There is undoubtedly a fresh excitement around the Baltimore Ravens, but there are still some things to worry about. Here are three reservations about the season. These are three things that could hold Baltimore back:
The Baltimore Ravens have a lot to look forward to in the 2018 season. Even if the Ravens weren’t seemingly on the verge of getting back their playoff groove in 2018, Baltimore would still be in football mode. The Orioles have been a sinking ship for months now, with the fate of Manny Machado being more interesting than the actual games. The Orioles are 23-57 this season which is simply tragic. The Ravens are the hope that Baltimore fans are clinging onto. Things don’t always work out for the best though. With that in mind, here are three things that could go wrong in next season:
1. Are we sure Flacco has a bounce back season?
It’s a popular thought, Flacco will have a great 2018 season. The train of logic behind this is that having Lamar Jackson behind him will push him. That and the fact that he has better weapons and he’s healthy coming into the season is giving Ravens fans hope that Flacco will light it up in 2018. The thing is, we haven’t seen Flacco light it up in a while. Even in the 2014 season where he threw 27 touchdowns, the offense was based on the running game.
Since then, Flacco has been on a downward trajectory with few glimpses of it turning around. Yes, he looked better in the second half of the 2017 season. This supports the argument that a healthy Flacco will be an effective Flacco. The problem is that it would be hard to look worse than he did at the start of the season. In week three he had 28 yards in a game; it doesn’t matter which continent the Ravens were on, that’s inexcusable. 2015 was atrocious for the entire team. 2016 was a frustrating year for Joe, even though he did finally get a 4,000 yard year. Last season he was hot and cold and everything in between. Does anyone really know what to expect with Flacco anymore? That is a serious question.
Flacco could be damaged goods:
The idea that Flacco will have a bounce back season is a nice one, but is it something we can really expect? Is Flacco shining through more than a game here or there a reasonable expectation? Flacco’s circumstances have changed, but has he? Flacco has some bad habits that probably aren’t going to go away. Flacco is a beloved member of the Ravens lure, but in the back of our minds, the Lamar Jackson era can’t start soon enough. If Flacco has a great final stand, that’s great. If not, it’s going to be unbelievably frustrating and painful. There is certainly reason to doubt Flacco at this point.