The national media isn't spending much time debating whether the Baltimore Ravens belong among the NFL's contenders after Week 1. Instead, the discussion centers on how high they should be ranked.
Baltimore's 41-23 victory over the Indianapolis Colts served as one of the NFL's strongest opening statements. The Ravens piled up more than 500 yards of offense, forced multiple turnovers, and looked remarkably comfortable under first-year head coach Jesse Minter. The performance was impressive enough to spark a significant jump across several national power rankings.
What stands out most, however, isn't where Baltimore landed. It's why analysts seem so bullish. While Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry remain the faces of the franchise, much of the Week
1 praise centers on offensive coordinator Declan Doyle and the possibilities his offense may unlock moving forward.
USA TODAY
USA TODAY ranks the Ravens seventh among the NFL's 32 teams. They rise five spots from their previous ranking (12th).
7. Baltimore RavensDespite a steady churn of offensive coordinators, newbie Declan Doyle now in the post, they are the only team to score at least 20 points in Week 1 over the past 10 seasons … which tells you how good Lamar Jackson (and Joe Flacco) has been. - Nate Davis
NFL.com
The Ravens rise three spots on the NFL's official website. They rank third, with only the Seattle Seahawks (1) and Buffalo Bills (2) landing ahead of them.
3. Baltimore Ravens"Jesse Minter passed his first test as head coach with flying colors, directing a defense that forced two turnovers and weathered a strong showing from Colts RB Jonathan Taylor to run away with a resounding Week 1 win in Indianapolis. Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle's Ravens debut was arguably even better: Baltimore piled up more than 500 yards, thriving on the ground and through the air. Derrick Henry reminded us he’s still a bulldozer who must be respected at all times." -- Nick Shook
ESPN
ESPN ranked the Ravens eighth during the preseason. Baltimore improves five spots after one week of action.
3. Baltimore Ravens (1-0) - preseason ranking was 8th
Non-QB newcomer debut: Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle
In his first game as Baltimore's offensive playcaller, Doyle kept the Colts on their heels by putting quarterback Lamar Jackson under center and using play-action. The result? For the first time in the Ravens' 31-year history, they had a 300-yard passer (Jackson), a 150-yard receiver (Zay Flowers) and a 100-yard rusher (Derrick Henry) in the same game. There will be plenty of opportunities for Doyle's unit to put up more points. Over the next seven games, Baltimore faces five teams -- the Saints, Cowboys, Browns, Bengals and Bills -- who allowed 27-plus points in Week 1. "Man, first NFL game, [he] came out of the gates on fire," Ravens head coach Jesse Minter said of Doyle. -- Jamison Hensley
FOX Sports
FOX Sports remains the most positive about what they're seeing from Jesse Minter and company. They rank Baltimore as the NFL's best team heading into Week 2.
#1 Baltimore Ravens (Previously ranked 3rd)
Super Bowl odds: +900
Vindication, after all the criticism I took for ranking them too high. The 1-2 punch of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry looked as potent as ever, and Jesse Minter’s defense is strong, too. Injuries to WRs Zay Flowers and Ja’Kobi Lane could be a looming problem, though. -- Ralph Vacciano
The Ravens' offense is driving the conversation
The most interesting takeaway isn't where Baltimore landed in the rankings. It's the consistency of the message behind those rankings. National analysts weren't simply impressed by a Week 1 victory. They were impressed by how it happened.
Several outlets highlighted Doyle's debut, while others pointed to the balance and explosiveness Baltimore showed offensively. The Ravens didn't just win. They looked like a team that may have another gear offensively despite bringing in a new coordinator and coaching staff.
That's a significant development because Baltimore entered the season facing questions about how quickly the offense would adapt to another new play-caller. One game doesn't answer everything, but it clearly changed the conversation.
The challenge now is proving the performance wasn't a one-week outlier. TheNew Orleans Saintswon't care where Baltimore sits in any power ranking, and the Ravens themselves have spent the week insisting they haven't accomplished anything yet.
Still, one thing is clear. One week into the season, national analysts appear convinced that Baltimore's offensive ceiling may be even higher than many expected. If the Ravens keep playing as they did against Indianapolis, they won't be climbing power rankings much longer. They'll be trying to hold onto the top spot.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Power Rankings Roundup: Where the Ravens stand after Week 1 performance
