The Ravens’ 2024 schedule is set. Here’s how reporters Jonas Shaffer and Giana Han predict each game will go this season.
Week 1 at Chiefs, on ‘Thursday Night Football’ (Sept. 5, 8:20 p.m.)
Shaffer: Seven months after Ravens running backs finished with a combined six carries in the AFC championship game, they get seven — on their opening possession. Patrick Mahomes outduels Lamar Jackson as a passer, but the Ravens get enough from Derrick Henry and their ground game. Justin Tucker hits a late go-ahead field goal and, in his postgame news conference, credits his pregame on-field work. WIN
Han: Lamar Jackson isn’t going to let the AFC championship game stand. He had something to prove then, and he didn’t show up. He’s not going to let it happen again. With the addition of Henry, he gets the Ravens offense off to a hot start. The defense, missing some essential players from the last matchup, is shaky to start but finds its footing to help the team squeeze out a win. WIN
Week 2 vs. Raiders (Sept. 15, 1 p.m.)
Shaffer: There might not be a steeper week-to-week drop-off in quarterback play this season than Mahomes to Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew. If the Ravens can block Maxx Crosby, they should win their home opener comfortably. WIN
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Han: The Raiders finished behind only the Chiefs in their division last season, but they’re a less scary opponent. Like the Ravens, they had a lot of turnover in their offseason, but they have fewer stalwarts to work around. While the Ravens will always have a chance with their reigning NFL Most Valuable Player, Jackson, the addition of Minshew doesn’t strike the same fear into defense’s hearts. WIN
Week 3 at Cowboys, (Sept. 22, 4:25 p.m.)
Shaffer: Micah Parsons is not the kind of pass rusher who takes it easy against an offensive line bringing along three new starters. Don’t overlook Dak Prescott, either, as he looks to prove his worth before his next big deal. LOSS
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Han: Here is where the true test of the rebuilt offensive line comes in. The Cowboys had a fierce defense last season, and Parsons is still a threat. The Cowboys’ offense was up and down last season, but with running back Ezekiel Elliott’s return and Prescott in the pocket, they will test this Ravens defense. However, I think the Ravens pull out a win on the road. WIN
Week 4 vs. Bills, on ‘Sunday Night Football’ (Sept. 29, 8:20 p.m.)
Shaffer: The Bills nearly made it to Baltimore for last season’s AFC championship game. The Ravens would’ve won that matchup, and they should win this one, too. Buffalo’s offseason losses are just too much to overcome this early in the season. WIN
Han: In their first four weeks, the Ravens have to face three division winners from last season: the Chiefs, Cowboys and Bills. It’s a grueling start to the season, and quarterback Josh Allen is formidable. Buffalo has added some receiving weapons around him, from Keon Coleman in the draft to Curtis Samuel in free agency. Will the Ravens keep up the pace? LOSS
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Week 5 at Bengals (Oct. 6, 1 p.m.)
Shaffer: The Ravens’ mastery of the Bengals has to slip up somewhere, so why not Cincinnati? If Joe Burrow has Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins healthy, plus a functional offensive line, the Ravens know what he’s capable of. He went blow for blow with Jackson in Baltimore last season before his season-ending injury. LOSS
Han: And now the Ravens have to go on the road against a division rival. But the 2023 Ravens didn’t lose any back-to-back games, and the makeup of the locker room hasn’t changed that much. The Bengals have impressive options at wide receiver, but the Ravens have shown they’re up to the challenge of facing down Burrow. WIN
Week 6 vs. Commanders (Oct. 13, 1 p.m.)
Shaffer: “Jayden Daniels vs. Lamar Jackson” sounds a lot better on paper than it’ll probably look in practice. The Ravens rarely make life easy for rookie quarterbacks starting in Baltimore. WIN
Han: This Battle of the Beltway hasn’t been intense in quite some time, and it will take time for the Commanders to work their way back up to the Ravens’ level. This is a nice breather for the Ravens — but they have to be careful not to play down to the competition, as they have before. WIN
Week 7 at Buccaneers, on ‘Monday Night Football’ (Oct. 21, 8:15 p.m.)
Shaffer: No matter the time, no matter the place, no matter the personnel, it’s hard to imagine Baker Mayfield besting Jackson in a prime-time game. WIN
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Han: Mayfield, an old foe, is welcoming the Ravens aboard his new ship at Raymond James Stadium. Although the former Browns quarterback revitalized his career and helped the Buccaneers narrowly win their division last season, Mayfield and his team aren’t on the Ravens’ level. Henry and the Ravens’ ground game will be important with dangerous safety Antoine Winfield Jr. roaming the secondary. WIN
Week 8 at Browns (Oct. 27, 1 p.m.)
Shaffer: If the Ravens built their defense with the kind of speed that can slow the Chiefs, the Browns built their defense with the kind of speed that can contain Jackson. If Deshaun Watson is even an above-average quarterback this season, Cleveland could be dangerous. LOSS
Han: The Browns have quite the lineup of quarterbacks with the addition of Jameis Winston and former Raven Tyler Huntley. Based on the Browns’ track record at the position, the Ravens could see either of those players, or even Dorian Thompson-Robinson again. Either way, none of Cleveland’s quarterbacks matches up to Jackson. This will once again be a matter of whose defense shows out. WIN
Week 9 vs. Broncos (Nov. 3, 1 p.m.)
