5 Reasons to Believe the Baltimore Ravens Are AFC North Favorites in 2012

Eighty-three days from now, the Baltimore Ravens will be entering M&T Bank Stadium to begin their defense of their first AFC North Championship under John Harbaugh.

Since Harbaugh has been in Baltimore, the Ravens have made the playoffs each of his four years. Only in 2009 (when they finished 11th) did the Ravens finish outside the top six in the NFL for most wins in a season.

Harbaugh, his staff and his players are all winners. Do they have what it takes to maintain their success in 2012?

Factors that contribute to consistent winning that the Ravens possess consist of youth, talent, experience, motivation and a competent front office and coaching staff.

The Steelers and Bengals also possess those traits, while the Browns drafted running back Trent Richardson, the best player in the draft (in my opinion).

Welcome to the toughest division in football: the AFC North.

1. Losing Is the Biggest Motivator

When the Ravens lost to the Patriots, 23-20, in the AFC Championship game, the team seemed to share a haunting sense of shock.

They had come so far, had limited injuries, swept the Steelers and Joe Flacco had thoroughly outplayed Tom Brady.

They believed they were the better team that day, and I'd venture to say that some Patriots may admit the same thing.

Still, it wasn't enough.

As the Ravens look toward the future with the past so present in their minds, they know they can't afford to let up. In the end, they lost the biggest game of the season.

When you make a mistake, that's one thing. When you're given a second chance (which, for the Ravens, is represented in the 2012 season), your focus and drive is higher than it's ever been. Especially in a league where even the bad teams can beat you, a letdown is not an option.

2. Steelers Sweep Yields Great Confidence

The Ravens and the Steelers know each other is their biggest rival. Whichever teams comes out ahead in that series is usually a contender for the Super Bowl. Since John Harbaugh has been the head coach of the Ravens, they have a 4-6 record against the Steelers (including playoffs).

Though recently, the Ravens have had the Steelers' number, sweeping their rivals in 2011 by a combined score of 58-27. Last season, the Ravens showed they can blow the Steelers out (Week 1: 35-7) and they can win close, coming from behind (Week 9 at Pittsburgh: 23-20).

Prior to last season (in the Harbaugh era), the Ravens/Steelers game was decided each time by an average of four points per game. The games are close, but until last season, the Ravens hadn't had consecutive wins against the Steelers since 2006 (2-0, combined winning margin of 58-7).

Now that this new Ravens regime has proof they can compete with and beat the Steelers (their toughest rival), they have one less mental obstacle to clear.

3. Pittsburgh's Immediate Future Still in Question

Five of the Steelers defenders that will either start or play big roles in 2012 are 32 or older. With an already leaky secondary, the Steelers didn't do themselves any favors waiting until the 246th-overall pick in the seventh round to select their only defensive back of the draft (Terrence Frederick).

Another problem is their offensive coordinator of five years (Bruce Arians) left the team to run the Colts offense.Todd Haley fills his position, coming over from Kansas City, where he was their head coach for the last three seasons.

Arians helped coordinate a Steelers offense that ranked in the 94th percentile in total yardage differential during his time in Pittsburgh. Haley led the Chiefs to a combined record of 19-26 from 2009-11.

Sure, it's not exactly comparing apples to apples, but you can see there is a difference in coaching ability. Arians is making a lateral move where he will get to coach Andrew Luck. Haley is getting a demotion to a team that expects to win now. If you've ever seen Haley on the sideline, you know things don't always seem to be stable.

The biggest question for the Steelers is the health of Rashard Mendenhall. On January 1, Mendenhall tore his right ACL in the Pittsburgh's final game of the regular season at Cleveland. No decision has been made yet in terms of how long he will be out, but deactivating Mendenhall for the 2012 season looks to be more of a certainty than not.

Mendenhall's likely replacements, Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer, have combined to rush for 877 yards in their careers. Mendenhall rushed for 928 yards in last year alone (15 games).

Considering how the Steelers figure to have a one-dimensional offense ran by a brand new offensive coordinator, the Ravens seem to have the (slight) upper hand going into 2012.

In a series that's been so very close over the years, that may be all it takes.

4. Protecting Team's Core Gives Players Extra Urgency

Ray Rice received the franchise tag for running backs, which will pay him $7.7 million this season (unless a long-term contract is agreed upon before July 16). It's common for stars who get the franchise tag to hold out, like Rice is, for long-term security.

Joe Flacco and the Ravens are set to be in the same situation a year from now, and as Gregg Rosenthal reported two weeks ago, "They might be further away than ever."

Flacco is set to make $8.86 million this season (including bonus money). The top five annual quarterback salaries (the range in which Flacco wants his contract to be worth) average out to $13.952 million per season.

Prevailing wisdom (and owner Steve Bisciotti) says that the Ravens signing Flacco to a long-term deal is an "absolute possibility." In the beginning of June the Baltimore Sun reported that, Joe Linta, Flacco's agent,  said: "There’s no rush...Everybody is happy, nobody is upset."

With regards to Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, they have 26 years of NFL experience between them. The downside? That's 26 years of wear-and-tear. Even though they are both eventual Hall of Famers, they can't play forever. They should be able to play well this season, but unquestionably, they can't take take anything for granted.

Before the start of last season, Lewis said himself that he'd retire if they won the Super Bowl. So obviously, the clock is ticking.

Knowing Lewis, Reed, Rice and Flacco have less than secure futures with the Ravens should infuse the rest of the team with a refreshing sense of urgency.

The time is now.

5. History Suggests a Fifth Consecutive Playoff Berth for the Ravens

To repeat as AFC North champions in 2012, the Ravens will have to simply keep doing what they're doing. Since 2008, the Ravens have won 11 or more games three times (nine wins in 2009).

They've averaged a point differential of 117.5 since Harbaugh has been their head coach. The average point differential of the four Super Bowl winners in that time? 108.75.

The Ravens have a strong nucleus of youth, experience and talent. Their pedigree is proven. But can they win the AFC North for a second straight year?

With all due respect to the Cleveland Browns, they aren't a realistic threat to win the division this year. In the last four seasons, Cleveland has a combined divisional record of 3-21.

Conversely, in that time, the Ravens, Steelers and Bengals all have AFC North titles by way of undefeated divisional records (Pittsburgh 2008, Cincinnati 2009, Baltimore 2011).

That tells you the AFC North crown should be a three-team race. However, since Harbaugh has been in Baltimore, the Bengals have a losing divisional record (11-13).

That brings us to, you guessed it, the Ravens and the Steelers as the main competitors for the 2012 AFC North championship.

In case you forgot how closely these two teams are matched, here is more proof:

• Harbaugh leads all active coaches in career winning percentage, ranking seventh all-time (68.8 percent winning percentage).
• The Steelers' Mike Tomlin ranks second among active coaches and eighth all-time with the same winning percentage of 68.8 percent (Harbaugh reached the mark in two fewer seasons).
• Since 2008, both teams have a divisional record of 17-7.

Baltimore was undefeated at home (9-0, including the playoffs) and in the division last season. It is 8-0 in its last eight divisional games. Its quarterback/coach combination is as good as any in the division. And once again, it drafted well without sacrificing the structure of its franchise.

If the NFL is a "what have you done for me lately" league, the edge in the AFC North goes to the Ravens.