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The Ravens had a successful season in 2023, winning yet another AFC North Division championship. However, their season ended prematurely with a loss to the Chiefs in the AFC championship game. As they enter the 2024 season, the Ravens have lost key players to free agency, including All-Pro linebacker Patrick Queen to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers and Kevin Zeitler to the ascending Detroit Lions.
Despite these losses, the front office has been proactive, drafting Nate Wiggins from Clemson in the first round of the NFL Draft and signing running back Derrick Henry from the Tennessee Titans. The upcoming season will be interesting, as the Ravens have improved offensively. However, whether the defense can hold the line and whether Lamar Jackson can lead the team to a Super Bowl victory remains to be seen.
Week 1: at Kansas City Chiefs
The Baltimore Ravens start the season on the road in a rematch of last year's AFC Championship game against the defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes and supported by offensive weapons like Travis Kelce and Isiah Pacheco, are eager to face the Ravens again. The Ravens will secure a close and entertaining victory. However, this won't be the last time they will face the Chiefs, and the road to the Super Bowl will likely involve another matchup with them.
Record: 1-0
Week 2: Las Vegas Raiders
The Ravens' home opener is against the Las Vegas Raiders, a high hopes team hungry for an early upset with a new coach in Antonio Pierce. Baltimore's offense and defense will simply be too overwhelming in this matchup and will win by exploiting the lack of explosion from the Raiders' team.
Record: 2-0
Week 3: at Dallas Cowboys
After defeating the Raiders, the Ravens pack their bags and travel to the Lone Star State to take on the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys have many issues this season, from contract disputes to a lack of offensive weapons. This will likely doom them, as the Ravens will display their powerful brand of football and pick up the win.
Record: 3-0
Week 4: Buffalo Bills
The Ravens will host the Buffalo Bills at home for a primetime matchup. The Bills are led by quarterback Josh Allen, who, like Jackson, is strong in the running game, particularly at the goal line. However, their offense may struggle in this game due to the loss of wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis to trade and free agency, respectively. As a result, the Ravens are expected to win by forcing Allen to rely on his sometimes unreliable passing game.
Record: 4-0
Week 5: at Cincinnati Bengals
The Ravens travel to face the Bengals in their first divisional game of the year. The Bengals are currently dealing with contract negotiations with Tee Higgins, who is looking for more money. However, they return Joe Burrow at quarterback who is aiming for a full healthy season. The team is facing challenges as Joe Mixon and Jonah Williams have left in free agency. The Ravens will secure a win by forcing turnovers and heavily relying on running the ball with Henry and Jackson.
Record: 5-0
Week 6: Washington Commanders
The Ravens are hosting the Commanders for an interconference game at the Bank. The Commanders have undergone significant changes, with new ownership, a new coach in Dan Quinn, and a new quarterback in Heisman-winner Jayden Daniels from LSU. There is a lot of excitement and optimism surrounding the Commanders this time around. The Ravens are expected to put pressure on Daniels, making it difficult for the Commanders to block the pass rush. It's predicted that the Ravens will secure a win, improving to six wins on the year.
Record: 6-0
Week 7: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This game promises to be exciting as we have a matchup between the 2018 NFL Draft first-round picks Jackson and Baker Mayfield. Both are Heisman-winning quarterbacks, and they have experienced varying levels of success in the NFL. Mayfield, in particular, seems to have hit his stride recently after leaving the Browns. The Buccaneers also seem to share Mayfield's belief in himself, as they have secured long-term deals for both him and his left tackle Tristan Wirfs in the offseason.
The game will showcase contrasting styles and should be an entertaining Monday night matchup. The Ravens will win and continue their march to the playoffs.
Record: 7-0
Week 8: at Cleveland Browns
This matchup is always intense due to the history of both teams. To provide some background, the Ravens were originally the Cleveland Browns, but they relocated to Baltimore in 1996. This left the city of Cleveland without a team until 1999, when a new team was established. Because of this history, there is a lot of tension between the teams and their fan bases. This week, the Ravens are traveling to Cleveland, and they will lose because the Browns have a healthy Deshaun Watson, who is expected to showcase his old form, and Myles Garrett, who will likely pressure Jackson as soon as he gets off the bus, exposing the Ravens' offensive line. As a result, it's anticipated that the Ravens will be handed their first loss of the season.
