NFL Analyst Predicts Ravens Go Backward

Can the Baltimore Ravens match their success from last season?

Jan 28, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh (center) questions a call against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half in the AFC Championship football game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, the Baltimore Ravens dominated the regular season en route to a league best 13-4 record.

This season, who knows what the future might hold? Will John Harbaugh and co. maintain their success and finish the job this time, or will they crumble under the weight of high expectations?

According to ESPN's Bill Barnwell, this season may not be as fruitful as last. The ESPN columnist named the Ravens as a team that is likely to take a step back in 2024.

"The Ravens weren't secretly a bad team last season, and while anything's possible, we shouldn't project them to fall below .500," Barnwell writes. "A lot of things have to go right for a team to be one of the best in history, though, and it's tough to count on those things going right year after year. Throw in a roster that is in transition after the Lamar Jackson contract extension last year and there's enough to be skeptical that Baltimore will reclaim the AFC North again."

Barnwell argues that the Ravens' dominance in a few key areas is unsustainable. Specifically their league best +12 turnover differential and their superb performance in the red zone, as they scored 1.2 more points per red zone trip than their opponents.

He also mentions Baltimore's losses on defense and the offensive line, but every Ravens fan is well aware of those losses by now.

"Even with a full year from Jackson and something close to a vintage season from Henry, it would be tough for the Ravens to win 13 games in back-to-back years. ... The question, more realistically, is what the drop-off looks like," Barnwell writes. "Could the Ravens be like the 2023 Chiefs, where they fall to 11 wins and still win their division before getting hot in the playoffs? That's entirely possible. There's also a scenario in which they're the 2023 Bengals, a team that struggled to overcome an outflux of talent, dealt with an injury to their quarterback and ended up shockingly missing the playoffs altogether."

Interestingly, the Ravens are one of three AFC North teams on the five-team list, alongside the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns. It seems Barnwell isn't very high on what many believe is the toughtest division in football.

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Ravens' Lamar Jackson Reacts to Peyton Manning, Tom Brady
• Bills Sign Former Ravens QB
• Reunion? Don't Expect Ravens to Bring Back Former QB
• Ravens LB Ready For Starting Role
• Former Ravens OT Addresses 'The Blind Side' Lawsuit