The Baltimore Ravens finished the 2024 season with a 12-5 record and made the playoffs for the 6th time in the last 7 years. And for the 6th time in the last 7 years – they lost before reaching the Super Bowl – this time to the Buffalo Bills with a score of 27-25. It was a heartbreaking loss for the Ravens especially with how they lost this game to the Bills and it came down to the very last play. And with this loss to the Bills – the question has to be asked – and that’s what’s next for the Baltimore Ravens? They lost another tough postseason game in a game where they turned the ball over 3 times to Buffalo’s zero. And credit to the Bills defense for making these plays because they were all absolutely game changing plays that played a part in ending Baltimore’s season – while extending Buffalo’s season. The Damar Hamlin strip sack in which Von Miller picked up – gave Buffalo the ball at the Baltimore 24 yard line to which Buffalo scored a touchdown and made it a 14-7 game. The Bills capitalized on the Ravens mistakes and the Ravens have a lot of questions as for the 6th time in the Lamar Jackson era – they failed to reach the conference championship game. Not the Super Bowl of course – but the conference championship game. And in today’s video we’re going to break down what’s next for the Ravens. I don’t think it’s a simple answer because there are a lot of external factors that have to be discussed. And there is a lot to break down in today’s video and without further ado – let’s begin
And we are starting todays video by discussing each of the last 3 Ravens playoff losses because unfortunately this isn’t new territory for the Ravens and their fan base. In 2022 they lost to the division rival Bengals in the wild card round of the playoffs 24-17 and that was a gut wrenching loss because of how it happened. Unfortunately each of the Ravens last 3 seasons have ended in pretty brutal fashion – but 2022 stung because it was to a division rival in a game where you had the Bengals on the ropes and made a critical mistake in the 4th quarter. This was the game where Tyler Huntley started and in the game where Sam Hubbard returned a goal line fumble 98 yards to put the Bengals up 24-17 with about 12 minutes to play – rather than have the Ravens go up a touchdown with about 12 minutes to play. Baltimore was 10-7 that year and contrary to the last two years – Lamar only played in 12 games in each of the 2021 and 2022 seasons and obviously that loss stung – but it was easier to put aside because it was with a backup quarterback on the road and the Bengals were over a touchdown favorite entering that game.
But 2023 was an extremely tough one to stomach because it was to the big bad Chiefs of all teams as they were on their way to becoming the first team to win back to back super bowls since the 03 – 04 Patriots and the Ravens had everything in their favor entering the game – at least as much as they possibly could have. They had a MVP winning quarterback, they had the number one scoring defense in all of football, they had a defensive coordinator who would go on to be a head coach – meaning a very good defensive coordinator in Mike Macdonald – and they had players at every level of the defense. Whether it was Nnamdi Madibuike, Roquan Smith, or Kyle Hamilton – this was one of the best defenses of the 2020’s we’ve seen so far. We’re not far enough out from this game yet – the 2023 AFC championship game that is – but I do think there will be multiple position coaches like Anthony Weaver for example – who will eventually be head coaches. In a couple of more years – think the Ravens will have had either 3 or 4 coaches on the 2023 coaching staff – that eventually became head coaches elsewhere. And they held the Chiefs to 17 points. At home. In the AFC championship game.
If you have an MVP quarterback – you are taking those odds 100 out of 100 times that you are going to put up more than 17 points and be on your way to going to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2012. But they didn’t. Whether it was due to only running the ball 6 times for players not named Lamar Jackson, whether it was due to a Zay Flowers goal line fumble in what was a hell of a defensive play by the Chiefs – or whether it was due to a triple coverage interception from Lamar Jackson – the Ravens unfortunately didn’t get the job done. And credit to Baltimore because they could have rolled over after this loss and said this was our best shot out of any of the past several years. But they didn’t.
They went out and brought in a future hall of fame running back in free agency in Derrick Henry who would go on to run for over 1,900 yards and 16 touchdowns as the Ravens would win the north for the second consecutive year. Lamar Jackson had an unworldly 41 to 4 touchdown to interception ratio, and they put up over 500 points for the second time in franchise history – 2019 of course being the other. They had 7 double digit wins over the course of the 2024 season and ran for nearly 300 yards against the arch rival Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild card round of the playoffs in a game they pretty thoroughly dominated. They also knelt down instead of running the score up on the final drive of the game – only to lose in the divisional round of the playoffs – this time to Josh Allen and the Bills – in a game where they turned the ball over 3 times – and in a game where they very easily could have walked out victorious.
