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The Baltimore Ravens are one of the worst teams in the NFL this season. The fact that they are expecting a top-10 draft pick takes away all opinion and stabilizes it as fact. Yet, through all the injuries, the Ravens have made a Christmas special worthy of an ABC Family presentation. They have become a true team.
Former head coach Herm Edwards lost his mind on ESPN when talking about the selfishness of the players today. He mentioned that he wouldn't want to come back and coach now because all the players think it is about them. Just watch it for yourselves.
It's hard to argue with Herm on this one. Players are being given increasing amounts of money, being seen on billboards and becoming stars in a way never done before. With players that grew up in poor areas, the sudden increase in their paychecks gives them a chip on their shoulder and brings around terrible influences. Players begin to yell at coaches and think that they are above the team and the game itself because of the promotion they get on ESPN, NFL Network, and during the games.
Because of this, I'll say that the Ravens losing as many players as they have and being forced to go back to basics has helped this team more than it has hurt.
We've all talked about how a better draft pick will help this team. How seeing players on the field that never would have started before is allowing the coaches to grab some of the best for the future. Yet, the need for these individual players to stop being individuals and work together for the first time in a long time has seen them become one of the few true teams in the NFL right now.
There are no more headlines of players doing stupid things. No more complaining about contracts or looking to hold out. There is no talk about how guys want the ball thrown to them more.
Everyone is pushing everything they have into every play. They are looking to add an elusive win to the column instead of another "L". Guys that would have been warming the bench are playing and that does a few things for the team as a whole. It forces the veterans to realize they are disposable, and it gets all the players to be hungry and itching for the glory they had in years past. There are no more unique personalities, just guys wearing pads looking to win a game.
See, a reset of this team in terms of wins isn't a bad thing. If anything, once the Ravens get healthy, having this mentality in their minds will mean the coaches have a stronger mentally prepared team. That gets wins in the end, not guys like Greg Hardy.