Fansided

Ravens are clearly the NFL’s best team right now

By Stephen Salvo

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 25: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens sets to pass in the first half of the game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 25, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 25: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens sets to pass in the first half of the game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 25, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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The Ravens have exploded onto the scene as the NFL’s best team, doing so against some of the NFL’s elite.

For the fifth week in a row, Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens dominated their opponent. They’ve made some of the league’s top teams look inferior, specifically the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, Houston Texans and Los Angeles Rams.

In those games, including a win over the winless Bengals, they have outscored those teams to a combined 202-62. Incredible.

The latest win in Los Angeles, showcased more of Jackson’s improved passing ability in which he completed 75 percent of his passes for 169 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. This while adding 95 yards on the ground averaging just under 12 yards per carry.

The Ravens wouldn’t be where they are without the work of their two coordinators. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman has done a tremendous job of using play-action to open up receivers downfield. He’s also given Jackson the protection he needs to make the correct reads and kept defenses on their heels by utilizing speed at wide receivers and employing three tight ends.

Aside from Jackson, Mark Ingram, Hollywood Brown and Mark Andrews, Roman has acclimated guys like Seth Roberts, Justice Hill, Nick Boyle and Hayden Hurst to roles that suit them.

On defense, coordinator Wink Martindale has worked with less talent this year than last, but has put together as good a product. The losses of Terrell Suggs, Za’Darius Smith and Eric Weddle have hardly shown. The unit is flying around and players who didn’t have considerably large roles last year are stepping up. Not to mention, midseason acquisition Marcus Peters is playing how a free agent-to-be should.

The Patriots offensive woes and inconsistent play from the Chiefs and Texans have thrust the Ravens to the top of the AFC.

The last few weeks have shown us that the Ravens are potentially the NFL’s best team. Next week will provide us even more answers to any questions with the 10-1 San Francisco 49ers and Ravens squaring off against each other in Baltimore.

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