After celebrating Victory Monday, we got a treat on Tuesday as well, as the Baltimore Ravens announced upcoming changes to M&T Bank Stadium. Changes to the stadium that were teased in a video posted to the app formerly known as Twitter (and still kind of known as Twitter) include an open-air tailgating area, an indoor sports bar, a team store that will be open every day, and increased “social space.”
Introducing the next evolution of M&T Bank Stadium:
More: https://t.co/ltpm6BM96W pic.twitter.com/Ylt6IDPjkY
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 12, 2023
The changes sound like an exciting way to reinvigorate game day. The big takeaway I am getting from this is that the stadium will have more space. Instead of being crammed in a crowded ring of walking traffic, you’ll have spaces in the stadium to socialize. It sounds like the Ravens are trying to bring some of that Ravens Walk energy before the game, inside the stadium. When I go down I like to do a little pre-game tailgating but also get to my seat early enough to watch some of the player warm-ups. I see the advantages here. It will also be much easier to catch up with friends at the game.
The future at M&T Bank Stadium is exciting, but the hype the Ravens are building up today is getting very noticeable. When Tylan Wallace returned the overtime punt for a game-winning touchdown, it felt like the kind of moment you get in a Super Bowl season. Wallace’s heroics though, are arguably distracting us from Lamar Jackson’s clutch drive, where he hit Zay Flowers for a touchdown on a 3rd and long. The Ravens drove down the field and got a touchdown and a two-point conversion that put them up three points. That drive made everything that came after possible.
The Ravens’ own Ryan Mink tweeted out what Jackson said about the important touchdown and how it came into being. Nelson Agholor presented Jackson with his read of the play.
Lamar Jackson on his clutch 4th quarter 21-yard touchdown pass.
“Nelly was telling me if we do that play, he’s going to run to the safety and run him out of the window [then] Zay should be wide open. That’s exactly what happened.” pic.twitter.com/p06CG4GHW8
— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) December 11, 2023
The Ravens completely retooled the wide receiver position. Flowers got the touchdown, but the veteran leadership shown by Agholor has to be celebrated. For all the angry vitriol that happened on Ravens’ Twitter when Agholor was signed, he’s been nothing but a positive for this team. The entire commitment to receivers paid off on Sunday. Odell Beckham Jr. had four receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown against his former team. Flowers had six receptions for 60 yards and the all-important fourth-quarter score. When you add in Isiah Likely’s big play for a long touchdown from the tight end position, the passing game was something Baltimore could boast about on Sunday.
The Ravens have picked up Malik Cunningham who was recently on the Patriots practice squad. As poorly as Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe have been in the Patriots 3-10 season, you’d almost think they should have given Cunningham a chance under center. The Ravens now have a second quarterback from Louisville. Trent Brown, a Patriots offensive lineman, posted an encouraging sendoff to Cunningham on social media. This was shared by the 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov on Twitter.
#Patriots OT Trent Brown on the #Ravens signing Malik Cunningham:
"Go flourish where your talent is respected" pic.twitter.com/SXshzq7ObK
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 12, 2023
It was a massive week for the Ravens in the AFC playoff picture 🤯
Jaguars ❌
Chiefs ❌
Dolphins ❌
Texans ❌ pic.twitter.com/GuvlIXrmmf— PFF BAL Ravens (@PFF_Ravens) December 12, 2023
Everything is going right for the Ravens as you can see in the above PFF tweet. The Ravens saw the other teams vying for the number one seed stumble on Sunday (and in the Dolphins’ case, Monday). Not only do the Ravens control their destiny in the AFC North, they control their chances of winning the number one seed. The Dolphins are one of the four teams remaining on the Ravens’ schedule.
Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill is day-to-day with his ankle injury. Mike McDaniel said he’s always confident in Hill but will keep contingency plans until he tells him with certainty he’s good to go.
McDaniel said Hill’s ankle was stiff and in pain during game until he loosened it up.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) December 12, 2023
According to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, the Tyreek Hill is a day-to-day situation. The Dolphins seem like a different team when Hill isn’t playing, so this is an injury to keep an eye on. The Dolphins have two additional tough games in addition to their battle with Baltimore, taking on the Dallas Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills. If the Dolphins are the top threat to the Ravens getting the number one seed, the arrow of momentum is favoring the Ravens.
The Ravens have a chance to knock the Jaguars down a peg this Sunday. They have a trip down to Jacksonville that they hope will go better than their 28-27 loss in Jacksonville last season. Trevor Lawrence has been toughing it out with an ankle injury.
Trevor Lawrence is the only active QB left who has never missed a start for injury (min. 35 games). pic.twitter.com/rVIGNyOhDH
— Scott Kacsmar (@ScottKacsmar) December 12, 2023
While Lawrence is the Jaguars’ Iron Man, he is coming off a rough game against the Browns. In the Jaguars’ loss to Joe Flacco and the Browns (it feels so odd to write Joe Flacco and the Browns) Lawrence had three touchdowns, three interceptions, and a passer rating of 65.2. Lawrence has plenty of talent around him and he makes the Jaguars contenders. That being said, this could be the most opportune time to play the Jaguars because Lawrence is banged up. Lawrence deserves praise for his toughness, but this is something to keep an eye on for the upcoming battle.
