The Baltimore Ravens continued their recent run of dominant form with a decisive 28-14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2025 NFL Playoffs. Head coach John Harbaugh's team will now visit Orchard Park to take on a red-hot Buffalo Bills team in a battle of the heavyweights. To win their third Super Bowl in franchise history, Baltimore will likely have to run the gauntlet. However, the Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and the rest of the team are ready for this challenge as the Ravens' performance on Saturday night reflected how they will be a tough out this postseason.
Baltimore's offense made franchise history on the ground, rushing for 299 yards. That total set a single-game franchise record and was the most Pittsburgh has ever given up in a playoff game. Going in, the Steelers had the sixth-best rushing defense, giving up 98.7 yards a game during the regular season.
Lamar Jackson looked poised against the franchise's biggest rival. The two-time MVP completed 16 of 21 passes for two touchdowns while rushing for 81 yards. The greatest dual-threat quarterback of all time has won everything in the sport except for the one piece of hardware he wants the most: a Super Bowl ring. And Jackson has a very good chance of walking away with the sport's greatest prize. Here are a few reasons why the Baltimore Ravens are the Super Bowl favorite this postseason.
Baltimore's offense is more versatile than it's ever been before
Only once has Lamar Jackson operated a Baltimore offense that has averaged more points per game than this squad. That came in 2019 when the Ravens put up 33.2 points per game. However, the offense that year had a series of flaws. First off, it was way too reliant on Lamar Jackson. That's no slight to the Baltimore star at all. You don't see other all-time great quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady have to lead their teams in passing and rushing while working without a true No. 1 wide receiver.
The Buffalo Bills have dealt with a similar conundrum with Josh Allen over the years. Like Jackson, the Bills leader under center has often had to put on a cape to carry an offense whose flaws emerge in the postseason. However, that is not the case for the Ravens in 2024. While Jackson had an incredible regular season, he now has a ton of weapons that can be leaned on throughout the postseason. That includes running back Derrick Henry, who joined the franchise this offseason.
The former Titans superstar has had a spectacular season with the Ravens. Henry has pulled off wild statistical feats throughout the year, rushing for 1921 yards and 16 touchdowns. That trend of dominance continued on Saturday as the five-time Pro Bowler racked 186 yards and two scores, showcasing that this offense does not lean too heavily on one player like it did in the past. On the outside, Jackson has a way better-receiving core than in years past.
The one thing to watch is the status of wide receiver Zay Flowers. The second-year wideout has emerged as a legit WR1 but was out the Wild-Card clash with a knee sprain. Getting Flowers back is essential for the Ravens' chances of beating three straight elite teams this postseason.
The Ravens' defense has been on a tear recently
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Baltimore's defense has paled compared to last year's unit for much of 2024. The Ravens are giving up five more points per game than they did in 2023. The standout weakness has been the passing defense, where John Harbaugh's team ranks second-last in yards allowed per game through the air at 244.1. With the significantly upgraded offense, this side of the ball does not need to be as elite as last year's unit.
But the defense can't be the liability it has been at times this year. Fortunately, this side of the ball has been anything but a liability the latter half of this season. Over the last seven weeks, Baltimore's defense has given up just 15.4 points per game and only 171.5 passing yards per game. The rushing defense, meanwhile, has continued its dominant trend of limiting ground games by more than 13 yards less than any other team in the NFL.
This trend of dominant form on defense continued against the Steelers, where the Ravens shut out their divisional rival in the first half. The game was all but over by the time Pittsburgh scored its two touchdowns in this contest. Overall, this unit's confidence right now and ability to shut down opponents' rushing attacks is a scary prospect for the rest of the league. The more possessions Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry get this postseason, the more likely this team will continue to wear opponents down with their physically imposing ground attack.
The Ravens have a massive chip on its shoulder and are playing their best football
Overall, the Baltimore Ravens are riding a six-game winning streak and playing their best football at the most important time of the season. Lamar Jackson and company are making strides with every playoff appearance and look primed to take that next step. This Baltimore team has flaws, but previous eliminations in this era have been mainly due to lackluster offensive performances. The combination of Jackson, Henry, an elite offensive line, and a solid receiving core make the possibility of that happening very low.
Having to win at Buffalo and possibly Kansas City significantly limits this team's margin for error. Still, throughout this year, the Ravens have shown the ability to win different types of games. That versatility, combined with the chip on its shoulder, makes Baltimore the NFL's Super Bowl favorite.
