As with many other US states, Maryland is sports-mad. That is undoubtedly true here in Annapolis, and residents of the state capital are always quick to back Maryland’s pro sports teams. While the Orioles and Washington Football Team are firm favorites for many in Annapolis, it is the Baltimore Ravens that many choose to keep tabs on.
If you are a Ravens fan in Annapolis, you will already be getting revved up for the new NFL season. While the 2020 season was ultimately disappointing, there were some very promising signs for fans to console themselves with. This has led many to pick the Ravens as having a good chance of making it to Super Bowl LVI at the SoFi stadium, Los Angeles in February 2022.
Any fan would want to see that for their team, but why are the Ravens the favorite?
Bookies backing them
If you look around most sportsbooks, there is no doubt that the Ravens are being singled out as a hot favorite to reach the Super Bowl in 2022. Many, for example, have the side at odds of +1400 to make it to the NFL season finale. This shows the confidence many around the game have for the Ravens to perform well in the coming season.
Bookmakers use expert knowledge and analysis when producing odds, so it can often be a good sign when they mark a team out as one to watch. Of course, it is vital to access the latest best NFL betting odds and check this positive sentiment remains moving ahead. Many sports fans will use The Game Day website for this, as they bring together the latest odds and sports news for NFL in one easy-to-use place.
Coaching staff looking good
While the players are naturally critical to any future success, you cannot overlook how important the coaching setup will be. The encouraging news is that most of the coaches (such as John Harbaugh) who have led the team to success over recent years remain in place. This will ensure the team has the expert coaching and stability any team needs to reach the Super Bowl.
The Ravens have also added a few new faces to their coaching team, bringing new ideas to the table. This fresh tactical impetus could well be the extra push needed to make it past the playoffs and into the Super Bowl in 2022. Tee Martin, for example, has come in as a new wide receiver coach and is well-known for being able to work with young, talented players in this position. Keith Williams has also come in as pass game specialist and should also help the batch of young talent the Ravens have in this position to flourish.
Great 2021 draft for the Ravens
Any sports fan in Annapolis who follows football knows that the Ravens have been consistently good when drafting new players. 2021’s NFL Draft was no exception and saw them pick up a few fresh players who could make the difference for them. If this new young talent can bring the missing pieces of the puzzle, this could be enough to take them to a Super Bowl.
Many fans thought that the team needed a new wide receiver or two to beef up the offensive game and give QB Lamar Jackson more options. That has happened in the form of Tylan Wallace and Rashod Bateman. Bateman, in particular, looks like an excellent prospect and will make a real impact if he can get on Jackson’s wavelength. The defense got a boost in 2021’s draft, with edge rusher Odafe Oweh coming in to help give more protection to Jackson. This influx of fresh talent provides the team with new life and could see the Super Bowl within reach.
Current roster looking strong
As well as the new players the draft brought in, the faces already in the Ravens’ locker room look good enough for banishing their playoff hoodoo. It goes without saying that star franchise QB Lamar Jackson is the key name here. Lamar Jackson’s 2020 season stats show that he threw 26 touchdowns and 2,757 yards, for example! With Jackson still at the Ravens in the coming year, his talent could well see a Super Bowl run – especially with the young draft talent and existing stars he has to work with.
The confidence around the existing players for the coming year does not end with Jackson. There is a raft of top young stars like Marquise Brown, Mark Andrews, and Marlon Humphrey as well. When you also add in the experience of older players like Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams, the mixture between age and youth seems just right. This gives the Ravens a core group of top-level players to choose from who could combine to great effect in 2021/22.
Experience of previous seasons will help
Although the side might not have quite achieved all they wanted in the last few years, they have done pretty well – certainly in the regular season. Three consecutive double-digit win seasons will fill the players full of confidence and should see them capable of performing to the same level again in 2021/22. Experience will also come into play, and this is where keeping together the same group of players will help. As these players have now had the experience of playing in and losing big games, they will be even more determined to make the Super Bowl in 2022.
Ravens look good for Superbowl LVI
Staying entertained is key to anyone around Annapolis. For some, this could be attending a music festival such as July 2021’s Let’s Go Fest. For others around the city, though, sports are how they like to relax, and the fate of the Ravens in the coming season is therefore of critical importance. The signs look good for the Ravens, though, and the above points also show just why a Super Bowl game is within their reach. While there will be other NFL teams pushing them hard for this, they have as good a chance as any.
