Before I start, this is not a guarantee that the Ravens will win the Super Bowl. This just says that they can, and talks about what will need to happen for them to do that - not necessarily what will actually take place.
1. Play mistake-free football. When the Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV, Trent Dilfer was the starting QB. He wasn't a big play maker, but he didn't turn the ball over. Every time the Ravens have made the playoffs, their QB always gets compared to Dilfer. As far as Joe Cool goes, the 6'7" quarterback has the vision to know where the plays are and aren't.
To win, he'll have to exercise restraint with passes, and also know when to step up into the pocket. Our offensive line has shuffled around a bit, and it could be The Blind Side character Michael Oher actually in charge of protecting his blind side. If Flacco can rely on that, don't expect too many sacks or any fumbles.
Similarly, the running backs need to take care of the football. This season Ray Rice didn't have any fumbles (knock on wood), while Willis McGahee had two and lost both of them. With McGahee being preferred often in goal line situations, he cannot afford to forfeit points with a fumble.
2. Make plays down the field. The Ravens have played mistake free football before and not won games. In those cases, it's because they didn't make enough plays. It's not good enough to just avoid mistakes. With the additions of Anquan Boldin and TJ Houshmanzadeh, the play making ability has increased. Derrick Mason and Ray Rice are still threats in the passing game, and with a fully recovered Todd Heap there should be lots of options for Flacco.
3. Control field position. The Ravens can score in bunches, or rarely at all during games. A complement to limiting mistakes is to not constantly play in a part of the field that compromises points. Sam Koch has been a quality punter, and Billy Cundiff has consistently sent kickoffs 5 yards deep into the endzone. It's not a mind-blowing idea that making the opponent start within their own 20 yard line will limit points. But doing it against the likes of the Chiefs, Patriots, Steelers, Falcons, and Saints will be essential.
I'd like to limit this list to three, so there it is. After reading this, you could argue that those points go for any team in the playoffs. You'd probably be right, but I just felt like writing something about the Ravens.
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