The way Baltimore Ravens finish the season matters one way or another

The way the Baltimore Ravens finish the season matters one way or another:

The Baltimore Ravens need to get two more shots to deserve a playoff spot. The Ravens can get a playoff spot at 10-6 yet they need too much help that way. The New York Giants and the Cincinnati Bengals are on the schedule. Come on man, get the wins. Whether or not things go the Ravens way, they need to end the season on a positive note.

Imagine ending the regular season at 11-5. Imagine having a thrilling win over the Cleveland Browns, and three straight clobbered opponents. If the Ravens end the season on that note, they will have earned a ton of respect. It’s not about making the postseason. It’s about deserving a shot in the playoffs in the first place.

Everything feels good in Baltimore right now. It’s Christmas time and the Ravens are getting things together. The offensive line is playing much better, especially with run blocking. Lamar Jackson is playing well and, the defense showed signs of getting back on track against Jacksonville.

The Ravens are a dangerous team, easily the most dangerous team that doesn’t control their own destiny completely. With Jackson and the run game humming, the only ingredient they need come playoff time is Don Martindale to have his defense firing a little more powerfully.

There’s no shame in an 11-5 record. It felt like a Super Bowl kind of season when the weather was hot and we were desperate to get back to football. Things didn’t go as easily as the Ravens were hoping they would.

There have been injuries to key players, the global pandemic weighed in on the season and, the Ravens had to find themselves. An 11 win season would be something to be proud of. It wouldn’t fit the billing of the Ravens in September, yet the information has changed.

Nobody knew the Ravens were going to lose Ronnie Stanley for much of the season. Nobody knew the Ravens were going to have Nick Boyle and Tavon Young suffer season-ending injuries along the way. Nothing has been easy this year yet it hasn’t been a bad one.

Last season isn’t this one and getting a playoff-caliber record matters no matter what. The Ravens really need to hope they can unwrap two dominant wins. If they do, they can leave the regular season feeling good about themselves one way or another.

The Ravens aren’t going to get that good of a draft pick one way or another. Taking care of their business is imperative because there is literally nothing to gain from failing to do so. It would be nice to know that John Harbaugh didn’t just waste this season. It would be nice to see the team moving in the right direction at the end of the year.

The Bottom Line:

The season can either be defined by their losses or their wins. The Ravens had some good wins this season. Their dramatic win against Cleveland was something to behold. Their 38-6 annihilation of them in the season opener was also special. Stomping the Indianapolis Colts down 24-10 was a huge victory on the road. The win against the Washington Football team looks better than it did earlier this year.

Should the Ravens not make the playoffs, the leads they surrendered against the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers will haunt them. Should the Ravens lose out on a playoff chance, the loss in New England will never be one you’ll ever get over.

That’s just how it goes. More than anything though, the Ravens need to go into the end of the year with a goal. They need to convince themselves they can win it all so that if they get the opportunity they can make magic happen.