how it unfolds is parity, hence the saying “Any given Sunday” — which means that any team has the chance to win regardless of their standing.  

Nothing epitomized the unpredictability of a season more than last year when Joe Flacco led the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs after sitting on his couch alongside you, me, and the rest of America for 11 NFL Sundays. 

Flacco came out of nowhere to put together a late season run that captivated our hearts in such a magical way that we all ignored how strange it was to see him in a Browns uniform. 

The Ravens won’t experience a Cinderella story quite like that, but general manager Eric DeCosta has built a roster with several players who could potentially make a similar impact this year. 

So let’s examine some unheralded Ravens who could turn out to be key contributors for the team over the course of the 2024 season…

Five potential X factors to watch this season

1. Marcus Williams, safety

Naming a bona fide starter as an X factor typically qualifies as malpractice for this sort of list. But injuries have prevented Williams from finding his footing in Baltimore since he joined the team in 2022.

The No. 1 rule for any sport is that the best ability is availability. Williams has played in just 21 games for the Ravens in two seasons. Most people may look at that as a red flag, but the fact that he even played that many games is an indication of his toughness.

In his first season with the team, he was tied for second in the NFL in interceptions before he suffered a dislocated wrist in Week 5 that led to him missing seven games. 

He missed six games last season due to pectoral and hamstring issues. There were many times when it looked like he was playing with one arm, resulting in a career-low 35 solo tackles. 

Although he was able to return, he never looked 100% in 2023. But these setbacks haven’t shaken his confidence whatsoever. 

Now that he’s back to full health, Williams will play a crucial role for a defense that’s coming off a season as the first unit to ever lead the league in points allowed, sacks, and takeaways.  

Defensive coordinator Zach Orr looks to mix and match Williams in different spots with safety Kyle Hamilton, cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Arthur Maulet, and the rest of Baltimore’s versatile secondary. 

There’s no way this defense will maintain the historically elite level of play it did in 2023, but Williams’ health will be a critical factor in minimizing the inevitable drop-off that’s coming. 

2. Justice Hill, running back 

The Ravens are finally on the other side of watching running back Derrick Henry steamroll defenders, but he’s not Baltimore’s only dynamic threat out of the backfield.

Hill may not boast gaudy statistics, but he has quietly been a solid contributor for the Ravens on special teams and offense. 

Last season, he set career highs in yards (387), carries (84), and touchdowns (3) in 16 games. He also posted 28 catches for 206 yards, establishing himself as a consistent safety valve for quarterback Lamar Jackson when called upon. 

Henry figures to receive the bulk of the workload this season, but Hill can flourish as a reliable No. 2 option while running back Keaton Mitchell recovers from the torn ACL he suffered in last season’s Week 15 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Mitchell was electric when healthy and will serve as an explosive counterpunch for defenders once they’re battered from having to tackle Henry all game. 

Add Hill into the mix as a rushing and receiving threat, and defenses could have major problems trying to decipher the Ravens’ method of attack on any given play. His opportunities may be limited once Mitchell returns, but he could be the final piece of Baltimore’s three-headed backfield.  

3. Ben Cleveland, offensive lineman

It’s extremely difficult to evaluate Cleveland’s career since the Ravens selected him in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. 

Remember, head coach John Harbaugh was outspoken in his praise of Cleveland following that draft. Harbaugh even admitted he wanted DeCosta to trade up to ensure Baltimore didn’t miss out on taking the 6-foot-6 and 370-pound behemoth. 

At the time, the general consensus was that the Ravens got their guy and Cleveland would eventually join Baltimore’s long lineage of mid- to late-round offensive linemen who develop into starters.

We’re in the final year of Cleveland’s rookie contract, but it’s still unclear how the Ravens feel about him. He has performed well when given the chance, but he’s only started 7 out of the 37 games he’s played. And it’s not as Baltimore has a stable of reliable lineman right now.

The projected starting line currently consists of center Tyler Linderbaum, tackles Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten, guard Andrew Vorhees, and an open competition for the second guard spot. 

Offensive lineman Daniel Faalele has gotten a majority of first team reps at right guard, but his shaky run blocking has made Baltimore reluctant to officially name him as the starter. If Cleveland wants to solidify himself as a viable lineman in this league, he needs to prove that he can be consistent. 

Not only could he parlay a full season of solid play into a huge contract, but he could be a key piece of offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s plan to surround Jackson with a more athletic offensive line.          

4. Rashod Bateman, wide receiver / David Ojabo, outside linebacker

Bateman and Ojabo are essentially two sides of the same coin — players who have shown massive potential but haven’t been on the field enough to fully realize it. 

Injuries robbed Ojabo of his first two seasons while Bateman has struggled with several short- and long-term issues throughout his first three seasons. While both players may feel immense pressure to finally put it all together, it’s clear the Ravens have a lot of confidence in them to perform. 

Baltimore re-signed Bateman to a two-year extension in April that keeps him here throughout the 2026 season, making him just the second receiver in franchise history to earn an extension. 

Meanwhile, Ojabo had a solid preseason — flashing his signature spin move to great success several times. He was touted for his pass rushing ability coming out of the University of Michigan, especially his propensity to force fumbles, and he has lived up to that billing when he’s been healthy.

All that’s holding these two back from becoming the players they could be is opportunity. Bateman doesn’t need to rack up 70 to 100 catches, 1,000-plus yards, and 12 touchdowns in order for his 2024 campaign to be considered a success. And no one is expecting 15 sacks and eight forced fumbles from Ojabo.

As long as Bateman and Ojabo can stay on the field and be stars in their respective roles as a reliable weapon for Jackson and disruptive defensive lineman, they can make impact plays that result in crucial wins throughout the regular season and especially come January.  

A routine day at the warehouse in November 2018 took a sudden turn when a forklift accidentally ran over Breonna Brewer’s foot.

She was placed on workers’ compensation after the accident while she recovered for six months, resulting in a drastic pay reduction. Her financial stability wasn’t the only issue weighing on her mind.

Brewer’s injury occurred just three months before the Baltimore Nighthawks’ season opener, putting her at risk of missing significant time in only her second season as a safety with the team. The Baltimore Nighthawks are a women’s tackle football team in the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA) — the premier women’s tackle football league in the U.S. 

She was eventually ruled out for six months, but Brewer found solace in the fact she was never alone throughout her recovery process. 

Nighthawks owner and CEO Tanya Bryan checked in with her weekly, helped her find doctor’s appointments, and provided 24/7 support while Brewer rehabbed and fought to regain financial stability.

“She’s the reason why we all come back every year,” Brewer said. “She put in our minds and made sure we understand that this is more than football, that we’re an actual family. And if we want to have each other’s back on the field, we have to have each other’s back off the field as well.”

Battling barriers

The history of women’s tackle football spans several decades and reflects societal advancements regarding gender roles and opportunities for female athletes. 

Prior to the 1960s, women occasionally played informal exhibition games that were not widely recognized. But the start of the women’s liberation movement in the ’60s led to more opportunities for women in sports.

The first semi-professional women’s football leagues were established in the 1970s. Then in 1974, the owners of several teams united to form the National Women’s Football League (NWFL) — originally consisting of just seven teams.   

The league grew to include 14 teams across three divisions. It eventually folded in 1989 due to financial difficulties, but it substantially raised the profile of women’s tackle football. Interest in the sport waned somewhat throughout the 1990s, as smaller leagues struggled to rise to prominence. 

In the modern era, the creation of the Independent Women’s Football League (IWFL) in 2000 — which played its last season in 2018 — and Women’s Football Alliance (WFA) in 2009 have provided more organized platforms for female athletes. 

These leagues have offered a more structured and competitive environment than at any other point in women’s tackle football history. 

While interest in the sport has grown over time, these leagues are still running into the same issues as their predecessors. Women’s football leagues often struggle with funding, sponsorship, and media coverage — which limits their growth.  

Although the sport is still facing major challenges in terms of visibility and support compared to men’s football, it has made significant advancements since its early beginnings. 

This progress is especially evident considering the development of the game since Bryan founded the Nighthawks.   

Forming the team

In 2007, Bryan was working various jobs in the financial services industry and running an internet service company when her friend called her out of the blue to gauge her interest in pursuing a women’s football team.

They were willing to pursue any venture at that point, so they decided to give it a shot. Bryan didn’t enter this new journey completely on a whim, though. Her upbringing shaped her love for football.  

Bryan’s father served in the Air Force, so her family constantly moved since she was just one year old. She watched her first football game at four years old with her father at the Lakeview Air Force base in England. 

Her family’s on-the-go lifestyle prevented her from gaining allegiance to any particular team or player. She supported the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, and Cleveland Browns before coming to Baltimore. 

Bryan’s longtime passion for football wasn’t her only advantage when she opted to pivot into the sports realm. Building relationships is one of the most crucial parts of her job. 

Her networking skills were easily translated thanks to her engineering background.

She has held myriad positions at consumer products or food manufacturing companies over the last 30 years. And she is currently a senior project manager at TAI Engineering.

“That’s who I am,” Bryan said. “That’s who I’ve been. I’m used to having those conversations. I deal with contractors a lot of the time. I’m juggling different personalities a lot of the time. I don’t like having my time wasted, and I push everybody else to save mine.”

Although she had a strong foundation of skills to take on the challenge of running a professional football team, understanding how to build a cohesive locker room was a learning process during the team’s early years. The Nighthawks posted an 11-20-1 record in their first four seasons. 

Bryan said the team’s early struggles stemmed from trying to get as many people as possible involved in this opportunity. 

“While there’s some people from those early years that I still have some great friendships with, we weren’t necessarily focused on the athletes and as focused on different things you need from the coaching staff,” Bryan said. 

She wasn’t getting the commitment level she wanted from some of the players and coaches. So she started to question whether she was fostering an environment that would produce success.

Those tumultuous years forced Bryan to reevaluate her team-building strategy. 

“Everybody’s not going to be an All-American or a rock star athlete, but maybe you still contribute in other ways because your character is strong,” Bryan said. “There are just certain things that you need to have when you’re trying to build a cohesive program because it takes very little to tear a program completely apart.”

She was initially thinking more about providing the opportunity as opposed to building the strongest program and being a dominant football team. 

Bryan dedicated herself to reshaping the team philosophy to align with her strong familial values, grit, and “play no games” attitude. 

“The culture is competitive,” said head coach Mike Lynn. “We make no bones about speaking about winning a championship, being first class, and how we conduct ourselves and get after it. And our ladies have embraced that.”

