Baltimore Ravens: 3 Reasons Fans Should Be Optimistic About 2012 Season

Last year, the Baltimore Ravens were one dropped pass away from reaching the Super Bowl.

However, people are doubting the Ravens in 2012.

People say the Texans defense and running game will overpower Baltimore. People say New England's passing game and pass rush is too good for Baltimore. And people say Pittsburgh's defense will stop the Ravens completely.

Basically, people think the Ravens can't compete with the best teams in the AFC. Even though Baltimore came very, very close to winning the AFC.

Here are three reasons why Ravens fans should be optimistic about the team's 2012 season.

Well-Rounded Team

Baltimore doesn't have many stars, but they have capable players at every position.

Ray Rice is a great running back, and he almost always picks up a good chunk of yards. Joe Flacco is an above-average quarterback with a lot of arm strength and Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin are both very capable receivers. Smith is great at getting open, and Boldin has great hands.

Oh, and the Ravens have a great defense.

Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs are all proven veterans (although Suggs is hurt), and Lardarius Webb and Courtney Upshaw are promising young players. Webb is a great cover corner, and he has been great. Upshaw is a second-round draft pick who knows how to get to the quarterback.

The Patriots may have Tom Brady. The Texans may have Arian Foster. The Broncos may have Peyton Manning. However, the Ravens have a very well-rounded team, and every single player is capable of dominating.

Joe Flacco

During the offseason, Joe Flacco said he is the best quarterback in the NFL.

He may not be the best quarterback in the NFL, but he will certainly improve in 2012.

Flacco has a very strong arm and lots of potential. He throws a lot of interceptions, but he also throws a lot of touchdowns. Flacco only completed 57.6 percent of his passes in 2011, which was five percent worse than his completion percentage in 2010.

The Ravens quarterback had his share of struggles in 2011, but he is more experienced now. Flacco has a very strong arm, and he just needs to make better decisions and avoid throwing interceptions. As long as Flacco does that, he will break out in 2012.

Flacco hasn't always performed well during his career, but if he can be more accurate and consistent, then the Ravens are in for a good year. Coming just short of the Super Bowl hurts, and Flacco will be ready to bounce back and play well in 2012. 

Great Defense

People say the Ravens defense is too old, and they are wrong.

Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs make up the core of Baltimore's defense. While Suggs is hurt, he will likely be back in December and ready to contribute if the Ravens make the playoffs (which they will).

Lewis is still a great linebacker who brings lots of energy to the game, and he has a lot of value to the Ravens. Reed can read the quarterback very well, and he knows how to intercept passes. Ngata and Suggs can get to the quarterback, and even though Suggs is hurt, the Ravens will still have a good pass rush.

Courtney Upshaw was picked in the second round of the 2012 NFL draft by the Ravens.

Upshaw can get to the quarterback very well, as LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson learned in the BCS championship game. Upshaw went to Alabama, and he anchored a defense that harassed top offenses.

The Ravens have a good pass rush, and they have Ray Lewis at linebacker. In the secondary, they have Reed, but they also have a great cornerback in Lardarius Webb.

Webb is very fast and tough, and he has good hands. He knows how to intercept passes, and last year, he was huge for the Ravens defense. He is very young, so he will be a Raven for a long time.

For those of you who think the Ravens defense is too old, you're wrong.

Ed Reed and Ray Lewis still have more left in the tank, and Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs are both younger than 30. Webb and Upshaw are very young and will make a big splash in 2012.

Baltimore has a very well-rounded offense, and they also have a very well-rounded defense. There are guys capable of doing well at every position, and that's why the Ravens will continue to have a great defense.