Baltimore Ravens: Game-by-Game Predictions for 2013 Opponents

Although the 2012 Ravens are still going strong, the postseason has only three weekends left. In today's NFL, it's never too early to look ahead to next year. The way the Ravens are built sets them up for success each year by not having to undergo a drastic overhaul.

What will Ravens football be without Ray Lewis? Will the Ravens win a third consecutive AFC North title? Will Joe Flacco make his first Pro Bowl?

Here's one that may not have crossed your mind: how will the Ravens perform in home games against Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Adrian Peterson? How will they perform in road games against Peyton Manning, Calvin Johnson and Brandon Marshall?

While the 2013 NFL Draft, mini-camps and numerous key evaluations have yet to happen, let's take a look at what might be the outcome of the Ravens' 2013 season.

*Profootballreference.com was the main source in researching this article.

Cincinnati Bengals

All-time record against

19-15 (12-5 home, 7-10 away)

All-time score

749-589 Ravens

Most recent meeting

Week 17, 2012 season (23-17 loss at Cincinnati)

Prediction

Home: Ravens 27, Bengals 23

Road: Ravens 20, Bengals 19

Even though they've lost two straight Wild Card Round playoff games, the Bengals have a lot of young talent that has developed quickly.

Offensively they have a physical running game and a versatile passing game. They have two dynamic wide receivers in A.J. Green and Andrew Hawkins. Green is already an elite receiver and Hawkins is Cincinnati's version of Darren Sproles, who is as elusive a player as there is in this league.

The core of the Ravens, despite any misconceptions, is quite young. Even counting Ed Reed, which due to injury and/or contractual reasons may not be in Baltimore next year, their core players (Haloti Ngata, Terrell Suggs, Lardarius Webb, Torrey Smith, Ray Rice, Joe Flacco, Marshal Yanda and others) average an age in the mid-20's.

The only major roadblock in the Bengals' way of overtaking Baltimore in the AFC North is if their coordinators get a coaching job for another team. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and offensive coordinator Jay Gruden are sharp, driven coaches who may not be with the Bengals for much longer.

Cleveland Browns

All-time record against

21-7 (11-3 home, 10-4 away)

All-time score

650-394 Ravens

Most recent meeting 

Week 9, 2012 season (Win at Cleveland, 25-15)

Prediction

Home: Ravens 41, Browns 13

Road: Ravens 23, Browns 16

The Ravens have won the last 10 games in this series. In that span, Cleveland has scored more than 17 points just once.

While the Browns had a strong defense in 2011 (10th overall), their 2012 defense finished the year ranked 23rd. Not only that, but their offense finished ranked 25th overall.

Cleveland doesn't have bad players so much as their division is as tough as any in football. Last season, three (the maximum) teams made the playoffs from the AFC North. This year, the usually postseason-bound Steelers couldn't make the cut, but Baltimore and Cincy both earned berths.

For Cleveland to turn their luck around, they'll need to win in their division. More specifically, they'll need to win against Baltimore, something they haven't done since November 18, 2007.

Pittsburgh Steelers

All-time record against

15-19 (8-9 home, 7-10 away)

All-time score against

636-659

Most recent meeting

Week 13, 2012 season (Loss in Baltimore, 23-20)

Prediction

Home: Ravens 23, Steelers 17

Road: Ravens 21, Steelers 20

Seven of the last nine games in this series have been decided by three points or less, including playoff games. The Ravens are 4-3 in those games.

This is the easiest opponent to predict in terms of roughly how many points will separate the victor and the looser and they are probably the toughest opponent the Ravens will face next year.

Of the 272 games the Ravens have played, 34 of them (12.5 percent) have been against the Steelers, which is the most games they've ever played against one team.

While the core of the Ravens is fairly youthful, the core of the Steelers is getting older. Of course, that could change in the draft depending on which, if any, players that Pittsburgh drafts makes an impact.

The last five Ravens wins have been by an average of 8.0 points per game. The last five Steelers wins have been by an average of 5.0 points per game.

Expect the Ravens to at least split the season series, if not sweep it. Either way, it should surprise you if either contest ends up being more than a one-score game.

New England Patriots (home)

All-time record against

1-6 (1-2 home, 0-4 away)

All-time score against

140-197

Most recent meeting

Week 3, 2012 season (Win in Baltimore, 31-30)

Prediction

Ravens 30, Patriots 33

Week 3 of the 2012 season marked the first time the Ravens had ever beaten the Patriots in the regular season.

If the Ravens are to win again in 2013, they'll have to be sharp. The Patriots are beatable but, if they lose, it won't be by much.

In their last nine losses (dating back to 2010, playoffs included), the Patriots have only lost by an average score of 4.1 points per game.