Shaffer: Quick, try and name five projected starters on Denver’s roster. If one of those names is “Bo Nix,” it should be obvious where this game is headed. WIN
Han: This is another team with questions at quarterback. The Broncos have former Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham and drafted another former Auburn quarterback in Nix. They also traded for Zach Wilson? This former Auburn writer would love to write about Nix again, but either way, this isn’t exactly the matchup of the season for the Ravens. WIN
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Week 10 vs. Bengals, on ‘Thursday Night Football’ (Nov. 7, 8:15 p.m.)
Shaffer: Another prime-time home game against the Bengals? Another win for the Ravens. If Cincinnati’s defense isn’t fixed by now, Jackson could have the kind of performance that slingshots him to the front of the NFL’s MVP discussion. It happens every year around this time. WIN
Han: The biggest question at this point should be: How is Burrow holding up? He fought injuries all last season, including those suffered against the Ravens. Is he ready for another battle against a hard-hitting defense? The Ravens wavered a bit the second time they saw him last season. AFC North teams are hard to beat twice. WIN
Week 11 at Steelers (Nov. 17, 1 p.m.)
Shaffer: The Ravens can’t keep losing ugly games to the Steelers, can they? If they let Russell Wilson or Justin Fields conjure the kind of dark magic that Kenny Pickett did, anything’s possible. But another season sweep is unlikely, no matter how talented Pittsburgh’s defense is. WIN
Han: This team. For some reason, the Ravens have trouble with Pittsburgh, even when Pickett was the quarterback. Now, Wilson has taken over. At this point, we will know if he has the pep back in his step. If he does, it will be hard to walk out of here with a win — especially if Patrick Queen is out for blood. LOSS
Week 12 at Chargers, on ‘Monday Night Football’ (Nov. 25, 8:15 p.m.)
Shaffer: Three days before Thanksgiving, Jim Harbaugh gets bragging rights over his brother, and the family’s group text is never the same. Justin Herbert gets the game-winner on a late touchdown pass to J.K. Dobbins, who suddenly can’t stop singing Greg Roman’s praises. LOSS
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Han: Los Angeles is a New Baltimore. The pros are that the Ravens know how to play half the Chargers’ team; the cons are that half their team knows how to play the Ravens, too. From the front office on down, this will feel like a reunion — until the ball’s snapped. If the Ravens can play their best game, they should win, but they are unpredictable, especially when traveling. WIN
Week 13 vs. Eagles (Dec. 1, 4:25 p.m.)
Shaffer: A year after watching the Ravens tear apart his Miami Dolphins defense, first-year Eagles coordinator Vic Fangio gets his revenge as Jackson throws a pair of interceptions. In a showdown of 2024 free agents, Saquon Barkley outshines Henry and hands the Ravens their first home loss. LOSS
Han: Will the Eagles be riding the “tush push” with Jason Kelce gone? And will the Ravens’ defense, which was the best in the league last year, be the team to figure out how to stop it? A tough game, but it will be a good indication of where the Ravens stand late in the season. LOSS
Week 14: Bye
Shaffer: The Ravens probably would’ve liked an earlier bye, but little about this schedule is accommodating.
Han: Another late bye week. Last year’s felt like it took forever to get to as players got worn down, but it served them well because they were relatively healthy for the playoffs.
Week 15: at Giants (Dec. 15, 1 p.m.)
Shaffer: With Don “Wink” Martindale coaching at Michigan after two seasons as the Giants’ defensive coordinator, the Ravens can rest a little easier. On the other side of the ball, Daniel Jones isn’t scaring Zach Orr. WIN
Han: What will the Giants’ offense look like without Barkley? Despite the departure of the star running back, the Ravens will have to be careful not to overlook this team as they come off their bye and look forward to their rivalry game against Pittsburgh. WIN
Week 16: vs. Steelers (Dec. 21, 4:30 p.m.)
Shaffer: The Ravens sweep the Steelers for the first time since 2019, putting coach Mike Tomlin within range of his first losing season. (Spoiler alert: Pittsburgh finishes above .500 after all.) WIN
Han: I don’t think there’s any way the Ravens allow the Steelers to go 4-0 in two years. Whether it’s this game or their first meeting, this feels like a series that will be split, especially if Jackson plays. WIN
Week 17 at Texans (Dec. 25, 4:30 p.m.)
Shaffer: The Ravens and Texans, coming off short weeks and long seasons, play a slopfest that makes Netflix’s executives wonder why they paid a reported $75 million for the game. Tens of millions watch anyway as Houston wins a close one to pull ahead in the AFC standings. LOSS
Han: Merry Christmas, Ravens. You get to play a football game for the second year in a row. Last year, despite not loving their holiday schedule, the Ravens steamrolled what was supposed to be their toughest opponent, the NFC-leading San Francisco 49ers. The Texans might be one of their toughest opponents of this season, based on how C.J. Stroud and that offense ended last year. WIN
Week 18 vs. Browns (date and time yet to be determined)
Shaffer: If Watson finally makes it through a 17-game season unscathed, his fully guaranteed $230 million contract should be a little easier for Cleveland to stomach. But the Ravens have the upper hand playing at home to end the regular season. WIN
Han: Will the Ravens have a playoff berth in hand at this point, as they did last year? Either way, the Browns are still an AFC North team, so the game will be intense. I remain curious as to who their quarterback will be. LOSS
Ravens record predictions
Shaffer: 11-6
Han: 13-4
