Even though the Baltimore Ravens have the third-best odds to win the Super Bowl, only behind the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, there seems to be far more dissent about their chances than other contenders.
Some pundits believe the Ravens are overrated, which has in turn led others to call them underrated. Other teams are subject to the same differing opinions, but they seem to be far more intense when it comes to the Ravens.
The latest to chime in on the debate is Nick Wright of FOX Sports, or maybe “Nick Wrong” is more accurate given his track record. On the latest episode of FS1’s “First Things First,” Wright reinforced an opinion he’s held throughout the offseason by calling the Ravens “way overrated.”
“I think just in the AFC — obviously take Kansas City out of it, they are ahead of them — Cincinnati and Houston have a better chance of making the Super Bowl,” Wright said. “As far as an easier path, you could make the case for Buffalo. … I think that the Ravens, for me, would be like fifth or sixth in the AFC. This is to win the Super Bowl; this isn’t to have the best regular season. This is, ‘Do we think this team can win three or four consecutive playoff games?’ I have a really hard time buying that they can.”
Chris Broussard, Wright’s co-host, countered with a more optimistic stance, saying the Ravens are right where they should be in terms of Super Bowl odds.
“I think the Ravens are the second-best team in the AFC,” Broussard said. “… I like what the Ravens have done this offseason. I know they lost some defensive players and the coordinator, but their culture, their identity is great defense, so I think they’re going to be fine there.
“And then with Derrick Henry, they are going to have the best running game by far in the NFL. I think [Jackson is] going to have an even better command of offense this year than he did last year, having been in it another season. So, I think Lamar’s going to have another good year, and I think they’re going to have a great year with the run game.”
On paper, the Ravens have a roster that is capable of getting to the big game. However, it’s up to them to put all the pieces together, which they have struggled with throughout the Jackson era.
