Despite Salty Remarks Over Lamar Jackson’s Loss, Ravens’ Roquan Smith Dreams of Being in Patrick Mahomes’ ‘Shoes’

Winning the Super Bowl is a dream of many! And this dream is also visualized by the Baltimore Ravens All-Pro LB Roquan Smith, who is entering his second full season in 2024.

When the Ravens reached the AFC Championship this year, many hoped they would win the trophy after 2013. They were looked at as one of the strongest contenders for the championship from Day 1, registering highest wins (13) in the 2023 season. However, fate willed it differently for them, shattering all hopes, the team went back with nothing. And now, once again, as September approaches, Lamar Jackson’s team is seeing that dream. Smith, who wants to be in Patrick Mahomes’ shoes, counts himself in too.

Roquan Smith is clear on what he wants!

In a latest episode of The Rich Eisen Show, Roquan Smith joined the host to talk about the upcoming season, his preparation, previous loss, and the Super Bowl. When asked if he watched the Super Bowl 2023, Smith sparingly replied, “Vaguely. I didn’t really watch it closely, vaguely, like a little bit.” Despite his salty comments, Smith further continued, praising, “Happy for the guys that won. Hats off to them. At the end of the year, there’s only one champion and hats off to those guys.”

He added, “Pat Mahomes and the Chiefs, they had a great season, fought through some adversity, so happy for those guys. But at the end of the day obviously I would like to be in those shoes, but those shoes are not given. You have to go out and take every single thing you want and those guys earned it so hats off to those guys.”

Last season, the Ravens lost to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. And now, as they are preparing for 2024, it’s clear from Smith’s statements that he is feeling confident, probably hyped up for the upcoming battle. Additionally, he sounded like he is in his form, as per his sound byte at least, where he likened his team to a pack of hyenas or lions.

Will Ravens live up to Roquan Smith’s confidence?

In a recent interview, this week, Roquan Smith showed his belief in the team’s comeback. He expressed, “We still have a lot of these dogs on the team, and it’s just about staying hungry. We hunt as a pack, and I think of like safaris and things like that — like a pack of hyenas, lions or whoever it is, don’t really want to run up on those guys. So I feel like we got that kind of mindset and guys on all three levels.” So, now the question is: Will the Ravens win in 2024?

To reach the AFC, they need to qualify for the playoffs. And this year, the Ravens have a challenging schedule, being estimated to face the second-toughest set of opponents. Despite this, they still have many games they should win if they are serious about being Super Bowl contenders. They will play 12 games against teams that had winning records in 2023. So, as per analysts, if predictions hold true, the Ravens will finish the season with an 11-6 record. This would be a solid regular season, though slightly lower than the previous year. The Ravens’ schedule is tough, featuring strong opponents, a late bye week, and a packed end-of-season schedule when players are typically dealing with injuries.

However, with the Ravens’ strong team culture, John Harbaugh’s coaching, and the high talent level on the roster, the Ravens are expected to have a good chance to win their division.