ExtremeRavens Posted yesterday at 10:30 AM Posted yesterday at 10:30 AM Sound the alarms. The Ravens have reached their turning point. Sure, they didn’t erase all of their issues in Sunday’s 30-16 victory over the Bears, but Baltimore cranked out a needed win, highlighted by Tyler Huntley’s heroics and the defense’s second consecutive strong outing. While the Ravens slammed the door against the Bears, they simultaneously cracked the door open for something that hasn’t existed all season. Momentum. The once-Super Bowl favorites need every bit of it. Franchise quarterback and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson is expected to return Thursday night in Miami, coach John Harbaugh announced Monday. “I feel very confident,” Harbaugh said. “I would expect Lamar to be out there Thursday night.” Just like that, Superman is back under center, and the outlook of Baltimore’s season shifts again. Yep, more momentum. Jackson’s return comes at a pivotal moment; this week marks the midpoint of the regular season. It’s about time Baltimore (2-5) goes on a roll. The Ravens have spent the past month mostly sinking while navigating one of the worst starts in franchise history. But Tyler Huntley’s impressive fill-in performance Sunday jump started the Ravens to their first win in six weeks. Now, Jackson’s imminent return from a hamstring injury that he suffered in the team’s Week 4 loss at Kansas City offers a rejuvenated bunch an unlimited sense of hope. A perfect run of the table is probably unrealistic, but a surge is absolutely up for grabs. The schedule over the next month — starting Thursday in Miami Gardens — is loaded with winnable games. Baltimore’s next five opponents (Dolphins, Vikings, Browns, Jets and Bengals) all own losing records. Anyone else see a potential 7-5 record heading into a pivotal Week 14 home matchup against Pittsburgh? The AFC North remains wide-open after the Steelers fell to 4-3 with their loss to Green Bay on Sunday night. The Bengals (3-5) also collapsed this weekend in an inexplicable 39-38 loss to the previous winless New York Jets. Meanwhile, the Browns (2-5) have displayed a sturdy defense, but remain one of the league’s go-to laughing stocks given all their quarterback drama this season and in recent years. The pathway to a division title surely remains alive and despite their 2-5 record, many major sportsbooks still listed the Ravens as favorites to win the division as of Monday evening. Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley reacts after orchestrating a touchdown drive against the Bears. Huntley's solid performance led the Ravens to a much-needed victory before a long stretch of more winnable games. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore handled Chicago this past Sunday because of Huntley, who effectively saved the season. It’s up to Jackson now to return the favor. In the three games that Jackson has started and finished this season, the Ravens scored a whopping 111 points. Baltimore was off to a historic offensive pace, but everything was derailed by injuries and lingering emotional turmoil that paired poorly with one of the league’s toughest opening schedules. Jackson’s on-field presence will provide the Ravens with explosiveness, unpredictability and belief that Baltimore has missed dearly over the past month. Jackson, who is expected to speak to reporters for the first time since Sept. 24 on Tuesday, also is returning to a roster that looks nearly complete. That wasn’t the case over the first stretch, when injuries piled up and key veterans were sidelined. Four of Baltimore’s five losses have come against Super Bowl contenders in Buffalo, Detroit, Kansas City and Los Angeles. A victory over the Dolphins would mark Baltimore’s first winning streak of the season. It also could motivate general manager Eric DeCosta to get busy and work the phone lines ahead of next Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline. Adding defensive piece(s) could be top of mind for DeCosta if the Ravens board a happy return flight home from South Florida. Fighting for a top spot in the conference seems unrealistic. That’s a hole too deep to dig out of. But chasing a division crown and an automatic playoff berth remains within reach. The Ravens roster, after all, was touted as one of the best at the start of the season. The team’s depth has been exposed some, but the top-end talent is still present, headlined by Jackson. Jackson’s return to the huddle doesn’t guarantee a special run. But Jackson provides the Ravens with a fighting chance. At this point of a wild season, that’s all you can ask. Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. View the full article Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.