The Ravens could be hauling in quite a few awards for their work this season, but which ones should they win at the NFL Honors ceremony?
The Baltimore Ravens might not have finished the season the way they wanted but they exceeded almost all expectations along the way. With the NFL Honors ceremony the night before Super Bowl 54, the Ravens are in line to win some serious hardware for their work this season.
But out of all the awards that will be handed out, which ones should Baltimore actually win? Let’s take a look at four awards I believe the Ravens are frontrunners for.
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
MVP: Lamar Jackson
This seems like a pretty obvious one and it would be shocking if Jackson didn’t win the NFL’s MVP award. Jackson was easily the most electric player on the field this season, creating a whole list of highlights that have to be seen to be believed. But the MVP award isn’t just about cool plays. However, Jackson has the stats to back up his case.
Jackson led the NFL in touchdown passes (36), TD% (9.0%), perfect passer ratings (2 games), broke Michael Vick’s single-season rushing record with (1,206 yards) and led the league in rushing average (6.9 YPC). In total, Jackson combined for 4,333 total yards and 43 touchdowns, while winning five Offensive Player of the Week awards, a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl nod.
As if the stats and broken records weren’t enough to warrant the award, Jackson completely redefined the position as we know it. That makes him the most valuable player in the NFL in my book.
The Baltimore Ravens going 14-2 and setting several records this season pushed coach John Harbaugh to be the PFWA’s Coach of the Year winner
The Baltimore Ravens had a magical season, surpassing every offseason expectation en route to a 14-2 final record and No. 1 seed in the NFL playoffs. While the season didn’t end on the high note many fans and pundits eventually predicted, Baltimore is the likely landing spot for many awards this offseason.
With the Pro Football Writers of America awards up first, the Ravens are already cashing in. Quarterback Lamar Jackson was named the PFWA’s MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. Now, coach John Harbaugh has been named the Coach of the Year while offensive coordinator Greg Roman was named Assistant Coach of the Year.
Baltimore’s 14-2 record for 2019 set a franchise record for wins and gave the Ravens their first-ever No. 1 seed. Roman’s offense also broke a 41-year old NFL record for the most rushing yards by a team in a single season.
While the PFWA awards are just the start of the recognition for Baltimore, the real prize is the Associated Press awards given out during the NFL Honors ceremony the night before Super Bowl LIV. Ravens players and staff are expected to win the NFL MVP, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year for the 2019 season.
Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks staff will be coaching the NFC roster in the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl in Orlando on January 26.
Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was likely hoping to square off against John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens in the Super Bowl in Miami this year, but the 2020 Pro Bowl in Orlando will have to do instead.
After falling to the Packers last Sunday to end their season, Carroll and his staff will be coaching the NFC squad in the exhibition matchup. Harbaugh and his crew will head the AFC team.
The NFC and AFC Pro Bowl coaches are represented by the staff from the teams with the best records who were eliminated in the divisional round of the playoffs.
The @ravens and @seahawks coaching staffs were selected to lead the 2020 #ProBowl teams in Orlando!
“Really to see the caliber of the other players,” Carroll explained Monday of the opportunity. “I mean, we’ve been with our guys for six months. To have a chance to compare what these guys are capable of looking like. It’s not going to be the most intense preparation that we’ll ever go through. We’ll be around them. I’m looking forward to the game as much as anything.
Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh will go with his 12 players to the 2020 Pro Bowl as the coach of the AFC.
The hope was the Baltimore Ravens wouldn’t be able to make it to the 2020 Pro Bowl because they’d be practicing for Super Bowl LIV. However, with their loss in the AFC’s divisional round, Ravens coach John Harbaugh and his staff will not only make it but be in charge.
Baltimore announced Harbaugh would be the coach of the AFC at the 2020 Pro Bowl in Orlando the week before Super Bowl LIV.
While many fans will have trouble caring given their recent playoff loss, it’s a great opportunity for the Ravens to do a little scouting and potentially a little early recruiting of some pending free agents. Though Harbaugh can’t officially do any recruitment per the NFL’s rules on tampering, being able to talk with and coach players could pay off when free agency actually hits.
This isn’t Harbaugh’s first time coaching in the Pro Bowl either. He led the AFC in 2009 against Andy Reid and the NFC.
With the Ravens having 12 players named to the Pro Bowl and Harbaugh being the coach of the AFC, it gives Baltimore fans more reason to actually tune into the game. We’re likely to see some really interesting concepts be used in this game and perhaps a preview of some new wrinkles we could see next season for the Ravens.
Following the Ravens’ 28-12 beating at the hands of the Titans, many players were disappointed in the outcome yet optimistic about the team’s future, according to WNST’s Luke Jones. In fairness to their hopefulness, Baltimore does have the likely MVP in Jackson and a roster full of great young talent that got them this far. It’s easy to see how they’ll be a regular playoff contender for the next few years.
But in reality, 14-2 seasons with an NFL-record offense and the No. 1 seed don’t happen every year. In fact, Baltimore had never held the top seed in the AFC in their 23 years of existence prior to this year and the rushing record they broke had stood for 41 years. Only four players have ever won the NFL MVP award in back-to-back seasons, dating back to 1957.