Building a culture

Few pro sports owners have genuine connections with each player and staff member of their team. 

Outside of former Dallas Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban and Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, it’s rare to see a sports team owner interact with their “employees” any more than giving a polite greeting and moving on.

This disconnect is often due to the fact that most owners are content to remain at arm’s length so long as things are running smoothly. 

As long as the team is making money — and it’s great if they’re winning, too — they’re rarely inclined to form strong relationships with their workers. But that’s not the case for Bryan whatsoever — who also serves as the Nighthawks’ special teams coach. 

Her players know exactly what to expect from her every day, giving them the utmost trust in her as a leader on and off the field. 

“They know they’re gonna get the truth,” Bryan said. “They know I’m going to take care of any issues that will prevent them from being their best. People get lied to a lot. When you do what you say you’re gonna do. It carries a lot of weight.”

That’s why Bryan brushes off gestures like remaining in close contact with Brewer following her foot injury as nothing more than doing what she’s supposed to do. 

Bryan also checks in with third-year defensive end and team captain Andrea Kappler — who tore her ACL this season — every day to make sure she has everything she needs and support her as she recovers. 

Bryan’s approach to players doesn’t change whether they are current or former. She keeps her line open to all who have played for the Nighthawks.  

“It’s not that hard,” Bryan said. “Communication in 2024 is much easier than it was in the ‘90s. So I always say, ‘If someone tells you they didn’t have time to reach out to you, it’s because they don’t want to.’ Period. I want to, so I just find a way to do it.”

Bryan’s uncanny ability to connect with people and maintain her resolve while wearing various hats is natural to her, but her team remains in constant awe of her poise. 

Her close affinity with every member of her team earned her an affectionate moniker. 

“We call her ‘Mama Tanya,’” Brewer said. “We know what makes her tick, we know what makes her mad. She has 50 kids at this point right now. Dealing with over 50 personalities and doing what she does as her career, I honestly think Tanya does not sleep. Tanya has to be a superhero or something. She’s not normal. She’s not human. She can’t be.”

Bryan’s superhuman efforts to overhaul Baltimore’s culture has resulted in a team that is extremely united, helping the Nighthawks achieve a 17-12 record and two playoff appearances over the last four seasons. 

This chemistry is apparent off the field as well, which is not always the case for high-level teams. 

For instance, a player was having a hard time affording everything that she wanted to do for her daughter’s birthday last season. Money was tight so the team sent her money, gifts, and a bunch of balloons for her daughter — all without her even asking.

“I’ve been around teams where they just couldn’t wait to get off the field and get away from each other,” Lynn said. “Our ladies talk and gather afterward and have a good time. They do things together outside of football. They take care of each other, and it shows on the field.”  

Still, Bryan’s largest challenge remains bringing people together outside of the locker room to embrace this growing sport. Women and girls are the fastest-growing consumers of American tackle football, so attracting participants isn’t the issue.  

Having to scratch claw and nail to garner interest, secure facilities, and raise money has been an endless cycle since she founded the team.

“I sometimes say it feels like we’re on a hamster wheel because I feel like some things are just constant,” Bryan said. “You’re constantly trying to let people know that you’re here. You’re constantly trying to prove that you should have access to these things. And I’m not talking about getting things for free.”

This battle may seem endless, but Bryan doesn’t have to look far for motivation to keep fighting. Her entire roster is composed of women who were denied the opportunity to play tackle football their whole lives. 

A significant portion of the Nighthawks roster consists of former high school and collegiate athletes — including sports like rugby, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, flag football and many more — who simply had no access to tackle football.

Kappler’s high school athletic career included every sport you could think of besides football. She ran track, played softball and volleyball, and even competed in cross country for a year. The closest she got to the football field was when she earned her spot on the cheerleading team.

Kappler saw a poster about the Nighthawks at a weightlifting competition in September 2021. She tried out the following week and made the team. In the span of just a few short weeks, she was able to live out a lifelong dream.

“I had just accepted that this is not something that I’m going to be able to do,” Kappler said. “When I was hearing about it, it was a dream come true for me. I was just so excited that there were people like myself, women who wanted to play who have been denied playing for years.”

These pros must also juggle their athletic careers with their full-time duties, but it’s worth it to them to play the sport they were denied. Plus, their loved ones are their biggest fans. 

Kappler has been an outpatient nurse practitioner for three years. Prior to that, she was an ICU nurse for eight years. And Brewer currently attends Howard County Community College. 

“It just seems like kind of an oxymoronic thing that the headache specialist is playing tackle football,” Kappler said. “But I was really surprised by how many people were very supportive. They become excited just learning about women’s football, like there’s an organized league for it.”

On top of that, Bryan makes sure the team is heavily involved in the local community. 

The Nighthawks are mainstays in Baltimore, speaking at schools in the region, working with the Baltimore Ravens to run flag football camps, and participating in events for various charities. 

The Nighthawks have collaborated with Healthcare for the Homeless for more than 10 years. They participate in the Chocolate Affair every year — an annual movie night at The Lyric in Baltimore featuring films that reveal how to combat homelessness. 

The Nighthawks also work with the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland groups each year to run camps that include workouts, obstacle courses, and other games. 

The team helps coach local girls flag football teams and speaks at local schools to encourage the next generation of football players.

“We definitely get involved in the community quite often just to try to push women’s football and let girls know that they can be just as physical as they want to be and not to stick with what society says girls and women should be,” Brewer said.

While changing this perception for children is crucial for the future of the sport, it’s equally paramount that parents and football fans embrace the idea of women leaving it all out on the gridiron.  

The common reaction when Nighthawks players interact with parents at local schools is to assume they’re playing in a lingerie league. But once people overcome that mental hurdle, it instantly piques their interest.

“Everyone always wants to see it,” Brewer said. “I am quick to show a highlight. I am quick to show a game so that everyone can know how we really get down. And that’s where people start being interested in wanting to come to a game and everything like that.”

The reality is overcoming those biases will be crucial for advancing the game as we move forward. 

“I think people are starting to realize that women literally have the same thought process as men when it comes to athleticism and physicality,” Bryan said. “We don’t have to be soft just because we’re women. I understand the thought process. I think that is coming out, and it’s starting to be expressed more.”

What’s next?

Women’s tackle football has made massive advancements since the inception of the women’s liberation movement. 

But Bryan admits the sport still has a long way to go until it enters the mainstream.

“The reality is that even though women’s tackle has been around for over 40 years, people still don’t realize it existed as a sport,” Bryan said. “I think it is certainly unfortunate, but if you look at how things like women’s hockey, women’s basketball, women’s soccer have grown, where the support has to come from to get the sport to that next level, we’re just not there yet.”

While increasing access to tackle football for women will help change this trend, Bryan said growing the sport should ultimately be about raising the level of competition.

“The most important thing for us in women’s tackle was getting away from [the idea that] every woman deserves to play football,” Bryan said. “No. If you’re trying to get to the point where you’re going to be truly pro, it really has to be about the best athletes.”

Bryan stressed she would never take on the challenge of running her own sports league despite her having ideas about how to build one out.

“There are enough of us who have done this for double-digit years that would like to see us get off the hamster wheel,” she said. “There are some very intelligent people in women’s tackle who have been successful inside and outside of football that if we really combine our resources and thoughts, we can move this to the next step.” 

Right now, she’s solely focused on bouncing back from the team’s back-to-back heartbreaking finishes to the last two seasons. 

In 2023, the Nighthawks blew a 21-point lead to the New York Wolves in the final four minutes of the National Conference Finals to fall out of the playoffs. 

They dedicated the 2024 season to avenging that collapse — going so far as breaking every huddle this season with “one, two, three, championship” — but fell short once again in a 27-12 loss against the Atlanta Rage.

Now, the only hurdle the Nighthawks are focused on is getting over the championship hump. 

“Our team is full of veterans that are hitting their peak in their football career, so we’re all hungry to give each other that championship before we go,” Brewer said. “We’re playing for each other at this point.”

We’re entering the dog days of the offseason now that the NFL Draft has wrapped up, but the jubilation about the new slate of rookies joining each team is still fresh. 

The draft is the most exciting part of the offseason for most fans, as they pour their hopes and dreams into young prospects with the potential to change the course of their favorite teams. 

This often results in most people rushing to slap a “boom or bust” label on players early in their careers, but it’s crucial for us to remember that most of these draft picks won’t make it more than three years in the NFL — the average length of a pro football career.

Rarely do you have a situation like when the Kansas City Chiefs selected quarterback Patrick Mahomes with the tenth pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and allowed him to sit for a year to develop before flourishing into a superstar. 

The Baltimore Ravens followed the same approach with quarterback Lamar Jackson, but that level of patience is strictly reserved for quarterbacks more often than not. 

For every other position that’s drafted in the first three rounds, teams are looking for players who can make an immediate impact, even if it’s only on special teams — the unit that’s on the field during kicking plays. And for prospects drafted in the last four rounds, making an NFL roster shifts from a possibility to a longshot the later that a player is selected.

The point is, the draft is a crapshoot at best. Most general managers would be happy with a draft class consisting of two starters, a few depth pieces, and a handful of developmental players. 

That’s a good haul for a majority of NFL teams, but that’s not the case for Baltimore heading into the 2024 season. 

The Ravens have been busy retooling their roster and coaching staff since falling one game short of the Super Bowl just a few months ago, and the draft provided another chance to add a new influx of talent to get this team over the hump next season.

Baltimore had a number of glaring needs heading into the draft, but the front office predictably stuck to its “best player available” approach. This resulted in a vintage Ravens draft class where highly touted prospects fell into Baltimore’s lap in the early rounds and the team opted to draft players with high upside potential in the last few rounds rather than reach for a position of need.

General manager Eric DeCosta has proven to be effective at making the most out of a majority of his draft selections, but it feels more important than ever that his front office struck gold in the 2024 draft. 

It’s critical for a few impact players to emerge out of this draft class in order for Baltimore to make another deep playoff run, so let’s discuss how these rookies could help elevate this team to the championship level it’s striving to reach. 

Reviewing the 2024 draft class

Top three picks

1. Nate Wiggins

Last month, I ranked defensive back as the least pressing need for the Ravens heading into the draft. But with how the draft board panned out for Baltimore, this is a tremendous pick. 

The early run on quarterbacks, offensive linemen, and skill players created an opportunity for the Ravens to grab what many pundits believe is the best cover cornerback in the entire draft. 

