Though we’re just eight days removed from Super Bowl 50, the immediacy of the NFL compelled me to look forward to 2016.
I was glancing at Baltimore’s 2016 opponents and thought, except for the road game against the Patriots, it’s about as favorable as a Ravens fan can hope for.
Besides their usual AFC North games against the Bengals, Browns, and Steelers, the Ravens will play every team from the AFC East and the NFC East, as well as the Raiders and Jaguars.
All-time (playoffs included), the Ravens are 113-90-1 against those teams and have out-scored them by an average of 3.1 points per game (21.3-18.2 average score, total points: 4,343-3,716).
The Cowboys, scheduled as a 2016 road game for Baltimore, are the only team in the NFL the Ravens have yet to lose to.
Although, Baltimore almost lost to Dallas in what was actually the last game in Texas Stadium, and one that every Ravens fans surely remembers fondly.
The game was played on a Saturday night, December 20, 2008. John Harbaugh and Joe Flacco were both in their first year in Baltimore, and were just a few minutes away from dropping to 9-6 and potentially missing out on the playoffs.
But, with 3:42 remaining in the fourth quarter, up by two points, Willis McGahee busted loose for a 77-yard touchdown to stun the Dallas crowd.
[youtube]https://youtu.be/RoCPJ9AJ0Tk[/youtube]
Soon thereafter, Jason Witten scored a touchdown to help put Dallas to back within two points.
Baltimore needed another big play to put the game away.
Le’Ron McClain was happy to oblige.
On Baltimore’s very next offensive play, McClain broke free for 82 yards and scored the game-sealing touchdown.
[youtube]https://youtu.be/fzGRUNJorz8[/youtube]
More times than not, the Ravens have created fond memories like those against the teams they’re going to be playing in 2016.
When I think of games against the Redskins and Eagles, I think of Ed Reed taking it to the house against each of them. When I think about the Ravens playing the Giants, well, you know how that one turned out.
The 13 teams Baltimore will face this year had a combined record of 99-109 in 2015 (47.6 winning percentage). Furthermore, only five teams contributed a winning record to that total (Patriots, Bengals, Steelers, Jets, Redskins).
Considering those stats, the improbability of last year’s Murphy’s Law-type season repeating, and the fact that Steve Smith, Sr. will be coming back this year is cause for optimism. Baltimore also has a very high draft pick to go along with multiple compensatory picks.
Re-structuring Joe Flacco’s contract, re-signing Kelechi Osemele, and retaining Justin Tucker are all vital tasks the Ravens front office needs to accomplish. The process won’t be without challenges.
Speaking of a challenge, the toughest part of next season has to be the game at New England. Since John Harbaugh has been the Ravens head coach, Baltimore has a 2-4 record when playing the Patriots in New England. Yet, the Ravens have actually outscored the Patriots in those games by a total of 153-135, thanks to their two wins both being of the double-digit variety.
The losses to New England always seem to be extra painful, but any thought that the Ravens aren’t capable of beating the Patriots is long gone.
It’s reassuring to look at the teams the Ravens will face this year and know how those teams have struggled so much themselves as of late. It’s also reassuring to recall the tangible factors Baltimore has in its favor right now:
- The sixth overall pick in the draft
- A top-tier front office and scouting department
- Stability among the head coach and the quarterback
Look around. How many franchises can claim those factors to be true of themselves?
Not many.
Last year is gone. Forget about it. Look ahead.
In 2016, unless some unthinkable stroke of bad luck occurs, the Ravens will have their stars back and will be playing games against teams that have been recently unstable and/or unsuccessful.
More than a playing style, the one thing I believe that’s defined Baltimore football has been resiliency.
What an opportunity this season will be.