No matter how you slice it, Tom Brady is among the all-time greats and it will take all Baltimore has to beat him and his team. This is one of the few games the Ravens will likely not be favored in.

New York Jets (home)

All-time record against

7-1 (4-0 home, 3-1 away)

All-time score against

171-108

Most recent meeting

Week 4, 2011 season (Win in Baltimore, 34-17)

Prediction

Ravens 30, Jets 6

On the surface, this looks like one of the easier games for Baltimore next season.

Even if Mark Sanchez is the Jets' quarterback, he's proven to be more of a liability than a playmaker. Their offensive line is a mess and New York had the 20th-ranked scoring defense in the league last season.

There is really no position where the Jets are better than the Ravens. Baltimore's coaching staff and front office is clearly better and more effective than New York's (draft history, free agent signings, etc.).

Considering this will be a road game for the Jets, expect them to score maybe 14 points. The Ravens should roll in this one.

Green Bay Packers (home)

All-time record against

1-3 (1-0 home, 0-3 away)

All-time score against

95-89

Most recent meeting

Week 13, 2009 season (Loss at Green Bay, 27-14)

Prediction

Ravens 24, Packers 34

Aaron Rodgers is the best player in the NFL. He was voted as such by the players and the media last year.

While his offensive line has significant holes after allowing 51 sacks, second-worst in the league, Rodgers' play compensates accordingly and makes the Packers compete for a Super Bowl every year he plays for them. Whatever part of his game you want to look at, it's likely excellent.

In what will likely be a primetime game, the Ravens will have to limit Green Bay's big plays and create turnovers.

In his past two seasons, Rodgers has thrown 1,054 passes, which includes 84 touchdowns and a mere 14 interceptions.

Especially if Ed Reed doesn't return, this game could be big trouble for the Ravens.

Minnesota Vikings (home)

All-time record against

2-2 (2-1 home, 0-1 away)

All-time score against

108-97

Most recent meeting

Week 6, 2009 season (Loss at Minnesota, 33-31)

Prediction

Ravens 24, Vikings 16

To stop Adrian Peterson is to stop the Vikings.

Even though he rushed 348 times, he still averaged 6.0 yards per carry for a season total of 2,097 yards (second highest season total ever).

Baltimore had the 20th-ranked run defense this season. From 2006-11, the Ravens' run defense never finished the season ranked lower than fifth.

Percy Harvin is also a big-time threat, but his health has always been a concern for Minnesota. Even so, with returning slot cornerbacks Lardarius Webb (who'll presumably be healthy) and Corey Graham, Baltimore should be able to neutralize Harvin.

For those Ravens' fans who remember the last game between these two teams, they remember the heartbreak and shock as Baltimore battled all game to have Steven Hauschka miss a 44-yard field goal as time expired that would've won the game for them.

That kick also invalidated great games from Joe Flacco (28-for 43, 65.1 percent passing, 385 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions) and Ray Rice (20 touches, 194 total yards, two touchdowns). There's no reason why those two can't have similar performances versus Minnesota in 2013.

Houston Texans (home)

All-time record against

5-1 (2-0 home, 3-1 away)

All-time score against

156-132

Most recent meeting

Week 7, 2012 season (Loss at Houston, 43-13)

Prediction

Ravens 27, Texans 23

The Texans don't lack much, but what they do lack is experience and an ability to finish, both from week-to-week and throughout the season.

They have an excellent offensive line and elite playmakers at wide receiver in Andre Johnson and running back with Arian Foster. Their defense is big, fast, physical and has good depth.

Still, in the last quarter of the 2012 season and in their (brief) playoff history, they've simply been unimpressive. In those last four games, they lost three of them by a total of 57 points.

Sure those three losses (at New England, Minnesota, at Indianapolis) were all against playoff teams, but great teams will relish those challenges instead of making them into excuses.

Although the Ravens got handled in Houston in Week 7 this season, next year's game will likely have a different result, especially since it's in Baltimore.

This may turn out to be a game with postseason home field advantage on the line. Since it'll be a home game for the Ravens, they'll probably be favored, especially considering how each team has performed in big games over the past five years.

Since 2008, Houston is 45-35, with a postseason record of 1-2. Since 2008, Baltimore is 54-36 with a postseason record of 6-4.

Buffalo Bills (away)

All-time record against

3-2 (3-1 home, 0-1 away)

All-time score against

100-79

Most recent meeting

Week 7, 2010 season (Overtime win in Baltimore, 37-34)

Prediction

Ravens 26, Bills 16

Only seven teams had worse records than the Bills did (6-10) in 2012. Only seven teams had worse point differentials than the Bills did (-91) in 2012. Only twice in the entire season did quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick throw for 250 yards.

