New Orleans Saints: Ranking each team in the 2019-20 NFL Playoffs
Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore possesses the league’s best record at (14-2) and the league MVP in quarterback Lamar Jackson.
They have virtually steamrolled every opponent thus far in the 2019 campaign and only lost to the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs during the regular season.
The Baltimore Ravens boast a league-high 12 Pro Bowlers, and they start with quarterback Lamar Jackson and former New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram II.
Right guard Marshal Yanda, left tackle Ronnie Staley, tight end Mark Andrews and fullback Patrick Ricard round out the Pro Bowlers of the NFL’s number one offense.
The leagues’ third-best defense has Pro Bowlers in safety Earl Thomas III, cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters and linebacker Matthew Judon.
The Ravens’ special teams has two Pro Bowlers in kicker Justin Tucker and long snapper Morgan Cox, so clearly the team has talent across the board.
Baltimore fell to the Los Angeles Chargers last year 23-17 in the AFC Wild Card Playoff, but now the team has witnessed a full season for Jackson, and he led them to the AFC’s top seed in the postseason.
The Ravens may face the Buffalo Bills in their first matchup in the AFC Divisional Playoff, where Baltimore won 24-17 in Week 14 at Buffalo.
The Ravens should be able to advance to the AFC Championship and possibly rematch against the New England Patriots, where Baltimore knocked them off the undefeated ranks in Week 9 with a 37-20 blowout.
The Baltimore Ravens are the favorites to win the AFC, but could face the Super Bowl and league MVP curse if Jackson wins the award and the Ravens are in Super Bowl LIV.
For reference, the past five league MVPs have lost the Super Bowl, and they are New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan in Super Bowl LI, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in Super Bowl 50, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning in Super Bowl XLVIII and when Manning was on the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV.
The last player to win a league MVP Award and a Super Bowl title was St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner in Super Bowl XXXIV in 1999, so it has been an (0-8) record in the new millennium.
Saints: 3 predictions for the new decade. dark. Next
It’ll be interesting to see where the chips fall this postseason and who ends up in Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and hoists the Lombardi Trophy for the NFL’s 100th season.