The Baltimore Ravens have everything going for them in the playoffs to make a serious run at Super Bowl LIV
The NFL playoffs are officially upon us. Throw out all the regular-season records and what teams have done up until this point, everyone now starts at 0-0 and has an equal shot of heading to Super Bowl LIV.
But in reality, some teams are better suited for it. And while any team can win any week, there are some really good reasons why the Baltimore Ravens will be the team representing the AFC this season.
Let’s take a look at the six reasons the Ravens will make a Super Bowl LIV run.
Lamar Jackson
Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images
This feels like such a cop-out answer but it’s still a valid one.
Jackson has been the most electric player in the league this season and has effectively been unstoppable along the way, becoming a record-setting machine in 2019. Whether it’s on the ground or through the air, Jackson has destroyed opposing defenses en route to massive victories.
For all the talk about defenses being able to figure him out in his second season or in a second matchup, Jackson has actually gotten better over the course of the year. And as we’ve seen all season long, Jackson opens up the entire Ravens offense, forcing opponents to spend resources on him only to see other players create big plays because of it.
Through 16 games, Jackson has been nothing short of amazing. There’s no reason to believe that’ll end in the playoffs.
Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh said running back Mark Ingram is on schedule to return in the playoffs from a calf injury
The Baltimore Ravens finished the season off on a strong note, winning 12 consecutive games and locking up the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture. But in Week 16, Baltimore got a scare of the only thing seemingly capable of beating them: injuries.
Running back Mark Ingram suffered the only major injury — a calf strain that was going to force him to miss some time. The was hope the Ravens would get Ingram back in time for their divisional round playoff game.
And by resting Ingram and several starters in Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore put themselves on the right path. Coach John Harbaugh said Ingram is on schedule.
While Gus Edwards had a stellar game in Ingram’s stead — 130 rushing yards on 21 attempts against the Steelers — it’ll be nice to have the full running back stable available for the really important games.
In spite of having a first-round bye in the 2020 playoffs, the Baltimore Ravens will get on the practice field to stay sharp.
The Baltimore Ravens might not have an opponent in the AFC wild-card round of the playoffs but that doesn’t mean they’ll be sitting back with their feet up either. While this is a week of rest for Baltimore, they’ll still be getting in a handful of practices in order to stay sharp, according to coach John Harbaugh.
With the Ravens getting one of three potential opponents in the divisional round, Harbaugh said the team will be working on fundamentals Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Harbaugh noted the coaching staff will be back in on Sunday to begin the prep for their eventual opponent.
Many fans and pundits showed concern with Baltimore resting several of their starters in Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yet, those concerns appear unfounded with the Ravens beating the Steelers 28-10 to pick up their 14th win of the season. And with the team still practicing this week, it should assuage any fears that the players will come into next week’s playoff game rusty.
The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are bitter rivals and have been for quite some time.
If you wondered just how much they don’t like each other, then all you had to see was what Ravens coach John Harbaugh did during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s season finale.
Leading by nine points in a game that meant nothing to Baltimore but something to Pittsburgh, Harbaugh called for a fake punt on 4th and 1 from HIS OWN 11 yard line… and his team picked up the first down.
I mean, that is SAVAGE.
Making things more awkward is that the Steelers challenged the spot on the play but lose their challenge and could only watch as the Ravens continued their drive.
John Harbaugh just faked a punt on 4th and 1 from his own 11 yard line in a game that absolutely cannot do anything other than knock his primary, hated rival out of the playoffs.
Suffering a calf strain in Week 16 won’t keep Baltimore Ravens running back Mark Ingram from the field during the playoffs apparently.
The Baltimore Ravens beat up on the Cleveland Browns, finishing their playoff aspirations with a 31-15 drubbing in Week 16. But for all the excitement about the Ravens clinching the AFC’s top seed in the process, there was a down note as well. Running back Mark Ingram suffered a calf strain and is expected to miss a few weeks as he recovers.
While Ingram was going to sit out Week 17‘s meaningless game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Ravens have a first-round bye in the playoffs, there was some concern Ingram might not be healed up enough to play in the divisional round. But with the players back at practice after Christmas, Ingram told reporters he’s confident he’ll be ready.
"I'll be ready for the first playoff game." @markingram21 said he has confidence he'll be ready for the postseason after suffering a calf injury last week. pic.twitter.com/07susSvaeu
Ingram suffered the calf injury late in Week 16’s game, going to the locker room with the training staff. Though coach John Harbaugh noted the injury wasn’t structural, calf strains can vary dramatically in how long they take to heal.
