Let’s be honest, the Baltimore Ravens have the most talented team in the American Football Conference (AFC). With their elite offense, their superstar defense, and their unforgettable special teams, it’s hard to forget how good they’ve been. I know all the NFL fans will come at me, and I know they have a losing record due to the insufferable injuries, but hear me out.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson is having a stellar career with the Ravens. He isn’t just a player on the team; he is the Ravens, and he is the reason why people enjoy watching their games. In his six seasons with the franchise, he has won MVP twice and was the MVP runner-up to Josh Allen last season.
At the end of last season, his peers ranked him at second in the league behind running back Saquon Barkley. He has the ability to throw the ball and use his legs to help his team win games. When we compare Jackson to Allen or Patrick Mahomes, he statistically does better in touchdown-to-interception ratio. I’m not saying that Allen and Mahomes are bad quarterbacks, but Jackson is better.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Ravens’ front office picked up many pieces to help Jackson. During the 2024 offseason, they traded for running back Derrick Henry. Although he spent most of his career in Tennessee, Henry’s run last season with his new team was his second-best. He had 1,921 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns and 19 receptions, and was the Offensive Player of the Year runner-up, falling behind Barkley, who had 2,005 yards. Henry’s strong running performance perfectly complements their offense.
To bolster their offense, the wide receivers and tight ends play bigger roles in scoring touchdowns and winning games for the team. Earlier this offseason, the Ravens traded for DeAndre Hopkins. He had many explosive seasons throughout his career. He spent most of his career with the Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, and Tennessee Titans. Before the trade, he was on the Kansas City Chiefs, who went 15-2 and lost in the Super Bowl to the Philadelphia Eagles, and he has been a prominent receiver in the league.
For the Ravens, Hopkins can be reliable for them. According to the NFL website, Ravens’ coach John Harbaugh expressed Hopkins’s talent will benefit the team.
“He’s a gifted guy. He’s a talented guy. He’s going to be a big-body, contested-catch receiver for us, certainly,” he expressed.
Harbaugh explains how he can make big plays for the team, and how he can work well together with Jackson.
“He’s made plays in the big games. He knows how to make plays. There’s not going to be any situation that’s going to be too big for him, but I just thought he and Lamar (Jackson) looked really good today out there together. It was nice to see.”
Outside of Hopkins, the Ravens still have notable receivers like Zay Flowers and talented tight ends like Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely to help them win.
Besides the offense, we have to acknowledge that the defense has many spectacular players, creating a place for them to succeed. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey has helped with the secondary. Last season, he totaled a career-best six interceptions. But to help Humphrey, the team drafted cornerback Nate Wiggins, who had a phenomenal rookie year.
With talented players and many flaws, they can still prove they can be a Super Bowl-contending team. Even if there are better teams, none can top how great the Ravens will be.
