The Ravens started the season 8-3 and looked like the team to beat in the AFC North. However, they’ve fallen flat in the last five games, all of which are losses, and now face an uphill battle to reach the playoffs.
The Bengals finished the AFC North with a win over the Chiefs last week, so now the Ravens’ only hope is to secure the last spot in the AFC Wild Card. They’ll have to win to take a chance, but there are plenty of other results that they count on to help them get there.
The team is also struggling with many injuries. They’ve lost key high school playmakers, a whole team of running backs and Lamar Jackson, who recently suffered an ankle injury. Baltimore has also lost a few one-point games thanks to missed late two-point conversions, so if they had converted even one of them their chances of qualifying for the playoffs would be better. .
Baltimore remains alive in the playoff race, but these are decidedly a long way off. Here’s what needs to happen for the Ravens to advance to the playoffs for the fourth year in a row.
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1. The Ravens must beat the Steelers
Obviously, the Ravens need to win to qualify for the playoffs. After all, they are 8-8 and are behind several teams in the AFC Wild Card race. That includes the team they face, the Steelers, who are 8-7-1.
The Ravens lost by one point to Pittsburgh earlier in the season following Lamar Jackson failed to connect with Mark Andrews on a potential two-point conversion winning streak. They will be ready for revenge in this one. If they can win the 1 p.m. ET game, they might have a chance to stay in the AFC playoff race for at least a little longer, although they will need help jumping into the race. last place of the Wild Cards.
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2. Chargers and Colts both have to lose
The second element of that equation for the Ravens is to create a three-way tie with the Chargers and Colts for last playoff spot.
The NFL’s tie-breaking rules for three-way ties can get complex, but in this case, they’re straightforward. The Ravens beat the Chargers and Colts head to head. As such, they completed a “season sweep” of the two, which would catapult them past both and lock them into that No.7 seed for the playoffs.
Of course, this may turn out to be easier said than done. The Chargers are slightly favored over the Raiders so maybe they might lose, but the Colts are 15.5 point favorites over the Jaguars. Indianapolis hasn’t won at Jacksonville since 2014, so the story may be on the Ravens’ side, but the 2021 Jaguars have only won two games and are on an eight-game losing streak. However, it is at least possible.
3. Dolphins must lose or draw once morest Patriots
This is the last complication for the Ravens. If they can win and see the Chargers and Colts lose, they won’t be guaranteed a playoff berth. They still need the Dolphins not to win once morest the Patriots.
Why is that? Well, if the Dolphins win, they’ll be 9-8, which would force a tie at four for last playoff spot with the Colts, Chargers, Ravens and Dolphins. The Ravens reportedly no longer own the tiebreaker as they lost head-to-head to Miami, so they don’t maintain the “sweep of the season” on all three teams. Instead, the Colts, who would own the over 7-5 conference record, would get there.
In short, the Ravens can make the playoffs. It might be difficult for them to do so, as three other teams control their fate.
