The Ravens are coming off a 12-5 season that ended in a nail-biting divisional round loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Ravens fell 27-25 in a game where they lost the turnover battle 3-0 and had several players—some quite literally—drop the ball. Over the past few years, this has become a familiar cycle for the Ravens: excel in the regular season, only to fall short when it matters most in the playoffs. Looking ahead, the bigger concern for the Ravens now is time. While they still have one of the most balanced rosters in the NFL heading into 2025, much of their talent is aging, and soon, key players will either need to be paid or replaced. That’s not to say the Ravens are in a “Super Bowl or bust” situation, but no team can keep such a stacked roster together forever. Regardless, the Ravens handled the offseason exactly as they needed to—retaining core players and addressing the key holes in their defense. For Baltimore, the question isn’t whether they’re a good team. The question is whether they’ve finally done enough to get over the hump come January.
Upgraded Defense
Every fan remembers that first half of last season when the Ravens had one of the worst pass defenses in the league. Even after being one of the better secondary units past week 10, the Ravens defense still managed to give up the second-most passing yards per game in 2024, allowing 262.82 yards per game according to StatMuse. This included a game in week 10 against the Bengals, where the Ravens’ defense gave up a staggering 428 yards in the air. Add to that Ar’Darius Washington tearing his achilles in training camp and the secondary was undoubtedly the biggest problem to address for Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta this offseason- and he more than came through. With the addition of two first-round-level talents in Jaire Alexander and Malaki Starks, the Ravens’ secondary could become one of the most dangerous in the league, barring health of course. Even if Alexander misses a little time, as long as he’s effective when he plays, he’ll be well worth the one-year, $4 million deal he signed. This should also free up second year defensive coordinator Zach Orr to use Kyle Hamilton more as a nickel safety as he’s been used in years past- helping disguise coverages and create more force on the blitz. Add to that Odafe Oweh, who’s in a contract year, and rookie Mike Green, this defense is to going to create a lot pressure for opposing quarterbacks.
The Same Offense
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it—that’s clearly been the Ravens’ approach to their offense this offseason. The signing of DeAndre Hopkins in free agency gives the Ravens yet another good option in an already high-powered unit. Often criticized for lacking a true number-one receiver, Baltimore now has one of the most balanced receiving rooms in the league- which can be just as a effective as a true number one receiver. The trio of Rashod Bateman, Zay Flowers, and DeAndre Hopkins will force opposing secondaries to be equally balanced—something not every team can manage. Add in elite tight ends like Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, plus the one-of-a-kind backfield duo of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, and you have an offense that will challenge defenses at every level.
So What?
As a Ravens fan myself, I can’t say we haven’t been here before. Following a heartbreaking playoff loss, the team seems to make all the right moves in free agency—adding splash signings, raising fan expectations—only to collapse again in the postseason. If recent history has taught us anything, it’s that the biggest obstacle to the Ravens in the playoffs, is the Ravens themselves. Despite constant improvement on paper, this team has consistently failed to stick with what works when the pressure is on. Last season, the Ravens were undefeated in games where Derrick Henry had 20 or more carries—yet he got just 16 touches in the divisional round. Situational decisions like that have become all too common for John Harbaugh and the Ravens. And it doesn’t stop there. In the Lamar Jackson era, the Ravens have posted a -13 turnover differential in the playoffs—one more than the total number of touchdown passes Jackson has thrown in the postseason. As simple as it sounds, it doesn’t matter how much talent you have. If you’re not protecting the ball or playing to your strengths, you’re going to lose playoff games.
This team, no matter how “loaded” it gets, just keeps getting better. From pairing Henry and Jackson in the backfield last year to now having five former first-round picks in the secondary, on paper, this team should easily be the Super Bowl favorite. But that is what’s so difficult about football, the “best” team doesnt always win. Now, with fire under their jerseys from last years loss, and with what might be the most complete roster of the Lamar Jackson era, one question looms large.
If the Ravens can’t win now, when will they?
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