12 NFL teams who will be playoff contenders in 2015-16
By Will Osgood
3) Baltimore Ravens
Few teams are annoyingly as consistent and in the running as the Baltimore Ravens. Of course, it’s not annoying to Ravens fans, except for the fact part of what makes them consistent is the fact they never build a truly dominant team—the type which could make a run at the ’72 Dolphins.
Winning two Super Bowls in a matter of 15 seasons is nice. Winning one while being the first team ever to complete a 19-0 season would be even better. But there’s no reason to complain about such an inability, as it is the rarest of all teams who make a legitimate run at such an accomplishment.
These Ravens certainly will not. But as they are every single year, they will again be right in the mix at the end of the year. Though they were lucky to make it into the playoff field a season ago, they were an easy pick for a potential playoff run due to their top-six ranking in point differential.
They could do such a thing because they’re solid on defense, taking the approach of yesteryear at the cornerback position and basically forgetting the position altogether, instead focusing on the front-seven.
Meanwhile the offense figures to take a step back in 2015 based on the talent on the roster, after losing Torrey Smith and offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. Nevertheless, new OC Marc Trestman is an outstanding offensive mind who should be able make up some of the difference.
Joe Flacco probably resides just outside the “elite” among NFL quarterbacks, but the 30-year-old had arguably his best season in 2014 and figures to again have a solid running game to ease any burden he feels to carry the offense.
In an AFC North which figures to be tighter than sardines, the Ravens are the smart team to take, likely at 10-6 and playing into January.
Next: Another fairly large surprise