The Baltimore Ravens fall to 8-5 after their Week 13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles 24-19. Still second in the AFC North, they are more than a game behind their division rival Pittsburgh Steelers. This makes their Week 16 matchup at home pivotal with their loss to them in Week 11 18-16. Baltimore has not shown up against some of the top competition and has made too many mistakes in key moments.
Although they have played up to better teams in primetime, it seems like the trends of their losses will lead to a wildcard bounce in January as unfortunate as it stands. They will have to clean it up after the bye, as they have a 3-game stretch in the span of 10 days from weeks 15-17. The Ravens will not be able to afford a loss despite a 97% chance at the playoffs, as playing against their division rivals would likely have the same outcome as almost every previous iteration of John Harbaugh vs. Mike Tomlin.
Ravens Fall to 6th Seed in AFC After Week 13 Loss
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback DJ Turner II (20), left and defensive end Myles Murphy (99) take down Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) during the 4th quarter Sunday October 6, 2024 at Payor Stadium. The Bengals lost to Baltimore Ravens 41-38 in overtime.The Ravens fell flat at home against Philly, with Justin Tucker missing 2 field goals and an extra point. Leaving 7 points on the board against a top NFC team like the Eagles is a recipe for disaster, as Lamar Jackson’s career record as a starter against the NFC is 23-2 according to Statmuse. Ironically, the teams he lost to had now Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, who was with the New York Giants back in 2022 when the Ravens lost to Daniel Jones, Wink Martindale, and the Giants at MetLife.
Barkley has been the best running back in fantasy football, as Jackson has been a top quarterback along with Jalen Hurts. A.J. Brown also got going in the first half but Barkley closed out the second half as their own closer. Henry was stymied by a tough Philly defense that has been one of the best units in the NFL. This is a worrying trend that has been consistent in all 5 losses, as the Ravens lose when Henry isn’t used enough and Tucker misses kicks.
Baltimore Slated to Rematch with 3rd Seed Pittsburgh
While the Steelers may have a tougher schedule, it won’t matter if the Ravens can’t get in their own way and don’t finish the season on a good note. Baltimore under John Harbaugh hasn’t beaten Mike Tomlin and company in Pittsburgh since 2022 and is 0-4 the last two years, according to Statmuse.
Last time, Baltimore’s offense was neutralized against a tough Steelers defense and the pass rush consistently got after it. Although Russell Wilson didn’t light up the scoreboard despite the secondary matchup vs. the Ravens, he did in Week 13 against the Cincinnati Bengals in their big win 44-38.
Final Thoughts on AFC Contenders for Playoff Picture
Baltimore will get a shot at getting revenge at home in about three weeks against the Steelers. Other big games that will decide their playoff fate include Houston streamed on Netflix, who are currently leading the AFC South at the same record.
Despite being a playoff contender, the 4th seed Texans have had their own struggles, so Week 17 will be a must-win game for the Ravens on Christmas. Baltimore has had success against C.J. Stroud but the element Joe Mixon brings to the table is something their run defense will have to step up for.
The AFC West contenders besides the Kansas City Chiefs are currently the 5th and 7th seeds with the Chargers (8-4) and Broncos (7-5) pending Monday Night Football. Baltimore won both matchups against each team decisively but even if they did rematch either team, it will be more of a challenge than earlier in the year.
However, comparing it to the alternative of playing their division rival Steelers for a third time in the wild card, I prefer the latter. While it is not something they can totally control, winning out for the Ravens has to be the number one goal from here on out. The other AFC playoff teams losing helps but Baltimore ultimately needs to show improvement in the next few weeks to have optimism next month.
