The Baltimore Ravens were expected to thrash a laboring Denver Broncos team in Week 13, but they were dealt an early blow when star quarterback Lamar Jackson was forced out of the game with what was later diagnosed as a PCL sprain. It seemed like the Ravens were dead in the water, and for most of the game, it looked like they were going to lose a very winnable game against a bad Broncos team, which led to many Ravens overreactions being made.
Instead, Tyler Huntley, who replaced Jackson and had been getting kept in check by Denver's strong defense, put together a 16-play, 91-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter to give Baltimore a crucial 10-9 victory over the Broncos. With the win, the Ravens remain on top of the AFC North, and this win proved to be even more crucial after the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13 as well.
This may end up going down as the biggest win of the season for the Ravens, and for good reason. The Ravens overreactions were spilling in after this win, though, so let's pick out three of the biggest Ravens overreactions that popped up as a result of this win and see why they are being labeled as such.
1. The Ravens are in trouble with Lamar Jackson injured
The first many fans had when Jackson was forced out is that they were in trouble, which makes sense. Jackson is a transcendent quarterback, and his dual-threat ability under center makes him one of the best players in the game. It would make sense to be a bit concerned about Baltimore after seeing Jackson leave and not return.
While that is a fair concern, it's also worth noting Huntley is a strong backup for Jackson. Huntley struggled against the Broncos (27/32, 187 YDS, 1 INT, 10 CAR, 41 YDS, 1 TD) but they boast one of the best defenses in the league. Huntley is an accurate passer in the short game, and his ability to run with the ball means the Ravens don't have to completely alter their game plan when he's on the field.
Baltimore also has a pretty easy schedule the rest of the way out, as they play the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14, a game in which Jackson likely won't be able to play. Even if Jackson is forced to miss three weeks (his PCL sprain has a recovery timeline of 1-3 weeks) Baltimore's next two games are against the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons. It may look bad, but the Ravens should be able to survive without Jackson for a short amount of time.
2. The Ravens are the favorites to win the AFC North thanks to this win
While Baltimore isn't in jeopardy of losing a playoff spot, they are by no means the frontrunner to win the AFC North right now, even if they have the lead over the Bengals right now. Cincinnati just grinded out a victory over the Chiefs, arguably the best team in the league, in Week 13, whereas Baltimore barely beat a bad Denver team. The circumstances are different, yes, but these two teams are on different levels right now.
It's tough to not see the Bengals finishing as the AFC North champions. They have a daunting final two game stretch of the season which sees them play the Buffalo Bills in Week 17 before having a crucial Week 18 game against the Ravens, but they stand a good shot at making up some ground on Baltimore now that Jackson is out.
It may seem contradictory to say the Ravens aren't in trouble before saying they aren't the favorite to win their division, but the most important thing for Baltimore has to be getting healthy right now. Earning a wild card spot isn't going to be the worst thing in the world if they can get Jackson healthy, and while they still have the inside track to winning the division, they aren't the favorites to do so anymore.
3. Gus Edwards should be phased out of the Ravens offense
Baltimore's ground game hasn't ever really been at full strength this season, but it has been tough to see them continue to struggle even with Gus Edwards back in the fold. Edwards was supposed to be the secondary running back behind J.K. Dobbins, but Dobbins has barely played this season, and even then, both guys haven't been particularly good when they have played this season.
Edwards struggled again against the Broncos, picking up just 12 yards on six carries. Edwards has only played in four games this season, but the results have been fairly disappointing this season. He was playing second fiddle to Kenyan Drake, who has only gotten carries this season because of the injuries to Edwards and Dobbins.
With Edwards struggling, some are calling for him to hit the bench, but this team needs him. The Ravens are going to have to rely on their ground game at some point if they want to make a deep playoff run this season, and part of that involves getting Edwards going. Giving more carries to the hot hand Drake may seem more beneficial, but Edwards' ceiling is higher, which is why sending him to the bench is one of the biggets Ravens overreactions.
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