Remember in 2012 when the Orioles went 29-9 in one run games and certain experts in the baseball community claimed they were lucky to achieve so many wins by such a small margin? I know I sure do.
Well things balanced out because in 2013 the O’s went a measly 20-31 in games decided by a single run.
A similar statistic is proving true for the Ravens. WJZ sportscaster Mark Viviano points out that the Ravens went 5-2 last season in games decided by three points or last year. This season they are 2-4 in those games.
There’s your problem right there.
Interestingly, the Ravens may have been more “lucky” last season than the O’s of 2012 — or perhaps better in close games. The Birds won 93 games in 2012 which means that 31.18 percent of their wins were decided by one run. By comparison, the Ravens won 10 games in the regular season in 2012, so half of their wins were in games decided by three points or less.
Obviously, this isn’t exactly a fair comparison. The 162 vs. 16 game schedule poses many concerns for this argument. And is a three point differential or less the football equivalent of a one run game?
I don’t know.
What I do know is that both Baltimore teams struggled (or in the Ravens case, are struggling) to win close games. They make or break teams and if the Ravens want to return to the postseason for sixth straight season, they’ll have to be on the better end of some tight scoring games against tough opponents the rest of the way.