The Ravens’ win Sunday not solely stored them atop the AFC North standings, however set them as much as go on a significant profitable streak.
No laughter please, that is critical enterprise.
Despite how ugly the 23-20 victory over the Cleveland Browns was at occasions, the Ravens have the potential to win one other 5, six or seven video games this season, maybe consecutively.
There aren’t too many issues you can level to that counsel the Ravens have improved a lot because the season-opening win in opposition to the New York Jets, however that is the NFL. Any group can win on any given Sunday.
That’s my conclusion after Week 7. Except for the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, the remainder of the league is an enormous assortment of mediocre to poor groups.
That’s why the Ravens (4-3) had been so tickled to return away with a win in opposition to Cleveland (2-5).
“It was a must-win situation, big divisional game, a rivalry game,” operating again Gus Edwards mentioned. “We have momentum now, and we just have to keep building it up. We’re going to find out about ourselves in the weeks to come.”
Momentum is the large phrase. Teams thrive off of it. If wins observe, some groups begin believing they’re invincible, and the Ravens want that sort of psyche.
Belief is as a lot part of soccer as blocking and tackling. The Ravens face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday evening and have mainly at some point to organize earlier than they go away Wednesday. But the Bucs (3-4) misplaced Sunday to the lowly Carolina Panthers, and future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady continues to be wishing he had tight finish Rob Gronkowski by his aspect.
After dealing with Tampa Bay, the Ravens play the New Orleans Saints (2-5) on “Monday Night Football,” adopted by the Panthers (2-5), Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5), Denver Broncos (2-4), Pittsburgh Steelers (2-4) and the Browns once more.
This shouldn’t be precisely the Murderers’ Row of the NFL.
“I think it helps. It just helps build momentum, and I think what we’ve been going through is just growing pains,” outdoors linebacker Justin Houston mentioned. “I choose to undergo it at the start of the season than the tip. We all know, you’ve simply bought to get scorching on the proper time. I like our group. I feel we’ve bought all the pieces we have to win it.
“We’ve just got to continue to build and grow. That’s what we’ve been doing, and it showed today. We had guys step up on special teams, defense and offense to make plays and get us this victory.”
A number of issues can change between now and the stretch run. The Ravens didn’t present a lot to get enthusiastic about Sunday.
They nearly blew one other fourth-quarter lead and wanted linebacker Malik Harrison to dam a 60-yard discipline purpose try with 2:09 left along with his face to seal the victory.
Cleveland ran the ball down the Ravens’ throats throughout a seven-play, 75-yard landing drive within the fourth quarter and Jacoby Brissett, a backup for many of his profession, accomplished 22 of 27 passes for 258 yards.
Imagine what Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes would do in opposition to the Ravens’ poor secondary?
Offensively, it was one other slog. Quarterback Lamar Jackson grew to become a recreation supervisor, partly due to his struggles the previous three video games but in addition as a result of he was inaccurate and the Ravens couldn’t deal with the Browns’ cross rush. Jackson was sacked 3 times.
The constructive?
Edwards, who missed all of final season after tearing his ACL, LCL and hamstring, rushed 16 occasions for 66 yards. Left sort out Ronnie Stanley carried out nicely in his third recreation this season after an extended rehabilitation from a fractured ankle.
The Ravens had 5 sacks Sunday and mounted constant cross rush after the primary quarter. Devin Duvernay proved he is usually a weapon as each a large receiver and return specialist, and kicker Justin Tucker and punter Jordan Stout give the Ravens maybe the very best kicking recreation within the NFL.
The Ravens have sufficient weapons to have the ability to beat plenty of groups in so some ways, however they aren’t constant and lack game-changers.
Maybe that may are available time.
“To me, the ground-and-pound mentality is the identity of this team,” Stanley mentioned. “I feel we’re getting again to that, to who we’re. But the factor is, I actually assume we performed with the identical quantity of character and energy even earlier than at this time. This recreation was slightly bit extra detailed, however truthfully, we nonetheless have rather a lot to repair. We is usually a lot higher than this.
“We are happy to come out with a win, but our goal is to play at a championship level; we won’t be satisfied with anything less, and we still need to clean up some stuff,. We can be a lot better than this. I am not very satisfied with how we did as a whole today; we are very capable of championship-winning football.”
That verdict will come quickly sufficient, within the subsequent month or two.
Week 8
Ravens at Buccaneers
Thursday, 8:15 p.m.
TV: Ch. 2 Stream: Amazon Prime
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
Line: Ravens by 1
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Source: www.bostonherald.com