If there's one word to describe the Baltimore Ravens' recent playoff history, it would be heartbreak.
Since Lamar Jackson took over as the Ravens' starter in 2018, they have a record of just 3-6 in the postseason. Many of those defeats came down to the wire as well, with last month's 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round being especially painful.
If a recent bold prediction by Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr ends up becoming reality, then the unfortunate trend could continue for at least another year. After Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, Orr predicted that the Ravens would lose in the AFC Championship Game against the Bills next season, an unfortunate case of Déjà vu.
"This offseason lacks the kind of available difference-makers Baltimore could sweep up en route to fielding a more competitive team à la Derrick Henry a year ago," Orr wrote. "Teams will have an offseason to dissect the Henry–Lamar Jackson dynamic as one of the league's more frustrating teams in the postseason continues to butt their heads against the ceiling without breaking through."
There's no doubt that the Ravens will be in the mix yet again, with some sportsbooks even having them as a Super Bowl favorite. However, they've been in the mix for over half a decade now, yet their trophy remains unchanged, sadly.
Orr predicts that the Bills will win Super Bowl LX over the San Francisco 49ers, who would be playing at home at Levi's Stadium, but losing to the eventual champion won't make the loss any easier. Just last year, the Ravens lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in an extremely frustrating AFC Championship Game.
However, the future is not yet written, and the Ravens can easily be the ones hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy next year if they put it all together at the right time.