The Loser Lineup, Pt. 2: What must Ravens, Lions do to return to conference championships in 2024?

For every winner, there must be a loser. Such is the case of two talented NFL teams whose seasons just ended in the conference championships. Matt Harmon examines the main tasks that the Ravens and Lions must tackle before next season. Check out his examination of the Divisional Round losers here.

Baltimore Ravens — Retooling an already great offense

There is nothing to say, no hope or promise of next year, that can ease the sting that anyone invested in the Baltimore Ravens at any level feels today.

The 2023 Ravens are among the five best teams ever, according to DVOA. They trounced good opponents. Once the offense got over some minor early hiccups, you couldn’t find a tangible weakness in this squad for the balance of the season. The defense was suffocating and uniquely challenging to play against.

This was an all-time team. And yet, they’ll be lost to the passage of time. No one will remember the 2023 Ravens because they let their shot at eternal glory slip through their fingers.

Don’t think the players don’t know this, too:

Dang fam it just hit me. This was really our year 🥹

— marlonhumphrey.eth (@marlon_humphrey) January 29, 2024

The theory of hope for great teams with young quarterbacks is simple. It’s easy to say that they’ll be back. It’s a lot harder to pull it off in practice.

NFL history is littered with men who convinced themselves they’d get another chance at a Super Bowl appearance only to find, years later, that their best shot was the one they just missed.

I remember Philip Rivers telling me about Norv Turner’s speech after the AFC Championship Game loss to the Patriots in ’08. Said they were such a good team that they’d definitely be back. Rivers was 26, their defensive stars were young.

It never happened. https://t.co/ixnRCAg1G5

— Robert Mays (@robertmays) January 29, 2024

So with all that brutal reality digested and settled, there is still a next year to consider and assess for the Baltimore Ravens. If they are going to get back to…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/the-loser-lineup-pt-2-what-must-ravens-lions-do-to-return-to-conference-championships-in-2024-185125446.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-01-29 18:51:25

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