The Ravens will play in the Super Bowl next year for these five reasons:
Twelve years between the Ravens’ first and second Super Bowl victories. It will be twelve years since their last next year.
The Super Bowl will take place in New Orleans in 2020, the city where the Ravens last won the Lombardi Trophy.
Since the Ravens are already planning for the upcoming season, Vegas oddsmakers have Baltimore as an early favorite to win the Super Bowl in 2019.
Ravens supporters could find it difficult to watch the Chiefs and 49ers struggle on Sunday. Here are five reasons, nevertheless, why the Ravens might make it to the championship game next season:
They will remain challengers due to their talent.
The Ravens are still one of the most talented teams in the NFL, despite some free agent departures. Lamar Jackson, the league MVP, Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, Mark Andrews, Tyler Linderbaum, Zay Flowers, and others will still form their core. Top free agents might also be retained by them.
Eric DeCosta, the general manager, has experience with both free agency and the draft. The Ravens will replenish rather than rebuild.
They’ve advanced to the conference final for the first time since 2012, and they’ve made the playoffs five of the previous six years.
Jackson is only 27 years old, and there is still a very good chance the Ravens will win a Super Bowl.
Todd Monken’s second season could see an evolution of the offense.
After ranking 19th in the NFL in 2022 with an average of 20.6 points, the Ravens moved to fourth in 2023 with an average of 28.4 points.
The offense was even more effective in Jackson’s final six starts of the regular season, averaging 33.8 points.
That’s a really big jump. Jackson flourished from playing in an offense with more playmakers in a system he embraced, while Monken profited from having him healthy for the entire season. Baltimore was the league leader in rushing, and the passing game got better.
The offense’s performance in the conference final left them feeling let down. However, the Ravens may now work on Monken’s system throughout the offseason.
A major plus was tight end Isaiah Likely’s late-season rise, which might lead to further matchup issues if the Ravens employ more two-tight-end setups.
With Likely and Flowers having one more season under their belts, there are good reasons to think Baltimore’s offense may be stronger the following year. The Ravens’ chances of making a postseason run may increase if their offense gets better.
Head coach John Harbaugh stated, This year, every day was a new day in the offense right up until the last half of the season. Every day won’t be brand new in the upcoming year. I’m excited about that procedure.
The elite defense should not change.
Zach Orr, the new defensive coordinator, is excited about his position despite the possibility of an adjustment period at age 31. Not a single player or coach doesn’t think Orr will succeed in his new position.
Defensive tackle Michael Pierce stated, One thing I always noticed and liked about Zach was how much he worked and the enthusiasm he brought to every practice and game. He never let up on his motor.
The Ravens still have high expectations for their defense, even with a new defensive coordinator. Orr will continue to lead a gifted team. In just two seasons, Hamilton has established himself as an All-Pro, and Smith is among the top defensive coordinators in sports.
