Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and co. dominated against almost every opponent they faced last season, leading the NFL in total and rushing offense while ranking near the top of the league in several other key categories. The Ravens racked up 7,224 yards of total offense, the third-most in a season in NFL history. They also became the first team with 40+ passing touchdowns and 20+ rushing touchdowns in the same year.

With Jackson still in his prime and Henry likely having another couple years of strong production in him, the rest of the league, and the AFC North in particular, will have to deal with this offense consistently. At the very least, the rest of the division is taking measures to prepare.

All three of the Ravens’ AFC North rivals selected a defensive lineman in the first round on Thursday night. The Cleveland Browns selected Michigan’s Mason Graham at No. 5, the Cincinnati Bengals selected Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart at No. 17, and the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Oregon’s Derrick Harmon at No. 21.

Of course, they didn’t make these moves solely to combat the Ravens’ offense. They all needed help along the defensive line, though one could argue that the Steelers’ need wasn’t as pressing as the two Ohio-based teams.

That said, it’s very plausible that the Ravens’ dominance on offense, and particularly their dominance on the ground, played a role in these picks. Remember that Baltimore ran for 175+ yards against all three of its divisional foes at least once last season and 200+ yards against Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Baltimore actually surpassed the 200-yard mark twice against Pittsburgh, first in Week 16 and then again in the Wild Card round.

It’s quite simple, really. The Ravens have won the AFC North in each of the past two seasons, and they look poised to win it again in 2025. If the other teams want to keep up, they must do everything they can to neutralize the Ravens’ greatest strength.