2007 Previews: Baltimore Ravens

Note: This is a team-by-team look previewing the 2007 season. These are my official thoughts on how I think things will play out.

Last year: 13-3 (AFC North champs, lost to Colts in AFC Divisional round)

Best addition: Willis McGahee (RB, Bills)

Key personnel loss: Adalius Thomas (LB, Patriots)

2007 outlook: The lone addition in the offseason took a rapidly aging offense and injected it with a fresh set of legs in McGahee. And unlike in Buffalo, McGahee will have a solid offensive line to run behind in Baltimore (which got even better with the pickup of former Maryland tackle Jared Gaither in the Supplemental Draft on Thursday) and should be able to consistently show the league why he was a first-round pick despite a bad knee injury five years ago.

With Steve McNair at the helm once again, expect this offense to keep its mistakes down and win a lot of low scoring contests the defense will keep them in. This may be the best Ravens squad in team history.

Key to success: Can Derrick Mason remain a No. 1 for one more year? Mark Clayton has the Ravens looking like draft day genius's with all of the contributing players that have excelled from the last three or four draft classes and Clayton is entering his third season, meaning breakout year for him. But in order to have that success, Mason needs to command enough attention for one more year so the passing game doesn't stall out like it has a tendency to.

Against Washington: The "Battle of the Beltway" is once again relegated to preseason play. Baltimore won the last meeting between the geographic rivals 17-10 at Washington in 2004.

Fantasy sleeper: The defense. I realize that may come across as a cop out but it doesn't seem to matter what player the Ravens have to replace, they continue to be one of the top five in the league. Now I don't condone drafting a defense early by any means, but Baltimore bailed my bacon out a couple of times last year and they should do the same this season. Definitely use a late round pick on them once you have filled a majority of your roster.