Ravens Jammed In Tough AFC North
By Samuel Njok
The Ravens got exactly what they needed from the Tennessee Titans on Sunday – a win. One they needed badly after dropping to division games on the road to the Bengals and Steelers. Now with Baltimore at (6-4) and currently enjoying a bye, things are looking good.
And then you look at the AFC North standings. For the first time since 1935, every team in a division is at least two games over .500.
Every team is alive 10 weeks into the season – even the Browns. Especially the Browns! They currently hold the lead in the AFC North. It’s a cramped division filled with hope and talent. But there should be a small dash of skepticism for all teams involved, including Baltimore. The AFC North is similar to rush hour traffic on the beltway. Each team has its blinkers on with their eyes fixated on the exit. Everyone is cramped together and no one wants to give up an inch. If any team gives up a tiny bit of separation, someone will sneak in front and it’s game over.
For now, the Ravens have a good as chance as any to win the division. Right now, the Achilles heel of Baltimore appears to be their secondary. The Ravens front office purged the unit when they released Dominique Franks and Chykie Brown. The addition of Danny Gorrer and Tramain Jacobs was an act of desperation. But the plugging of Anthony Levine wasn’t. It was premeditated and it may be the spark this defense need to transition from awful to decent.
“Anthony Levine played really good football out there,” Ravens Coach Harbaugh told reporters after the game. “It’s something that we’ve kind of been watching for a number of weeks and months. And he gets better every single week.”
The Ravens will need that play from him next week when they play the Saints on Monday night. Until then, Baltimore will rest and assess the season so far. When the bye ends, it’s back to work for the purple and black.
For more Ravens news and updates, visit Ravens Central.
Samuel Njoku was born and raised in Baltimore, MD and is a graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Samuel has covered the Ravens for Examiner.com since 2010. Prior to 2010, Samuel was an avid blogger and radio personality in Salisbury, MD. Samuel Njoku is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @Ravens_Examiner.
