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It’s not time for fans to worry about the Ravens – yet

By Ryan Wormeli

It’s not time for fans to worry about the Ravens originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

If you’ve been on Twitter the last few days, you may have noticed some surprising consternation from Ravens fans.

Sure, Baltimore has won four of its five games this season, with each win coming by at least two touchdowns. But, compared to last season especially, the offense has looked inconsistent.

Sure, they’ve scored a fair amount of points (at least 30 points in three of their five games, and at least 20 in the other two) — it comes out to 29.8 points per game and the eighth-highest total in the NFL. Still, it’s hard to argue with complaints about regression from Lamar Jackson and the offense as a whole.

Jackson looks off, and his stats have suffered coming off his unanimous MVP campaign. Mark Andrews and Marquise Brown struggled mightily in a very public game on Monday Night Football in Week 3, which has partially overshadowed their contributions in the season’s other four weeks.

Mark Ingram has been a much less efficient runner so far in 2020, leading some to question if the Ravens might be better served handing the keys to backups Gus Edwards and rookie JK Dobbins.

It all comes back to Jackson, though. Last season, the Ravens had one of the most efficient offenses in NFL history. This season, their offense is 17th, according to DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average).

The good news? Even while a young offense works through some issues, the Ravens as a whole have still dominated.

DVOA measures an NFL team’s overall efficiency, and the Ravens come out with easily the best number through 2020’s first five weeks. They are just 17th in offensive efficiency, but third in defensive and first in special teams – no surprise given John Harbaugh’s background.

The Ravens’ total DVOA so far is 33.9%. Teams ranked from two through seven range from 23.7% to 26.4%, so there’s a sizable gap between Baltimore and everybody else. And that’s with the terrible Monday Night Football loss weighing as one-fifth of their games played so far.

In fact, in the past three seasons, only one team has managed to top Baltimore’s 33.9% – the 2019 Ravens, who finished the season at a ridiculous 41.2%. And considering the team’s 17th-ranked offense is sure to rise in the coming weeks as Lamar Jackson continues to develop a rhythm – and the team potentially adds outside receiving help – it’s likely that this season’s number goes up. This is, after all, largely the same roster as last season’s record-setting unit.

Arguably the best defense in football, objectively the best special teams in football, and a young offense that was already the best in football last season? It’s no wonder the numbers love the Ravens.

These advanced stats are backed up by more traditional methods, too. The Ravens point-differential through five weeks is +73, by far the best mark in the NFL. only four other teams are even half as high as the Ravens, and no one is closer than Green Bay at +51. And again, that’s with a blowout loss to the Chiefs dragging them down.

And they’ve held up to the eye test as well, according to the national experts. Among outlets that have already released their post-Week 5 power rankings (ESPN, The Ringer, Yahoo!, Pro Football Talk, and Bleacher Report) the Ravens are a consensus top five team in the league. Two other outlets (NFL.com and The Athletic) had them as a top three team even before their 27-3 blowout win over the Bengals.

It’s important to reiterate just how young this Ravens offense is. Their quarterback and top two pass catchers are 24 or younger. Their entire starting offensive line are all still on their rookie contracts. And this group didn’t have a full, normal offseason to continue to gel together.

It’s also important to remember that dominant teams don’t always look the same in December as they did in September. Last year, the Ravens were a Steelers fumble away from finishing Week 5 at 2-3. Instead, they won 12 straight games and made offensive history in the process.

This year, they finish Week 5 at 4-1, with every win coming in dominant fashion. The fact of the matter is that you can count on one hand the number of NFL teams that wouldn’t jump at the chance to switch places with the Ravens right now.

They probably won’t ever reach the same heights of 2019, because almost no team in NFL history has. And they may even lose more games in 2020 – the AFC North looks like the most competitive division in football, after all.

But it’s too early to panic about the Ravens, even if the offense really has regressed a bit. Everybody complained after the Tennessee loss that the Ravens didn’t know how to fight through adversity because everything in the regular season came too easy to them. Now? They’re fighting through an erratic offense, and still coming away with comfortable wins in the process.

Good teams win, great teams cover. Elite teams win by two touchdowns even on “C+” days. The Ravens are fine, and barring injuries, will continue to be Super Bowl contenders all season long.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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