Wiggins’ sub-4.3 showing in the 40-yard dash and supreme start-stop ability that he demonstrated throughout his three years at Clemson make him the ideal candidate to join Baltimore’s extensive lineage of franchise cornerbacks. DeCosta and several team officials have lauded his physical play style and “never back down” mentality — which are prerequisites if you’re going to be No. 1 corner for the Ravens.   

Cornerback Marlon Humphrey currently holds the mantle, but he has started facing injuries with greater regularity over the last few seasons so having Wiggins waiting in the wings puts Baltimore’s secondary in a good position for the long term. Wiggins is just 20 years old, so his ceiling is limitless at this point.

He’ll have the chance to refine his technique and learn the ins and outs of defensive coordinator Zach Orr’s scheme behind Humphrey and cornerback Brandon Stephens, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be riding the bench by any means. 

I expect Wiggins to gradually receive more playing time as the season rolls along, as is often the case with Baltimore’s first round corners. Exposing him to a variety of situations could pay huge dividends come January once the pressure picks up and the Ravens defense is inevitably called upon to make a key stop.      

2. Roger Rosengarten

DeCosta made it clear early in the offseason that rebuilding the offensive line would be a huge priority heading into the draft and he followed through with this second round pick. 

Rosengarten played left tackle during his first two years at Washington before switching to right tackle in 2022 to protect the blind side of left-handed quarterback Michael Penix Jr. 

This versatility is a huge plus for Baltimore considering the major injuries that left tackle Ronnie Stanley has dealt with over the last few years. That Rosengarten can fill in for Stanley in a pinch allows offensive lineman Patrick Mekari to stay in his role as a backup who can play every position along the offensive line.

On top of that, Rosengarten is viewed as one of the top pass protectors in this draft class. Few quarterbacks are more dangerous than Jackson when he’s given time to throw, so adding a more-than-capable pass protector to man the right tackle spot could take a lot of pressure off of Jackson to dodge defenders in the backfield. 

Plus, having extra time to throw will help open up the playbook for offensive coordinator Todd Monken to attack downfield more often. This could turn out to be one of the top value picks in the 2024 draft if Rosengarten can establish himself as a day one starter. 

3. Adisa Isaac

This was the most head scratching decision of the draft simply due to the spot Isaac was selected. At No. 93 overall in the third round, the Ravens could have picked up another offensive lineman or wide receiver to improve their offense.

Instead, they opted to try their hand at developing another edge defender. Isaac is a solid run defender who has flashed as a pass rusher, but it’s difficult to justify picking him at No. 93 when you consider Baltimore’s current depth across the defensive line. 

Barring injuries taking a toll on the team, it’s hard to see a scenario where Isaac gets playing time ahead of outside linebackers Odafe Oweh, David Ojabo, Tavius Robinson, or Kyle Van Noy.  

This is reminiscent of when Baltimore drafted Brandon Stephens in the third round of the 2021 draft. It was considered a huge reach at the time due to the talent that was still available on the draft board at various other positions. But the Ravens have proven to be justified in that pick now that Stephens has flourished as a starting cornerback.

Isaac may be fully capable of putting everything together and growing into a reliable player like Stephens. It’s hard to see how he gets the playing time necessary to develop into that kind of player, but this could be an addition for the long term rather than for 2024.     

Rounding out the rest of the draft

DeCosta made up for the Isaac selection by nabbing wide receiver Devontez Walker with his first of two picks in the fourth round. Walker could fill the deep threat role that Baltimore has missed since wide receiver Hollywood Brown was a Raven.

That Walker isn’t being asked to come in and be the savior for the wide receiver corps gives him a huge advantage compared to the receivers that Baltimore has drafted throughout Jackson’s career. He can come in and play 20 to 25 snaps a game to create the threat of blowing the top off the defense. 

This will create wider running lanes for running back Derrick Henry, which is a massive problem for defenses once he gets a head of steam. Plus, adding a receiver who can make big plays will take some pressure off of Jackson to execute 10- to 12-play drives each time the offense is on the field.

Baltimore made another quality addition in the fourth round by drafting cornerback T.J. Tampa. He was widely regarded as a second round prospect, but the Ravens managed to draft him at No. 130 overall. 

Tampa will most likely see a majority of snaps on special teams in his rookie season, but his physical press-man play style could earn him some playing time on defense throughout the season. 

Following the fourth round, Baltimore added depth at running back, quarterback, offensive line, and safety. Time will tell if those late round picks can develop into viable starters or backups, but the Ravens won’t sit on their hands until preseason waiting for someone to step up.  

Remember, DeCosta likes to make additions to the roster well into July. His approach to team building means we can expect a few more moves over the next few months. This roster is still far from being complete, but DeCosta’s 2024 draft class crystallizes what the Ravens must address moving forward.

A few random thoughts

• The Ravens are banking on one of their young pass rushers to step up in a huge way this season. Orr’s scheme won’t rely on one or two edge defenders to rack up a majority of the team’s sacks, but it would provide a huge boost for this defense if outside linebackers Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo could consistently win one-on-one matchups. This would give Orr more flexibility to run a wide variety of coverages. With the Ravens picking up Oweh’s fifth-year option, it’s clear team officials are hopeful he’ll break out over the next two seasons. 
• Baltimore appears to be following a similar approach to its offensive line. As of now, the projected offensive line consists of Stanley, guards Andrew Vorhees and Ben Cleveland, center Tyler Linderbaum, and Rosengarten. One of the huge keys to having a stout offensive line is consistency. Units tend to perform better when they’ve played with each other for a few years. This projected line has never played together and includes two starters who haven’t logged a snap in the NFL. I believe Baltimore made the right move by revamping this line, but this unit is definitely the biggest question mark heading into the season unless DeCosta has a few moves under his sleeve that he’s waiting to unveil. 

While many of us are still reeling from Baltimore’s 17-10 loss in the AFC Championship against the Kansas City Chiefs, general manager Eric DeCosta doesn’t have that luxury.

He flew to attend the Senior Bowl — an exhibition game that features the top prospects of the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft going against each other — in Mobile, Alabama just one day after Baltimore’s crushing loss. 

For DeCosta and the rest of the front office, there’s no time to dwell on the sting of defeat this time of year. The Ravens have already turned the page and are completely focused on assembling their team for next season. 

This is an especially challenging offseason for Baltimore since it has myriad pieces to replace not only on the roster, but on head coach John Harbaugh’s staff as well. The 2023 Ravens were a special group, and it’s going to be hard for the 2024 team to live up to the standard they set last season.

Baltimore has already made a huge acquisition with the signing of running back Derrick Henry, but the Ravens won’t be satisfied until their roster is sufficiently stacked for a deep playoff run.

DeCosta is extremely patient during the offseason, often making significant additions well into June. So it’s hard to evaluate Baltimore’s roster at this point, but the current state of the team can give us an indication of what the Ravens will do with the No. 30 pick of the draft this month. 

Baltimore’s top needs heading into the draft

The unpredictability of the draft has worked in favor of the Ravens more often than not, but it’s especially crucial for that trend to continue this year in order for them to maintain their status as a legitimate contender in the AFC.

Safety Kyle Hamilton was touted as a top five prospect heading into the 2022 draft, but he fell to the Ravens at the No. 14 pick because he ran a less-than-stellar 40-yard dash. It’s safe to say that some of the general managers who passed on Hamilton are kicking themselves today, as he just earned first-team All-Pro honors in only his second season.

The Ravens always do a great job of letting the draft board play out without panicking and acquiring elite talent despite consistently picking in the back half of the draft. Hamilton is just one example of that.

Wide receiver Zay Flowers — who racked up 77 catches for 858 yards and five touchdowns in his first season —  wasn’t projected to be available when Baltimore selected him with the No. 22 pick of the 2023 draft. 

The Ravens must cement this streak of adding impact first-year players to ensure they can break through to the championship level that they’re aiming to reach. There’s more than one way they can improve their team, so let’s run through Baltimore’s biggest holes on its roster heading into the draft… 

1. Offensive line

DeCosta didn’t mince words when he told reporters at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in February that “rebuilding” this offensive line is one of Baltimore’s top priorities this offseason. 

Having the cheat code that is quarterback Lamar Jackson’s ability to run circles around defenders has masked Baltimore’s inconsistent offensive line play over the past few seasons, but the Ravens understand they can’t rely upon Jackson to make defenders miss in the backfield his entire career.

DeCosta has already gotten to work reconstructing this unit, as guards John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler departed to sign with the New York Jets and Detroit Lions in free agency, respectively. Plus, the Ravens traded right tackle Morgan Moses to the Jets in March as well.

That leaves left tackle Ronnie Stanley and center Tyler Linderbaum as the only remaining starting offensive linemen for Baltimore at this point. Linderbaum looks like he has the potential to be a mainstay for the Ravens for years to come, but he can’t anchor the offensive line alone.

Injuries have plagued Stanley over the past few years so much that he reworked his contract in March to take a nearly $8 million pay cut and shave a year off his deal, making him a free agent after this season. 

The Ravens are undergoing a youth movement for their offensive line. And it makes sense to surround Jackson with a group of agile linemen who can help maximize his mobility. 

The first step to building this unit is drafting a lineman in the first round who can immediately step in to play. It would be a bonus for the Ravens to select someone who can fill in for Stanley in case injuries come back to haunt him this season.

In typical Baltimore fashion, this rebuilding project is timed well as this draft class has an extremely deep talent pool of offensive linemen. 

Most people have a tough time getting behind the idea of using a first round pick on a lineman, but you need to keep in mind that stats can never measure the importance of keeping your franchise quarterback upright.  

2. Defensive line

The Ravens pride themselves on stopping the run as one of their core defensive philosophies. 

Not too much further down the list of key principles for Baltimore is the necessity to apply pressure to the opposing quarterback and exert maximum physicality at all times. 

This was especially evident last season as the Ravens led the NFL with 60 sacks and only allowed six rushing touchdowns in 2023. Baltimore’s defensive line is comprised of versatile players who can stuff the run, rush the quarterback, and, at times, drop back in coverage. 

DeCosta accomplished the most important task of the offseason by retaining second-team All-Pro defensive tackle Justin Madubuike with a four-year extension in March. 

With defensive tackles Michael Pierce, Travis Jones, and Broderick Washington under contract through the next few years as well, Baltimore’s interior defensive line is set up to remain stout for the long haul.

And with defensive coordinator Zach Orr’s scheme giving multiple pass rushers the opportunity to have a clean path to the quarterback, the Ravens have the freedom to choose a developmental player with supreme athletic ability who they can mold into a consistent lineman. 

