The Baltimore Ravens got a win. Now these are the questions that linger:
1. How good is this team and what are reasonable expectations?
The Baltimore Ravens are 3-2 with a home game against the Cincinnati Bengals coming up next week. They just beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are now 1-4. All is right with the world right? Nope. The Ravens haven’t looked like a good team for the past three weeks. The defense has been eaten alive in almost every game of the season. The offense has put up big numbers but it has left a lot to be desired in the past couple of weeks. It’s hard to know what to think about the Ravens right now.
Last year the Ravens were 4-5 before turning it around and winning the AFC North. It’s still incredibly early to be talking about the fate of this team. The problem is that the level of competition is going to get rough soon. The Ravens play the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots after the Bengals. Beating the Bengals would put the Ravens at 4-2 and in a good spot. The problem is that falling to 4-4 seems to be a likely scenario. The effort that they put forth against the Browns will get them beat every time. The way the Ravens played against the Steelers won’t equal wins against good teams. It just won’t.
The good news is that the Ravens have shown potential. The defense took steps in the right direction against the Steelers. It wasn’t pretty but it’s a start. The offense has looked phenomenal, horrible and everything in between this season. If Lamar Jackson and the Ravens can get more consistent a good season is possible. The formula is there. Until the Ravens prove they can stick with it, confidence is a little hard to come by. There is no doom and gloom at the moment but this team leaves a lot to be desired at the moment.