Still, Ingram will effectively have three weeks of rest before having to put on pads for the Ravens’ first playoff game. Baltimore is being cautious with several of their key players like Ingram, quarterback Lamar Jackson and safety Earl Thomas, holding them out of Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
If Ingram can’t play, the Ravens will likely turn to Gus Edwards as their primary running back with a mixture of Justice Hill and Jackson to supplement. Edwards has averaged 5.2 yards-per-carry this season, which is actually slightly better than Ingram’s 5.0 average. But there are other things Ingram is tasked with that helped put him back in the Pro Bowl this year, that Baltimore would really miss.
On the heels of a wild weekend that transformed the NFL playoff picture, Touchdown Wire unveils its weekly NFL Power Rankings.
Heading into Week 17, we already know the Baltimore Ravens are the best team in the league and the Cincinnati Bengals are the worst.
In Week 16, we found out two positive certainties for the Ravens and Bengals. First, by guaranteeing the league’s worst record, the Bengals clinched the No. 1 spot in the 2020 NFL draft.
At least at the moment, it appears likely they’ll use it on Heisman Trophy winner and LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. That’s the silver lining in Cincinnati’s dismal season.
Baltimore earned a gift with its great season. At 13-2, the Ravens clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, meaning they have a bye and hold home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
Lots of other scenarios were clinched in Week 16. But many more, including a number of playoff seeds, won’t be known until after Week 17.
We touch on that and more in this week’s Touchdown Wire NFL Power Rankings.
32. Cincinnati Bengals
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
(1-14. Last week: 32)
Finally, there’s something to celebrate in Cincinnati. It took an overtime loss to Miami, but the Bengals officially clinched the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft. That almost certainly will be used on a quarterback, and most draft experts currently believe LSU’s Joe Burrow is the top prospect. While that seems like a certainty, the status of first-year head coach Zac Taylor isn’t a given. Bengals owner Mike Brown has been notoriously patient and frugal in the past, but a one- or two-win season may not be enough for Taylor to survive. Besides, there is plenty of room to question Taylor’s decision to go back to veteran quarterback Andy Dalton after briefly benching him in favor of rookie Ryan Finley. Yeah, Dalton threw four touchdown passes Sunday, but it’s clear he’s got no future with the Bengals. Apparently, Finley doesn’t either. This looks like a team that already has settled on Burrow.
31. Washington Redskins
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(3-12. Last week: 31)
There hasn’t been much for Washington fans to cheer for this season, especially after Sunday’s overtime loss to the New York Giants dropped the Redskins into sole possession of last place in the NFC East. But there is one bright spot: the play of rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Coming off the best game of his career, Haskins continued to show progress by completing 12 of 15 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with an ankle injury. That means whoever is coaching the Redskins next year might already have his quarterback. The Redskins are going to have a premium draft pick and might decide on Ohio State defensive end Chase Young, who is more of a sure thing than any of the quarterbacks who will be available.
30. Detroit Lions
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(3-11-1. Last week: 29)
Things continued to get worse for Detroit with a 27-17 loss to Denver. That was to be expected because the Lions are down to third-string quarterback David Blough, who totaled just 117 passing yards and took four sacks against the Broncos. This season has long been over for the Lions. But the real story here is about next season. Ownership came out last week and firmly said that coach Matt Patricia will be back for a third year and general manager Bob Quinn also will return. That’s somewhat surprising since Patricia’s tenure has been a disaster, and there haven’t been many signs of progress. But I can see the case for giving Patricia another year. He deserves a shot to see what he can do with quarterback Matthew Stafford healthy all season. If Patricia can’t win with Stafford, then it will be time to move on.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
(5-10. Last week: 27)
The Jaguars made news last week by firing executive vice president Tom Coughlin. Some assume that means coach Doug Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell are safe for next season, but that’s not necessarily the case. Marrone has lost 21 of 31 games since taking the Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game after the 2017 season. Coughlin’s firing was about more than the team’s record. It was a reaction by owner Shad Kahn after the NFL Players Association issued a warning to players about signing with the Jaguars due to a high number of grievances against the organization. Those issues were a poor reflection on Coughlin. But the team’s poor record is a reflection on Marrone and Caldwell. Kahn might be better off cleaning house and starting over again.