Record: 7-1
Week 9: Denver Broncos
After a tough road defeat to the Browns, the Ravens will face the Denver Broncos at home. Denver is currently rebuilding, having traded Russell Wilson to the Steelers in the offseason. Coach Sean Payton, who previously won a Super Bowl with the Saints, is familiar with rebuilding teams, having done the same in New Orleans. However, the Broncos are facing challenges as they don't have a clear answer at the quarterback position, making it a tough game for them. The Ravens are expected to win, improving their record to eight wins on the year.
Record: 8-1
Week 10: Cincinnati Bengals
The Baltimore Ravens have a short week as they take on the Cincinnati Bengals at home. This game is considered a potential trap for the Ravens, and it is possible that they may lose. This isn't due to a lack of talent, but rather because the Bengals will likely have more time to prepare for the game and recover from their previous matchup. This extra time will allow them to address any mistakes made in their first game. Considering these factors, it is possible that the Bengals will hand the Ravens their second loss of the season on Thursday night.
Record: 8-2
Week 11: at Pittsburgh Steelers
After a much-needed rest, the Ravens will resume play against the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road. This game is highly anticipated, especially on the defensive side of the ball, as the Steelers have acquired Patrick Queen in free agency. There will be a lot of talk about the Steelers' defense because of this, but their quarterback problems will continue to persist. Although the Steelers will have an edge on defense with stars like Minkah Fitzpatrick and TJ Watt, they will struggle to score many points, resulting in a Ravens win.
Record: 9-2
Week 12: at Los Angeles Chargers
The Baltimore Ravens will face the Chargers as they roll into Los Angeles. This game will be interesting, considering the Chargers made many changes in the offseason, such as adding former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh to run the show. They are still a team in rebuild mode, but they will be fun to watch as Justin Herbert is one of the best young quarterbacks in the game. Harbaugh will allow Herbert to show off, as the new coach is known as a quarterback whisperer. The Ravens win the game on the strength of Jackson, who, at this point in the season, will be in the running for MVP again.
Record: 10-2
Week 13: Philadelphia Eagles
One of the most anticipated games of the year is the Ravens versus the Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams retooled in the offseason to satisfy their Super Bowl-hungry fan bases. The Eagles are aiming to win a championship and create a dynasty. They have all the pieces to achieve this on both sides of the ball, starting with Jalen Hurts. Hurts is focused on improving as a passer, and he has many weapons to help him, including wide receiver Davonta Smith, who was a key target in his college career.
Additionally, wide reciever AJ Brown and new running back Saquon Barkley will give the Ravens a tough time. The Eagles should emerge victorious as long as their defense controls the Ravens' run game, as is the expectation in every game.
Record: 10-3
Week 14: Bye
Week 15: at New York Giants
After a much-needed bye week, the Ravens are 10-3 as they travel to New York to play the Giants. The Giants made waves in the offseason by acquiring defensive lineman Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers, creating an intriguing bookend combo with Kayvon Thibodeaux. However, that will be the most exciting part of the Giants this season because, other than that, they have nothing to beat the Ravens offensively. They will struggle to score, and the Ravens will improve to 11 wins on the year.
Record: 11-3
Week 16: Pittsburgh Steelers
In Patrick Queen's return to Baltimore, expect boos and high emotions as the Steelers play the Ravens at the bank. The Ravens will look to repeat their domination of the Steelers as they did earlier in the season and should beat the Steelers, who might have switched QBs at this time trying to find a spark. Ravens win here.
Record: 12-3
Week 17: at Houston Texans
How things have changed in the media world. The Ravens have a 2023 playoff rematch against the Houston Texans on Christmas Day, available only on Netflix. This will be a fun game, as both teams are looking forward to the playoffs, but it will also be important for playoff seeding. CJ Stroud and Jackson are in the MVP race, so this could also be an AFC championship game preview. The Texans improved greatly in the offseason by adding Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon to an already young and hungry team. However, the Ravens pull out the Christmas victory, and improve to 13-3.
Record: 13-3
Week 18: Cleveland Browns
The final game of this season for the Ravens does not have a set time or date yet, but it will have high stakes. They take on the Cleveland Browns at home in a game which could be for the division title. This means the starters will play in the game, finishing the season on a high note. The Ravens have addressed their offensive line issues to deal with Myles Garrett, aiming to win this game and secure another AFC North title. This victory will give them momentum going into the playoffs.
Record: 14-3
Final Thoughts on the Ravens' Schedule
The success of the Ravens' season depends on how they manage snaps during the 13 regular season games before the bye week. This stretch can be scary in terms of player longevity, but if they can survive it, the sky is the limit. With the additions they made this season, the goal is Super Bowl or bust!
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