AP
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be analyzing all 32 teams and telling you why they will or won’t be playing in January.
Today we will be analyzing the Superbowl XLVII champion Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens were a team that was coming off of the dreaded Superbowl hangover. After making the playoffs 5 years in a row, the team finished just 8-8.
My main concern for the Ravens is not talent. On offense they now have a solid receiving core in Torrey Smith, Steve Smith, Jacoby Jones and Dennis Pitta, a franchise QB in Joe Flacco and a rebuilt offensive line. Many point to the running game being a concern however I feel that Ray Rice –barring a suspension– will regain form after an off-season of chaos. The problem I have with the Ravens is they do not have a clear leader.
After Ray Lewis’ retirement and Ed Reed signing with the Texans, all eyes pointed to Flacco as being the man to step up and fill void. However it does not seem the 120 million dollar man will be able to. This team is flush with young talent but it is yet to be seen if anyone will be able to step up.
Defensively this team should easily rank in the top 10-12 range. The Ravens have one of the most lethal pass rushing tandems in Elvis Dummervil and Terrel Suggs, and with impressive first round pick CJ Mosley playing inside with the newly resigned Daryl Smith the Ravens will have a pair of the most athletic inside linebackers in the league.
The secondary should not be a concern for the team either with Ladarius Webb at full health, Jimmy Smith finally proving worthy of his lofty draft position and with 2013 first round pick Matt Elam moving back to his natural position at Strong Safety, this secondary could be dangerous.
With all this being said I am still not sold on the Ravens being able to compete this year. I feel the leadership issue will far outweigh the talent on the team. I feel a 9-7 season would be the best case scenario for a team that has so much of its salary cap space wrapped up in the QB. More realistically I could see this team going 7-9 and picking in the top 15.
profootball366.wordpress.com 
Interesting points on the Ravens 2014 campaign. Good points on the transition of leadership and youth movement. I actually think the team will fare much better than a single game improvement from last season. Considering the major collapse of last season was the offensive line, that could not run or pass protect contributed to a lack of a running game as well as both running backs dealt with season long injuries as well. Despite being one dimensional on offense this team managed to finish 8-8 against a first place schedule and a tough transition in leadership. The front office was able to fill a lot of holes this offseason including rebuilding the offensive line and getting a health Kelechi Osemele back will resolve a lot of the O’line woes. It appears Ozzie and John has a good infusion of young and veteran talent coming into training camp and the leadership issue should be resolved now that the players have establish the ghost of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are lingering over the locker room. A change in offense play calling and scheme is the biggest question I have right now, especially when your first three games are against division rivals. One to many miscues could easy turn into a loss in close games against familiar opponents and possibly not having Ray Rice for those games is really a wildcard in how this team will start the season. As you mention the defense should be in the top ten range and keep them in most games. If the Ravens offense can move up from 27th ranked in 2013 to the mid-teens in 2014, they will most likely be back in the playoffs.