The Baltimore Ravens have already clinched a playoff spot this season after missing out on them entirely last season, but that doesn't mean they are guaranteed to make a deep run. The Ravens are struggling mightily right now, and need to get star quarterback Lamar Jackson back on the field if they intend on winning anything this season.
Baltimore is still in contention for the top spot in the AFC North with two games left on the season, but they are likely going to need some things to break their way in order for them to end up with the top spot and avoid ending up with a wild card seed. With just two games left on the season, though, it's looking less and less likely that this scenario will come true for the Ravens.
If Jackson can end up returning to the field at some point, the Ravens are in a good position to make a lengthy run in the playoffs this season. But in order for them to actually have Super Bowl hopes, they may have to avoid this nightmare playoff scenario that they are currently on course for, so let's see what that scenario is and how the Ravens could work on avoiding it.
Ravens nightmare playoff scenario
Right now, the Ravens find themselves with a pretty firm grip on the five seed in the AFC playoff bracket. The Los Angeles Chargers lurk behind them in the six seed, but they would have to win their final two games while the Ravens lose their final two games in order to leapfrog them in the standings. It could happen, but it's not worth betting on.
Baltimore could also swap spots with the Cincinnati Bengals as they continue to duke it out for the top seed in the AFC North. The Ravens hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Bengals right now, but both squads square off again in Week 18. This game is looking more and more important not just for the AFC North, but the entire AFC playoff bracket with just two weeks of the season remaining.
It's also worth noting that the Bengals have a huge Week 17 contest against the Buffalo Bills that will have huge playoff implications too. If the Bengals win, they would move to at least the two seed in the AFC. But if they lose, and the Ravens beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17, Baltimore would have the inside track to win the division.
At this point, it's looking like Week 18 will decide the AFC North. The only way it wouldn't is if the Bengals win in Week 17 and the Ravens lose, but that doesn't seem very likely to happen. If the Ravens can remain at least a game behind the Bengals heading into the final week of the season, they would win their division if they beat Cincy in their final game of the regular season.
This makes the Ravens playoff hopes much more complicated. On one hand, if they stay in the five seed, they would get a very favorable matchup going up against the winner of the AFC South in the wild card round, which is seeming more and more likely to be the Jacksonville Jaguars. It is worth noting that the Jags pulled off a huge upset win over the Ravens earlier this season, but Baltimore would have to be favored to win this game.
At that point, the Ravens would likely have to go through some combination of the Bills, Bengals, and Kansas City Chiefs to make it to the Super Bowl. The problem is that even if they win the AFC North, there's a decent chance they will have to do the same thing. Having home field advantage in case any upsets get pulled off would be nice, but is there any real benefit to winning the division?
Winning the AFC North would at least make things more difficult for the Bengals, but for the Ravens, it likely doesn't change their playoff outlook much. Winning the division gives them a bit of an advantage in the wild card round since they will be playing at home, but it would likely draw them a tougher opponent in the Chargers.
Baltimore has to pick their poison at this point, because it doesn't look like there is a straightforward path to the Super Bowl for them this season. The Ravens will likely continue to fight to win their division, but it ultimately may not be attainable, especially if Jackson remains out with his PCL injury. Either way, it seems like it could be tough sledding for Baltimore once the playoffs roll around.
Follow Us
Subscribe