The Baltimore Ravens didn’t win a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12, but in the process of losing, they may have discovered more about themselves than if they had won.
In a desperate situation, rankled by a COVID-19 outbreak within their team, the Ravens managed to put up a good fight on the road against the Steelers, one of the best teams in the NFL. The Ravens were not outclassed, and managed to lose by a tight 19-14 margin that certainly could have been different if the team was healthier.
Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell saw that fighting spirit in his team, and it leaves him downright ready for the rest of the season. As he said, he thinks after seeing the fight on Wednesday that the Ravens will be alright once they find some health.
That health will be key next for the Ravens moving forward, but for Campbell to say he feels good about the team is certainly good news. He’s got the pulse on what the roster is currently feeling, and it’s clear he thinks the team will be able to turn around their fortunes and make a playoff push coming up.
To that end, the tough loss might be just what the Ravens needed to get themselves back on the right track for the end of the season and Campbell could be right.
Calais Campbell Stats
Coming to Baltimore earlier this offseason, Campbell entered as one of the team’s most productive defensive linemen. At 33, he has piled up 696 tackles and 88 sacks. He was a former second round pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2008, and most recently played for the Jacksonville Jaguars until a trade sent him to the Ravens this offseason. That’s a deal in which many believe the Ravens scored in a big way considering these numbers and that has been proven true.
This season, Campbell has lead the team in sacks with 4, and has also put up some solid numbers with regards to tackles given the 24 he has piled up this season and 6 passes defended. As a whole, those are solid numbers for the team proving how Campbell has led by example. He’s also been great in the locker room as well.
For this reason, Campbell is one of the players that should be taken seriously as it relates to having a pulse on the team.
Ravens Could Make AFC Playoff Run
With the loss to the Steelers and the Ravens sitting at 6-5, the team has a smaller margin of error moving forward heading into Week 13 and Week 14. The schedule lightens up with the Cowboys, Jaguars, Giants and Bengals down the stretch, but nothing is guaranteed and they also have to compete with the likes of the Browns, Raiders, Dolphins and Colts for positioning in the postseason race. Baltimore does have wins against Indianapolis and Cleveland in its back pocket, but will need to go on a run to get back in the conversation at all.
With the fight the team showed, that’s just what Campbell thinks could be coming up soon.
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‘We’ll Be Just Fine:’ Ravens Veteran Sends Hopeful Message After Loss