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Baltimore Ravens
Overall: 18
Title track: T7
Ownership: 14
Coaching: T8
Players: 13
Fan relations: 49
Affordability: 43
Stadium experience: 33
Bang for the buck: 35
Change from last year: +18
On the field, Baltimore is fantastic. The team's coaching, players, ownership and title track categories all place in the top 15 of all teams, among the best in NFL. Off it, the team is doing its best to revamp its image, from a new emphasis on character for its players (which led to a big increase in likability this year) and improvements to M&T Bank Stadium.
What's good
One reason the Ravens rank No. 18 -- an 18-spot improvement from last season -- is their strength in the coaching category. John Harbaugh, the only head coach in NFL history to win a playoff game in six of his first seven seasons, is eighth in our standings. Harbaugh owns the fourth-best winning percentage (.647) among active head coaches and is one of four in NFL history to win a Super Bowl and not have a losing season. A large part of his success is his attention to detail and commitment to outworking other teams. His three-hour practices are often considered the longest and most fast-paced in the league, and might help explain the Ravens' strong title track ranking of tied for seventh.
What's bad
The Ravens are 43rd in affordability, which is more or less expected for franchises in the Northeast or on the Eastern seaboard. With an average cost of $100.19, tickets for Ravens games at M&T Bank Stadium are the eighth-most expensive in the NFL; the league average is $84.43. (Still, the last ticket increase for the Ravens was before the 2013 season.) The ranking in fan relations (No. 49) should improve this year: Baltimore made a $6.5 million investment in Wi-Fi and a 3D video system at the stadium, allowing fans to see replays from various angles.
What's new
The biggest change is the improvement in how the Ravens' players are perceived (up 13 spots since last year). Baltimore had to move past a trouble-filled 2014 offseason, which was perhaps the roughest period for any sports franchise that year. The Ray Rice scandal highlighted an offseason in which four Ravens players were arrested, including wide receiver Deonte Thompson (felony drug charges), running back Lorenzo Taliaferro (destruction of property) and offensive lineman Jah Reid (battery). The Ravens are putting a renewed emphasis on character when they add to their roster; general manager Ozzie Newsome says they won't bring in a player with a history of domestic violence.
Next: Denver Broncos | Full rankings