Back in the same position as the AFC’s top seed, the Ravens hope to avoid a repeat of 4 years ago

Back in the same position as the AFC’s top seed, the Ravens hope to avoid a repeat of 4 years ago

Two Saturdays ago, the Baltimore Ravens defeated Miami to secure the first seed in the AFC.

Before John Harbaugh could really savour the triumph, he was confronted with an unavoidable question regarding 2019.

The previous time the Ravens were ranked first was that season.

MVP Lamar Jackson guided Baltimore to a 14-2 victory.

Then the Ravens gave up, falling to Tennessee 28–12 in their playoff debut.

For Ravens supporters, the game against the Titans is a little unsettling because Baltimore is now back in that same situation and Jackson is the favourite to win MVP honours once more.

“We recall the year 2019.” Following that victory over the Dolphins, Harbaugh remarked, “It’s not something we’re going to forget.” You’re not going to disregard it.

Not that we ever would, but it’s just something else that contributes to your current identity. We still remember that.

Following their first-round bye, the Ravens will play one of four teams: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Houston, or Miami.

During the regular season, Baltimore faced that entire group of opponents and finished 3-3. The Ravens had a 10-1 record versus all other teams.

Jackson receives criticism occasionally for his 1-3 record in the postseason, but the only game that truly sticks out is the one from 2019.

Apart from that, the star quarterback’s rookie campaign included a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers and a postseason in 2020 when he travelled and won both of his games.

The one that is most difficult to justify away is the loss to Tennessee.

Jackson rushed for 143 yards and completed 365 yards passing in that contest.

His overall net yardage for that day was reduced by four sacks to 488, which was still the third-highest postseason total by a player in the Super Bowl era.

“We put up 500 yards up in that game. We just didn’t score touchdowns.

That’s really the bottom line, and by the end of the game, our defense was a little worn out against a really good running team. So, it’s a narrative, we didn’t win the game,” Harbaugh said.

“We didn’t score enough points, but it wasn’t like we weren’t moving the ball.”

The Ravens also turned the ball over three times — two interceptions and a fumble by Jackson. And they went 0 for 4 on fourth down.

Jackson was stopped on twice on fourth-and-1. The loss snapped a 12-game winning streak for Baltimore.

“We lost that game and we were so young, too,

We had Gus (Edwards)  and We had Mark (Ingram), but Mark was hurt. Our All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews was nicked up. We had guys that were down, but guys were fighting, and we were young at the same time.

We were just starting to get into that situation of (a) playoff atmosphere, but I believe we’re going to be better this year this time around.”

After beating Miami 56-19, the Ravens were able to hold several key players — including Jackson — out of the regular-season finale last week against the Steelers.

Of course, that means those players will be playing for the first time in three weeks when they take the field for the postseason.

For Harbaugh, rust is less of a concern than preparation.

“One of the things we talked about was, ‘Be your own biggest critic,’ and in terms of being your own biggest critic this week and trying to improve in every area you can, you’re also your own biggest advocate,” he said.

“So, advocate for yourself by being critical of yourself, and try to do the best you can to become as good as you can or better

this week in terms of making improvements, and then we’ll be ready and prepared for what’s ahead of us.”

There are plenty of players on this team who weren’t with Baltimore in 2019. Linebacker Roquan Smith is one of them, and he certainly sounds determined to win next week.

If the Ravens do that, the city of Baltimore would host the AFC championship game for the first time since Jan. 3, 1971, when the Colts defeated the Oakland Raiders 27-17.

“Have you ever been on a safari? Ever been in the wild and just seen cats that’s trying to survive and trying to make their next meal?

I feel like we have that mentality, and we know if one get a kill, we all going to share it, at the end of the day,” Smith said.

“I know many guys would die to be in the position that we’re in, as far as a type of team, because there’s so many just genuine, good dudes, but when you get on that field, cats that want to rip your face off and maybe cut your hair, too.”

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