WOW!! Statistically Through 12 Weeks, the Ravens Have One of the Best Overall Teams in NFL History

[JonAB]

Stats are cute but they mean nothing if you don't win the Super Bowl. When you hear LJ talk he completely gets that and a championship remains his focus

While I agree with most of this premise, I think the idea that ‘if you don’t win the super bowl then none of it matters’ is a bit silly and a little dismissive. Yes, if they don’t win the super bowl then it clearly isn’t a top ten team, damn the stats. But it’s still a hell of a team and I’ve had more fun watching it then I have... maybe ever, and that’s saying something given the quite rich history of this franchise. Flags fly forever but even if they don’t get one I’ll still always remember this team. Hopefully it’s remembering it as the beginning of a dynasty, but if not I’ll always remember how much fun it was to get this excited about football again.

[PTORaven]

Agreed that winning the Super Bowl is what matters. But it's useful to look at things like FootballOutsiders that have quantified every single game for decades to get an idea where this ravens team could possibly end up in the halls of historically great teams. Right now, according to objective measures (not just subjective Ravens homerism), the Ravens are outplaying the '99 Rams, '94 Cowboys, '04 Patriots. Those three are probably on anyone's list of top 20 NFL teams all-time. And the Ravens improve every week for the last few weeks and might overtake the '04 Steelers and Eagles with a solid win against the Bills. It's not a stretch to think they could be a top-10 all-time team if they go 3-1 or 4-0 through the rest of the season and then win the Super Bowl. That's insane. After week 4 half this board was jumping out the window. The turnaround and the 8 game run they're on is one of the best 8 game stretches any team ever played.

[GOTA]

While I agree with most of this premise, I think the idea that ‘if you don’t win the super bowl then none of it matters’ is a bit silly and a little dismissive. Yes, if they don’t win the super bowl then it clearly isn’t a top ten team, damn the stats. But it’s still a hell of a team and I’ve had more fun watching it then I have... maybe ever, and that’s saying something given the quite rich history of this franchise. Flags fly forever but even if they don’t get one I’ll still always remember this team. Hopefully it’s remembering it as the beginning of a dynasty, but if not I’ll always remember how much fun it was to get this excited about football again.

Does anyone celebrate the 2007 Patriots? They went 16-0 in the regular season but they are remembered mostly for missing out on a perfect season by losing the Super Bowl.

Many Steelers fans thought that the 1976 team was the best of that dynasty run but that team got knocked out in the Conference round.

On the flip side the #6 seed Steelers won the Super Bowl in 2005 over the Seahawks. Anyone remember that the Colts were 14-2 that year and were supposed to be a great team? No? That's because they lost in the playoffs and those 14 wins meant nothing. We all remember that Steelers team though

I absolutely agree that this is fun and enjoyable but it won't mean much without winning the Super Bowl. What they will be remembered for is another one of those teams who put up great numbers but couldn't get the job done that mattered most. Winning is what really matters.

[JonAB]

Does anyone celebrate the 2007 Patriots? They went 16-0 in the regular season but they are remembered mostly for missing out on a perfect season by losing the Super Bowl.

Many Steelers fans thought that the 1976 team was the best of that dynasty run but that team got knocked out in the Conference round.

On the flip side the #6 seed Steelers won the Super Bowl in 2005 over the Seahawks. Anyone remember that the Colts were 14-2 that year and were supposed to be a great team? No? That's because they lost in the playoffs and those 14 wins meant nothing. We all remember that Steelers team though

I absolutely agree that this is fun and enjoyable but it won't mean much without winning the Super Bowl. What they will be remembered for is another one of those teams who put up great numbers but couldn't get the job done that mattered most. Winning is what really matters.

Well ya but I mean for myself. I remember the 2006 and 2011 Ravens teams as some of the best teams and most exciting seasons we’ve had. Sure those teams don’t resonate with other fan bases but for me this is the best season I’ve seen out of this team and I’ll always remember as one of the best we’ve ever put out, super bowl or not. If the want to enter the annals of NFL history and the minds of other fan bases then they will need the Super Bowl but for me it’s not like if they don’t win the super bowl then it was all for naught. It will still mean a lot to me without the Super Bowl just like the 2006 and 2011 teams did.

[s.r.genovese]

If Lamar gets to the Super Bowl he’s not losing in his hometown of Miami.

[pslholder96]

If Lamar gets to the Super Bowl he’s not losing in his hometown of Miami.

That would be one cool story.

