Baltimore Ravens AFC North division Champions Shirt. How the 2023 Ravens Differ from 2019. After four years, the Ravens are the AFC’s top seed with the NFL’s best record heading into the playoffs. This year’s team is being compared to the 2019 Ravens, who went 14-2 but lost to the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round.He stated, That was a disappointment,” Monday. We did our best. A particular season. It’s a different team, circumstances, and everything but the record and bye from this season.”” Here are six reasons why the Ravens are more prepared to win the Super Bowl in 2023 than in 2019: More Dynamic Defense: The Ravens lead the league with 57 sacks, 20 more than in 2019. Baltimore leads the league with 29 takeaways, up from 25 in 2019. A hot quarterback like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Flacco, or Tua Tagovailoa may lead a club to a playoff run, making pressure on opposing quarterbacks crucial. Opponents face multiple elite pass rushers. Justin Madubuike (13) Jadeveon Clowney (8.5) Kyle Van Noy (8) and Odafe Oweh (5) have all had at least five sacks for the Ravens. Tyus Bowser (5) and Matthew Judon (9.5) were the only players with five sacks in 2019. Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen are the Ravens’ top inside linebackers. Players like Kyle Hamilton, Geno Stone (seven interceptions), Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Williams, and Brandon Stephens make up their diverse secondary. The Ravens have eight takeaways in two games against two of the league’s finest teams (49ers and Dolphins). Ravens regularly pressure the quarterback and take the ball away. That should continue into the playoffs since they’ve done it all season. Defenders find Lamar Jackson harder than ever: Jackson has had a great two weeks (seven touchdowns, no interceptions) against two elite NFL defenses. Jackson’s 75-yard touchdown pass to Zay Flowers was set up by pocket manipulation of the Dolphins’ defense. After a left-handed drop distracted Flowers, Jackson found him open and dropped a perfect dime. Working with Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken and Quarterbacks Coach Tee Martin, Jackson is more comfortable in the pocket. He’ll wait longer for plays to develop, using his mobility to give receivers more time to open. Jackson has thrown for 551 more yards and a career-best 67.2% completion rate than this season, but he has 36 touchdowns in 2019. While still leading all quarterbacks in rushing yards (821), he has become more patient, accurate, and blitz-savvy. Sunday’s Baltimore touchdown was set up by Odell Beckham Jr.’s outstanding catch after Jackson’s audible at the line of scrimmage. Jackson has more latitude to audible into plays he loves than in 2019, his first full season as a starter. His six years in the NFL help him analyze defenses and pre-snap readings. “”That pass to Odell was one of the prime examples,” Jackson added. He made a terrific catch, but checking for man coverage and having the ability to do what I want on the field is great for me.” Jackson’s heroics against the 49ers and Dolphins suggest playoff success. He seems to get more comfortable with an offensive he likes each week.

Highlights from Ravens’ Week 17 win over Dolphins – Baltimore Ravens AFC North division Champions Shirt:

“LAMAR JACKSON IS 2023 NFL MVP. Jackson entered Week 17 as a top MVP candidate and was a near lock to win it again. After defeating the NFC’s top seed, the San Francisco 49ers, in Week 16, the Ravens and Jackson made another statement against an AFC powerhouse. Jackson went 18-of-21 for 321 yards with five touchdowns and two big throws, practically flawless. Jackson will conclude 2023 with a 90.3 PFF overall mark and an 85.1 PFF passing grade if the Ravens sit starters in Week 18. His career highs came in 2019 as the league’s unanimous MVP. Since Mark Andrews’ injury, the Ravens’ top target is Zay Flowers. The first-round choice established a team record for rookie receiving yards this week, which shouldn’t be surprising given how often the Ravens have targeted him since tight end Mark Andrews’ devastating ankle injury in Week 11. Flowers has 34 targets in five games, 10 more than any other Raven. In the past five games, tight end Isaiah Likely has 24 targets, 291 receiving yards, and four touchdowns, tied with Flowers. Rashod Bateman and Likely had 24 passing game targets each, with Odell Beckham close behind (21). Since Baltimore lacked receiving talent and healthy players in 2022, their diversified and strong bunch heading into the playoffs is one of the key reasons they are a Super Bowl candidate. Opponents can run the ball on Ravens. An explosive first half and big mistakes on defense helped the Ravens beat the Dolphins easily. The Dolphins averaged 6.5 yards per carry and had three 15-yard rushes, making their run defense more problematic if the game had been closer. Despite Baltimore’s stellar defense, this has been a theme all season and a weakness coming into the playoffs. After 17 weeks, the Ravens allow 4.5 yards per carry, tied for sixth in the NFL, and 4.26 yards per tackle, seventh worst. Whether the Ravens keep creating massive leads won’t matter, but it’s something to watch in close games. Rock Ya-Sin, Arthur Maulet, and Ronald Dawson fill in for starters. Ravens supporters were undoubtedly anticipating the worse when Kyle Hamilton and Brandon Stephens were ruled out. Slowing down the NFL’s best passing offense without two secondary starters is difficult. Early in the game, starting cornerback Marlon Humphrey was injured, making things worse. Baltimore won on defense thanks to Arthur Maulet, Ronald Darby, and Rock Ya-Sin. Maulet allowed three receptions for 17 yards on six targets and broke up a pass for a 76.6 PFF coverage grade, the best of any Ravens defense. The Dolphins targeted Darby 10 times, but he stood up and allowed five receptions for 42 yards and a pass breakup. Ya-Sin’s 60.1 PFF coverage grade was the lowest, yet he held the Dolphins to two receptions for 29 yards on three targets. Rest time. Ravens fans will recall the 2019 season, when the team rested starters in the last week and lost to the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round. However, certain crucial Ravens players need to heal before the playoffs. Kyle Hamilton and Brandon Stephens were injured and missed the Dolphins game, and Marlon Humphrey departed early and didn’t return. Hamilton is the NFL’s most valuable safety per PFF WAR, so giving those three two weeks off before the playoffs should be a priority. After weeks of injuries, Zay Flowers and the offensive line continue to take hits. It’s unclear if resting starters in the last week of the 2019 season benefited the Ravens, but in 2023, prioritizing health is crucial. Baltimore Ravens AFC North division Champions Shirt