Only in Weeks 2 and 3 (Kansas City, at Cleveland) did the Bills have a winning "streak."

As you can tell, Buffalo is not a very good team right now. Especially considering they just hired a new head coach (Doug Marrone, formerly the head coach at Syracuse), it's not a stretch to say the Ravens should have their way with the Bills in this game.

Depending on when the game is, the weather could be a big factor, as Buffalo is frequented by high winds and freezing temperatures.

Even so, there is a large discrepancy of talent and experience between these two teams. It should be at least a double-digit win for Baltimore.

Miami Dolphins (away)

All-time record against

3-5 (2-1 home, 1-4 away)

All-time score against

131-146

Most recent meeting

Week 9, 2010 season (Win in Baltimore, 26-10)

Prediction

Ravens 28, Dolphins 14

Despite a 7-9 record, the Dolphins finished ninth in the final AFC Playoff Standings. With limited playmakers and being led by their first-year head coach Joe Philbin and first-year quarterback (Ryan Tannehill, eight overall pick), Miami did an admirable job with what they had to work with in 2012.

Like Buffalo, Miami is just not ready to compete with the "big boys" of the NFL. They're closer to doing so than Buffalo is, but whoever saw Dolphins games saw too many mistakes.

This could definitely be a competitive game. With the likes of Cameron Wake, who racked up 15.0 sacks in 2012, rushing the passer, the Dolphins will have a shot to disrupt the Ravens' offense.

Overall, Baltimore is a better team and it should show when these two play next year in Miami.

Chicago Bears (away)

All-time record against

2-2 (2-0 home, 0-2 away)

All-time score against

57-47

Most recent meeting

Week 15, 2009 season (Win in Baltimore, 31-7)

Prediction

Ravens 13, Bears 14

As you can see, the Ravens and Bears haven't played often, but have often played close. As their reputations suggest, they are still among the most physical teams in pro football.

To say the Bears' offensive struggle to pass block this season is a big understatement. Chicago ranked 25th in sacks allowed and 27th in quarterback hits.

Chicago just missed the playoffs in 2012 after starting the season 7-1. Going 10-6 with all of your losses coming against playoff teams by an average of 11.0 points per game isn't terrible. But in the NFC North, that won't cut it.

Baltimore plays in a similarly competitive and physical division, which is why this game should be very close. Both teams have dual-threat running backs, gunslingers for quarterbacks and big-play wide receivers.

The slight edge goes to Chicago since they're at home, and because the Ravens have yet to show they're capable of winning at Soldier Field.

Detroit Lions (away)

All-time record against

2-1 (2-0 home, 0-1 away)

All-time score against

84-48

Most recent meeting

Week 14, 2009 season (Win in Baltimore, 48-3)

Prediction

Ravens 38, Lions 31

The last time these two teams met, the Ravens blew the Lions' doors off. The last time these two teams met in Detroit, the Ravens blew a gasket.

On October 9, 2005, the Ravens lost to the Lions, 35-17. Baltimore turned the ball over four times and dropped to 1-3 on the season.

The worst part about that game was the Ravens were penalized 21, yes 21, times for 147 yards, while Detroit was penalized seven times for 46 yards.

28 combined penalties for 193 combined yards. What a mess it was.

Fast forward eight years and the difference is the Ravens have an absolute advantage in coaching, defense and special teams. Baltimore's coaching staff has repeatedly made the right decision in crucial situations while the Lions' coaching staff has done the opposite.

It should be an entertaining game to say the least. Let's just hope the officials let the players play. 

Denver Broncos (away)

All-time record against

5-4 (4-1 home, 1-3 away)

All-time score against

205-170

Most recent meeting

Week 15, 2012 season (Loss in Baltimore, 34-17)

Prediction

Ravens 20, Broncos 24

There aren't many players better, now or ever, than Peyton Manning.

No matter what they do, no matter who they add, the Ravens will have their hands full when they go to Denver next season. Manning proved he's able to overcome adverse odds and perform highly in just about any situation.

Will he have another great season in 2013 like he did in 2012? If not, will he have a good enough season to where the Ravens lose to the Broncos in the regular season for a second consecutive year?

The Divisional Playoff game this weekend will tell a lot about how Baltimore will react to playing in Denver against Manning, those receivers and that defense.

While we can only go on what we know, it's reasonable to think that the Broncos won't have many major changes in their roster. In 2012, their offense ranked fourth and their defense ranked second in the NFL.

Can the Ravens win? Yes. Will they? Who knows?

One thing that's fairly certain is that this game will likely have the feel of a playoff game.