The Baltimore Ravens will play their first playoff recreation of the season this coming weekend after securing a bye attributable to being the AFC’s high seed. They completed the season 13-4, and regardless of not having key gamers like tight finish Mark Andrews or extensive receiver Devin Duvernay, they trampled virtually everybody round them.
Lamar Jackson was enjoying like a mixture of Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen to culminate an MVP-worthy season. The protection has been wreaking havoc on opposing offenses.
This actually seems to be just like the yr the Ravens win all of it for the primary time since a spry Joe Flacco was behind heart. However look a take a more in-depth look: May the whole lot concerning the Ravens’ Tremendous Bowl probabilities begins wanting too good to be true?
Whereas the Ravens had an additional week to arrange and prepare, the remainder of the league was enjoying, combating to maintain their Tremendous Bowl desires afloat. There is no such thing as a one who must have extra time enjoying within the playoffs than Lamar Jackson and Odell Beckham Jr.
Jackson is 0-2 within the divisional spherical. After six seasons within the NFL, it’s beginning to seem like he resembles Dak Prescott on the subject of the postseason. To this point in his career within the playoffs, Jackson has 5 interceptions, has been sacked 19 instances, whereas throwing three landing passes. He has lacked the expertise of being within the playoffs, however to be honest, CJ Stroud of the Texans has much less expertise on the subject of the matchup.
Then there’s Odell Beckham Jr. He has been within the league for 10 years and has solely been to the playoffs 3 times for a complete of 5 video games. Whereas he might need a Tremendous Bowl ring for his time with the Rams, he didn’t play in any respect final yr (attributable to tearing his ACL within the Rams’ Tremendous Bowl recreation). He has a 4-1 playoff record, however he must be that man the Ravens can depend on closely as a veteran presence. Will he be the man he was on the Rams or the best way he has been the remainder of his playoff profession?
“Everybody knows how the Super Bowl ended for me,” Beckham stated to the team. “It’s been a long two and a half years, so it all boils down to this.”
The Ravens are in a singular place the place they’ve the whole lot to lose, but in addition the chance to be nice. That is the primary time in a very long time the place they’ve the whole lot in place to go all the best way. Possibly all that Jackson and his teammates want is an opportunity to show themselves.
Even when they do show themselves, they run into both Kansas Metropolis or Buffalo within the subsequent spherical. Two teams which can be additionally vying for his or her spot within the championship, whether or not it’s to repeat as champions or to get their first Tremendous Bowl win.
There may be nonetheless quite a bit for the Ravens to show, however this ought to be a straightforward win vs. the Texans. And it might be, however the numbers recommend a buyer-beware strategy.
