The Baltimore Ravens will be eyeing a deep playoff run in 2022 with star quarterback Lamar Jackson returning from injury. Jackson missed the final four games of the regular season last year but is healthy this season and will lead a squad that will contend with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC North division title.
It’s likely that there’ll be fairly short NFL betting odds on the Ravens during the first part of the season, with head coach John Harbaugh on the sidelines for his 15th year with the team. Baltimore is a legitimate playoff contender that will open the season against the New York Jets before facing a pair of AFC East teams, the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots.
The 2021 season started on a high note for the Ravens, which tallied wins in eight of their first 11 games. But an array of season-ending injuries to key players played a role in Baltimore finishing the season with six straight losses. The Ravens ended the season with an 8-9 record and failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Jackson headlines a run-heavy offense featuring J.K. Dobbins and Kenyan Drake running backs. Tight end Mark Andrews and wideouts Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay are the primary pass catchers. At the same time, kicker Justin Tucker is a valuable offensive weapon who booted an NFL-record 66-yard field goal last season.
Outside linebacker Justin Houston and defensive Calais Campbell will anchor a defense decimated by injuries a year ago. Interior linemen Justin Madubuike and Broderick Washington seem primed for breakout campaigns, and inside linebacker Patrick Queen played at an All-Star level during the second half of last season. The secondary might be the strength of the defensive unit and include safety Marcus Williams and cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey.
The Ravens were established in 1996 after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced plans in 1995 to relocate the franchise to Baltimore, Maryland. The NFL negotiated a deal with Modell that allowed him to relocate to Baltimore and form an expansion team instead of moving the Cleveland franchise. The Ravens have won two Super Bowl titles and have advanced to the NFL playoffs 13 times since 2000.
The home field of the Ravens is M&T Bank Stadium, a multi-purpose stadium with natural grass that has a capacity of 70,745.
Baltimore's two most significant rivalries recently are the Steelers and the Bengals. Pittsburgh leads the all-time series, 32-24, and has won eight of the past 11 meetings. The Ravens lead the all-time series with Cincinnati, 27-25, and have won five of the past seven meetings.
