Here's a sample of what else pundits are saying about the Ravens' schedule:
How many games will the Ravens' win?
Baltimore Beatdown's Joshua Reed: "14-3. I expect the Ravens to emerge from their second-half gauntlet in great shape to secure a high playoff seed."
The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec: "11-6. This is an extremely tough schedule, and the AFC North should be better than it was last year. However, the Ravens have improved offensive personnel and their defense has been reliable. A key will be getting to the bye week at no worse than 5-2 because the team's last 10 games will be a major test. Predicted division finish: 1. Browns; 2. Ravens; 3. Steelers; 4. Bengals. As long as Joe Burrow is healthy, the Bengals should be better and the other three teams are all capable of winning the AFC North. The Browns look like the most complete team on paper, but if the Ravens make the anticipated improvements in the passing game, they'll be right there."
CBS Sports' Bryan DeArdo: "11-6. Baltimore plays just two returning playoff teams before heading into its Week 8 bye. The Ravens' schedule gets significantly tougher after the bye, however, with eight games against teams that either posted a winning record or made the playoffs in 2020. A fast start is going to be crucial to the Ravens' division hopes in 2021."
NFL Network's analytics expert Cynthia Frelund: "10.8 wins. Excluding divisional games, which kind of follow a different cadence from regular-season contests, the Ravens have pretty optimal spacing between the two most difficult dates on their schedule, with the Chiefs coming in Week 2 (Sept. 19) and Packers coming in Week 15 (Dec. 19). The stretch of Weeks 12-14, which includes the Browns twice and one trip to Pittsburgh, could go a long way toward determining which AFC North team wins the division and which ends up as a wild-card squad; this division is the most likely in all of football to send at least two teams to the playoffs."
A bold prediction for the Ravens.
Hensley: "The Ravens will sweep their December division road trips to Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Cincinnati. How bold is this? The Ravens have gone undefeated on the road in the AFC North only twice (2011 and 2019). But Lamar Jackson has shown that he plays his best at the end of the regular season. He has won his past 11 starts in December, producing a league-high Total QBR (78.5) and scoring the most total touchdowns (31)."
Do the Ravens really have the second-toughest schedule?
They do — if you're going by their opponents' 2020 records. According to Sharp Football Analysis, a better indicator of strength of schedule is projected 2021 win totals. By that metric, the Ravens have the 10th-toughest schedule. The Browns, by the way, have the third-easiest.
Sharp Football Analysis: "While there aren't perfect strength of schedule metrics, using 2021 Vegas win totals is much better than so many widely used metrics that use the previous season's record. The Vegas win totals give us a better indication of what teams could look like in 2021 than their 2020 wins would."
May 13, 2021 at 08:48PM
https://ift.tt/33FmYnl
Late for Work 5/13: Ravens Have the NFL's Quirkiest Schedule - BaltimoreRavens.com
https://ift.tt/2VuKK1x
Work
No comments:
Post a Comment