Ravens Stock Report: Most Indicators In Green Headed Into Playoffs

Ravens Stock Report is Brought to you by LifeMed Institute  Invest in Yourself!

The Ravens ended the season with a resounding 35-10 win over the Browns. It was a rather ugly game, as I figured it would be, but the result was never in doubt.  By getting the win, the Ravens secured the #3 seed and won another AFC North title.

Stock Up

Nate Wiggins

Nate Wiggins is looking like a home run pick, which isn’t surprising since the Ravens generally hit homers in the first round, especially in the secondary (Matt Elam be damned!).  He finally secured his first interception and made it a memorable one, turning it into six. He has become an integral part of the defense and will be featured prominently in the playoffs.

Derrick Henry

Derrick Henry looks primed for the postseason. He ran through a pretty good Cleveland defense and, as usual, got stronger as the game went on. If the Ravens are going to make a run to the Super Bowl, it is likely going to be because he is performing like he has for most of this season. He is the difference maker and hopefully, will be the Ravens’ version of Mariano Rivera.

Kyle Van Noy

Did Kyle Van Noy discover the fountain of youth? He has been in the backfield all year and he ended the season with 12.5 sacks. That 12th came with a nice 250K bonus. Love what he brings to the team, both as a player on the field and off it. Now, no bad penalties this year like the KC game last year!

Michael Pierce

In what may be the funniest moment in NFL history, Michael Pierce ended the game with a pick and, because the “bus was out of gas” and because he didn’t want to become a meme, he went down fast. While the play showed his versatility, the reaction from the team shows how respected he is in the locker room. It wasn’t talked about enough this year but when he was out, the defense struggled. Of course, the defense had other issues but he’s still an important piece.

Super Bowl Hopes

By securing the #3 seed and getting at least one home game, your chances of getting to the Super Bowl increased. It will be a tough road, having to go through rival Pittsburgh and then likely on the road in Buffalo and Kansas City, but it’s better than facing three straight road games.

Stock Down

Coaching Decisions

I realize the game was close after Cleveland scored their only touchdown, but the starters needed to be pulled earlier than they were.

Have no idea why Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are in this game up 18 with 4:35 to play.

— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) January 5, 2025

Nothing happened as a result (Zay Flowers’ injury came early enough that we can’t blame anything but luck) but it just shows more questionable decision-making by a coaching staff that has lost many big games because of just that. My biggest playoff fear is stupidity, whether it be on the field, sideline, or coaching booth. My fears were not allayed on Saturday.

Penalties

The Ravens were back to a flag fest this week, with 10 penalties. Now, several of them were very questionable Scott Novak’s crew is known to be very favorable for road division teams (their record against the spread with his crew in town is staggering).  Still, this has obviously been a concern all year and to go into the playoffs free off a 10-penalty game isn’t what you want.  That being said, the refs tend to swallow the whistle more in the playoffs compared to the regular season, so hopefully this won’t be a big concern.

Steven Sims

Steven Sims hasn’t made much of an impact in the punt return game since coming to Baltimore, and that includes a bad decision to not catch a ball against the Texans.  Now, with Deonte Harty designated to return to practice, Sims may be out of a job. Harty wasn’t impressive this season either, but with this offense’s ability to put together long touchdown drives, they just need someone back there to be solid, not spectacular. Don’t cede 20+ yards because you’re afraid to catch the ball in traffic, don’t catch the ball at the four-yard line, and above all, don’t put the ball on the ground.

The post Ravens Stock Report: Most Indicators In Green Headed Into Playoffs appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2025/01/07/ravens-stock-exchange/derrick-henry-nate-wiggins/