The Baltimore Ravens' brutal schedule suddenly doesn't look so imposing.
The Ravens entered the 2024 NFL season with one of the toughest schedules in the league. Based on opponent win percentage in 2023, the Ravens had the second toughest schedule in the NFL. By projected win totals, Sharp Football Analysis ranked the Ravens' schedule as the 10th-hardest.
The Ravens play seven teams who made last year's playoffs and play two of those teams (the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns) twice.
However, after four games, the Ravens schedule may not be as bad as it once looked.
Part of that is because Baltimore has gotten some tough opponents out of the way in the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, and Buffalo Bills. The Ravens went 2-1 against those teams.
Now ESPN ranks the Ravens' schedule as the eighth-easiest. Tankathon ranks the Ravens' remaining strength of schedule 15th easiest — average, in other words.
Even by the eye test, however, it doesn't look so tough. The Ravens play the Cincinnati Bengals twice (including Week 5) — the Bengals have started the season 1-3 and look flawed (which plays into Baltimore's declining strength of schedule).
The Browns are also 1-3 and look worse than some experts predicted.
The Philadelphia Eagles have had a choppy start to the season. If that continues, they could be out of the playoff race by December 1, when they face the Ravens at home.
Teams like the Washington Commanders (3-1) and Denver Broncos (2-2) have been surprisingly good so far, but are both led by rookie quarterbacks. The Ravens should beat both of those teams.
Of course, this is the NFL, where any team can win each week. The Ravens have already experienced this this season, when they blew a 10-point fourth quarter lead to the Las Vegas Raiders at home to fall to 0-2.
And one factor is still working against the Ravens: a brutal late-season slate that sees them play three games in 10 days.
- Sunday, December 15 at New York Giants
- Saturday, December 21 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
- Wednesday, December 25 at Houston Texans
It's a somewhat baffling logjam of games that the league likely shouldn't have allowed. Two short weeks, two roads games, in Weeks 15-17, when teams are feeling the effects of the season.
Still, Baltimore has seemingly weathered the storm of their tough early schedule, sitting at 2-2. They could easily be 3-1 had they not blown a lead to the Raiders, and they could be 4-0 if Isaiah Likely's toes stayed in-bounds against the Chiefs.
The Ravens know that there are no guaranteed wins in the NFL. However, they should feel good about a schedule that suddenly looks less daunting than it once did.
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