Who could have imagined the Ravens kicking off the 2024 season with a toenail-thin loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and closing it with a postseason-ending dropped pass against the Buffalo Bills?

Maybe the NFL’s scriptwriters. Or those who believe dark magic lives inside Arrowhead Stadium and Highmark Stadium.

The Ravens’ season was littered with surprises, good and bad. But this year, with so many starters and known quantities returning in Baltimore, it’s hard to believe the Ravens could surprise us. Which is why we’re bound to be surprised.

After a round of surprisingly successful predictions last year, Banner Ravens reporters Jonas Shaffer and Giana Han are back with more bold takes.

Lamar Jackson will throw his first touchdown pass to Mark Andrews

It’s become all but impossible to predict Jackson’s end-of-season stats — somehow, 41 passing touchdowns, four interceptions and over 5,000 yards of total offense were not enough for a third NFL Most Valuable Player award — so let’s just stick with short-term forecasting.

If the Bills’ banged-up defense is as vulnerable as it appears, the Ravens should find their way to the red zone a few times Sunday night. That means Jackson will probably be looking Andrews’ way. He had a career-high 11 touchdown catches last year and, with tight end Isaiah Likely (foot) not expected to return for Week 1, should get a high volume of snaps against Buffalo. Even if Baltimore holds its collective breath every time Jackson targets Andrews, it was clear throughout training camp that Jackson’s trust in his draftmate hasn’t waned. A touchdown wouldn’t change what happened in the Ravens’ divisional-round loss, but it’d help turn the page.

Daniel Faalele will start every game at right guard

There wasn’t much of a competition in camp, and there wasn’t much uproar when coach John Harbaugh named him a starter. Ravens officials are confident in Faalele’s ability as a pass blocker, especially in his second year starting. They’re hopeful he can be more versatile as a run blocker, especially after slimming down this offseason. Durability doesn’t appear to be a concern, either; Faalele led all Ravens players in total snaps played last season.

If Ben Cleveland couldn’t challenge Faalele’s incumbency this summer, third-round pick Emery Jones Jr. might be his only serious contender. And the rookie’s road back from offseason shoulder surgery will be a long one. Jones can’t return to practice until after Week 4, at which point the Ravens will need to determine whether the former LSU tackle profiles as an NFL guard. General manager Eric DeCosta said last week that Jones is “going to be a fun player to watch,” but it probably won’t be at Faalele’s expense.

Kyle Van Noy will finally start to show his age

Van Noy beat the old-man allegations two years ago, when he had a career-high nine sacks. He beat them again last season, when he had 12.5 sacks. Now, after turning 34 this offseason, is his arrow still pointing up?

Despite Van Noy’s protests, his age is going to catch up to him at some point — even if it’s just creating opportunities for other outside linebackers. The Ravens have been bulking up along the edge, and there are hungry mouths to feed. Odafe Oweh cracked double-digit sacks in 2024 and could use last season as a launchpad. Ravens coaches expect Tavius Robinson to play a bigger role as a pass rusher, building on his ability as a run defender. And rookie Mike Green looks like he’ll figure into the game plan quickly. It’s hard to predict how Van Noy will look, because many Ravens veterans had lighter loads during camp. But another season with nine-plus sacks might be too much to ask.

Teddye Buchanan will take over Trenton Simpson’s starting job

After a strong offseason and a solid camp, Simpson will start at inside linebacker next to Roquan Smith in Week 1. But his hold on the job is nowhere near secure. While Simpson has more athletic upside, Buchanan is one of the team’s more intellectual players.

After Simpson’s struggles last season, offensive coordinators won’t wait to test his ability against the run and in coverage. In a defense as complex as the Ravens’, Buchanan’s skills might be a better fit.

Devontez Walker will have more receiving yards than DeAndre Hopkins

Over Todd Monken’s two years as offensive coordinator, we’ve seen Ravens wide receivers and running backs take turns being The Guy. There’s not always consistency from week to week; the beauty is in the unpredictability. With his youth, speed and budding chemistry with Jackson, Walker is primed for a big game or two. Given Monken’s affinity for explosive plays and Walker’s ability to stretch defenses vertically, he seems like a player the Ravens could invest more heavily in as the season wears on.

