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Can Ravens season already be considered successful?

In Marshall Faulk's final question of the year, he wants to know whether a team's season has been successful.

By Jason Butt
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Here's Marshall Faulk's final GMC Playbook question of the season:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Here’s my final <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GMCPlaybook?src=hash">#GMCPlaybook</a> question for <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNation">@SBNation</a> this year: Did your team have a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ProfessionalGrade?src=hash">#ProfessionalGrade</a> season? <a href="http://t.co/iQ1hxcHGwA">http://t.co/iQ1hxcHGwA</a></p>&mdash; Marshall Faulk (@marshallfaulk) <a href="https://twitter.com/marshallfaulk/status/547559074259140608">December 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Unfortunately, Marshall, this question cannot be answered at this time.

For the Ravens, the first step to having a successful season is making the playoffs. In the franchise's short history, winning games and reaching the postseason has become the norm. Under coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens reached the postseason in his first five seasons, made it to three AFC Championship Games and won one Super Bowl. The standard is high in Baltimore.

If the Ravens lose to Cleveland, the season won't be a success. If the Ravens beat Cleveland and Kansas City loses to San Diego, the season won't be a success. To be honest, if the Ravens beat Cleveland and Kansas City beats San Diego, thus getting the Ravens in the playoffs, the season is on track to being a success — even if the Ravens need help to get in.

One thing about the Ravens: You can't give up on them at any moment. The 2012 season is the best example. Just when everyone thought they were done, they rallied and went on to win a Super Bowl. Given the circumstances Baltimore has dealt with this year, the Super Bowl won't define whether this season was successful. But the Ravens have to at least reach the playoffs for it to be considered as such.


Join the #GMCPlaybook discussion at sbnation.com/sponsored-gmc-playbook and on Twitter by following @thisisgmc & @marshallfaulk.

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