Outside linebacker Odafe Oweh, a 2021 first-round pick, is one of Baltimore’s most recent cases of this kind of project. While he hasn’t flourished as a pass rusher, he has become one of the better run stoppers in the NFL — which is of great value to the Ravens. 

In that same vein, outside linebacker David Ojabo was drafted the following year to grow into a pass rusher role. Ojabo faced long-term injuries that robbed him of his first two seasons, but he could prove a lot of people wrong by emerging as a legitimate edge defender this season. 

Baltimore can’t bank on its fortunes to change with Oweh and Ojabo, so it would be wise to consider drafting an outside linebacker who can be stashed on the roster while learning how to play multiple positions across the defensive line. 

3. Wide receiver

That adding receiving talent isn’t the most glaring need for the Ravens can be chalked up as a huge victory heading into the draft.

Wide receiver Zay Flowers racked up 77 catches for 858 yards and five touchdowns in his first season, consistently demonstrating an uncanny ability to elude defenders and pick up extra yardage.

The departure of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will result in more opportunities for wide receiver Rashod Bateman. He will have extra motivation this season as he plays out the final year of his contract in hopes of putting together a breakout season.

Bateman has struggled with lower body injuries over the past few seasons, but having another offseason to get healthy and build chemistry with Jackson could help him finally put everything together and establish himself as a primary option in Baltimore’s offense. 

Offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s system is designed to spread the ball around to multiple targets, but Bateman’s ascension could give Monken a workhorse to help lessen the workload for tight end Mark Andrews. 

And that’s not the only missing element to this offense that could elevate it to another level in 2024.  

Jackson has never had a possession receiver who can rise up and snag jump balls downfield or in the red zone  — within 20 yards of scoring a touchdown. Andrews has the ability to win contested catches, but Baltimore needs a receiver on the perimeter who can stretch defenses and give Jackson a wide catch radius to work with.

Having a big target who can take the pressure off of Jackson to be pinpoint accurate could pay off in a huge way once the playoffs come around. Plus, this would give Monken another way to attack defenses no matter where the Ravens are spotted on the field.   

There are several receivers in this draft class who fit that profile such as Keon Coleman, Adonai Mitchell, and many others. The only question for the Ravens is whether the draft board will create the opportunity for them to select one of those dynamic pass catchers. 

4. Defensive back

Hamilton has already established himself as one of the top defensive players in the NFL, giving this secondary a skeleton key that unlocks endless possibilities for Orr.

The development of cornerback Brandon Stephens as a reliable No. 2 option next to fellow corner Marlon Humphrey was also a huge reason for Baltimore’s ability to execute so many exotic coverage schemes. 

But with injuries coming with greater regularity for Humphrey, it’s important for the Ravens to begin looking for a defensive back who can develop behind Baltimore’s experienced secondary.

Remember, DeCosta is famous for his proclamation that you can never have too many corners —  and it’s no secret that Baltimore rarely misses when it comes to drafting them. 

Still, if the Ravens opt to strengthen a strength by bolstering their secondary, it would most likely have to be for a game changing player like Hamilton.

Who will make a leap in 2024? 

Although Baltimore’s needs seem glaring, nothing is ever set in stone when it comes to the NFL Draft. 

Every NFL team focuses immense resources and time toward identifying players draft prospects rather than filling every need through free agency, but the reality is that most of those picks won’t end up panning out in the long term. After all, the average NFL career lasts just three years.

Still, drafting and developing homegrown talent pays huge dividends since you can pay to keep your successful draft picks and simply draft new players to replace the ones that didn’t work out.

This is especially crucial for teams with smaller markets like Baltimore, and the Ravens have embraced this process arguably more than all 31 other NFL teams. You see, the randomness of the draft makes draft picks the most treasured asset in the NFL. 

That’s why the Ravens have embraced the compensatory pick process, a system that awards teams with draft picks to offset the difference between losses and additions in free agency. 

Baltimore has received the most compensatory picks since the system was instituted in 1994 with 56. It added to this total during this free agency cycle by earning four extra picks for next year’s draft.

These will be important as DeCosta looks to stock up on as much cheap talent as possible by hitting on draft picks while Jackson’s contract eats up a sizable portion of the team’s cap space over the next few years. 

As important as it is for the annual influx of young players to make an immediate impact, it’s equally crucial for returning players to continue making leaps each year as well. This will be a massive determining factor for Baltimore in 2024 since the team will be missing several pieces from last year’s roster. 

While Jackson winning the second MVP of his career in his first year running Monken’s system is an encouraging sign for the potential of this offense, he must come back even sharper if he wants to lead the Ravens to the Super Bowl in New Orleans next year. 

He must continue building trust with his receivers and working on maintaining consistent mechanics. Tight end Isaiah Likely is a prime candidate to receive more targets, for instance.

He filled in well for Andrew last season, putting up 411 yards and five touchdowns while rarely being a focal point of the offensive game plan. 

If Monken can find a way to use two tight end sets with Andrews and Likely, he’ll be able to create matchup problems for defenses from multiple formations. 

When it comes to the defense, Stephens must show that he can replicate a similar performance to his breakout season. His play will be a huge determining factor in how aggressively Orr is able to call this defense.

All eyes are also on linebacker Trenton Simpson to see if he can carry the mantle alongside inside linebacker Roquan Smith. With the departure of inside linebacker Patrick Queen, it’s incumbent on Simpson to rise to the occasion in order for this defense to avoid regressing. 

The point is, both sides of the ball will need players across every position to elevate their play if this team has any chance of replicating their run from last season. 

We’ll never get a team like we saw in 2023, but that doesn’t mean the 2024 Ravens will suffer a massive drop-off that leaves them wondering if their championship window has closed. 

The reality is as long as Jackson remains healthy and DeCosta keeps constructing well-balanced rosters, there’s no reason Baltimore can’t contend for years to come.  

The Baltimore Ravens were the healthiest they had been in several years entering the AFC Championship against the Kansas City Chiefs, and it still wasn’t enough.

Health was just one of many factors in favor of Baltimore. The Ravens had everything going their way the entire season.

Baltimore boasted a historic defense that finished the season with a triple crown NFL record as the first defensive unit in history to lead the league in points allowed, sacks, and takeaways.

And the Ravens had the presumed MVP in quarterback Lamar Jackson at the helm of the fourth-ranked scoring offense in the first year of offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s new scheme — which offered a more balanced style of play than the run-heavy approach from Jackson’s first four years as a starter.  

The team knew that gaudy statistics and star-studded lineups that included Jackson, wide receiver Zay Flowers, inside linebacker Roquan Smith, and safety Kyle Hamilton wouldn’t intimidate a team with as much championship pedigree as the Chiefs. 

Although the Ravens hadn’t reached that pinnacle yet, they knew putting themselves in position to win the Super Bowl was all about taking things one step at a time since the beginning of the season.  

That’s why all year long, Jackson, Smith, Hamilton, and any Raven near a microphone would tell you that they were solely focused on staying “locked in.” 

The Ravens told anyone who would listen that they wouldn’t suffer the same fate as the 2019 team that was unceremoniously ousted in the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the Tennessee Titans.  

Baltimore was well aware this journey to redemption wouldn’t come without having to prove that it had learned from its past mistakes, and the team showed their resolve in the Divisional Round against the Houston Texans.

Heading into halftime tied 10-10 with Houston, it looked as if the Ravens were poised for another early playoff exit. But Baltimore came out in the second half and bullied the upstart Texans with a bruising running attack that culminated in 229 rushing yards en route to a convincing 34-10 victory.

A week later and just one step away from reaching the Super Bowl they so desperately coveted, the Ravens completely regressed in a stunning 17-10 home loss against Kansas City. Just when it looked as if Baltimore was ready to get over the hump, the team lost its identity. 

To say this result was disappointing would be a disservice to the English language on my part, but it actually gave me a sense of hope for the future now that I’ve had time to reflect on how this loss stacks up against Baltimore’s previous heartbreaking playoff defeats. 

The Ravens are no strangers to devastating losses, so now it’s time to figure out how Baltimore’s checkered past can give us an indication of what comes next as Jackson enters the seventh year of his career in continual pursuit of the elusive Lombardi Trophy that he promised the city.      

How did we get here again?

The only way Baltimore’s recipe for success against the Chiefs could have been more obvious is if every fan in M&T Bank Stadium held up signs that read “RUN THE BALL,” but the Ravens simply refused to take their medicine.

Baltimore led the NFL in rushing throughout the regular season and did so with 32 attempts per game. Meanwhile, the Chiefs finished the season as a middle of the pack rushing defense. In short, Kansas City was average at best at stopping Baltimore’s best method of attack.

And if the regular season wasn’t enough of an indication that Baltimore could run the ball whenever it wanted, all it needed to do was watch Kansas City’s 27-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round matchup the previous week. 

While the Bills failed to come through on their final drive, they amassed 182 rushing yards on the day. Bills quarterback Josh Allen ran for 72 yards and two touchdowns on 12 attempts. We’ve seen Jackson do more damage as a rushing threat than that with his eyes closed.  

But even with all of that information at their fingertips, the Ravens opted to run the ball just 16 times for a grand total of 81 yards against the Chiefs. It was an indefensible strategy that can only be explained by one reason: panic.

I’m not here to suggest that it was Baltimore’s gameplan to go with a pass-heavy approach and avoid feeding their stable of healthy running backs Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, and Dalvin Cook.  

Instead, Monken and the Ravens offense lost their patience after watching Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes orchestrate consecutive touchdown drives on their first two drives of the game. 

Prior to Kansas City’s field goal to put it ahead 17-7 going into halftime, the Ravens only trailed by a touchdown in the first half. But Monken was calling plays as if Baltimore had fallen into a massive hole and Mahomes was firing on all cylinders. 

Jackson didn’t help matters with his refusal to scramble either. 

You don’t have to be a body language expert to tell when Jackson is getting antsy in the pocket. That became an issue from the middle of the second quarter throughout the rest of the game. 

Monken could have called some short passes for Jackson to get him in rhythm and calm him down a bit — just like he did against the Texans a week prior — but he simply refused. 

Although the Ravens were only behind by 10 points for most of the second half, Monken’s inexplicable play calling made the score feel much more lopsided than that. If it weren’t for Baltimore’s defense shutting out the Chiefs in the second half, this could have been an even more embarrassing defeat. 

Baltimore’s unwillingness to embrace its identity of smashmouth offensive football and hard-nosed defense is bewildering to put it lightly.

