Predict Next Season's Record, Part 1

**esmd** · 01-09-2018, 05:30 PM

So obviously it's ridiculously early, and plenty of roster changes will take place prior to the beginning of the 2018 season. But I thought I'd start an early prediction thread now, and then follow it up with a post FA/Draft prediction thread, and then a final one just before the start of the season.

Next year looks rough for us. The schedule is a lot tougher next year than it was this year....5 road games against playoff teams from this season (Steelers, Chiefs, Falcons, Panthers, and Titans). Plus the Chargers which is no gimme. Then we have three more playoff teams at home (Saints, Bills, Steelers) plus the Raiders who should bounce back from a subpar year. Some of those teams probably regress, sure (Bills, Titans, maybe Chiefs if Mahomes takes over for Smith), but that's a tough schedule as it sits right now.

The Ravens have a good, at times possibly a very good defense, and hopefully a new DC fixes the issues we saw this season against the Bears, Steelers, Bengals, etc. Offensively, we have an average to above average running game and a clusterfuck of a passing game. Even if they draft solid skill players at WR and/or TE, it's rare for rookies at those positions to perform right out of the gate. And with the same old, same old at OC, we still have a disconnect between what offense we're running and what our players do best.

I'd say we're likely to go 4-4 at home, and 1-7 on the road worst case (5-11), and 5-3 at home and 2-6 on the road best case (7-9). I'll split the difference and predict that we go 6-10 next season at this point. That's my early prediction, which also assumes no catastrophic injuries like Flacco or Collins missing most of the season.

So what say you? It'll be interesting to see how opinions change post FA/Draft and post Training Camp.

**nickh0801** · 01-09-2018, 05:32 PM

based on today, yeah 6-10 sounds about right.

**NCRAVEN** · 01-09-2018, 05:34 PM

As of right now. I'll say we go anywhere from 7 -9 to 9-7.

If it's 9-7 we miss the playoffs in heart-breaking fashion.

**Ravens20002012** · 01-09-2018, 05:44 PM

Not even going there nobody thought the Rams and Jaguars would have been in b4 the season hard to predict this league

**WrongBaldy** · 01-09-2018, 05:51 PM

12-4

**Bhcforlife** · 01-09-2018, 05:51 PM

They are a .500 team or thereabouts until further notice IMO.

**GirlsKickButt** · 01-09-2018, 06:07 PM

I usually predict a winning record, but since Wink is now our DC, I'm seeing 6-10.

**Purplenemesis** · 01-09-2018, 06:16 PM

7-9 floor with a 9-7 ceiling.

**stevez51** · 01-09-2018, 06:17 PM

As much as I don't want to say it, I will take a losing season to be rid of this shit show.

**GaTechRavens** · 01-09-2018, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by esmd

I'd say we're likely to go 4-4 at home, and 1-7 on the road worst case (5-11), and 5-3 at home and 2-6 on the road best case (7-9). I'll split the difference and predict that we go 6-10 next season at this point. That's my early prediction, which also assumes no catastrophic injuries like Flacco or Collins missing most of the season.

There's no way the worst case and best case are only separated by 2 games.

As for my pick, I'll say somewhere between like 6-10 and 11-5. Basically it's way too early to make any kind of meaningful prediction, but our strengths and weaknesses are well established enough where I think our place somewhere in the middle is always the safest pick to make. I think the defense is young enough where we'll see some improvement (not sure about Martindale, but I'll give him a chance). and the WR corps pretty much has nowhere to go but up, but it scares me that Flacco might decline further. I also think our OL may have played over its head this year and would need to be reworked even with Yanda coming back to avoid regressing as a unit.

**xiao_ke** · 01-09-2018, 06:45 PM

It's too early to say. The NFL is a year to year league, but next year's schedule looks tough. There will be no feasting on backup QBs. The NFC South sent
three teams to the playoffs and the Bucs should be better next year. As of right now, I don't see too many sure wins. The Broncos, Bills and Browns are likely to have upgrades at the QB position as well.

Ravens 2018 opponents:

Home: Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills

Away: Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans

**stevez51** · 01-09-2018, 06:54 PM

I believe if the Browns take Darnold or Rosen and try to play them early, it might be the only reason this team doesn't finish last in the division.

It still might be time to blow it all up.