Ravens' High Expectations a Blessing or Curse?

The Baltimore Ravens are no strangers to high expectations, as they've been hailed as a potential Super Bowl contender for more than half a decade now. However, it sure feels like those expectations are higher than ever right now.

It's not hard to see why that's the case. The Ravens have assembled what is not only their best roster of the Lamar Jackson era, but arguably the best roster in the league right now. They are absolutely loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, and should be a major threat once again.

However, there's times where that praise goes a bit too far. Former NFL running back LeSean McCoy recently said the Ravens are "flawless" on Fox Sports 1's "The Facility," while Emmanuel Acho took it a step further.

"I don't think there's a team roster-wise in the AFC like the Ravens," Acho said. "I don't think the Ravens are missing any pieces."

"From the offensive line perspective, they're stout. Quarterback: MVP. Running back: Future Hall of Famer. Tight ends: Next level. Defensive line: Check. Linebackers: Top two linebacker in all of football. Cornerbacks: May have the best cornerback tandem, including the nickelback, in all of football. Safeties: As long as Malaki Starks is who we expect him to be, they have the best safety tandem in football, and at a minimum, they have a top two safety in football in Kyle Hamilton."

There's no question that the Ravens are one of the best teams in the NFL, but saying that they're "flawless" is bound to lead to disappointment.

No team is without its flaws, even past Super Bowl champions. Just to nitpick a few with the Ravens' current roster, their interior offensive line has some questions after the departure of Patrick Mekari, and they'll be relying on an inexperienced youngster at linebacker next to Roquan Smith. These obviously aren't major flaws, but they do exist.

For a team that's had trouble playing its best in the postseason, expectations this high are a double-edged sword. Obviously, it's nice to be seen as a Super Bowl contender, but unreasonably high expectations can do more harm than good. Ultimately, though, it's up to the Ravens to go out there and perform regardless of outside noise.