But now we’re in a situation with the Ravens where they effectively went all in and you can see that with the lack of cap space they have in 2025. By paying guys like Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews, Ronnie Stanley, Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Williams, Roquan Smith and you get the point – they are pretty close to being maxed out against the cap. And the unfortunate news for Ravens fans is there’s not a whole lot they can do this year in free agency because of how well constructed this roster is. Unlike the division rival Browns – Baltimore doesn’t have a lot of bad money. They are one of the most successful teams year in and year out for a reason.
Now to add on to the free agency part or the lack of expected moves within free agency for the Ravens – one thing I don’t think they should do is panic. This is a really good roster and this isn’t a situation like the Colts or Steelers for example where they have really good players on their team – in their primes by the way – with guys like Jonathan Taylor, Deforest Buckner, and TJ Watt, and a now 35 – going on 36 year old Cam Heyward – where they’re in an extremely difficult position because they don’t have a quarterback and they’re not going to be able to string together multiple playoff wins to ultimately reach the Super Bowl. Not even close.
What needs to be remembered not just for Ravens fans – but Bills and Bengals fans too – is – only two teams can get to the conference championship every year. And Kansas City has been to the AFC Championship game in every year since 2018 – so in a lot of ways – you’re playing the first few rounds to see who gets the opportunity to play the Chiefs for a trip to go to the Super Bowl. It should not be a hot take to say the top 4 quarterbacks in the AFC at the moment are in no order – Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow. Teams would kill to be in the situation the Ravens are. And one reason why I am a little more optimistic about the Ravens future at this point than I was compared to the Bills last year – is because the Bills went all in and had all of these aging guys like Stefon Diggs, like Von Miller, and had some bad contracts too for guys that were past their prime due in some part to injury – and Tre’Davious White – the former Bill – is a great example.
Von Miller also looked bad in 2023 coming off of his ACL tear in 2022 – but rebounded at 35 years old in 2024 which isn’t something I was expecting and he looked like a much better player this year than last. And one thing with the Bills that I underestimated heading into the 2024 season – is – everybody stepped up and there’s a reason they had over 520 points and had an 8 game span where they had 30 or more points in every game – which is insane. And all the credit goes to the Bills for proving everyone wrong myself included. Now It’s definitely not as simple to say – well why can’t the Ravens do that in 2025 – but my point is the Ravens improved significantly down the stretch of the season especially defensively. The first half of the season outside of a game here or there for Baltimore – ironically one of which was against the Bills in week 5 – they looked bad defensively. But things changed in the second half of the year and all things considered – I thought the defense played fine in Buffalo in the divisional round.
In terms of complementary football – the Ravens defense was not set up for success in that game – not even close. Off of the 3 turnovers – Buffalo received the ball at their own 43 yard line, Baltimore’s 24 yard line, and their own 46 yard line. And whether your defense is the 85 Bears or whoever – that’s not setting your defense up for success. Buffalo had 10 points off of turnovers in a do or die game and their defense stepped up and made plays to put their offense in advantageous situations. It obviously doesn’t help the Lamar playoff narrative – but one thing I do think the Ravens can take positively away from the game in Buffalo – is – they battled back in a big way.
And we haven’t seen that from Lamar and the Ravens in this era – in the playoffs. Not to this level. I will be honest – whenever they had the holding penalty on the kickoff and had the ball at their own 12 yard line – down 8 points with 3 to play and already committing 3 turnovers on the day – I thought the game was over. But they battled back and had a chance to tie the game. Lamar is only 28 years old and the big 4 quarterbacks in the AFC – are all currently either 28 or 29 years old with Patrick Mahomes being the oldest. Mahomes was born in September of 1995, and Lamar is the youngest of the 4 as he was born in February of 97 with both Josh Allen and Joe Burrow each being born 1996. Obviously losing by two points in the way they did stings – there’s no doubt about it – but the Ravens are one of the most well run organizations in football. And they showed a lot more against the Bills in 2024 – than they did even a year prior against the Chiefs in 2023.
The reality is the roster will change several times throughout Lamar’s career and I don’t think there is a big cause for panic. I do think Ronnie Stanley leaves in free agency and I also think they will cut Mark Andrews to save $11 million dollars against the cap. It’s ironic timing for Andrews, but I do think it’s Isaiah Likely time and he will be in a contract year in 2025. I would be very surprised if he doesn’t break out in a big way next year and then get compensated next offseason. With the four horsemen in the AFC in (no order) Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow – you’re not going to make the AFC championship game every year, much less the Super Bowl. I trust what GM Eric DeCosta is building and I have no doubt the Ravens will be back in 2025.
