Baltimore Ravens: The AFC's strongest contender
With the start of the National Football League season in sight, each team in the NFL hopes it can live up to its potential. For the Baltimore Ravens that potential means nothing short of winning a Super Bowl. Pundits agree that the Ravens have a formidable roster and are contenders, but it seems as if Ravens players are the ones most sure of their abilities.
According to veteran wide receiver Derrick Mason: "Anything less than a Super Bowl win, really, is a disappointment for us. I think we've done more than enough over the last three years to put ourselves in position to win a championship. To do all we've done and not come out of this thing with a championship would be disheartening, especially for me because I'm looking at one, two years tops before I leave.
"I know a lot of the older guys on this team want to win a championship before they hang their cleats up. I just feel we are primed, and put together a great team. This is our opportunity to win a championship.''
Mason is right about the team’s great roster. The Ravens have that fantastic blend of seasoned veterans and wily rookies. For every player like Mason on the team, there is a young up-and-comer like Ray Rice. These young players learn from veterans and perform better. Likewise, the veterans often feed off the energy of the younger teammates.
This is the same concept exemplified by the 2000 Super Bowl-winning Baltimore Ravens team. That year the Ravens used the synergy between young talent like Jamal Lewis and Ray Lewis and veterans like Rod Woodson and Tony Siragusa as a catalyst for Super Bowl success.
Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, himself only a third-year player, will be a crucial part in Baltimore’s success this season. Flacco is also confident in his team. He recently told the Baltimore Sun: "I'm pretty excited, and I want to say it's the best team I've been on. We've got the talent to go as far as we want to.''
The Ravens also have a very impressive track record to build on. They are the only AFC team to have won games in both of the last two postseasons. Baltimore’s been in five playoff games in the last two seasons, all of them on the road. They’ve persevered in three of them, no easy feat.
Few things are harder than winning on the road in the NFL playoffs, and the Ravens have shown the ability to do that consistently. With their improved roster, they should be able to play playoff games at home this season, which makes them all the more dangerous.
Their playoff losses in 2008 and 2009 were partly the result of a team being exhausted from playing on the road, and if the Ravens can manage to avoid traveling in the postseason they are in a prime position to win the Super Bowl.
Winning should be a lot easier for Baltimore with their new roster additions. Though the team was already good enough last year for a deep playoff run, they have managed to add even more talent to their line up. Flacco will now have wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Donte Stallworth to throw to, in addition to Mason. The Ravens have also signed kicker Shayne Graham and defensive end Cory Redding.
Such a line up is the most depth and balance the Ravens have seen since their previous Super Bowl victory. The Ravens must only start their strong play earlier than the playoffs in order to qualify at a higher seed. In the last two seasons they have lost both games to the eventual AFC North winners, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals respectively. This year they’ve got the ability to outmuscle both franchises for the AFC North title and a prime position for the playoffs.
Simply put, if in July one had to wager a guess as to which AFC team would be in the Super Bowl, the Ravens are the easiest selection possible. And for the team, anything but a win there won't do.
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