It looked like the Ravens were stuck in Groundhog Day, trapped in a reality that doomed them with another heart-rending home playoff loss. At this point, it’s fair to wonder how big of a role head coach John Harbaugh plays in these baffling losses. 

He was holding a play sheet throughout the game, so it’s clear he has some offensive input. It’s difficult to ascertain exactly how much influence he had on the play calling, but this is the second time we’ve seen Harbaugh lead Baltimore to the No. 1 seed by leaning into the running game only to completely abandon it when it matters most.

Implosions like this can only happen so many times before heads start to roll. I have long been a Harbaugh defender and remain steadfast in my belief that he can lead Baltimore to the third Super Bowl victory in franchise history, but he can’t allow a loss like this to happen again.

It’s one thing to lose to what feels like the new age New England Patriots in the Chiefs, but it’s a much more pressing issue to fall victim to the same problems over and over again. 

Ravens fans were frothing at the mouth for the firing of former offensive coordinator Greg Roman following the 2022 season, assuming it would rectify Baltimore’s strange tendency to stray from its versatile rushing attack in the biggest games. Well, it happened again with a new coordinator who runs an entirely different scheme. 

This is a Harbaugh issue, point blank.

If Baltimore suffers this fate again, the organization will be left looking for a new coach who can unlock the full potential of Jackson and this offense.

But it shouldn’t be put past Harbaugh to use this loss as a huge motivator for the team next season. We’ve seen things play out like this for the Ravens before. 

This loss could catapult the Ravens to greater heights

Having watched kicker Justin Tucker nail 90% of his field goal attempts throughout his 12-year career, it’s easy for Baltimoreans to take for granted that it’s an automatic three points whenever he steps onto the field. 

What’s often forgotten in watching the greatest kicker of all time’s career play out is the unique start to his NFL journey. 

Tucker joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of Texas after Baltimore suffered one of the most painful playoff losses in team history. 

The Ravens put themselves in scoring position while trailing 23-20 in the 2012 AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots. Then-quarterback Joe Flacco delivered a strike right into the breadbasket of wide receiver Lee Evans for the go-ahead touchdown, but it was knocked away at the last second. 

Baltimore failed to convert on third down, meaning kicker Billy Cundiff simply needed to convert a 32 yard field goal to send the game into overtime. Most of you remember what happened next, and for those who didn’t get to watch that game, it wasn’t a good result.    

The statistics and the eye test all point to that 2011 team being better than the following year’s team, but the 2012 Ravens played like a team hellbent on vengeance once the playoffs started. 

They were determined to redeem themselves for their disappointing playoff exit the prior year — and the looming retirement of the most iconic Raven in franchise history in inside linebacker Ray Lewis was a powerful motivator as well. 

Lewis’ speech after that gut-wrenching playoff loss a year earlier encapsulates the mentality that the Ravens had throughout 2012, culminating in a thrilling 34-31 Super Bowl victory over the San Francisco 49ers.   

It’s not absurd to think that Baltimore can do the same thing next season.  

We don’t yet know what the Ravens will look like once the 2024 season kicks off, but it’s certain that they’ll be an extremely different team. 

Baltimore is already facing huge losses in former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, former defensive line coach and associate head coach Anthony Weaver, and former defensive backs coach Denard Wilson.

The roster will need to be retooled as well, depending on who stays and goes among standouts like inside linebacker Patrick Queen, defensive lineman Justin Madubuike, edge rushers Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy, and many other critical free agents. 

Those who return in 2024 must turn the page from this memorable 2023 season and improve their abilities, too. 

Newly promoted defensive coordinator Zach Orr has massive shoes to fill following a historic 2023 season, but the Ravens clearly believe he’s more than up to the task. They eschewed other impressive internal candidates such as Weaver, Wilson, and secondary coach and pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt in favor of the 31-year-old Orr.  

Orr’s career as a Raven began as a player, making the team as an undrafted free agent out of North Texas in 2014. He earned the job as a starting inside linebacker in 2016, and immediately proved to Baltimore that it made the right call.

That season, he registered 133 tackles, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. But just when he put himself in a position to earn a massive contract with a second-team All-Pro season, he had to walk away from football at just 25 years old because of a congenital spine condition.

Orr joined Baltimore’s coaching staff as a defensive assistant from 2017 through 2020. He left to join the Jacksonville Jaguars as an outside linebackers coach in 2021 before returning to coach Baltimore’s inside linebackers in 2022. Now, Orr is tasked with leading the whole defense — making him the second-youngest defensive coordinator in the NFL. 

For Baltimore to give him this opportunity this early in his career is as strong an endorsement as the Ravens could possibly offer.

On the other side of the ball, it’s imperative that Monken and Jackson work out the kinks in this offense. The Ravens often look in disarray when the opposing defense starts putting extra pressure on Jackson by blitzing. 

Baltimore having issues consistently beating the blitz has been an ongoing issue for several years at this point, and it’s especially exposed in January. That’s how Houston kept itself in the game in the first half of the Divisional Round matchup. 

It’s incumbent that general manager Eric DeCosta adds another receiving threat to complement Flowers and deter the defense from blitzing. Wide receiver Rashod Bateman has all the potential to fill that role, but that can only happen if he develops better chemistry with Jackson.

Solving this conundrum can raise the ceiling of this offense, which would be a huge boon for the Ravens’ playoff success. Baltimore’s running game is unblemished save for the fact it’s underutilized when things matter most. 

All in all, the Ravens can go one of two ways after this AFC Championship game loss…

They can let it hang over their heads and gnaw its way into their psyche every January, or they’ll use it as fuel to expel their playoff demons and return to New Orleans — the site of their 2013 Super Bowl victory — to finally capture the franchise’s third Lombardi Trophy in 2025. 

The Baltimore Ravens have been sitting in the catbird seat since their dominant 56-19 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Week 17.

That win secured Baltimore the No. 1 seed in the AFC and essentially cemented quarterback Lamar Jackson as the favorite to earn his second MVP award in just five years as a starter. 

Throughout the regular season, the Ravens embodied the “sleeping giant” label that numerous pundits and analysts bestowed upon them in the preseason. That mindset of taking things one week at a time and refusing to be satisfied paid off in a huge way as it resulted in Baltimore earning an extra week of rest before the Divisional Round matchup against the Houston Texans this weekend.

This could be pivotal in the long run because it gives players who are dealing with injuries such as safety Kyle Hamilton, wide receiver Zay Flowers, tight end Mark Andrews, and safety Geno Stone more time to recover before Baltimore’s postseason run begins. Plus, it gives the coaching staff more time to self-scout and iron out the game plan for the Texans.

Unfortunately for us observers, the only thing the bye week gives us is more time to pace around the house as the anticipation of the upcoming game gnaws at our psyche. But I believe we can put our time to better use.

You’ve probably already read stories about Baltimore’s defense putting together a historic season, the impact of a deep playoff run on Jackson’s already-impressive resume, and the rapid ascension of Hamilton as one of the NFL’s premier safeties. But those aren’t the only intriguing narratives surrounding this team.

With everyone’s attention focused on reveling in Baltimore’s stellar regular season and manifesting a Super Bowl appearance, there are plenty of interesting storylines that have flown under the radar ahead of the Divisional Round.

What is Baltimore’s long-term plan for John Harbaugh?

With the NFL being a copycat business, teams are always looking for ways to implement (read: steal) effective strategies from each other. 

Oftentimes, the easiest way to incorporate elements from opposing teams is to poach staff members from them and reap the benefits of their expertise. Several teams have already inquired about conducting head coach interviews with key figures from Baltimore’s coaching staff like defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, assistant head coach and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, and offensive coordinator Todd Monken. 

While losing any of those coaches would present Baltimore with difficult decisions to make in the offseason, Macdonald is far and away the most coveted candidate. 

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay broke the mold when he became the youngest modern-era head coach in NFL history at just 30 years old — although recently appointed New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo now holds that title — and was the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl at age 36.

Now, most NFL teams are searching for the next young, innovative head coach who can lead their team to the mountaintop in this pass-happy era of football. Macdonald not only offers a wealth of potential at just 36 years old, but he has a blueprint for stifling modern NFL offenses. 

The 2023 Baltimore defense finished the regular season with a triple crown NFL record as the first team in history to lead the league in points allowed (16.5 per game), sacks (60), and takeaways (31, which tied with the New York Giants). 

Although the Ravens boast a swarm of preeminent defensive players like Hamilton and inside linebacker Roquan Smith — both of whom earned All-Pro first team honors — Macdonald deserves recognition for getting everything he could out of unheralded veterans like linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Jadeveon Clowney (who combined for 18.5 sacks).  

Macdonald’s NFL career started as a coaching intern for the Ravens in 2014, and now many fans — and players — are hoping it ends in the Charm City as well. Baltimore’s storied history of strong defense makes Macdonald the ideal choice to lead this team at some point. There’s no rush to move on from head coach John Harbaugh, but one can only hope Baltimore finds a way to hold onto Macdonald until Harbaugh retires.

Keep in mind, the Ravens are no strangers to putting a succession plan in place. General manager Eric DeCosta was touted as the heir apparent to former general manager Ozzie Newsome for several years before he officially took over the position. 

Baltimore could implement a similar plan for Macdonald to be at the helm in a few years while Harbaugh gradually shows him the ropes and puts the final touches on a potential hall of fame career. 

But if Macdonald jumps at one of the six vacant head coach positions he’s interviewed for, the Ravens could be left scrambling for alternative options in the long term. 

With Harbaugh at 61 years old and Jackson still yet to reach the prime of his career, it’s critical that Baltimore secures a coach who can unlock his full potential moving forward. 

How will this offense look in 2024?

Monken may not be considered young in NFL years either at 57 years old, but he showed that he still has plenty of gas left in his tank this season.

Baltimore finished the 2023 regular season as the fourth-ranked scoring offense and the top rushing team in the NFL. Monken’s willingness to give Jackson the ability to make changes at the line of scrimmage this season paid dividends as Jackson more than likely secured the second MVP award of his young career.

The Ravens looked shaky offensively at times early in the season as it was apparent they weren’t used to their modernized offensive scheme, but they found their rhythm late in the season — culminating in their Week 17 blowout of the Dolphins. The scary part is, I don’t believe we’ve seen the best version of this offense yet.

Under former offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Baltimore’s identity was purely about punishing the opposing team by running the ball nonstop. Now, the Ravens don’t have a true offensive identity. Although they led the NFL in rushing, that was a result of their unpredictability on any given play. 

