AFC North: Predicting the standings
Jan 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) talks to Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh (R) during a stoppage in play against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second half during the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
1. Baltimore Ravens
Record: 11-5
The Ravens are one of those teams that are boring, yet steady, and successful. John Harbaugh is one of the two or three best coaches in football, and has only missed the playoffs once in his seven years with the team.
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Every year, you can expect 10-11 wins, and a legitimate shot for a title. But what makes them so good? It’s as simple as having a great culture. When you play for the Ravens, you expect to win. There are just certain cultures like the New York Yankees in baseball, or the Montreal Canadians in hockey, that demand success. The Ravens are the same way.
Even with the Ray Rice distraction, the Ravens offense was still a top 10 scoring unit last year, and found a diamond in the rough with running back, Justin Forsett. Forsett, helped manufacture the league’s eight ranked rushing attack in Gary Kubiak‘s zone blocking scheme. Kubiak is gone, but the offensive guru himself, Marc Trestman is the team’s new offensive coordinator. This means that Joe Flacco‘s career high 27 touchdowns in 2014, could take a much larger uptick, and give him the opportunity to surpass 4,000 yards for the first time in his career.
The Ravens were also a top 10 defense last year, and bring back the league’s best linebacking unit. The secondary is definitively a concern, but with Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil good for double-digit sacks, quarterbacks might not have much time to test them through the air.
This is just too well-run of an organization to say anything negative. Just like every other year, they will be a dark horse come playoff time to win it all. I have the Ravens winning this division.