Maryland Business

By: Liz Farmer

The NFL schedule is out and the Ravens finally get to host a national game after a year’s hiatus. We have to wait until week 12 for a Sunday Night Football face off between Baltimore and Pittsburgh — the first time the teams will have met since the AFC Championship game in January — and I’m sure NFL execs are hoping the drama and playoff runs will be sufficiently built up by then and Ravens starting QB Joe Flacco won’t be going through a sophomore slump.

The Ravens will also make national appearances as the road team in Monday Night Football games against the Browns in week 10 and the Packers in week 13.

Last year, the Ravens only had two nationally televised games — both away — against Pittsburgh on ESPN and Dallas on the NFL Network.

Philadelphia, the Ravens’ counterpart in last year’s playoffs after losing to Arizona in the NFC Championship game, has four national appearances including one game at home on NBC.  Arizona also has three national appearances with one at home on NBC. Reigning champ Pittsburgh has a whopping five national games including two at home on NBC.

It’s nice to see Baltimore getting the love more this year after an 11-5 record and playoff run and story that caught the eye of the national media. Do they have it in them to impress the country again this year?