At times, they’d pound the ball with bruising running backing Gus Edwards or speedy running back Justice Hill. Then a few plays later or on a crucial third down, they’d let Jackson do some damage with his legs and gash the defense for a long gain. Just as soon as the defense is keyed in on stopping the run, Jackson would fake a handoff and find a receiver downfield for another massive play. The next thing you know, Baltimore is in the red zone (within 20 yards of scoring), where it finished the drive with a touchdown 62% of the time. 

Despite this impressive efficiency, this offense still has plenty of room to grow. Health will be critical in making this jump as the Ravens achieved a lot of this success without Andrews and versatile running backs J.K. Dobbins and Keaton Mitchell. 

The return of Andrews combined with the rise of fellow tight end Isaiah Likely could present huge matchup problems for defenses next year. And Mitchell showed he can be an X-factor with his gamebreaking speed, adding an explosive element to this offense that only Jackson and Flowers can match. 

A healthy Jackson with a full season in a modern offense under his belt along with a full assortment of weapons could result in back-to-back MVPs and a historic offensive showcase.

The only potential hitch in this unit making a huge leap in 2024 is that it remains to be seen whether Monken will remain with Baltimore or opt to take a head coach position elsewhere. The next evolution of this offense will be a joy to watch, but only time will tell when that ascension can begin. 

Baltimore is changing the perception of Black quarterbacks

The NFL has long been archaic in the way its talent evaluators judge quarterbacks. The league is full of lifers who still cling onto the days when the league was filled with standstill passers who rarely scrambled outside of the pocket.

Athletic quarterbacks who can buy time with their legs are often asked to change positions or labeled as mentally incapable of operating an NFL offense. There’s no more egregious an example of evaluators completely missing the boat than in how Jackson was discussed entering the 2018 NFL Draft.

Many experts believed Jackson needed to play wide receiver or running back in order to have any success at the highest level, but the Ravens never bought into that idea. They saw Jackson for who he is, a genius quarterback with supreme confidence and top-tier athletic ability. 

Jackson showed Baltimore it made the right choice as he earned the second ever unanimous MVP in NFL history in his first year as a starter. Since 2019, he has made massive strides as a passer and as a more vocal leader. And he’s still finding ways to make history.

Jackson was part of a historic group this season as the 2023 Ravens are thought to be the first-ever NFL team with an entirely Black quarterback group, including players and coaches. The unit is comprised of quarterbacks Jackson, Tyler Huntley, and Josh Johnson along with quarterbacks coach Tee Martin and assistant quarterbacks coach Kerry Dixon.   

It’s unfortunate that this is an anomaly in the NFL, but this represents progress for a league that has continually turned Black people away from football’s most important position. 

Jackson’s development as a passer is not only shattering the preconceived notions of what the NFL thought he’d be, but is paving the way for dual threat quarterbacks to be the norm and receive more opportunities to demonstrate their skills.

Baltimore’s front office deserves some credit for refusing to buy into the NFL’s antiquated definition of what a quarterback should be. 

If the Ravens are able to cash in on their investment in Jackson with a third Super Bowl title, the rest of the league will follow suit soon enough. Remember, it’s a copycat league. Thankfully for Baltimore, there’s only one Lamar Jackson.     

The Ravens stirred some controversy by honoring Ray Rice

Baltimore honored Ray Rice, a former running back who was arrested 10 years ago on domestic violence charges and was part of the team’s 2013 Super Bowl win, as a “Legend of the Game” during its Week 17 win against Miami.

Rice played six seasons with the Ravens before his career ended in 2014, when he was caught on video in an Atlantic City elevator knocking out his then-fiancee (now wife) Janay Palmer and dragging her out of the elevator.

The Ravens explained their decision in an article on the team’s website that detailed Rice’s football accolades and discussed his efforts to redeem himself. Rice’s actions were abhorrent at best and completely indefensible, but what’s often forgotten about this incident is how the NFL completely mishandled it. 

The NFL has a long history of brushing domestic violence under the rug and being reactive about it rather than proactive. 

Rice’s egregious actions gave the NFL an opportunity to show it cared about this issue and would do everything in its power to stamp out this sort of behavior. Instead, the NFL suspended Rice for just two games. 

It wasn’t until the video of Rice’s attack became public and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell received unrelenting backlash that the league imposed a longer suspension and essentially blackballed Rice from ever playing again. 

That’s because the NFL is all about optics. It only pays attention to serious issues when it’s good for the bottom line. In this case, it can be argued that the Ravens disregarded optics when considering whether honoring Rice was appropriate or not.

The Legend of the Game announcement sparked outrage among many fans while others came to Rice’s defense and argued that his actions following the incident show he has grown from his discreditable past. 

Since then, Rice has been involved in domestic violence awareness groups, spoken to more than a dozen NFL and college teams to share his story, and coaches two youth football teams. Still, he’s aware that his efforts at redemption aren’t enough to make what he did right.

“I knew it would be hard to forgive me, but the one thing I have been consistent with was that I was going to be better. I’m not going to be a victim of my past,” Rice said, via the team’s website. “My legacy won’t be domestic violence. My legacy will be what I became after.”

While it’s more than fair to focus ire on the Ravens for this decision, the NFL deserves a lot of heat for failing to make any progress in its “efforts” to get ahead of the curve when it comes to domestic violence.  

This will remain a longstanding issue for the NFL unless it starts impacting the league’s profit margins. Hopefully at some point in the future, every football fan responds to all domestic violence incidents with the same fury as they expressed for Rice’s actions without needing a video for it to click how despicable the league’s complacency really is.

If you’re a crazed sports fan like me, navigating the holiday season is always an interesting challenge.

Take it from someone whose mental health is inextricably tied to the success of my favorite teams. It’s hard to be jolly after enduring a season that results in anything less than a championship or at least gives you hope that things are headed in the right direction.

Still, this was a fascinating year for Baltimore sports, and there were also plenty of compelling developments on the national and global scale that shaped this year in sports. Let’s reflect on some of the most intriguing athletic stories of 2023.

The Lamar Jackson contract saga finally ended

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson became eligible for a new contract after the 2020 season. Between then and April 27, 2023 —  when he agreed in principle to a five-year $260 million extension on the same day as the start of the 2023 NFL Draft — absolute mayhem ensued.

For a little background, Baltimore suffered a myriad of injuries and COVID-19 cases in 2020, losing more than 20 players to long-term injuries that ended up bleeding into the following year. The injury-riddled Ravens missed the playoffs for the first time in four years in 2021 as Jackson missed the final four games of the season due to an ankle injury.

The 2022 season was simply a continuation of the previous two disastrous years for Baltimore. Former offensive coordinator Greg Roman once again struggled to evolve his scheme from the strategy that helped Jackson earn MVP honors. And Jackson failed to finish the season healthy after suffering a PCL injury in week 13 against the Denver Broncos. 

Despite overcoming another slew of injuries to return to the playoffs, Baltimore’s season ended in a 24-17 Wild Card loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in which the offense was predictably inept during crucial situations — most notably when Bengals defensive lineman Sam Hubbard completed a 98-yard scoop-and-score fumble return for a touchdown as the Ravens squandered a goal line scoring opportunity that would have given them the lead.

Following this sobering defeat, the spotlight quickly shifted to Jackson since he opted against traveling with the team to Cincinnati in order to focus on rehabbing his knee injury. These ongoing negotiations turned Jackson from a beloved darling into a polarizing figure and, frankly, brought out the ugliness in a lot of people, whether they supported or defended Jackson.

Jackson’s eventual agreement with the Ravens for an extension combined with the addition of first round selection wide receiver Zay Flowers opened the door for where we are now. With Baltimore sitting atop the AFC and healthier than the previous two seasons, it has a chance to put the cherry on top of its long-term commitment to Jackson with a championship run over the next few months.

The O’s Are Back

Coming off an 83-79 record in 2022, fans weren’t exactly flooding through the turnstiles at Camden Yards to watch the Baltimore Orioles. But that completely changed in 2023. 

The Orioles revitalized the city’s love for baseball thanks to its young nucleus demonstrating an unflappable grit and determination throughout the entire season that culminated in their first 100-win season since 1980.

Although Baltimore’s quick playoff exit against the Texas Rangers in the American League Division Series was disappointing, the Orioles finally have a foundation to build upon as we get closer to spring training in February. 

LSU took the women’s basketball landscape by storm

When LSU Tigers star (and Randallstown native) Angel Reese taunted Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark by pointing at her ring finger and doing the “you can’t see me” celebration at the end of LSU’s 102-85 victory in the NCAA national championship, it set the college basketball world ablaze.

On one hand, many observers viewed Reese’s antics as classless and unbecoming of a champion. But on the other hand, plenty of people came to Reese’s defense and labeled criticism of her as a double standard since Clark had done the exact same celebration earlier in the tournament.  

With LSU being a predominantly Black team and Iowa being predominantly white, this inevitably created a racial divisiveness among viewers and pundits that clouded what was an excellent tournament. 

First Lady Jill Biden exacerbated this drama by expressing interest in inviting the Hawkeyes to the White House (which would have been the first time a runner-up visited the White House) before eventually rescinding her invitation. 

Reese went on to say that LSU would prefer to visit the Obamas until eventually agreeing to attend the White House ceremony. What’s lost in the racial overtones of this entire situation is that women’s college basketball completely stole the spotlight from the men’s tournament for the first time in recent history.

While the tension from this saga has cooled down, this could lead to an epic rematch when March Madness rolls back around in a few months.

The PGA Tour joined forces with LIV Golf

The PGA Tour — the world’s pre-eminent professional golf league — shocked the sports world this summer when it announced a merger with Saudi-backed LIV Golf. 

With LIV Golf boasting billions of dollars in funding from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, known as the Public Investment Fund (PIF), this announcement prompted several PGA Tour golfers to switch allegiance in pursuit of larger paydays such as recent addition Jon Rahm. 

Groups representing families and survivors of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks have expressed disapproval about the merger, but that outrage hasn’t prevented negotiations from continuing. 

The two sides are still working together to seal the partnership, targeting an official deal by Dec. 31. But with that deadline fast approaching, that time frame could be extended into the next several months. With so much money at stake, a deal feels inevitable but this will be a major story to keep an eye on throughout early 2024. 

Shohei Ohtani secured the largest contract in sports history

When two-time American League MVP reached free agency after the 2023 season, many estimates projected he’d receive a contract worth around $500 million or on the low end of $600 million. 

