Dallas Cowboys among 5 sleeper teams to watch for in 2014

3. Baltimore Ravens

Through 14 weeks of the 2013 season, the Ravens were seemingly right where they wanted to be: at 8-6 and in perfect position to win their final two regular season games, snag a Wild Card berth, and make a deep run in the playoffs.

But in Weeks 16 and 17, the Ravens resembled anyone but the Ravens. They were blown off the field twice — first by the Patriots in Baltimore and then by the Bengals in Cincinnati. For the first time since 2007, the Ravens failed to make the playoffs.

Still, I’m inclined to believe that 2013 was nothing but a fluke for Baltimore. Joe Flacco was not Joe Flacco. He had, by far, the single worst season of his career, throwing only 19 touchdown passes — his lowest total since his rookie season — to a whopping 22 interceptions — a career-high.

I expect Flacco to return to 2012-form in 2014, not only because I believe 2013 was an aberration for him, but also because he will have the services of tight end and security blanket Dennis Pitta for a full season.

Also working in the Ravens’ favor: they have the fifth-easiest schedule of all teams in 2014. They’ll face the AFC South (which means games against the Jaguars, Texans, and Titans), the NFC South, and a third-place schedule. The Bengals, the defending division champions, and the Steelers, who finished second in the division virtue of a tiebreaker, will each have slightly tougher roads to the playoffs than will the Ravens.

Bottom line: Joe Flacco had the worst season of his career in 2013 and the Ravens still finished only one win shy of the playoffs. Against a soft schedule in 2014, the Ravens could win 10 or 11 games and the AFC North.