BALTIMORE RAVENS 2022 WIN PREDICTION

BY ADAM GREENE

A blistering start for the Baltimore Ravens in 2021 was halted, predictably, by an injury to quarterback Lamar Jackson. The Ravens opened the season 6-1, reeling off six straight wins, including a 36-35 upset over the two-time defending AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2.

They fell to Earth a little bit, getting blown out by a far superior (and eventual AFC Champion) Cincinnati Bengals team on Oct. 24, 41-17, but were able to keep the ship upright until Jackson finally succumbed to his bad ankle and bone bruise in a 20-19 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 5. Tyler Huntley started the rest of the way for the Ravens and played surprisingly well, considering the play design and playcalling handicap he was forced to endure, but Baltimore, after an 8-3 start, never won another game.

They would be swept by the Steelers and Bengals and split with the Browns in their own division.

While Jackson was upright, there was plenty to celebrate. Not only the win over the Chiefs, but an overtime victory over the Indianapolis Colts that would eventually cost that team a playoff spot. They clobbered everyone’s favorite 2022 team, the Los Angeles Chargers and Justin Herbert, 34-6.

In 12 starts, Jackson completed 64.4 percent of his passes for 2,882 yards, 16 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while rushing for 767 yards and two scores. JK Dobbins missed the season with an injury and the running game, outside of Jackson, never recovered. Devonta Freeman, signed off the street in the preseason, led the running backs with 133 carries for 576 yards and five touchdowns. In spite of playing in the worst passing offense in the NFL, Marquise Brown caught 91 passes for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns.

They finished with a middle range defense, ranked No. 19 in the league with no player recording double digit sacks. Tyus Bowser led the team with seven QB takedowns and cornerback Anthony Averett topped the squad with three interceptions. As a defense, they managed just nine interceptions in the entire 2021 season.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Last season: 8-9

Odds: Over 9.5 wins (-155), Under 9.5 wins (-125)

2022 NFL Draft: Kyle Hamilton, Safety, Notre Dame (Round 1), Tyler Linderbaum, Center, Iowa (Round 1), David Ojabo, Edge, Michigan (Round 2), Travis Jones, DT, UConn (Round 3), Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota (Round 4), Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State (Round 4), Jordan Stout, Punter, Penn State (Round 4), Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina (Round 4), Damarion Williams, CB, Houston (Round 4), Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri (Round 6)

2022 Additions: Marcus Williams, FS (free agent), Kyle Fuller, CB (free agent), Mike Davis, RB (free agent), Steven Means, DE (free agent), Brent Urban, DE (free agent)

Projected Starters

Offense

QB: Lamar Jackson

RB: JK Dobbins

WR: Rashod Bateman

WR: Devin Duvernay

WR: James Proche II

TE: Mark Andrews

FB: Patrick Ricard

LT: Ronnie Stanley

LG: Tyre Phillips

C: Tyler Linderbaum

RG: Kevin Zeitler

RT: Morgan Moses

Defense

LDE: Justin Madubuike

NT: Michael Pierce

RDE: Calais Campbell

WLB: Tyus Bowser

LILB: Josh Bynes

RILB: Patrick Queen

SLB: Odafe Oweh

CB: Marcus Peters

CB: Marlon Humphrey

SS: Kyle Hamilton

FS: Marcus Williams

Special Teams

PK: Justin Tucker

P: Jordan Stout

PR: Devin Duvernay

KR: Devin Duvernay

PREVIEW

There are a handful of problems for the Ravens entering the 2022 season and they’re all self inflicted. First and most importantly, they’re in a contract impasse with Lamar Jackson is in the final year, the fifth-year option, of his rookie contract. Jackson is due to become one of the highest paid QBs in the league whenever the ink dries on his new deal. The issue is, there’s no new deal. Jackson will make $23.016 million this season. It’s, honestly, about half of what he should be drawing per year.

This isn’t all on the Ravens. Jackson doesn’t have an agent and is negotiating for himself while preparing to play a full season of championship level football. I don’t see how that’s tenable at all, but Lamar didn’t ask me. Because, if he did…

My first contract demand would be for Baltimore to fire offensive coordinator Greg Roman. If you’re a regular reader, you know I don’t care much for the way the inept playcaller calls and designs plays. He’s laughably bad at his job, designing a Pop Warner level attack, but it’s not funny. Because he’s going to keep getting Jackson hurt.

Most offenses are designed to keep a QB out of harm’s way. A team invests its money in receivers and offensive linemen to allow their quarterback to play without taking too many hits. Baltimore’s offense, under Roman, runs Jackson right into the teeth of the defense 20 plus times a game. They have tossed every quality receiver off their team, trading Brown to the Arizona Cardinals on Day One of the 2022 NFL Draft, because they don’t need them. In Roman’s scheme, receivers are just downfield blockers. The fact that John Harbaugh must know this and continues to keep Roman employed is an indictment of him as a head coach.

Jackson is a generational talent and, when called upon to play NFL quarterback, can consistently deliver. As we’ve learned from the Twitter stat drops and responses after an anonymous NFL defensive coordinator (who could be current Washington Commanders DC Jack Del Rio, former Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio or even maybe former Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio)  was quoted by Mike Sando in the Athletic that “If (Jackson) has to pass to win the game, they ain’t winning the game. …I don’t give a (poop) if he wins the league MVP 12 times, I don’t think he’ll ever be a ‘1’ as a quarterback.”

When I bet against the Ravens, it’s Roman who I’m betting against. Looking at their 2022 schedule, it’s a rough one, but there’s a winning record here. Whether it’s a playoff run or not depends on a lot of things, maybe stealing an extra victory on the road at the New Orleans Saints or sweeping the Pittsburgh Steelers (who will be better than everyont thinks). Of course, all that is predicated on a healthy Jackson and, as I pointed out above, Greg Roman ain’t about that life.

Baltimore is the third best team in their division (depending on how much Deshaun Watson plays for the Cleveland Browns) and that’s where they’ll end up after Week 18.

Final record prediction: 9-8

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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