No, the Ravens had a golden brick road towards Super Bowl LIV and tripped with Emerald City gleaming within sight. It would be unfair to expect Baltimore will mirror that level of regular-season success in 2020. And in a sport where legitimate chances at greatness are fleeting, it’s not a stretch to wonder if the Ravens missed their opportunity.
This is the type of loss that can completely derail a team and get in their heads next season. It would be fair to wonder if last year’s playoff loss to the Los Angeles Chargers had a similar impact in this game, causing the players to get flustered and overextend themselves.
We’ve seen plenty of great teams that were favored to win the Super Bowl fall flat on their faces once they got to the postseason. Look at the former San Diego Chargers, who were perennial paper champs every January in the 2000s only to suffer heartbreak. Much like those Chargers, cornerback Marlon Humphrey noted Baltimore’s current identity is rightfully playoff choke artists.
Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey: "This team’s identity right now is to get to the playoffs and choke. It is what it is. That’s just the hard truth."
How should this team be remembered? "As losers, I guess," Humphrey said. "We kind of just lost. So, that’s how I would remember it."
John Harbaugh and the Ravens’ coaching staff is going to have a tough task ahead of them this offseason. They’ll have to get the players to shake this game from their memories or turn it into the type of fuel that makes them better.
Luckily for Baltimore, Harbaugh has some experience in this matter. After losing to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game thanks to a dropped pass and missed field goal attempt, Harbaugh faced a similar feat then. He and the team responded the following season, using the crushing loss as inspiration to not let it happen again. In the same scenario — against the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game — the Ravens grew and defeated their demons en route to their Super Bowl XLVII victory.
It’ll take a little bit of that magic over the next seven months to match the players’ optimism with results but Baltimore has the right coach for the job.
Former Baltimore Ravens legends take their former teammate Bernard Pollard to task on Twitter for his hate of the Ravens.
The Baltimore Ravens saw plenty of people jump on their bandwagon this season. Baltimore went 14-2 in the regular season, finishing with a 12-game winning streak that will likely see quarterback Lamar Jackson win the NFL’s MVP award. But apparently, not everyone is a fan, including former Ravens and Tennessee Titans safety Bernard Pollard.
At kickoff, Pollard posted a tweet rooting for the Titans. It immediately drew plenty of comments from Baltimore fans and even a few of Pollard’s former teammates.
Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed was the first to respond and take Pollard to task for being salty.
Reed wasn’t the only player to come back at Pollard. Former Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs reminded Pollard he played for both teams and earned a Super Bowl ring with one of them.
For those not in the loop, Pollard has had a longstanding beef with Baltimore coach John Harbaugh. He hasn’t been shy about going after Harbaugh since his release from the team following the 2012 season. That included blaming the coach’s ego for destroying what Pollard believes could have been a dynasty.
Pollard also hasn’t been a fan of Jackson’s either. In conversations with fans on Twitter during the 2018 NFL draft, Pollard said he though Jackson doesn’t have what it takes to be an NFL quarterback.
If Bmore doesn’t make that move, he’s sitting for awhile. He’s SUPER athletic but I don’t think he has it to be a NFL QB.
Another year and another excuse. This will continue to happen. You can be mad and unfollow me that’s fine. He’s exciting but he’s not the answer. Take your pick on who to blame for the #Ravens but at the end of the day #8 touches the ball every play. #itoldyall
The Baltimore Ravens are the favorites over the Tennessee Titans for good reason. Here are eight reasons why they’ll win in the NFL playoffs
The Baltimore Ravens finally get their chance to taste the 2019 NFL playoffs this week. After sitting out of the first round thanks to holding the top seed in the AFC, the Ravens will go up against the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round.
While there are some reasons to be concerned about the Titans — or any playoff team for that matter –, Baltimore is in good shape for this game. In fact, they have eight great reasons why they’ll not only beat Tennessee but put a whoopin’ on them.
We’ll start off with the biggest reason the Ravens have been so successful this season . . .
Lamar Jackson is unstoppable this year
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
There’s a reason why Jackson is the presumptive MVP this season and that’s because no defense has really figured out how to stop him. More importantly, Jackson has turned the game back into 11-on-11 football, which favors the offense and forces opposing defenses to match them talent-wise.
Whether it’s been through the air or on the ground, Jackson has been efficient and explosive. He’s created big plays with his arm this season, posting a 66.1% completion rate, along with a league-leading 36 touchdown passes and 9.0% TD-to-attempt rate. He’s done it with his legs, breaking Michael Vicks’ rushing record while posting a 6.9 yards-per-carry rate to lead the entire NFL.
Jackson has been shattering both franchise and NFL records all season long. No offense to the Titans, but they don’t have anything special that the likes of the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49er don’t have. If those teams couldn’t stop Jackson from destroying them, I can’t see Tennessee suddenly having the recipe or the secret sauce to get it done.
