The rhetoric is the same, "The Baltimore Ravens can't win the games that matter the most." We won't harp on the past. With Week 1 kicking off this Thursday night, we're only looking ahead.
Speaking of looking ahead, this upcoming season is going to be one for the ages. The NFL has so much talent across the board that it feels like at least 50 percent of the league could make a legitimate claim of being a Super Bowl contender.
The Ravens are not short on talent. In fact, this season's team has one of the most impressive rosters. Unfortunately, football isn't won on paper, it's won on the field. This year's team is ready to prove their worth on the field.
Get ready for the impossible this 2024 NFL season with the Baltimore Ravens.
4 bold predictions for the Baltimore Ravens 2024 season
The Ravens best last season's rushing yards, lead the NFL in rushing again this season
The Ravens have been a top-three rushing team in each of the past five seasons. Last season they ranked first with 2,661 rushing yards on the season which paced the league. This season, they'll not only win the rushing title, they'll also run for more yards than they did last season.
The offensive line may be less experienced, but that won't stop this team. The ground game and the Ravens are inseparable, like campfires and ghost stories. Lamar Jackson will keep shredding defenses, and the addition of Derrick 'King' Henry will help the team reach close to 3,000 rushing yards this season.
Two players eclipse 1,000 receiving yards
The Ravens haven't had a 1,000-yard receiver since 2021. Coincidentally, that was also the last time they had two 1,000-yard receivers on the team. Mark Andrews and Marquise 'Hollywood' Brown were the two who accomplished that feat. Brown is long gone, but Andrews remains with the team. As long as Andrews is healthy, expect him to be a perennial thousand-yard receiver.
Second-year receiver Zay Flowers is in for a big season this year after an encouraging rookie season. He'll join Andrews as the second member of the thousand-yard club. However, don't expect Andrews to lead the charge. The receiver room belongs to Flowers. This season will be his coming-out party.
Lamar Jackson wins back-to-back MVPs
Last season, Lamar Jackson won his second MVP, yet he still doesn't receive the credit he deserves. It's truly a shame. Instead of delving into the nuances, let's accept it at face value and attribute it to a misunderstanding of what it takes to be an elite quarterback in the NFL. Write him off as 'just a dual-threat quarterback' at your own peril. This season, he'll cement his status as one the greats to ever play the game.
This season, Jackson hears the criticism, internalizes it, and puts in the work to ensure that every critic is silenced. Jackson will come close to reaching a 4,000-yard passing and 1,000-yard rushing season, but ultimately, he will fall short of both marks. Regardless, he will consistently put on a great performance week in and week out, and clinch back-to-back MVP awards.
The Ravens defeat the Detriot Lions in Super Bowl LIX
Whether it be the Detroit Lions, San Fransisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, or any other team from the NFC, they will have purple and black confetti rained down on them post-Super Bowl LIX. For this exercise, the Lions will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
This season is all about letting go. Letting go of expectations, of the past, of whatever holds the Ravens back. This season is about letting go and overcoming. This team has a 'Team of Destiny' feel to it. So much so, that HBO is launching its infamous Hard Knocks series in-season with the AFC North. The league knows, the team knows, the fans know - this season will be special.
The Ravens know they have to perform this season. Expect them to block out the noise, get to business, and win it all.