Baltimore Ravens 2017 NFL preview
Baltimore Ravens 2017 NFL preview - Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Here is a look at the Ravens offense and defense as they head into the 2017 NFL season
by Shawn Lealos (article) and Milos Kitanovic (video)
July 30, 2017 at 4:08 PM July 30, 2017 at 4:08 PM
The Baltimore Ravens won a Super Bowl with quarterback Joe Flacco early in his career but have yet to make a return trip to the big game. As a matter of fact, since winning the Super Bowl in 2012, the Ravens only made it back to the playoffs one time – in 2014. With two straight seasons sitting at home, Baltimore and head coach John Harbaugh really need an improvement in the 2017 Nfl Season. With the NFL training camps starting this week, here is a look at the 2017 Baltimore Ravens preview.
Ravens offensive breakdown
Joe Flacco looked like he was going to keep the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC playoff mix for a long time but he has struggled mightily as his offensive weapons diminished.
In 2016. Flacco had the worst season of his career. He threw 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions and seemed gun-shy throughout the season following knee surgery last summer. If Flacco can't rebound in 2017, the Ravens will have trouble winning.
One huge problem for the Baltimore Ravens is that they have no legitimate running game to take the pressure off Joe Flacco. There are actually five running backs competing for the job for the 2017 NFL season. Terrance West has a great chance of winning the job but has done nothing to show he is a top-level NFL starting running back. Other contenders for the position include Kenneth Dixon, Danny Woodhead, Javorius Allen, and Lorenzo Tallaferro will also competing for carries.
The receivers have great speed when it comes to their wide receiver corps but they need someone to step up as a top-level receiver.
Jeremy Maclin is expected to be that player after signing a free agent contract to join the team. Mike Wallace used to be a superstar but he is now just a solid veteran presence while Breshad Perriman is fast but struggles running routes. Dennis Pitta is the tight end and might be more valuable to Joe Flacco in 2017 than any receiver on the team outside of Maclin.
Ravens defensive breakdown
The Baltimore Ravens have always been known for their defense. As a matter of fact, their Super Bowl win in 2000 was due almost completely to their defense, one of the best of all time, and their 2012 Super Bowl win was more about a stifling defense than a scary offense. The reason that the Ravens are not winning more now is that that defense is lacking superstars.
This year's Ravens defense has added some key weapons – mostly in the secondary. Those names include veteran Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr and exciting former Arizona Cardinals safety Tony Jefferson. The rest of the Baltimore defense are younger players that the team hopes develops into stars quickly.
Ravens 2017 NFL prediction
The Baltimore Ravens are an interesting team in the 2017 NFL season. They have only made it to the playoffs once since they won their last Super Bowl but they always seem dangerous and can beat anyone in the right conditions. There isn't much of a chance of them catching the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North but they can compete with the Cincinnati Bengals for a chance at second place and a possible Wild Card spot.
Shawn Lealos
Shawn Lealos is a freelance writer. Shawn received his Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma with a minor in Film Studies. He has worked as a journalist for over 20 years, first in the world of print journalism before moving to online media as the world changed.
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