Not only did the 10-year $700 million deal he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this month exceed those expectations, but it was completely unprecedented in how it was structured. Ohtani deferred a majority of his salary until 2034, giving the Dodgers the financial flexibility to build a strong team around him throughout the prime of his career. 

The deferrals total $680 million, meaning Ohtani will receive $68 million from 2034 through 2043. With many fans and experts touting Ohtani as the most talented player of all time, the two-way star can put a stamp on his already-illustrious career by leading the Dodgers to a title — if not multiple ones.

LeBron James claimed the NBA’s scoring crown

I no longer wish to hear debates about who the greatest scorer of all time is. Yes, I’m just as entranced as any other basketball observer when Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant showcases his repertoire of pull-up jumpers, post moves, and off-balance shots. And there’s no doubt it never got tiring seeing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar pull off his unstoppable sky hook.   

But the reality is, no player in NBA history has a greater scoring arsenal than Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. He cemented this by surpassing Abdul-Jabbar’s career scoring record in a mid-February matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, becoming the leading scorer in NBA history at the ripe old age of 38. 

Most basketball fans and pundits assumed Abdul-Jabbar’s record would always stand the test of time because it appeared unreachable since his retirement in 1989. But the truth is James can’t be measured by normal standards. Even now, he’s still breaking the mold by playing at a supremely high level as he nears 39 years old. 

If he leads his team to another championship at this stage of his career, I’ll be willing to table the LeBron-Jordan debate too. I have a feeling we’ll be having this same conversation about James’ superhuman ability in 2025, so let’s just sit back and enjoy this ride as we approach 2024. 

Stop me if you’ve heard this before…

The Baltimore Ravens lead the NFL in rushing, boast one of the league’s premier defenses, and have played well enough that quarterback Lamar Jackson is in the middle of the MVP race.

These trends not only apply to the 2023 Ravens, but we also saw them in 2019 — culminating in the Ravens cruising to the No. 1 seed in the AFC and Jackson earning the second ever unanimous MVP in NFL history. 

But now that we’re long removed from Baltimore’s franchise record 12-game winning streak to close out 2019, that entire season feels like a fever dream. 

Baltimore has rarely been the top dog that gets the opposing team’s best shot every week, let alone the consensus favorite to reach the Super Bowl. Most pundits, betting houses, and fans anticipated a deep playoff run to cap off the Ravens’ historic regular season. 

Instead, the Tennessee Titans waltzed into M&T Bank Stadium and dominated in all three phases of the game en route to a stunning 28-12 victory in the AFC divisional round. 

Although the Ravens hold the top spot in the conference for now, a lot has changed for Baltimore since that disheartening upset. 

So while the bye week rolls on, we’ve got some time to consider whether the 2023 Ravens are poised for redemption as we approach the final stretch of the regular season or if this is a case where the more things change, the more they stay the same.

New year, same issues

The 2019 playoff loss against the Titans wasn’t maddening solely because it was unexpected, but also because of how it happened. The Titans came out and punched them in the mouth, storming ahead 14-0 early in the second quarter.

Baltimore wasn’t used to playing from behind that season and it simply failed to respond to the challenge. The Ravens were shaky and looked out of their element as they committed three uncharacteristic turnovers after finishing just outside of the top five in turnover differential throughout the regular season. 

Plus, Baltimore’s six drops on the day certainly didn’t help matters. 

The potential is there for the same issues to creep up come January as the Ravens have only trailed for around 30 minutes so far in 2023. This is a more battle-tested team than the 2019 roster, but the reality is the Ravens have repeatedly shown the innate ability to be their own worst enemy.

In the past 40 years, the teams that have spent the least time trailing through their first 10 games are the 1984 Miami Dolphins (14:46), the 1998 Denver Broncos (27:07), this year’s Ravens (28:46), the 1990 New York Giants (43:42) and the 2007 New England Patriots (51:03), according to the NFL Media Research Department. 

Every team on that list started 10-0 except Baltimore, which blew leads in all three of its losses this season. The alarming part is this isn’t just a 2023 issue. 

The Ravens have lost seven games in the last two regular seasons with Jackson as the starter. In 5 of those 7 contests, they had a 90% chance to win in the fourth quarter, according to ESPN’s win probability tracker. And they lead the NFL with nine losses over the past three years while holding a lead of at least seven points in the fourth quarter. 

Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t. This team simply can’t be trusted to finish games no matter how big of a cushion they give themselves. That doesn’t bode well for the playoffs when just a few mistakes can flip the whole momentum of a game. 

That’s part of the reason why the Ravens revamped their receiving core with the additions of wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers. They hoped drops and lack of separation on routes would be issues of the past, but we’ve seen glimpses of those same problems throughout 2023. 

Although Baltimore has shown the ability to present matchup problems for defenses even without tight end Mark Andrews, we can’t dismiss the possibility of them putting up a stinker at the worst possible time after we saw them pile up seven drops in a 17-10 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5. 

Drops haven’t been a big problem since that outing, but they weren’t an issue throughout most of 2019 either so nothing is written in stone. 

The Ravens won’t be trusted as a legitimate championship contender until they prove they can prevent themselves from snatching defeat from the jaws of victory and dispel the notion that Baltimore’s receivers can’t be trusted when all the chips are pushed to the middle of the table. 

Baltimore’s lack of poise could result in disaster once the stakes are raised in the playoffs, but it has some new bright spots that could help it make the deep playoff run it so desperately desires. 

What’s different this time?

After three straight years of being among the NFL’s most injury-plagued teams, the 2023 season has mercifully provided good health for Baltimore.

Head coach John Harbaugh deserves credit for revamping the team’s training programs in the 2022 offseason and leaving no stone unturned when it comes to consulting his data and analytics staff to develop the most efficient training methods for reducing injuries.

The Ravens have had their healthiest start to a season since 2019, but at some point injuries were bound to have an impact on the trajectory of this team. Losing Andrews for (potentially) the rest of the season in Baltimore’s 34-20 win against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11 was undoubtedly a major blow, but this team is more well-equipped to deal with this loss compared with the rosters over the past few years.

Harbaugh even said so himself, stressing that the team is “more prepared to deal with something like this than we have been [in recent memory].” Losing Andrews now as opposed to later in the year could be a blessing in disguise for Baltimore. 

Jackson has a propensity at times to force the ball to Andrews rather than spread the ball around to different receivers, so this injury will force him to develop chemistry with all of his targets over the final five games of the season. 

Building trust with his receivers could be a huge boon in the playoffs since you never know who will be called on to step up in a big moment. 

We’ve seen speedy running back Keaton Mitchell take advantage of his opportunities over the past few weeks after having limited opportunities in the first half of the season, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see tight end Isaiah Likely or wide receiver Nelson Agholor use their increased roles to establish themselves as Jackson’s new security blanket moving forward.

And it always helps when you have an elite defense to keep every game competitive while adjusting to the loss of your top offensive receiving threat. 

It’s taboo around Baltimore to mention any other defense in the same breath as the 2000 Ravens defense, but this year’s defensive unit has forced its way into the conversation. 

The Ravens have given up just 10 touchdowns through 12 games, which ranks first in the NFL. 

Baltimore is also allowing just 4.2 yards per play so far this year, marking the best average since the vaunted 2008 Steelers defense. 

To make a long story short, this defense is negating offenses from moving the ball whatsoever. And when opposing teams are fortunate enough to get in scoring position, they often have to settle for field goals.

Defense travels in the playoffs. So barring fatigue setting in or a sudden drop-off in execution, the Ravens will be able to stifle any offense they face in January. This suffocating defense makes Baltimore’s recipe for success quite simple.

As long as the Ravens can control the pace of the game with their rushing attack, play lights out defense, and avoid turnovers, they can dominate any team in the NFL. 

It’s unclear whether Baltimore can consistently execute when the bright lights are on, but it has the blueprint to make sure this isn’t a repeat of 2019. 

A few random thoughts

1. The Ravens were able to hang on to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 20-10 in Week 12, but Jackson never looked comfortable throughout the game. He was often scrambling to buy time once his protection broke down, and he was extremely inconsistent with his mechanics for most of the night. It’s a cause for concern that Los Angeles was able to consistently pressure Jackson without star pass rusher Joey Bosa. Keeping Jackson upright will be crucial for the Ravens’ playoff hopes. Remember, all of Jackson’s injuries have resulted from poor protection in the pocket. Baltimore’s offensive line has been inconsistent in pass protection this season, so that must be cleaned up in order to have any chance at a deep playoff run.
2. During Baltimore’s matchup against the Chargers, Harbaugh appeared to have a play sheet and looked to be talking into his headset more than I’ve noticed in other games this season. It’s difficult to say for sure how much of a hand he has in the play calling, but there are a few constants that have overlapped from former offensive coordinator (OC) Greg Roman to new OC Todd Monken. When the run game is humming, the Ravens have a bizarre tendency to go away from it despite that being the core of their offensive identity. Harbaugh’s fourth down decisions have cost Baltimore games throughout his tenure, so I’m unsure how to feel about him having a larger role in play calling duties. 
3. Flowers has an infectious smile and energy that has clearly had a positive impact on Baltimore’s locker room. With that said, he needs to work on his touchdown celebrations. Jackson was not a fan of his “bouquet toss” celebration, and I can’t blame him one bit. If I were him, I’d consult Beckham Jr. for suggestions. Thankfully, he has five more games to bounce back.

Supporting a team for several decades helps you develop immense confidence about your sense for where they’re headed and what they can accomplish when the season rolls around, but nothing could have prepared 33-year-old Colin Lyman for the 2023 Baltimore Orioles. 

The Baltimore native has been cheering on the Orioles since 1997, but after years of the team failing to even achieve mediocrity he settled into the tradition of avoiding watching any baseball beyond the annual trainwreck that was Baltimore’s season.

That all changed this year as the Orioles finished with a 101-61 record, racking up 100 wins for the first time since 1980.

“Usually this time of year, we’d turn baseball off and only watch football,” Lyman said. “This season was some of the most fun I’ve had as a baseball fan in a while. It was nice to have a team where going into each game you felt like you had a chance to win.” 

This year’s team reinvigorated the city’s passion for the Orioles and helped many fans reclaim their joy for baseball after a number of forgettable years.  

“It’s been so painful for the last five years that you forget how much you like baseball,” said Ron Snyder, a 45-year-old longtime supporter of the team and author of a book on the Orioles’ 1988 season. “When the team’s good, it not only gives you a reason to root for the Orioles. It gives you a reason to love baseball more.”

