Baltimore Ravens: Why 2018 squad is a Super Bowl contender
A shot at the division crown:
Lost in the season the 2018 Baltimore Ravens are having is the fact that they remain very much alive in the AFC North race. Baltimore is just a half-game out of first place in their division, behind the hated Pittsburgh Steelers. Why does this matter so much? Well, for those who are unaware of the division title’s importance, it guarantees you at least one home playoff game.
Historically, the Baltimore Ravens have themselves an above average home-field advantage. The team has a 4-2 record at home this year and could easily win out and end the season 6-2. A 10-6 Ravens squad, who is much better than its record, at home for the wildcard round of the playoffs is frightening to the rest of the AFC.
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From there, the Ravens would claim at least one home game for the playoffs, which is a huge step in the right direction for a Super Bowl run. While Baltimore isn’t accustomed to home playoff games, the team maintains a 3-2 home record at home in the post-season. Meanwhile, you’ll notice on that link (via Pro Football Reference) that the Ravens are road warriors. While that is incredibly comforting to see, it isn’t what we’re talking about here.
No, team’s who have at least one home game in the playoffs more often than not win those games and have deep playoff runs. If Baltimore can accomplish this with a AFC North crown, they could easily run the table and get to the Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs and the New England Patriots will likely owning the top-two seeds for the playoffs, but both should be worried about the Ravens.
Once Baltimore gets into the post-season, we know anything is possible. We’ve seen so many improbable runs and victories in the team’s history, and 2018’s playoffs could be no different. But for at least one home playoff game and a likely win, they’ll be that much closer to Super Bowl LIII.