The Baltimore Ravens lost a close game to their AFC North rival Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11. The 18-16 loss impacted their playoff chances in several ways, but most importantly, it swung their odds of winning the division.
Let’s run through Baltimore’s postseason and AFC North chances after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 12 with the help of Pro Football Network’s Playoff Predictor.
Will the Baltimore Ravens Make the Playoffs?
Heading into Week 13, the Baltimore Ravens are 8-4 and now have a 98.3% chance to make the playoffs.
They have a 3.4% chance for the 1 seed, a 22.7% chance for the second seed, a 30.6% chance for the third seed, a 1.2% chance for the fourth seed, a 22.6% chance for the fifth seed, a 12.3% chance for the sixth seed, and a 5.4% chance for the seventh seed.
Can the Ravens Win the AFC North?
Here’s what the AFC North race looks like after all the action in Week 12:
- The Baltimore Ravens have a 58.0% chance to win the AFC North.
- The Pittsburgh Steelers have a 41.7% chance to win the AFC North.
- The Cincinnati Bengals have a 0.3% chance to win the AFC North.
- The Cleveland Browns have a <0.1% chance to win the AFC North.
Current AFC North Standings
- Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-4)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-7)
- Cleveland Browns (3-8)
AFC Playoff Race | Week 18
1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)
2. Buffalo Bills (13-3)
3. Baltimore Ravens (12-5)
4. Houston Texans (9-7)
5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
7. Denver Broncos (9-7)
In The Hunt
9. Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)
8. Miami Dolphins (8-8)
Eliminated From Playoffs
10. Indianapolis Colts (7-9)
11. New York Jets (4-12)
12. Las Vegas Raiders (4-12)
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12)
14. Tennessee Titans (3-13)
15. New England Patriots (3-13)
16. Cleveland Browns (3-14)
Ravens’ Super Bowl Chances Entering Week 12
Can the Ravens win the Super Bowl? The PFN Playoff Predictor projects that Baltimore has a 9.5 % chance to win it all.
Ravens’ Remaining Schedule
- Week 13: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
- Week 14: BYE
- Week 15: at New York Giants
- Week 16: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
- Week 17: at Houston Texans
- Week 18: vs. Cleveland Browns
What PFN Predicted for the Chargers vs. Ravens Matchup
Monday Night Football brings “The Harbaugh Bowl,” the second iteration of a football family clash between head coach brothers John and Jim.
The only other time the Harbaughs have faced each other as NFL head coaches was Super Bowl 47 when John’s Ravens edged out Jim’s San Francisco 49ers for a 34-31 victory. While this week’s game doesn’t have quite as much on the line, Baltimore and Los Angeles are both trying to solidify spots in the AFC playoff race.
Lamar Jackson is still amid an outstanding campaign, even if Week 11 was a step back. He’s earned a perfect 100.0 grade in PFN’s QB+ system this season, the No. 1 mark for all quarterbacks dating back to 2019. The only other QBs to earn an A+ grade since 2019 were Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes in 2020 (Rodgers won MVP).
However, the Los Angeles Chargers — like the Steelers in Week 11 — represent another stiff defensive test. The Bolts have allowed just 14.5 points per game this season, No. 1 in the league. In Week 11, the Bengals became the first team to score more than 20 points against the Chargers all year.
Meanwhile, Justin Herbert is playing like a man possessed. The Jim Harbaugh magic has worked, and Herbert seems like an altogether different quarterback who’s more willing to rip throws than ever before. His average depth of target is up to a career-high 8.6 yards.
That’s a problem for a Baltimore secondary that cannot stop the pass. It’s not surprising that the Ravens allow the most passing yards per game since they’re usually winning. However, Baltimore also ranks second-worst in explosive pass rate and seventh-worst in pass defense efficiency.
PFN Prediction: Chargers 28, Ravens 27
