Where Lamar Jackson, Ravens could rank among best teams of all-time

The Baltimore Ravens, led by quarterback Lamar Jackson, are the team to beat in 2019-20. Why Jackson and the Ravens could go down as one of the greatest teams of all-time.

Lamar Jackson could be leading one of the best teams of all-time. Really.

I know what you’re probably thinking- we should let the cake bake. The Baltimore Ravens still have a tough road ahead in order to be the last team standing on February 2nd in Miami when the NFL’s best will be decided in Super Bowl LIV.

Still, this needs to be discussed, because perhaps one of the most dominant seasons in professional football history is unfolding right before our eyes.

Don’t get me wrong, I know what it would take to be among the greatest teams of all-time. The ’85 Bears, ’72 Dolphins, and ’07 Patriots would scoff at the thought of being mentioned with the 2019 Ravens squad.

But Baltimore is no slouch, and in a matter of weeks, they have the potential to finish off one of the best streaks the league has ever seen.

As of week 17, Baltimore is on an 11-game winning streak and has taken down some of the league’s best along the way. They pummeled the Patriots, won convincingly at Seattle and Los Angeles Rams, and took down a heavyweight 49ers team.

The Ravens aren’t just sliding by in most games. During their streak, they have won by an average score of 34-16, and many games weren’t that close.

Baltimore’s defense has been stifling and has only continued to improve after acquiring Marcus Peters on October 15th. During the win streak, they haven’t allowed more than 23 points, and opponents have only reached the endzone twice on two occasions.

The defense has only made what the offense is doing seem even more ridiculous. Currently averaging 33.5 points per game, Baltimore is the 10th-highest-scoring team in NFL history with a week left to play in the regular season.

Perhaps most importantly, the Ravens are led by the quarterback having the most dynamic season in NFL history in Lamar Jackson.

They have a stingy defense and a ridiculous offense, and it all starts with Mr. Ridiculous himself, Jackson.

Two quarterbacks have rushed for 1,000 yards in a season: Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson. One player has thrown for 3,000 yards and rushed for 1,000 in a season: Jackson.

The former Heisman Trophy winner is so insanely good that opposing players are praising him before, during, and after the game.

In the Ravens’ Week 16 win over the Jets, Jackson sat out almost the entirety of the fourth quarter because his team was already winning by so much, did his post-game interviews on the field, and then ran back to the locker room to grab a dozen of his own jerseys, which he proceeded to sign and hand out to Jets players like kids meeting their life long hero.

Jackson was heralded for his running ability in college- The two seasons with the most rushing yards accounted for in school history belong to him- But those who did not see much of Louisville football while he was there didn’t realize how talented he is in the pocket.

After an offseason filled with criticism from fans and media that Jackson couldn’t make it long-term in the league as a quarterback, he has done nothing but prove people wrong.

Jackson leads the league in total QBR, and his 36 passing touchdowns are 5 more than anyone else in the NFL.

The Ravens have all of the makings of a great team. Dynamic offense, pressuring defense, disciplined special teams, top-notch coaching, and the X-factor: a nearly unstoppable star.

But where would that rank them among the all-time great teams? Especially considering that they will have the MVP when it’s all said and done, not to mention the potential coach of the year award winner.

One could argue that the 2019 Ravens are already among the 100 greatest of all-time.

This season, the NFL  created the NFL 100, which celebrates the 100 best teams, players, coaches, and more to ever grace the sport. The NFL’s NFL Film Originals counted down the top teams and players throughout the season, and some familiar names appear at the top of the teams list.

The 1972 Dolphins, 1985 Bears, and 1978 Steelers rank as the top 3 teams ever, but of recent, there has not been a ton of dominant teams that made their way to the top.

One team, the 7th-ranked 2007 Patriots, would have been considered among the best ever had they not dropped their final game in the Super Bowl. That team reeled off 18 consecutive wins en route to a near-perfect season.

You have to go all the way back to that 2007 New England team to find a team with a better margin of victory that these Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore’s +15.4 Average Score Margin is the highest among all NFL teams since 2007 and is the second-highest since at least 2003.

Consider, as well the magnitude of the Ravens’ winning streak. 11 consecutive games in a single season is nearly unheard of. Winning 15 straight including three in the playoffs would be almost uncharted waters.

The Ravens could warrant Top 100 consideration when things are said and done, but also consider the cases of the 2011 Packers and the 2015 Panthers. The Packers were undefeated until week 15 of 2011 and lost in their first playoff game to the Giants. The Panthers remained undefeated until week 16 of 2015, but their loss in the Super Bowl to the Broncos saw that team lose some luster.

Those two teams rank 67th and 68th on the NFL 100 all-time teams list.

There have been teams with long winning streaks and impressive performances all around in recent years, but if the Ravens want to be considered one of the all-time great teams, they have to seal the deal.

The road will likely feature at least one of the Patriots and Chiefs in a historically competitive top half of the AFC. But the Ravens have a vaunted defense, a great offensive game plan, and they have a Lamar Jackson.

The final weeks of the NFL season could be historically great, and Jackson and the Ravens have a chance to seal the deal as one of the best teams ever assembled.