[GOTA]

Well ya but I mean for myself. I remember the 2006 and 2011 Ravens teams as some of the best teams and most exciting seasons we’ve had. Sure those teams don’t resonate with other fan bases but for me this is the best season I’ve seen out of this team and I’ll always remember as one of the best we’ve ever put out, super bowl or not. If the want to enter the annals of NFL history and the minds of other fan bases then they will need the Super Bowl but for me it’s not like if they don’t win the super bowl then it was all for naught. It will still mean a lot to me without the Super Bowl just like the 2006 and 2011 teams did.

No one says you can't enjoy it. 2002 is still one of my favorite all time Ravens teams. That was when we first saw the team that would culminate in 2006 which was another fun year. 2006 and 2011 are still more remembered for being disappointments than great Ravens teams. If only Billick had decided to run the ball instead of forcing McNair into trying to break a cover 2 defense that he clearly wasn't able to do. If only Cundiff could make an easy kick. If only Evans could catch a ball he should have caught.... Those are what most often comes up when we talk about those years.

This thread is about the incredible stats that the Ravens are putting up. The title says that they are one of the best overall teams in NFL history. That still doesn't mean much without a Super Bowl win. You don't win and the Ravens fans will be focused on that 1 moment in time that cost the team a Super Bowl win and fans of other teams will be talking about how the Ravens were overrated because those stats weren't good enough to win. It always comes back to winning.

The good news is that Lamar gets this, Harbaugh gets this and the team gets this. They are getting caught up in the hype. The focus remains on the prize.

[gellinho]

Yes, we're not used to seeing a powerful offense. Our history was great defenses.
gellinho, Welcome to the RSR board. You won't find any finer than this one... Bc

Thank you very much. Been reading for a while. Most of the guys in here seems to be very cool.

[The Excellector]

We also have to be careful with comparing eras. There are eras where running was more prevalent, or passing more prevalent. Eras where sitting on leads was more prevalent (Just throwing stuff out there). That's what makes it so difficult to try and use equations to lump them all together, create averages and then determine who was above and below them.

[WNCRavensFan]

We also have to be careful with comparing eras. There are eras where running was more prevalent, or passing more prevalent. Eras where sitting on leads was more prevalent (Just throwing stuff out there). That's what makes it so difficult to try and use equations to lump them all together, create averages and then determine who was above and below them.

This team has sat on leads several times this season though. And no matter what style, the team is sitting on a +187 point differential with 4 games to go.

[WNCRavensFan]

Check this out, just found it on reddit from a Pats page:

https://i.redd.it/xk9fq4l3c8l21.png

So since division realignment in 2002, here are the ten best point differentials in a season:

315 (NE 2007) - also the NFL record
226 (NE 2012)
208 (NO 2011)
207 (DEN 2013)
205 (NE 2010)
201 (GB 2011)
192 (IND 2005)
192 (DEN 2012)
192 (CAR 2015)
191 (NE 2016)

And here are the point differentials for each season's Superbowl champion:

2002 (TB) - 150
2003 (NE) - 110
2004 (NE) - 177
2005 (PIT) - 131
2006 (IND) - 67
2007 (NYG) - 22
2008 (PIT) - 124
2009 (NO) - 169
2010 (GB) - 148
2011 (NYG) - (-6)
2012 (BAL) - 54
2013 (SEA) - 186
2014 (NE) - 155
2015 (DEN) - 59
2016 (NE) - 191
2017 (PHI) - 162
2018 (NE) - 111

It surprises me, though there are some high scores among the Superbowl winners, that none of the top nine scores won a championship.

[GOTA]

Check this out, just found it on reddit from a Pats page:

https://i.redd.it/xk9fq4l3c8l21.png

So since division realignment in 2002, here are the ten best point differentials in a season:

315 (NE 2007) - also the NFL record
226 (NE 2012)
208 (NO 2011)
207 (DEN 2013)
205 (NE 2010)
201 (GB 2011)
192 (IND 2005)
192 (DEN 2012)
192 (CAR 2015)
191 (NE 2016)

And here are the point differentials for each season's Superbowl champion:

2002 (TB) - 150
2003 (NE) - 110
2004 (NE) - 177
2005 (PIT) - 131
2006 (IND) - 67
2007 (NYG) - 22
2008 (PIT) - 124
2009 (NO) - 169
2010 (GB) - 148
2011 (NYG) - (-6)
2012 (BAL) - 54
2013 (SEA) - 186
2014 (NE) - 155
2015 (DEN) - 59
2016 (NE) - 191
2017 (PHI) - 162
2018 (NE) - 111

And we all know that 2007 Pats team isn't famous for setting the point differential record. They are infamous for choking and missing out on a perfect season