For the Baltimore Ravens it is Super Bowl or bust

The Baltimore Ravens have built a Super Bowl caliber team and now they must win it all:

The 2019 Baltimore Ravens have now proven themselves to be the most dominant team in franchise history. This team has broken record after record on both sides of the football and they have the pieces to dominate any team that stands in their way. Having a good team on paper is one thing, however, performing at an elite level requires 100% concentration and trust in one another. This team surely checks all the boxes it takes in order to end the season on the highest note possible: winning the Super Bowl.

These past 11 weeks have provided insight on how good the Ravens really are this year. After a horrendous loss in week four against the Browns, Baltimore has made improvements in every facet of the game. Free agents like Josh Bynes, Jihad Ward and L.J. Fort added experience and technique to a defense that was lacking veteran leadership after the departure of Terrell Suggs.

Later, the trade for Marcus Peters seemed to be the icing on the cake. Peters has been the definition of a Raven ever since he was traded here from the Los Angeles Rams. These defensive additions were just a few steps necessary in creating this extremely dominant football team.

Eric DeCosta’s mid-season moves can be complimented for days it seems, however, the offseason addition of Mark Ingram possibly might be the best move the Ravens made in order to bring the “play like a Raven” mentality to life. Ingram has now surpassed 1,000 yards rushing on the season and his 15 total touchdowns is the most he’s had in his nine-year career.

His effort on the field has been undeniably great and he is a huge reason as to why Baltimore has found such success using the run-pass option. He has been gashing defenses right up the gut all season and opposing teams have their hands full dealing with him and Lamar in the backfield.

These players have all seemingly molded together in order to form one unit with one common goal: winning the Super Bowl. When players have trust and confidence in one another, that is when they play their best football. It seems this team mentality is one of the biggest reasons as to why this team has been performing in a tier of their own.

Young players have been developing fast and that is evident in Baltimore’s 12 Pro Bowl selections, a number that could have seemingly been bigger (Orlando Brown Jr. and Brandon Williams snubbed). Players Mark Andrews, Pat Ricard, Matthew Judon, and Marlon Humphrey all earned their first, very well deserved, Pro Bowl selections. However, it seems as if this team is all motivated and gathering around our first MVP, Lamar Jackson.

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It seems as if people are running out of things to say about Lamar Jackson and how unbelievable he’s been playing this season. Now with an 19-3 record as a starter in the regular season, Lamar has undoubtedly proven his haters wrong. This MVP run will be the first in Baltimore Ravens history, without a doubt he has been the most electric player in the league and possibly all of sports.

There are not many 22 year olds who can handle all the pressure that comes with how well he’s been playing; however, he continuously proves himself to be a mature, humble young man who won’t let anyone or anything stand in his way. There is a reason he has a line of opposing players who want a jersey swap with him after their game.

The team camaraderie has been a huge reason as to why this team has been having so much fun out on the field. Watching the Ravens productions videos has become something I look forward to every week. From hearing Mark Ingram scream “BIG TRUSS” to Marquise Brown‘s dances; this team seems like they truly have a blast out there on the field.

That kind of relationship within a team can become the difference maker in close game situations. Marcus Peters also brings an old school bully ball brand of football to a team that had been lacking “swag” in the past. I would not be surprised if Baltimore is nationally televised quite a lot next season as they have quickly become the most entertaining team in football.

After a revenge victory in Cleveland, the Ravens are now 13-2 locked into the first seed with the rest of the AFC in their rear-view for the first time in franchise history. They have been awarded a first round bye and the road to Miami now has to go through Baltimore. From the offseason this team has had one goal: start and finish with wins in Miami.

They finished week one with a win against the Dolphins and are now on pace to not only make the Super Bowl, but to win it. The high expectations that come with playing at this high of a level can be a lot for some players, however it truly seems as if this team embraces the pressure. With such a young team playing so well, Ravens fans have a lot to be excited about.