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When the Ravens' schedule was released back in April, most pundits said that if Baltimore was able to get through the difficult opening portion with a winning record, they'd set themselves up nicely for the rest of the season.
Well, here we are a quarter of a way into the season, and the Ravens sit at a comfortable 3-1.
They've had three of their four games on the road, and have faced two playoff teams (and while the Steelers didn't make the postseason last year, they won the Super Bowl two years ago).
The Ravens have gone up against defenses which ranked No. 1, No. 4 and No. 5 in the NFL last year, and while they haven't put up huge offensive numbers, they've done enough to get wins against two of those three teams.
In addition, they've already faced all three division opponents, and have a 2-1 record against their AFC North foes.
Things won't get a ton easier from here, as the Ravens still have tough road games at New England, Atlanta and Houston, and they face the Dolphins, Steelers, Bengals and the defending Super Bowl champion Saints at home.
But this four-game stretch to start the year could have set the Ravens back and delivered a hit to their playoff aspirations. Playing the Jets on the road in their first game at the new Meadowlands, the Bengals in Cincinnati, and the Steelers at the always tough Heinz Field is by no means a cakewalk.
The Ravens came out of it all 3-1, and are on top of the division. Not too shabby, if you ask me.