28. Miami Dolphins
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
(4-11. Last week: 30)
Remember back early in the season when everyone thought the Dolphins were purposely losing to acquire better draft picks? At first, it seemed to be true, but they were just good enough to win their way out of the top pick — and it was fitting that their overtime win against Cincinnati helped the Bengals clinch the No. 1 pick. Miami stuck with veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick over second-year pro Josh Rosen most of the season. That was pointless, because Fitzpatrick is no long-term answer for a team that needs a major rebuild. By missing out on the No. 1 pick, the Dolphins apparently will miss out on consensus No. 1 quarterback prospect Joe Burrow. They probably still will draft a quarterback. Instead of Burrow, it likely will be Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa or Oregon’s Justin Herbert.
27. New York Giants
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(4-11. Last week: 28)
Sure, the Giants are 4-11, and Sunday’s victory against a bad Washington team came in overtime. But I’m going to go way out on a limb and declare the Giants the favorite to win the NFC East in 2020. Seriously. Why? The Giants have the brightest future of the bunch. You could see Sunday that the Giants are set at quarterback and running back for the long term. Rookie quarterback Daniel Jones returned from injury and threw for 352 yards and five touchdowns. Second-year running back Saquon Barkley ran for 189 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 90 yards and another touchdown. Jones and Barkley could be superstars. Sure, there’s plenty of work to be done on the defense, at receiver and on the offensive line. But Jones and Barkley give the Giants hope and something to build around. Their presence and promise probably is enough to keep coach Pat Shurmur employed.
26. Carolina Panthers
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
(5-10. Last week: 25)
Perhaps the most insightful NFL quote of the week came from veteran Carolina tight end Greg Olsen, who has a bright future in broadcasting. After an embarrassing loss to Indianapolis, Olsen put Carolina’s situation into perfect context.
“It’s a really tough way to operate,” Olsen said. “Players are underperforming. It’s right now a very collective failure, organizationally a failure.”
The Panthers might be in the most disarray they’ve been in since coach George Seifert’s final year, a 1-15 season in 2001. Interim coach Perry Fewell hasn’t come close to winning a game since taking over when Ron Rivera was fired. It’s become obvious that Fewell will not get the permanent job. Owner David Tepper has to go out and find the right guy. If general manager Marty Hurney sticks around and has any input, his track record suggest he’ll favor a rising coordinator and not a former head coach or a college coach.
25. Los Angeles Chargers
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
(5-10. Last week: 23)
The Chargers lost to the Raiders on Sunday, but the big story here came in the postgame. Veteran quarterback Philip Rivers told reporters he wants to continue playing. Rivers is 38 and in the final year of his contract.
“I’m capable enough physically and mentally, there’s no question,” Rivers said. “Yes, I do want to play football. I do, and that’s how I feel deep down as I stand here.”
But the bigger question is do the Chargers want Rivers back? Despite all he’s done for the franchise through the years, Rivers has endured a bad season. His 18 interceptions rank second in the NFL to Jameis Winston’s 28. The Chargers have been one of the league’s most disappointing teams and haven’t developed much of a fan base in Los Angeles. They’ll be moving into a new stadium next year, and it might be time for an infusion of excitement at quarterback, whether through the draft or via free agency.
The Baltimore Ravens got quite the scare late in Week 16 against the Cleveland Browns when running back Mark Ingram went down with an injury
The Baltimore Ravens got the job done, beating the Cleveland Browns 31-15 in Week 16 to get to 13-2 on the season and lock up the No. 1 seed. But in the win, a handful of players got banged up leaving everyone a bit concerned.
Chief among them was running back Mark Ingram, who left late in the game with what was described as a calf injury. Ingram didn’t return to the game with Baltimore already leading and eventually winning. Following the game, Ingram was spotted with a walking boot on his left leg and explained what it was doing to ESPN’s Josina Anderson.
#Ravens RB Mark Ingram just walked by me with a boot on his left foot. He told me “it’s helping me not to push off my foot and put pressure on my calf.”
Though a player leaving a game in a walking boot is never a good thing, it doesn’t appear as though the Ravens are terribly concerned about the injury.
Coach John Harbaugh said the injury wasn’t structural. He noted Ingram was dealing with cramping, something it appeared cornerback Jimmy Smith had suffered from earlier in the game as well. However, Harbaugh said the team would know more once they get back to Baltimore.
