Former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Robert Gryphon III believes the NFL is helping the Ravens win a title.
The former ESPN broadcaster posted a video on his social media elaborating on what he believes is a conspiracy from the NFL to help the Ravens “get over the hump.”
At this point in Lamar Jackson’s career — every season is Super Bowl or bust,” Griffin said. “That’s how special the two-time MVP has been. And the only thing the NFL wants more than a dynasty like the Chiefs, is a team or a player that gets over the hump. And that’s exactly what the NFL schedule makers are trying to help the Ravens do. They gave them an additional 16 days of rest over their opponents … and not only that, they make sure [the Ravens] are not on the road, or should I say, away from home, more than two weeks in a row … They want to make sure they are well-rested … You got a new duo of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, these dudes are dynamic playmakers, why wouldn’t the NFL want them to be well-rested.”
The former Heisman Trophy winner also dismissed the Ravens’ difficult schedule to begin the season — Chiefs, Raiders, Cowboys, Bills, Bengals — suggesting that it will not be as difficult as it appears since the Ravens have a different mentality. He even labelled the Week 1 game versus the Chiefs a “wash.” “Understand this: when [the Ravens] see the schedule, they don’t say, ‘Oh my goodness, we got to play that team, that team, that team, and that team!'” Those clubs must play the Ravens, which represents a significant change in their thinking from the rest of the league.
The Ravens have a tough schedule — that much is clear. No “mentality” will make a game less challenging, even for a talented team like Baltimore.
One might also wonder — how exactly could this schedule, or the league, assist the Ravens?
Make the playoffs? With this roster, they likely would regardless
Secure home field advantage? Last year, the Ravens did, but they lost the AFC Championship game at home. The Ravens’ “hump” is their postseason opposition, which they will have to overcome on their own, as has been done by past teams throughout NFL history.
