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Six reasons why the Ravens have become a legit Super Bowl threat
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- Six reasons why the Ravens have become a legit Super Bowl threat
BALTIMORE – On the longest night of the year, the Baltimore Ravens reminded the NFL, in front of a prime-time viewing audience, that they're a very bad day waiting to happen.
And it's starting to seem – once again, after the team's largely torrid start hit a lull around Thanksgiving – like that could be true all the way into Super Bowl week.
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The Ravens officially clinched a playoff berth on Saturday , which doubled as the winter solstice, by pummeling the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-17 at M&T Bank Stadium – their first victory at home over their archrivals in almost exactly five years. In the process, Baltimore pulled into a first place tie atop the AFC North with Pittsburgh, though the Steelers still own a very narrow tiebreaker advantage (by virtue of a better conference record after the teams split their season series, among other factors).
You might think that would be reason to celebrate, but …
"I was mad until the game was over," said Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson . "I'm still mad. The game (is) over. I'm still hot."
That was the postgame reaction of the Ravens superstar, who's very much in the running for his third league MVP award, after throwing a rare interception (just his fourth of the season) a minute into the fourth quarter. His teammates didn't have to dwell on it long given cornerback Marlon Humphrey turned the tables back on the Steelers two plays later, swiping a Russell Wilson pass and taking it 37 yards for a touchdown and 31-17 lead that effectively ended the game.
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Yet Jackson's mindset is indicative of a team that's hardly complacent. It's also readily apparent that the Ravens, who have won three of four since a Week 11 loss at Pittsburgh and been largely dominant in the two games since their Week 14 bye, might be the classic case of a team that may not – currently – be perceived as the best in the NFL but could be catching fire and peaking at the right time of the season.
Here are six reasons, for those who might need a reminder or lost track of them amid the attention afforded to the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills , why Baltimore should be considered a bona fide Super Bowl contenders:
1. Duh, Lamar Jackson
Sure, he threw that (ultimately inconsequential) pick Saturday. Sure, he may have fallen too far behind Bills QB Josh Allen perception-wise to win back-to-back MVP awards. But Jackson is a weapon nonpareil in this league.
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Despite the mistake, he still had another highly efficient night against the Steelers, completing 15 of 23 passes for 207 yards and three touchdowns. His 37 TD passes on the season are a new personal high and single-season team record.
"Ever since I've been here with Lamar, it just feels like every year he can be the MVP," fullback Patrick Ricard told USA TODAY Sports.
"That's just kinda the player he is."
Yet, aside from the myriad highlights, Jackson has also continued his stratospheric progression as a passer, reliably making accurate reads, sustaining drives and serving up dimes.
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"Clutch throws, especially against (man-to-man and) tight coverage," said head coach John Harbaugh.
"Dotting people on the run in man coverage. I thought Lamar was fantastic, and that's no little bit of pressure. … He stood in there and made some throws. He always does."
2. They're not forgetting to run the ball
Ravens fans are still bitter that their team's top-ranked run game only attempted 16 rushes (six by running backs) in last season's AFC championship game loss to the Chiefs. In the setback at Pittsburgh five weeks ago, Henry somehow became an afterthought (13 touches) in a game the Ravens only lost 18-16.
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But that wasn't the case Saturday, Baltimore rushing 38 times for 220 yards against a stout Pittsburgh defense. Henry finished with 162 yards on 24 carries, his biggest day in two months.
"Those 10-plus yards can really (pile) on, make it tough for a defense. So the more we can get that, the more it's gonna wear on a team in the third and fourth quarter," Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum told USA TODAY Sports.
"This time of year, whatever's working, we've gotta roll with it. Certainly, if we're running the ball effectively as a unit, we want to stay running the ball – because it opens a lot of other things up."
Jackson wouldn't necessarily say keeping Henry involved was a point of emphasis, but his impact was unmistakable.
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"It starts right there with No. 22," Harbaugh said, referencing Henry's jersey number.
"So, it was just (a) really well-executed run game, and (Henry is) a hard runner – the best in the business right there."
And hopefully an offensive component Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Todd Monken won't lose sight of next month, even if the Ravens are trailing by a reasonably margin.
3. Everyone else on the offense is involved
The offensive line was fantastic Saturday. Five different players caught passes. Wideout Zay Flowers reached 1,000 receiving yards for the first time. Pro Bowler Mark Andrews scored his first career touchdown against the Steelers (in his 11th appearance in the rivalry). Fellow tight end Isaiah Likely also scored. The distraction brought by midseason acquisition Diontae Johnson has been removed.
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"I feel like we know the level that we can get to if we come to work every day and lock in," said wideout Rashod Bateman , who had a 14-yard TD grab himself against Pittsburgh. "If we show up and do our jobs, we can go far – really far."
4. Justin Tucker may be returning to form
The beleaguered All-Pro kicker, who has been enduring the worst season of his 13-year career , made all of his kicks (2 FGs, 4 PATs) Saturday, including a 51-yard field goal shortly before halftime.
"For what it's worth, I still have the exact amount of confidence I did a week ago or two weeks ago or three weeks ago," said Tucker, who's missed a career-high 10 kicks in 2024.
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"I'm glad to have gone out there and played well."
It may be worth noting that the Ravens have lightened the veteran's load a bit by shifting some of the kickoff responsibilities to third-year punter Jordan Stout.
5. The defense is back
A unit that appeared to be Baltimore's Achilles earlier in the campaign may be reverting into the strength it's typically been for this organization.
In addition to Humphrey's game-sealing pick-six, safety Ar'Darius Washington dislodged the ball from Wilson at the end of a 19-yard breakaway in the second quarter when it appeared the quarterback was headed for the end zone – but, at minimum, was going to set the Steelers up inside the Ravens' 5-yard line.
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"Obviously, we were not playing good football at the beginning of the year," said Humphrey.
"I think (we're) playing more sound defense, getting turnovers here and there. If you can get two a game, you're going to be really successful."
And that's to say nothing of the steady contributions from players like linebacker Kyle Van Noy , who reached double-digit sacks Saturday for the first time in his 11th NFL season, or third-year linebacker David Ojabo , who pressured Wilson on Humphrey's pick – the 2022 second-round draft pick finally making an impact in a career that's been disrupted by injuries.
"The bar is set really high, and I feel like, obviously, we dropped it earlier," added Humphrey.
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"So, the adjustment has really kind of been simple – just 11 guys are now doing their job, and the success has been coming."
6. Confidence
The Ravens must play again on Wednesday, Christmas Day, at Houston before getting a break. Yet you can sense this is a team regaining its mojo.
"Trending in the right direction, we've just gotta keep it rolling – snowball effect," said Linderbaum. "And trust our guys and our operation, our coaches, and carry this on."
The Steelers appear to have a tougher stretch drive, with what appear like important games against the Chiefs and (currently) desperate Cincinnati Bengals . The Ravens will host the Cleveland Browns in Week 18, a game they should win if need be and maybe a de facto bye week depending on the circumstances – and that's after the post-Yuletide break.
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Regardless, Baltimore is talented, explosive, surging and focused on the details that could very well be the difference in a successful Super Bowl push even though the Chiefs and Bills currently seem like the AFC's odds-on favorites.
"It's just us really just focusing on the little things that have been stopping us – penalties, turnovers, just missed assignments in blocking," said Ricard.
"As long as we deal with those things, we know we can move the ball and score points."
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Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis .
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Baltimore Ravens: Six reasons why they're legit Super Bowl threat
