The Baltimore Ravens dispatched the New York Giants on Sunday, winning 27-13 in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the score might seem. By not only beating the Giants but seeing some other AFC teams lose, the Ravens are now in control of their own playoff destiny and go into Week 17 with a very clear mission. After busting off four consecutive wins, Baltimore finds themselves quick risers up the NFL power rankings.
Mark Schofield of Touchdown Wire put together his latest NFL power rankings list and once again has the Ravens jumping up. Entering Week 17, Baltimore now sits at No. 8, leaping forward two spots from last week’s rankings. The timing of the Ravens’ rise to power didn’t escape Schofield either.
The Ravens picked the right time to come together, as their win over the New York Giants puts them in the driver’s seat for one of the Wild Card spots in the AFC.
All Baltimore needs to do is beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17 to lock themselves into the playoffs. What seed they actually claim and who their opponent in the Wild Card round of the playoffs will all depend on what goes on around them, however.
As Schofield noted, the “Ravens seem like that proverbial team ‘getting hot at the right time’.” It’s an astute observation and one that really shouldn’t be discounted just because of how Baltimore looked earlier in the season.
The offense has finally found its rhythm, with the run game gashing opponents for 200-plus yards regularly and quarterback Lamar Jackson playing far more efficient and smart football through the air. The defense has a few more question marks than they did earlier in the season thanks to injuries but they should be getting healthy again over the next two weeks to return several starters. If someone was writing the perfect football conclusion, this is what it would look like.
As I noted last week when Baltimore beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Ravens are playing playoff-caliber football right now and answering their biggest questions at a time when much of the AFC is showing signs of weakness. After putting together some gutsy performances this season against physical teams, Baltimore might just have what it takes to go on a roll here at the end of the season and head into the playoffs as the one team no one wants to face.
Time will tell if the Ravens can pick up their first playoff win but everything is going about as well as can be expected after 16 weeks.
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