John Harbaugh says RB Mark Ingram isn’t dealing with anything serious, nothing structural. Says Ingram was dealing with cramping and he should have an update tomorrow.
The hope is obviously that Ingram’s injury is minor and he’s available for Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. But with next week’s game meaning nothing for Baltimore’s playoff hopes, it could be a reason to sit Ingram and other key Ravens players in order to get healthy for the second round of the postseason.
Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh had a little retort for Lamar Jackson’s haters after they beat the Cleveland Browns in Week 16.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s first full regular season might be over after beating the Cleveland Browns 31-15 in Week 16. With the Ravens locked in as the top seed in the AFC playoff picture, there’s little reason for many of Baltimore’s top players to start in Week 17.
With Jackson adding another three touchdown passes and another 100-plus yard rushing game, the presumptive NFL MVP has put a great cap on his second season. When asked about how Jackson has done this year, Ravens coach John Harbaugh left the podium with a mic-drop moment.
Many fans and even pundits had been quick to judge Jackson before the start of this season. After a rookie campaign that was full of electric runs but some lackluster throws, a common snub was to call Jackson a “running back” as a way of dismissing his passing ability.
But with the win against Cleveland, Jackson has now gone 265-of-401 (66.1%) for 3,127 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, six interceptions and a total 113.34 passer rating. Jackson currently leads the NFL in passing touchdowns, TD% (touchdowns per attempt) and is third in passer rating. Meanwhile, Jackson has also totaled 1,206 rushing yards, breaking Michael Vick’s single-season rushing record, and adding another seven rushing touchdowns as well.
If running backs were this capable, I’d imagine NFL teams would be spending their first-round draft picks on them more often.
A look at the season Lamar Jackson has put together in fantasy football in 2019
After Thursday night’s dismantling of the New York Jets, there can surely be no doubt as to the identity of the 2019 MVP. Lamar Jackson was masterful once again as a passer and a rusher, with his third game with five passing touchdowns and his setting the new single-season rushing record for a quarterback. It has truly been a season to remember for Jackson.
But as good as he has been in “real” life, we cannot overstate how great Jackson has been in fantasy football. As crazy as it seems now, according to average draft position data from My Fantasy League, Jackson was the 15th quarterback selected in fantasy drafts in August. People who picked him up this late are all looking pretty clever now, as Jackson is the leading point scorer in ALL of fantasy football.
His 37.1 fantasy points against the New York Jets marked the seventh time this season Jackson has amassed 30 or more points in a single game. Since the dawn of the 21st century, only three players have had more 30 point games in a single season. Marshall Faulk (2000), former Ravens running back Priest Holmes (2003) and LaDanian Tomlinson (2006) all had nine such games. Jackson has two games left in 2019, but it is by no means certain that he’ll play a full role in either of them. Jackson has been the overall QB3 or better eight times in 2019, with three weeks as the overall QB1 (potentially four, pending the rest of the Week 15 games).
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Jackson has a whopping 387.9 Points per Reception (PPR) fantasy points after 14 games. This is a new Ravens single-season record, beating Ray Rice’s 372.8 from 2011. Jackson has also averaged a whopping 27.7 PPR points per game in 2019, another Ravens record. Jackson is one of three Ravens players to average more than 20 PPR points per game in a season, joining Rice (2009 and 2011) and Jamal Lewis (2003).
As crazy as it sounds, Jackson could have had an even greater season if it were not his deeds in blowing out some of the teams he has played against. As Matthew Stevens pointed out, Jackson has sat in the 4th quarter of all three of the games in which he tossed five touchdowns.
What I find amazing is that Jackson has 3 games of 5TD passes this season. And he's sat in the 4th quarter of all of them.
Imagine if he played for a full 60 minutes. Is 7 or 8 TDs out of the question in those games? I don't think so and THAT's why he's the MVP.
But for all the greatness, there could be a sting in the tail for Jackson’s owners this season. Some scenarios could occur this weekend that would lock up the No. 1 seed for the Ravens, clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and making the final regular-season game meaningless. Ravens coach John Harbaugh could decide to give his superstar an extended break, which would mean Jackson being unavailable for the fantasy football championships (usually played in Week 16, unless your commissioner is a psychopath).
Whether he plays in the final game or not, Jackson has been a true fantasy superstar in 2019. Ravens fans and fantasy football fans alike have been truly blessed to have him in our lives this season.
