In a matter of eight days, the Baltimore Ravens were jump started, showing signs of life that nobody had seen in close to two months. Prior to their game against the Detroit Lions, the Ravens had been left for dead, leaving the players and coaches to start making vacation plans, and fans trying to figure out what to do on Sunday afternoons from now until August. But no more! The frame of mind, including everything from sheer hope to technical scheming over the different possible scenarios, has been pulled out of the gutter and hoisted high on the shoulders of the well rounded, all out stellar play that the Ravens have shown. The Lions proved not only to be an easy opponent and an opportune time, but also a stepping stone on which the Ravens used to build confidence in the fan base and within the locker room.

1. The offense is back on track.

While there has still be some questionable play calling by Cam Cameron, Joe Flacco seemingly discarded his slump by putting together two excellent performances against NFC North teams. The Ravens have been a two headed organization throughout the entire season, but have once again made the case that they are a bit more dangerous than some had written them off as being. With Flacco finding receivers, and the entire offense falling back on the shoulders of Ray Rice, the Ravens have made the Lions and Bears look more like high school teams than professional squads.

Flacco spread the passing love to five different receivers, with Derrick Mason leading the pack with 87 yards and a touchdown. The biggest surprise was Todd Heap’s involvement, mainly because his early role opened up the other passing options throughout the game. Heap pulled in two touchdowns and 56 yards in receiving, reviving his season, and the call from fans to involve Heap more often in the offensive game plan.

Todd Heap regained confidence with two touchdown catches against the Bears.

For the first time in several games, Ray Rice was not relied on to expand his role as a receiver as much as he is a running back, which provided many more options for Flacco and broke down the Chicago defense quickly. Rice ended the game with a quiet 87 yards, and while he did not find pay dirt, it is almost a relief that he didn’t have to due to the efficency of the passing game. I’m sure little Ray didn’t mind sharing the workload more than normal, considering the Ravens were able to put up over 30 points for the second time in as many games.

2. Lardarius Webb’s injury will, undoubtedly, have a major impact on the Raven’s special teams and defense.

The Ravens lost a huge part of their special teams when Lardarius Webb went down with a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament. His growth and maturity as a rookie was hardly going unnoticed by the coaching staff and fans, and we were all witnesses to his rise up the depth chart, allowing him to see genuine playing time as a starting cornerback. It’s hard not to look forward to seeing what kind of impact he will have in the next few years, if his production this season was any sign of what is to come. But for now, the Ravens have to make moves to account for the loss of Webb.

Lardarius Webb is finished for the season. Will his replacement, newly signed Corey Ivy, be able to fill the role?

Whether or not Ivy will provide the answer the Ravens need is still in question. However, the loss of a rookie player like Webb will most certainly be felt, regardless of who is signed to take his place. Webb had learned the system, and judging from his play on the field, he had learned it quite well. Ivy, who has been through two different defensive schemes since his last play as a Raven, will come into practice behind the 8-ball. We can only hope that his dedication to the game that the Ravens’ coaches talk so highly of will make an appearance as Baltimore prepares for the Steelers this Sunday.

3. All we want for Christmas is a win.

The Ravens obviously have a huge a challenge ahead of them when they head into Pittsburgh to face their bitter rivals. There is nothing quite like a Ravens vs. Steelers game, especially when one, or both, teams have something riding on the line. That just so happens to be the case this Sunday; A win for the Ravens will all but clinch a playoff birth for them. With the help of losses from other teams, including the Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos, and New York Jets, and the Ravens will find their season extended while several other teams prepare for a long winter of golf and TV.

To check out the exact scenarios, you can head over to the Baltimore Ravens’ official site. The point is, the Ravens need a win on Sunday more than they’ve needed one in a long time. So far, they have done everything right, punishing the Lions and Bears by a combined score of 79-10. But the road does not end here; The toughest, and more important part of the schedule awaits in just a few days. Without a big game against Pittsburgh, the season once again becomes subject to disaster, and the hopes that have been built up over the past two weeks could very well be stolen by the most hated team among Raven fans.