Hopkins projects as a more consistent presence in the game plan, someone who gets a few targets a game — if he can stay healthy. The 33-year-old sat out a handful of training camp practices and has a history of MCL injuries.

The Ravens won’t allow a 100-yard rusher

The Ravens nearly managed this feat last season, but Eagles running back Saquon Barkley crossed the century mark (23 carries for 107 yards) in Philadelphia’s 24-19 road win. Few other players came close. The Washington Commanders’ top rusher had 22 yards; the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ topped out at 40. Both rushing attacks averaged close to 150 yards per game last season.

Even after losing Michael Pierce to retirement, the Ravens look poised to repeat as the NFL’s top run defense (80.1 yards per game allowed in 2024). Their outside linebackers can set a hard edge reliably. Their interior linemen can take on double teams against gap schemes and bust through gaps in zone schemes. And their second-level defenders typically tackle well and execute their assignments. If the Ravens can shut down Bills running back James Cook on Sunday and Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery in Week 3, who else could realistically reach triple digits?

Tyler Loop breaks the NFL record for longest kick by a rookie

The stars would have to align for this to happen. The Ravens would have to be in a game where attempting a long field goal makes sense. Then they’d have to be far enough back that Loop’s kick surpasses the 61-yard field goal that Eagles kicker Jake Elliott hit to set the rookie record in 2017. Then the Ravens would have to have confidence in sending Loop out to attempt the kick.

The Ravens have shown they’re not afraid to test his leg strength. In the preseason, Loop attempted six field goals from 50-plus yards, including a 61-yarder he made against the Commanders. They had him attempt field goals from over 60 yards at their M&T Bank Stadium practice and throughout training camp. Loop made most of those kicks with room to spare. Loop’s power has never been in question; he was one of two kickers selected to attempt a 60-yard field goal at the NFL scouting combine. But he has to be accurate enough for the Ravens to trust him from deep — or they need to find themselves in a close game where the risk is worth it.

The Ravens will lose at least one coordinator to a head coaching job

It’s not often that a team gets to bring back the play-caller of a record-breaking offense. And, if Monken presides over yet another pyrotechnic season, it will probably be his last in Baltimore. At 59, Monken doesn’t fit neatly into the preferred demographic for first-time head coaches. But his diverse offensive background, successful track record and work with Jackson should be plenty appealing to a team looking for a play-calling head coach.

Defensive coordinator Zach Orr’s name could be even hotter by January. The Houston Texans’ DeMeco Ryans and New York Jets’ Aaron Glenn have shown how quickly former NFL players with strong personalities can climb the ladder, even as defense-minded coaches. If Orr’s 2025 looks anything like Mike Macdonald’s 2023 did — impressive schematic tweaks, undeniable statistical production — he should have similar opportunities.

The Ravens will beat the Chiefs in the playoffs

It feels inevitable. If the Ravens want to get to the Super Bowl, they’ll have to get past the Chiefs first. They couldn’t in the 2023 playoffs, when the Ravens looked unstoppable. The divisional-round loss to Buffalo denied the Ravens a rematch last year. Even a win in Kansas City in Week 4 this season wouldn’t be enough.

At some point, the Ravens will have to figure the Chiefs out. If not this year — after two years of incredible growth by Jackson and ahead of the steep jump in his salary cap hit — when? The Ravens have most of their starters returning, and they all have significant playoff experience. They have continuity among their coordinators. They brought in good, young talent through the draft. It’s always hard to win a Super Bowl, but after being perennial playoff contenders, the Ravens need to find a way through Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid.

The Ravens will get to the Super Bowl

Will they win it? That depends on whom you ask. (Check back Thursday for full Super Bowl predictions from The Banner’s staff.) But the Ravens are at least trending in the right direction. They should have a top-five offense. They could have a top-five defense. They usually get top-five special teams play. That’s enough to beat most teams in the NFL and beat them handily.

Of course, Ravens superteams have fallen short before. They were Super Bowl favorites in 2019 and 2023. They looked Super Bowl-worthy last year, too. But trouble usually finds them: Their offense falters and their takeaways dry up and, suddenly, their early-February schedules are wide open. Maybe 2025 will be another year of what-ifs. Or maybe, just maybe, the Ravens will look like the playoff team everyone expects them to be.