Maybe you are new to the Russell Street Report. Let me explain this article a bit. I remember growing up reading the sports pages of the Baltimore Sun newspaper every single day. I really looked forward to one specific article that ran every month or so that was a “Fact and Opinion” column by John Eisenberg. It must have been popular, because I remember the sports editor of The Aegis in Harford County, Randy McRoberts, copying the idea every now and then in his column.
It was a favorite of mine, and when I started writing for the Eutaw Street Report and the Russell Street Report a few years ago, I wanted to do something similar. That’s when “Perception is Reality” was born. The “reality” is basically the fact, while the “perception” is my opinion on the topic of the fact.
And you can read about my road to RSR here.
REALITY: Injuries are a big part of the NFL and that’s why a little bit of luck plays into the success of a team.
JUST IN: Ben Watson out for season after injury on first play from scrimmage: https://t.co/xQPdAUrFcC #RavensTalk pic.twitter.com/adM1HMWvkz
— NBC Sports Ravens (@NBCSRavens) August 27, 2016
Perception: Last year, the Ravens lost Terrell Suggs in Week 1. During the year, they lost Steve Smith Sr., Joe Flacco, and Justin Forsett to season-ending injuries. That is part of the game. And luck or good fortune is also part of the game. Teams that win the Super Bowl are not necessarily the best teams in the league, but they are that year’s “team of destiny.” Why is that phrase always said in the playoffs? Because the team has gone through some adversity and luck or good fortune has helped them get past that and helped them recover to win it all.
Losing Ben Watson in the preseason is tough for a Ravens team that needed a veteran to help them on offense (outside of Smith Sr.). With Dennis Pitta returning from a severe hip re-injury (and now having a nagging finger injury), and other tight ends struggling to stay healthy, I loved the Watson pick-up. But unfortunately, they will have to fight through adversity again to succeed in the position.
The Ravens took out the old playing surface at M&T Bank Stadium and replaced it with real grass in part because they hoped to cut down on injuries…but they are going to happen anywhere.
REALITY: Every team is 0-0 and has a chance to win the Super Bowl.
.@weddlesbeard: "We have as good a shot as any team to go out and win a championship." pic.twitter.com/EaKbDq5fQw
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 6, 2016
Perception: But apparently not everyone agrees with Eric Weddle’s comments that the Ravens could win the Super Bowl. CBS Sports writers made their “expert picks” predicting where every team would finish this season. Out of their seven writers, none had the Ravens winning the AFC North, and only two had them finishing second. One writer (Will Brinson) even had the Ravens finishing last in the AFC North behind, yes, the Cleveland Browns.
As I just said, every team has a little bit of luck/good fortune play into their season, but how much bad luck will the Ravens have to have and how much good fortune will the Browns have to have in order for Cleveland to finish in front of Baltimore? Crazy. I’m not sure the Ravens win the Super Bowl, but I am sure of one thing: they will not lose more games than the Browns.
The favorite pick amongst the CBS writers in the AFC is the Steelers (with the Bengals and the Patriots getting some love also).
Fox Sports predicts the Patriots to end up 12-4 and win the AFC, and the Steelers to be 11-5 as the second best AFC team. They have the Ravens finishing 8-8, third in the AFC North.
USA Today Sports has the Ravens finishing 9-7, third in the AFC North behind the Steelers and Bengals.
Sports Illustrated had their 12 writers make predictions. Each of them had the Steelers in the playoffs, and 11 of them also had the Bengals in the playoffs. None of them had the Ravens in the playoffs.
None of the 20 NFL.com writers had the Ravens winning the AFC North and most of them had the Steelers winning it.
Vegas has the Patriots at 6-1 odds to win the Super Bowl, and the Steelers at 10-1. The Ravens are 40-1.
So, the “experts” all agree that the Steelers are the class of the AFC North in 2016, and the Ravens are not playoff worthy. “But that is why they play the game”…and I can’t wait until they do!
REALITY: The Ravens start their 2016 season with seven games before their bye, and only one of those games against a divisional rival.
Perception: So what can we expect from the Ravens? That’s just it…we can’t. You honestly cannot access this team right now. Will Joe Flacco return to form? Will a young offensive line be able to defend Flacco and open holes for the running backs? Can the RBs look as good in the regular season as they did in the preseason? Will Mike Wallace be able to stretch the field and Smith Sr. be able to return from injury to take hits across the middle? Will Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil find the fountain of youth for one more season? Will a revamped secondary be able to stop aerial attacks? Is Devin Hester the Devin Hester from the Bears or the Falcons?
That is a lot of unknowns that we will find out together starting Sunday. But if history shows anything, it’s that the Ravens will be in a dog-fight within their division and since those divisional games are on the back end of their schedule, they will need to start fast.
The Ravens play a favorable seven games before their bye in Week 8. After that, their schedule gets very difficult with two games against the Steelers and Bengals, as well as games in Dallas and New England.
Baltimore has to be no worse than 5-2 going into their bye, because I can see them going as bad as 2-7 after it. So if they don’t win at least five of their first seven games, it will be a struggle for the Ravens to get over .500 this year.
REALITY: The Ravens are 3-3 all-time against the Bills in the regular season.
Perception: Surprisingly, these two teams have played extremely close. Four of the six games have been won by five points or less. The Bills won the last time these two teams faced off in September 2013 in Buffalo.
Baltimore needs a strong start Sunday to open the 2016 campaign with a win.
