The Baltimore Ravens are a rather storied franchise. While many only think of them in terms of very recent history, the AFC power has already won a couple of Super Bowls, once had an all-time great defense, and managed to create some fierce rivals in the process.
5. Cincinnati Bengals
The rivalry with Cincy intensified when longtime defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis was hired by the Bengals in 2003. With Lewis at the helm, the Bengals put a number on the Ravens by virtue of a 19-13 record.
Lamar Jackson introduced himself to the Bengals and the entire league when he broke the Ravens rushing record for a quarterback during Week 11 of the 2018 season in what turned out to be Lewis’ final game in Baltimore.
4. New England Patriots
The Ravens have proven to be quite the thorn on the Pats’ side if recent postseason meetings were to be judged.
Baltimore has given the AFC East’s perennial frontrunners its share of headaches at the 2009 Wild Card Game when the Ravens dominated the Patriots, 33-14 at Gilette Stadium.
The Ravens would once again come out victorious at the 2012 AFC Championship Game, 28-13, also at Foxborough, en route to the franchise’s second Super Bowl win.
Baltimore has split its postseason meetings against New England, 2-2.
3. Tennessee Titans
Statistically speaking, the Titans are the Ravens’ toughest opponents with an all-time head-to-head record of 12-12, including postseason play.
In the 2006 offseason, Steve McNair found himself at the epicenter of the rivalry when Tennessee refused to have him enter their practice facility due to the Titans’ fear of paying the latter upwards of $24M should an injury take place inside.
The NFL Players Association would file a grievance case on McNair’s behalf and the arbitrator ruled that the Titans were in clear violation of contract. With all of the drama surrounding the team and its embattled quarterback, Tennesse would then trade McNair to the Ravens in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the following year’s draft.
Just recently, Tennesse was able to notch a huge victory when the sixth-seeded Titans shut down the Lamar Jackson-led Ravens, 28-12 in last season’s Divisional Round matchup.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
In 2015, Bleacher Report called the Ravens-Steelers rivalry as the best in the NFL.
Longtime Steeler Hines Ward perfectly described the bad blood between both teams.
“The coaches hate each other, the players hate each other. There's no calling each other after the game and inviting each other out to dinner. But the feeling's mutual; they don't like us, and we don't like them. There's no need to hide it. They know it, and we know it.”
1. Cleveland Browns
Because of course, it is.
The Ravens would literally not be in existence if it wasn’t for the Cleveland Browns.
Then-owner Art Modell has become disenchanted with the high operating costs of maintaining Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Even though the city overwhelmingly approved a tax funding plan for the renovation of Municipal Stadium, Modell earned the ire of Clevelanders when he practically disregarded the aforementioned plan and announced his intent on relocating the franchise.
Modell made good on his promise in a press conference at Camden Yards on November 6, 1995, when he declared that the Browns, would indeed, be making their way to Baltimore.
After a series of legal battles, a compromise was reached that enabled the relocation while ensuring that the Browns’ legacy would stay in Cleveland. The original Browns were “deactivated” for three seasons while the Ravens immediately began play in 1996.
Historically, the Ravens have dominated the rivalry, boasting of an all-time record of 31-11 against Cleveland. The Browns faithful also has to helplessly watch the Ravens bag the Vince Lombardi Trophy twice in that span, something Cleveland has yet to accomplish.
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