The Baltimore Ravens got quarterback Lamar Jackson back on the practice field and at 100% after dealing with the flu earlier in the week
The Baltimore Ravens are using their first-round bye in the playoffs to get rested. It turns out that several players needed that little bit of rest to deal with the flu, including quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Jackson said he was forced to watch some of Week 17’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers inside due to the illness. He also missed Tuesday’s practice before returning Thursday. But according to coach John Harbaugh, Jackson is fully back and looking 100%.
The Ravens likely wouldn’t be where they’re at now without Jackson, so getting him back healthy and fresh is paramount to their success in the postseason. The presumptive MVP and All-Pro quarterback has been on a tear in his second season, putting up historic numbers both on the ground and through the air to lead Baltimore’s offense to a league-leading 531 points in the regular season.
Previewing the Baltimore Ravens’ Super Bowl LIV chances, with NFL betting odds, picks, futures and best bets.
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The Baltimore Ravens cruised through the 2019 NFL regular season to a 14-2 record and a second straight AFC North crown. They won their final 12 games of the year after a 2-2 start and nine of their 14 wins were decided by at least a two-score margin. Now, they head into the postseason as +225 favorites to win Super Bowl LIV in Miami Sunday, Feb. 2.
The Ravens, led by MVP frontrunner QB Lamar Jackson, locked down the No. 1 seed in the AFC and will host the Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills or Houston Texans in the Divisional Round Saturday, Jan, 11.
NFL futures odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Friday at 12:30 pm. ET.
Baltimore Ravens playoff futures
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AFC Champion: -112
The Ravens are the only team in either conference getting a negative number to advance to Super Bowl LIV. The Kansas City Chiefs are the next closest favorite in the AFC at +200, while the Buffalo Bills are the biggest long shot at +3000. The books are putting the juice on a Ravens team, which obtained the NFL’s best regular-season record, controls home field through the AFC playoffs and enters the postseason on a 12-game winning streak.
The Ravens’ two losses this season came at the Chiefs (33-28) and at home to the rival Cleveland Browns (40-25) in Weeks 3 and 4, respectively. Baltimore and KC may meet in the AFC Championship Game, but it’ll be Baltimore with the home advantage in the rematch.
(Photo Credit: Tommy Gilligan – USA TODAY Sports)
The Ravens led the NFL with 33.2 points per game and ranked second in total yards of offense per game at 407.6. Defensively, they ranked third in PPG allowed (17.6) and fourth in YPG allowed (300.6.). Only six teams had a better turnover differential than Baltimore’s plus-10.
These merits aside, there’s zero value in placing a futures bet on the team getting the juice. There’s too much that can happen, even in a three-game sample. It’s a hard PASS for me on the conference title odds. It’s Super Bowl or bust for John Harbaugh’s Ravens.
Super Bowl: +225
New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the Ravens to win Super Bowl LIV would return a profit of $22.50 should Baltimore win the game.
Harbaugh should be viewed as the Coach of the Year favorite, much like Jackson ran away with the MVP honors. Additionally, the Ravens tied an NFL record with 12 Pro Bowl selections this season. Behind Jackson, free-agent additions RB Mark Ingram and S Earl Thomas received nods, as did in-season trade acquisition CB Marcus Peters. Nine of the team’s sections were either drafted by the Ravens (six) or signed as undrafted free agents (three).
Photo Credit: Rich Barnes – USA TODAY Sports
At +225, the books still aren’t offering much value on the Ravens to win it all in early February. The Ravens opened with +2000 odds of winning Super Bowl LIV last February, with those rising all the way to +4000 by the end of the preseason. To all those who acted at the right time, congratulations. Sit back, and hold your ticket tight.
For those needing action entering the postseason, go ahead and back the Ravens on a multi-unit bet. Hedge it by backing a long shot out of the NFC such as the Minnesota Vikings (+1600) or Seattle Seahawks (+1200).
Alternatively, try predicting the exact Super Bowl LIV matchup. Baltimore Ravens v Green Bay Packers (+800) will be getting some of my money.
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Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh seems like the presumptive winner of the NFL’s Coach of the Year award but here’s why he should get it
The Baltimore Ravens have finished the 2019 regular season with a number of awards likely looming. Though the Ravens ultimately have their sights set on Super Bowl LIV, coach John Harbaugh is one of the presumptive nominees for the NFL’s Coach of the Year award.
While Harbaugh has a lot of tough competition for the award, here are four reasons that set him apart from the other worthy coaches.
The Ravens are the best team in the league
Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images
If we’re boiling things down to their most basic forms, Baltimore having the best record in the NFL and winning 12 consecutive games should earn Harbaugh the award. It’s not too hard to argue that the best team in the league has the best coach. But that doesn’t really do it justice.
The Ravens have been the best team in the league by a wide margin. They haven’t played a bunch of bad teams to inflate their record but taken on some of the best squads in the league. Baltimore has played six of the 11 other playoff teams this season and gone 5-1 in those games, outscoring the group by a combined 180-110.
It’s one thing to be prepared enough to beat bad teams but to regularly outcoach some of the best in the league makes Harbaugh deserving of this award.
