We’ve all heard that it’s impossible to make everyone happy. It’s a simple statement. It’s certainly one that’s easy to understand, but it has never made more sense than it does at this moment. We regret to inform you that the Baltimore Ravens will not receive the national respect they deserve, and it seems that no accomplishment will change that.

Lamar Jackson could win two Super Bowls, and people will still find something to complain about. That has never been more apparent. He’s a two-time MVP. He probably should have won his third trophy last season.

Advertisement

This team is a legitimate contender in the Super Bowl conversation, but again, respect feels out of reach. Take ESPN’s recent take. They stacked every NFL team from worst to best and used each organization’s offensive firepower as the measuring stick. Guess where the Ravens landed on that ranking.

Give up? The Flock earned a top-ten ranking. That’s good. So, why are we complaining? They rank seventh behind the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, and Minnesota Vikings.

Granted, these lists are subjective. That’s easy to understand, but what are we evaluating here? Last season, Jackson tossed 41 TDs vs. only four interceptions. He threw for 4,172 yards and led the NFL in passer rating (119.6) and QBR (77.3). He ran for 915 yards and reached the end zone four more times with his legs.

His backfield mate, Derrick Henry, only crafted the second-best season of his career. He fell 79 yards shy of his second 2,000-yard rushing season. He also led the NFL in TD receptions.

Advertisement

There is no better tight end room from top to bottom. Mark Andrew, Isaiah Likely, and Carlie Kolar are studs. They’re also all in contract seasons, but that’s another tale for another day.

Baltimore is home to Patrick Ricard, a 2024 First-Team All-Pro and a five-time Pro Bowler. Zay Flowers also made the Pro Bowl roster last season.

How are we evaluating tight ends, wide receivers, and running backs on every NFL roster and labeling the Ravens seventh? Here’s some of Bill Barnwell’s take. He’s the writer of this story.

“It’s tough to count on Henry producing so many big plays again at his size, but the soon-to-be 32-year-old could slip a bit and still be one of the best backs in football… Flowers had six drops and just one catch on a throw traveling more than 30 yards in the air last season, so there’s still plenty of room for him to grow… Mark Andrews was anonymous for five weeks before scoring 11 touchdowns in his final 12 regular-season games, but there hasn’t been any hint of his 2021 volume returning.”

All in all, while Barnwell makes some good points, it’s easy to find potential flaws on every team’s roster. Saquon Barkley probably isn’t running for 2,000 yards again. The 49ers lose Deebo Samuel. The Detroit Lions’ former offensive coordinator is now the head coach of the rival Chicago Bears.

Advertisement

Landing seventh on a list like this in a league loaded with 32 teams can be seen as flattering and a compliment, but when the seventh-ranked team is the loaded Ravens, one must question if soul play is in the air. The red challenge flag has been thrown.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Recent Ravens top-ten ranking still feels a little disrespectful