The Baltimore Ravens went through a very difficult season in 2021. They finished 8-9 after enduring a six-game losing streak to end the year, and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Despite their tough season, there is plenty of optimism that the team can bounce back in a big way next year. Marc Sessler of NFL.com shares that train of thought, as he named Baltimore as a team that can turn it around in 2022. When explaining why, Sessler got into the details of just how much the team had to go through in 2021.
“Baltimore became just the fifth team in league lore to lose four games by two points or fewer. Eleven of its opponents finished with a winning record. Twenty-five of its own players were sent to injured reserve, decimating the club and exposing a massively compromised secondary on a defense that finished dead last against the pass. The backfield was cooked in August. Lamar Jackson’s ankle injury short-circuited a frustrating campaign for the former MVP. Still, the Ravens found themselves seconds away from making the playoffs, because this unusual franchise is built of steel. Few teams league-wide have earned more trust as a bounce-back candidate.”
He also mentioned some of the moves that the Ravens have already made and could make during the 2022 offseason to try to improve in some areas.
“The surprise firing of Don “Wink” Martindale hints at an overhaul on defense, especially up front, where Baltimore houses one of the AFC’s oldest collection of linemen. Look for the draft to bring a horde of beefy types to both sides of the ball, with a focus on offensive tackle and behemoths who can stuff the run. Bodies must be air-dropped into a secondary that appeared ready to suit up My Little Pony by mid-December.”
Sessler concludes that some of the biggest parts of the Baltimore franchise won’t go quietly into the night.
“The Ravens had every excuse to win four games, but they came within a few bad breaks of postseason play. Bank on the fact that general manager Eric DeCosta is huddled away in a bunker, surrounded by half-eaten cartons of General Tso’s chicken and plotting revenge. Harbaugh — always open to change and new avenues — does not rest. Lamar burns to prove his starry rise was no truncated fluke…These dudes will return with a fire from within.”
Many had very high expectations for the Ravens before their 2022 season began. However, injuries, lack of execution and more plagued the team and resulted in a strong start but a failure of a finish. Baltimore has immense potential heading into next season with such a talented roster and stars returning. Now they have the opportunity to improve it even further in the offseason and get back to the greatness that they’re more than capable of.