The Baltimore Ravens’ ranking of 12th in the most recent NFL Power Rankings raises an interesting question. Is this ranking a fair reflection of who they are, or is it an overreaction to an offseason shuffle? On the one hand, this hesitation is easy to understand. The AFC remains loaded, with teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills either maintaining continuity or making compelling additions. Baltimore, by contrast, has taken a more cautious approach, other than signing a big-name player here and there. The biggest one might be Trae Hendrickson.
A “slow and steady” approach doesn’t always make headlines, but it can make it feel like a team has been outclassed by a more aggressive competitor. Still, Baltimore’s early free agency season earned them a B+ grade from Pro Football Focus. However, that still doesn’t push them into the top 10 of the most recent NFL Power Rankings
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CBS Sports ranks the Ravens at No. 12 in the latest NFL power rankings.
As mentioned, the Ravens are ranked No. 12 In the most recent NFL team rankings, Cooked by CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco. Still, that seems fair, right? On the other hand, this is still a team led by former MVP Lamar Jackson, who continues to redefine the way elite quarterbacks play. On the other hand, they struggled, failing to make the playoffs last season and struggling in their first season under a new coaching system.
Still, as long as Lamar Jackson is under center and healthy, the Ravens’ ceiling is still as high as almost any team in the NFL. Add in a defense that finds ways to stay disruptive every year, and it’s hard to justify pushing them too far. What might happen here is less about Baltimore taking a step back and more about uncertainty. Power rankings this time of year tend to reward momentum and punish ambiguity. The Ravens haven’t made the loudest move yet, which could be mistaken for stagnation. In fact, they might just rely on a formula that keeps them in contention year after year.
So, let’s ask one last time. Is it fair for the Ravens to be ranked 12th? Maybe it’s just on paper, but history shows that a Ravens team this good rarely ends up being a middling team when it matters most. If anything, this could serve as motivation, like we’ve seen Baltimore use before.
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They could use this less like an accurate prediction and more like an invitation to prove they still belong among the NFL’s elite.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens ranked outside top 10 in CBS Sports NFL power rankings
