Coming into the 2024 NFL season, a good number of people were picking the Baltimore Ravens to reach the Super Bowl and possibly win it all.
In 2023, they had the NFL’s best regular season record and the league MVP in quarterback Lamar Jackson, and this offseason they added star running back Derrick Henry.
But they’re now 0-2, and the tension is thickening for them and their fans.
Baltimore will face the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3, and FOX Sports host Chris Broussard believes the game is “an absolute must-win” for the Ravens, via “First Things First.”
“No, I’m not shocked and yes, they should be the underdog… Baltimore is in an absolute must-win.”
— @Chris_Broussard on Cowboys being home underdogs vs. Ravens pic.twitter.com/dEhr8cNPU3
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) September 18, 2024
Historically, few teams that start a season 0-2 end up making the playoffs, and that probability plunges much lower when a team loses its first three games.
If the Ravens were to miss the playoffs, it would have to be considered one of the bigger flops in recent NFL history, considering how successful they were last season and the fact that they added Henry.
Their schedule won’t get easier after Week 3, either, as they play the Buffalo Bills in Week 4 and the Cincinnati Bengals on the road in Week 5.
One positive sign for Baltimore is the fact that, as Broussard mentioned, they are the betting favorite against Dallas.
Right now, the Ravens’ biggest problem is their defense, something that is normally their strong suit, and they’re having trouble pressuring opposing quarterbacks, which could hurt them when they face Dak Prescott.