Although Baltimore’s success throughout 2023 didn’t culminate in a deep playoff run, it finally put together a season worth reflecting upon. 

Playing without the weight of expectations

The most fun teams to watch in sports are the ones that catch you by surprise, the scrappy underdogs that come out of nowhere to emerge as legitimate challengers. That’s what the Orioles did this year as most pundits, betting sites, and even hometown fans didn’t have Baltimore pegged for anything close to 100-plus wins before the season.

Even the most optimistic of fans couldn’t have anticipated Baltimore finishing in first place in the stacked American League East. Normally at this time of the year, fans are spending their weekends trying to avoid heart palpitations during Ravens games while their Orioles gear collects dust in the closet.

But the 2023 Orioles captured the attention of the city with the type of grit and fearlessness that Baltimoreans have no choice but to embrace.

“[Fans] want to love the Orioles,” Snyder said. “It’s a football town and a baseball town. They want to love both these teams. Orioles fans especially love blue-collar teams. That’s why this team was so special: a lot of young kids that didn’t know they were supposed to be this good this soon. They were scrappy, and the potential is there for a long run.”

Baltimore didn’t just exceed expectations; it produced a wealth of unforgettable moments along the way. 

Whether it was catcher Adley Rutschman’s historic 5-for-5 Opening Day performance at Fenway Park, first baseman Ryan Mountcastle’s nine RBI outing against the Oakland Athletics, or center fielder Cedric Mullins’ absurd catch against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Orioles did more than just capture a boatload of wins this season.

They captivated the hearts and minds of fans in a way that even the most battle-scarred of supporters couldn’t resist. Baltimore native Anthony Valladeres has been rooting for the Orioles since 1979, and he finally was able to treat games this year as more than just background noise. 

“When I’m watching nine innings and excited by that, that’s when I know I’m all in, and that happened this season,” Valladeres said. “There were games that I wanted to watch nine innings and was on the edge of my seat. That’s what this team brought me back to.”

The Orioles ran out of magical moments in the playoffs, but they undoubtedly gave fans a season to be proud of. 

A painful early exit

Baltimore’s season came to an abrupt end with a 3-0 loss against the Texas Rangers in the American League Division Series, putting an end to the team’s streak of avoiding a sweep since May 2022. 

And this wasn’t a case of games coming down to the wire with the Orioles failing to execute in crunch time. It was a plain old beatdown. Baltimore simply failed to execute in all phases of the game and were punished severely for it. 

“There is no other way to put it: they kicked our ass,” said outfielder Austin Hays. “It sucks. Just couldn’t really get anything going. Couldn’t get any momentum on our side to get things rolling. It hurts, it really hurts.”

Combined, Baltimore’s three starters pitched eight innings and allowed 13 runs. The Rangers overwhelmed Baltimore with their hitting and never lost control of the series after the Orioles put up a valiant effort in a 3-2 Game 1 loss. 

Pointing to the five-day layoff the Orioles had before the postseason due to the MLB’s new playoff structure as a factor in their early exit is a disservice to the Rangers. In this case, the team with the better roster prevailed and simply outmatched the higher seed. 

While it was surprising to watch Baltimore struggle to make games competitive, the Orioles have a shot at redemption in 2024. What’s undetermined right now is how they will look when that time comes.  

Where does the team go from here?

Experiencing ups and downs is a natural part of evolution for young teams, and this year was a huge step in the right direction for Baltimore.

It would be shortsighted to call this season a failure because of the lack of postseason success. Championship teams aren’t developed in one year. This year not only serves as a foundation to build upon for the next five years, but it also gives the Orioles plenty of motivation to make sure 2024 ends in a different result.  

“This hurts, and it’s OK to hurt,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “It’s OK to have this kind of fuel your fire in the offseason. It’s going to take a while for us to get over this a little bit. But I think our guys will come in hunting and hungry in spring training. The guys coming back, especially the young guys, know what this feels like, knowing what it tastes like, and it sucks. If they did soak it in a little bit, they’re going to be better for it down the road.”

With a roster loaded with young, inexpensive talent, Baltimore has the flexibility to go in several directions. Its rotation sticks out as a key concern, so it could flip some of its prospects for an ace pitcher.

But the Orioles may instead opt to sink those resources into acquiring a premium batter to bolster their hitting. They could also attempt to retain their auxiliary pieces and run it back since most of their key players are under contract for next year and beyond.

Baltimore’s myriad of options essentially makes this offseason a litmus test for the front office to improve the roster without disrupting the team’s chemistry. 

It has been a long time since Orioles fans have had something to look forward to, but that’s finally the case. The acclaim of Baltimore’s stellar regular season will only appease Orioles supporters for so long. 

Now, it’s incumbent on the team to continue making great strides in order to cement the 2023 season as one that the city looks back on as the bedrock of building a perennial contender.   

“I’m just so looking forward to the next five years,” Valladeres said. “I love the core of the team. I’m looking for a Houston Astros type run with the offensive talent we have. I don’t see why over the next four or five years 100 wins shouldn’t be the expectation.”

With spring training just four months away, it won’t be long until we see what the Orioles do for an encore. 

“This year was a renaissance of Orioles baseball,” Snyder said. “This is the ‘Oriole way’ that everyone keeps talking about. It’s a homegrown team, so what I’m hoping is they take this and build on it.”

In our new sports column, “The Charm City Birdwatcher,” Karuga Koinange will share insights into the Baltimore sports scene, its players and personalities, and the games’ significance to Charm City.

When Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh predicted his offense would be a “revolution” with quarterback Lamar Jackson taking the reins in 2019, he was only partially correct.

Jackson took the NFL by storm, putting together an unforgettable regular season performance that earned him unanimous MVP honors — becoming the youngest quarterback to do so and only the second player to receive every vote since Tom Brady in 2010.

But as NFL defenses adapted to former offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s run-heavy style, Baltimore’s offense stagnated every year following Jackson’s MVP season. 

Health played a key role in this downtrend as the Ravens consistently finished among the league’s most injury-riddled teams over the last three years, but that wasn’t the driving force of Baltimore’s offensive decline.

The truth is, Roman’s inability to develop a passing scheme that could pair with his versatile rushing attack limited Baltimore’s potential — no matter who was playing. That’s why the Ravens hired offensive coordinator Todd Monken this offseason to diversify their approach.

Monken brings a completely different skill set than his predecessor. He served as the Georgia Bulldogs’ offensive play caller during their consecutive national championship victories in 2021 and 2022, demonstrating a keen ability to vary his plan of attack depending on the weaknesses of the opposing defense.

No longer will the Ravens heavily rely on Jackson’s legs to punish defenses. Now, he’s receiving the keys to the offense and must showcase his command over the unit. Monken’s system grants Jackson full control for the first time in his pro career, giving him the opportunity to change plays, make adjustments to routes and protection schemes, and most importantly throw the football.

Many NFL pundits and analysts have questioned whether Jackson has the “processing ability” to operate this traditional style of offense, but the evidence against this case is overwhelming.

Not only did Jackson win the 2016 Heisman Trophy in a pro-style offense at Louisville under head coach Bobby Petrino, but he’s shown the ability to be lethal in his limited opportunities running the offense at the NFL level. 

Jackson has only run 32 no-huddle plays — an up-tempo style that allows him to make changes at the line of scrimmage — throughout four seasons as a starter. Despite not doing so often, he completed 70.5% of his passes on those plays.

So if Jackson had a proven history of executing a modernized offense at an elite level, why did the Ravens wait until 2023 for this philosophical shift?

It can’t be forgotten that the NFL is a business, first and foremost. And the Ravens prefer to build their roster through the drafter rather than handing out huge contracts for free agents. 

Plugging Jackson into Roman’s system allowed Baltimore to allocate its funds toward retaining core players and depth pieces rather than surround Jackson with top-end receiving talent, leaving the Ravens with the least expensive offense over the last four years.

But money wasn’t the only factor in this equation. Baltimore’s reluctance to stray from its run-heavy, defense-first philosophy contributed to its offensive ineptitude. 

Prior to the 2018 NFL Draft, many NFL experts questioned whether Jackson would have to switch positions in order to sustain a long NFL career. The root of these doubts stem from a longstanding bias against dual-threat quarterbacks that clouds the thought process of talent evaluators.

The prevailing thought among many NFL executives is that mobile quarterbacks are too reliant on their athleticism — which wanes over the course of their careers  — and struggle to consistently read opposing defenses.   

The Ravens didn’t buy into that notion, instead orchestrating a last-minute trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to select Jackson with the final pick of the first round that year. 

A quarterback’s rookie contract offers the best chance for a team to maximize their championship window by building around their young (and inexpensive) signal caller before they must pay him a king’s ransom.

But the Ravens were determined to maintain their run-first approach throughout Jackson’s rookie contract. This style proved effective in the regular season as Jackson boasts a 45-16 record as a starter, but it never materialized in a deep playoff run.  

The Ravens can certainly defeat their AFC North foes by keeping games nip and tuck with their defense and settling for field goals, but it’s borderline impossible to win a championship that way in today’s NFL. 

No matter how much Baltimore clings to the model that “defense wins championships,” recent history proves we’re in an era where offense is king. The last six Super Bowl champions had an offense that ranked higher than their defense, and that gap has increased in each of the last three years.  

Baltimore is in no way abandoning the marriage to its defensive tradition, but it’s finally embracing the offensive explosion that’s shaping the current NFL.   

With the chance to play in a revamped offense alongside tight end Mark Andrews, wide receivers Rashod Bateman, Odell Beckham Jr., and Zay Flowers, Jackson could silence many of his critics in 2024 by making good on his promise to bring a Super Bowl to Baltimore.

It’s not as if the Ravens aren’t well-positioned defensively, too. With inside linebacker Roqaun Smith taking charge of the unit since joining the team midseason last year, Baltimore gave up the second-fewest points and third-fewest yards throughout the end of 2023. 

The Ravens could build upon that impressive showing this season, but uncertainty remains prevalent about the progression of young outside linebackers Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo  — along with the secondary’s dependence on the presence of cornerback Marlon Humphrey. 

For one of the few times in franchise history, there are more questions about Baltimore’s defense than its offense.

Before Jackson’s MVP season, Harbaugh said Baltimore’s offense would be unlike anything we’ve seen before. He might not have vocalized it this offseason, but that could be the case in 2024 as well. It remains to be seen whether this new offense will be good enough to bring Baltimore back to the Super Bowl, but there’s no doubt it will be worth watching.

The Baltimore Ravens will begin their NFL season Sunday with their home opener against the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium.