4 Stats That Prove the Ravens Are the Best Team in the NFL

The Baltimore Ravens are owners of the best record in the NFL, currently sitting at 12-2 following their Week 15 victory over the New York Jets.

Although, record isn't the only thing that matters when trying to decipher who the best team is at any given time. With that in mind, here are four stats that back up the Ravens record, proving they are the best team in the league.

1. Yards Per Rush Attempt

Mark Ingram holding the ball after a run against the San Francisco 49ers. / Patrick Smith/Getty Images

The Ravens' rushing attack has been the focus of their offense this season, especially with Lamar Jackson's record-breaking season for quarterback rushing yards. However, Mark Ingram has surely carried his fair share of the load, rushing for 963 yards of his own, good enough for No. 10 in the NFL. When it comes to rushing efficiency, the Ravens lead the league with 5.5 yards per rush attempt, more than half a yard better than the second-best team in this stat, the Cleveland Browns (4.9). In fact, the gap between the Ravens and Browns (0.6) is as wide as the gulf between Cleveland and the No. 17 offense in this category (the New York Giants).

2. Passing Touchdowns Per Game

Lamar Jackson throws a pass against the New York Jets. / Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Not only has Jackson gotten the job done with his feet this year, but he's also been racking up touchdowns through the air. The Ravens lead the NFL in passing touchdowns per game with 2.4. That's almost half a touchdown more per game than the No. 2 team in this category, which is a tie between four different squads at 2.0 per contest. Combining that with his work on the ground is the main reason why Jackson is running away with the NFL MVP.

3. Opponent Red Zone Scoring Percentage (TD Only)

Earl Thomas chases down the ball carrier in a recent game against the Seattle Seahawks. / Abbie Parr/Getty Images

The Ravens' offense surely isn't the only part of the team contributing to their success this season. The defense has done work as well, especially when it comes to keeping their opponents from scoring red zone touchdowns. The Ravens rank No. 3 in the NFL in opponent red zone scoring percentage at 45.0 percent. The only two teams ahead of Baltimore are the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals, who have records of 5-8 and 1-12, respectively.

4. Giveaways Per Game

The Ravens' sideline during their Week 15 game against the New York Jets. / Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Another great quality of this Ravens team is their ability to protect the football. It's hard to win football games with a high amount of turnovers, just ask Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Baltimore is tied for the third-best giveaway rate in the league, averaging just 0.9 per game. With an offense that is simultaneously cautious with the football and incredibly dynamic, it's going to be hard to get Baltimore off the field this season.

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David Kaestle is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, David also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username davekaestle. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.