ExtremeRavens Posted November 20 Posted November 20 For much of this season, the prevailing opinion around the NFL was that the Ravens were perhaps best suited to unseat the two-time reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. After Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore might have a much bumpier path to the promised land. As coach John Harbaugh often says, “it’s a week-to-week league.” The tide can turn quickly in a tightly contested AFC. But the 7-4 Ravens — the only current wild-card team with multiple losses to teams with losing records, two of which are now 2-8 — are now two games back of the Steelers (8-2) in the AFC North, tight-roping a sixth-place wild-card spot. If the season ended today, Baltimore would travel back to Pittsburgh for the wild-card round. Should quarterback Lamar Jackson exorcise his black-and-gold demons, the Ravens would likely fly north to face the Bills (9-2), who the Ravens beat at home in Week 4. A win there would likely mean an AFC championship game rematch in Kansas City (9-1) with a Super Bowl trip on the line. It’s a gantlet, but not unprecedented. Remember 2012? Baltimore beat the Indianapolis Colts headed by NFL Rookie of the Year runner-up Andrew Luck, albeit at home. It took a “Mile High Miracle” to get past Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. And what closer comparison is there for a potential bout with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City than having beaten Tom Brady’s Patriots in Foxborough? The Athletic’s 2024 playoff prediction model, which factors in projected strength, current health and remaining strength of schedule, spits out a 6% chance of Jackson hoisting his first Lombardi Trophy. A possible trio of playoff road games in Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Kansas City — Harbaugh’s record in such contests is an inconclusive 6-6 since 2009 — would supplementarily require the Bills to advance past the Broncos (6-5) in the divisional round and the Chiefs, who maintain the first-round bye, to get past the winner of the Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) vs. Houston Texans (7-4). Both of those teams lead Baltimore in the standings by a hair. They’re also included in what ESPN’s Football Power Index considers the 17th easiest remaining schedule. The Athletic model pegs Baltimore to finish with 11 wins. That would mean four wins over this next stretch: Monday, Nov. 25 at Los Angeles Chargers Sunday, Dec. 1 vs. Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, Dec. 15 at New York Giants Saturday, Dec. 21 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Wednesday, Dec. 25 at Houston Texans Sunday, Jan. 5 vs. Cleveland Browns Sunday’s loss to the Steelers could prove to be no more than an anomaly. Baltimore has only beaten its biggest rival once in its past nine meetings. They’re a statistical kryptonite. But the Ravens still boast the league’s most potent offense. And despite looming injury concerns to linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring) and defensive tackle Travis Jones (ankle), the defense played one of its best games of the season. Sunday was also oddly Pittsburgh’s first divisional game of the year. Facing the 11th toughest remaining schedule, the Steelers have five of their final seven games against AFC North foes. Kansas City and Philadelphia are the other two opponents. Should the Ravens bypass Pittsburgh for the top seed in the AFC North, beating the Chargers, Texans and Steelers along the way, the entire playoff picture swiftly reshuffles. The jury doesn’t pay much mind to how the Ravens do in the regular season, anyway. They’ve been to the playoffs every year Jackson has been healthy since they drafted him in 2018. He’s a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player. Pundits, rightfully, only care about his and Baltimore’s postseason resume. “[Backup quarterback] Josh Johnson broke down practice today,” fullback Pat Ricard said Wednesday. “He said we have to attack each game here on out as if it’s a playoff game. That’s the level of focus we need to have.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article Quote
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