2009 Baltimore Ravens Season Prediciton: How They'll Finish

The Baltimore Ravens know what it takes to win. The 2008 squad made it to the AFC Championship game with a rookie quarterback and head coach. 

This year's team looks like a threat to contend for the AFC North title and a Super Bowl appearance. Will the Ravens return to their first Super Bowl since Trent Dilfer and company won Superbowl XXXV?

Let's take a look at the schedule and make some predictions.

The Schedule:

Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 13 — vs. Kansas City, 1 p.m.
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 20 — at San Diego, 4:15 p.m.
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 27 — vs. Cleveland, 1 p.m.
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 4 — at New England, 1 p.m.
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 11 — vs. Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 18 — at Minnesota, 1 p.m.
Week 7: BYE
Week 8: Sunday, Nov. 1 — vs. Denver, 1 p.m.
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 8 — at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Week 10: Sunday, Monday, Nov. 16 — at Cleveland, 8:30 p.m.
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 22 — vs. Indianapolis, 1 p.m.
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 29 — vs. Pittsburgh, 8:20 p.m.
Week 13: Monday, Dec. 7 — at Green Bay, 8:30 p.m.
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 13 — vs. Detroit, 1 p.m.
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 20 — vs. Chicago, 1 p.m.
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 27 — at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.
Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 3 — at Oakland, 4:15 p.m.

On paper, the Ravens schedule seems easy. The team gets to play every NFC North and AFC West team. They also have to play Indianapolis and New England—not exactly a cake walk. Let's take a look week by week.

Week 1: Kansas City should be a perfect opener for the Ravens—a home game against a rebuilding opponent. Matt Cassel is in for a bad opening week. Chalk this up to B-more, 31-7

Week 2: San Diego is a tough team, especially at home.  A trip across country is never easy for an east coast team. LaDainian Tomlinson, Darren Sproles, Phillip Rivers, and Antonio Gates are all back. Shawne Merriman returns to reek havoc as well. It's going to be a toss up, but I'll take San Diego, 17-13.

Week 3: Cleveland will probably be through both Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn before this game. A home game is what the team will need after a long flight home.  I'm giving this one to the Ravens, 23-10

Week 4: New England is my favorite to win the Super Bowl this year. If Tom Brady is back, the Ravens DB's are in for a fight against Randy Moss and Wes Welker. I'm giving the Patriots this game, 31-21.

Week 5: Cincinnati is always a tough game for Baltimore. Carson Palmer should bring a tough offensive game for the team. The problem is, the Bengals don't play defense. Ravens win, 30-21.

Week 6: Minnesota is going to push Baltimore with their defense and you never know when Adrian Peterson will break a long run. If the Ravens shut down the pass, they win this game. I think they will make the Vikings one-dimensional. Ravens win, 17-7.

Week 7: A well deserved bye-week. The team enters the bye with a 4-2 record.

Week 8: Denver comes across the country and that is bad news for the Broncos.  Kyle Orton and Knowshon Moreno are no match for the purple and black. Ravens romp, 24-7.

Week 9: Cincinnati wins this one in a shocker. The Bengals play well at home and the Ravens tend to have trouble on the road in Cincy. Ravens lose a surprising one, 20-17.

Week 10: Good ole' Cleveland. The Ravens get back on the winning track with a Cleveland beat down, 35-10.

Week 11: Peyton Manning and the Colts come to M&T Bank stadium with the talent to beat the Ravens.  Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, and Joseph Adai can all contribute to a high-powered Indy attack.  This game is going to be tough and I see the Ravens falling, 24-20.

Week 12: The Black and Gold come to town for the best rivalry in the NFL. A rematch of the 2008 AFC Championship sees the Ravens pull this out. The Ravens shut down Willie Parker's running attack and Ben Roethlisberger has trouble hooking up with is new No. 1, Santonio Holmes. Ravens win, 17-9

Week 13: Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are looking to rebound from a disappointing 2008. The Lambeau winds should be gusting, and the Ravens running attack of Willis McGahee and Ray Rice is not strong enough to pull out this game.  Ravens lose, 14-10

Week 14: The Detroit Lions! Need I say more? Matthew Stafford gets shown why he has much to learn. Kevin Smith gets shut down a year after his near 1,000 yard season. Ravens easily win, 24-3

Week 15: The Chicago Bears bring their new Quarterback Jay Cutler to Baltimore. Too bad they didn't bring much else. Matt Forte looks like a rookie as the Ravens shut down "Da Bears," 23-6

Week 16: The Black and Gold show why they play so well at home. Pittsburgh gets the series split with the Ravens, 24-10.

Week 17: A trip across the country is never easy, but a game against Oakland makes it easier. JaMarcus Russell and Darren McFadden show promise, but not enough to stop the Ravens. Ravens win it, 24-21

Final Record: Ravens 10-6.