Ravens are No. 2 in ESPN's preseason NFL power rankings
By the metrics that ESPN used, the Ravens accumulated an overall score of 92.1, which was just 0.5 lower than the Eagles. Their overall roster, minus the QB, scored 91, second in the NFL. Their QB score was 96.8, good for third in the league.
Overall, you really can't ask for a rosier outlook than this if you're a Ravens fan. This projection is about as bullish as it gets. The season opener, a Sunday Night Football on NBC affair at the Buffalo Bills, is only 22 days away. Right now, expectations are sky high for that evening.
However, every team on this power rankings has a "Reason for Concern" section, and ESPN Analyst Louis Riddick nailed it:
"Going forward, the concern is about the team's postseason headspace, and whether the Ravens can collectively play their best football when the stakes are the highest. Everything else is in place from a roster construction standpoint."
Couldn't agree more.
On paper, the Ravens have little to worry about. Sure, they gave up way too many pass yards last season, but
1. That statistic was a little misleading, and in Baltimore's favor
2. They did what they needed to do to fix that this offseason.
However, it does feel like there is a mental hurdle that still needs to be cleared. There is an emotional weight present, and it won't be lifted until the Ravens win the Super Bowl again.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens are highest ranked AFC team in ESPN's NFL power rankings
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Julian Sayin named Ohio State's starting quarterback for season opener against Texas
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Julian Sayin will be Ohio State's starting quarterback when the No. 3 Buckeyes open the season against top-ranked Texas on Aug. 30, coach Ryan Day announced Monday. Day, who is in his seventh year leading the Buckeyes, said Sayin was more consistent in the competition with Lincoln Kienholz but there was some separation over the past week. "It was a close competition. I think both guys we all feel confident can win a game for us. I feel like our guys are confident with both quarterbacks, I feel like we are going to need both quarterbacks,' Day said. 'Lincoln did a lot of great things, but we're going to name Julian the starter, give him the majority of the reps with the ones and go prepare to beat Texas.' Sayin is listed as a sophomore but has four years of eligibility remaining. He originally committed to Alabama as the top-rated quarterback in the Class of 2024 and was taking classes when Nick Saban retired. Sayin then entered the transfer portal last spring and came to Ohio State. He played in four games last season, including the College Football Playoff first-round game against Tennessee, and he was 5 for 12 for 84 yards and one touchdown while taking 27 snaps. 'I think earning trust is just all about consistency, who are you day in and day out, and are you making the routine plays routinely. Are you someone who the offense can count on and who your teammates can count on consistently?' Sayin said on Aug. 5 about his approach. Offensive coordinator Brian Hartline also pointed out Sayin's consistency, along with limited turnovers and emergence as a leader, in his body of work. 'The command and earning the respect of your peers. Ultimately, the locker room always knows,' Hartline said. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian tried to recruit Sayin and said after Monday's announcement that he had a ton of respect for him. 'We recruited him hard here. He was a very gifted passer, really good player. Came to camp with us, I think, two years in a row. So we got a lot of familiarity with him," Sarkisian said. "Very good player, elite passer, very good arm talent, very quick release, really accurate guy. Obviously, he's got great weapons around him, so he's the type of guy that can utilize those weapons in a good system. So, it poses a heck of a challenge.' Sayin won't be the most-hyped quarterback in the opener. That goes to Texas' Arch Manning, who is considered an early Heisman Trophy contender. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
2025 Tour Championship purse, payouts: How much is up for grabs at East Lake in the FedExCup Playoffs?
The end of the FedExCup Playoffs are here. The last 30 golfers standing will hit the course this week at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta with the FedExCup on the line. With it comes a massive $40 million purse — a quarter of which will go to the winner come Sunday afternoon. The purse is the largest on Tour each season, more than double that of what was offered at the British Open and PGA Championships. The U.S. Open had a $21.5 million purse to lead the major championships, just $500,000 more than what was offered at Augusta National. Outside of this limited playoff event, The Players Championship had a $25 million purse to lead the way in the sport. The purse this week is so big that the top eight finishers will take home a seven-figure prize. Even the person who comes in last will earn $355,000. By comparison, Andrew Novak won just $70,000 for his last-place finish at the BMW Championship. Scottie Scheffler, fresh off his fifth win of the season on Sunday at the BMW Championship, is entering the Tour Championship with a massive lead in the FedExCup standings. That, however, doesn't matter anymore after the PGA Tour opted to eliminate the starting strokes format for this final event. Scheffler and the 29 golfers will all start the week at even par, meaning the tournament is still up for grabs. Scheffler, however, is undoubtedly the favorite. He has now won 12 times in the past two seasons on Tour, three of which have come at major championships, and he's finished inside the top 10 in every start he's made dating back to March. He's starting the week listed at +125 to win on BetMGM. If Scheffler can win this week, he'd be the first back-to-back winner in FedExCup history. Here's how much is on the line this week for the 30 golfers in Atlanta. 2025 Tour Championship payouts 1. $10 million2. $5 million3. $3.705 million4. $3.2 million5. $2.75 million6. $1.9 million7. $1.4 million8. $1.065 million9. $900,00010. $735,00011. $695,00012. $660,00013. $625,00014. $590,00015. $560,00016. $505,00017. $490,00018. $475,00019. $460,00020. $445,00021. $430,00022. $415,00023. $400,00024. $390,00025. $380,00026. $375,00027. $370,00028. $365,00029. $360,00030. $355,000
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Texas, athletic director Chris Del Conte reportedly agree to 6-year contract extension through 2036
The University of Texas has agreed to a six-year contract extension with athletic director Chris Del Conte through 2036. Per the Houston Chronicle's Kirk Bohls, the extension will pay Del Conte $2.9 million in its first year in 2029 and escalate to $4.25 million in 2036. The contract requires approval from the university system's board of regents, per the report. Del Conte, 57, has served as Texas' athletic director since being hired in December of 2017, a period of significant transition and progress for the program. He oversaw Texas' move from the Big 12 to the SEC that took place in 2024. Under Del Conte's leadership, Texas football has risen to the ranks of national contenders. Texas hired head football coach Steve Sarkisian ahead of the 2021 season. The Longhorns went 5-7 that year, but have improved to 8-5, 12-2 and 13-3 in the seasons since. It marks the first time that Texas has posted consecutive seasons of 10-plus wins since 2008 and 2009. Expectations are high for 2025. Texas enters the season ranked No. 1 in the country with projected Heisman Trophy contender Arch Manning at quarterback. Success beyond football The men's basketball program has made the NCAA tournament in each of the last five seasons. The women's basketball program has advanced to NCAA tournament play in six of the last seven seasons under Del Conte, including a trip to the Final Four in April. In four of the last six seasons, Texas has won the Director's Cup, which is awarded to the nation's most successful overall athletic program. In 2022, Texas completed construction of the Moody Center, the on-campus home of the program's basketball teams and a frequent host concerts and other shows. Prior to joining Texas, Del Conte was the athletic director at TCU (2009-17) and Rice (2006-09).
