Ravens need a win against the Browns to remain atop the AFC North

The Baltimore Ravens will head into their crucial Week 12 meeting with the Cleveland Browns in desperate need of a win. And after a certain result earlier in the day, that need has only grown.

The AFC North is a jumbled mess right now, and with all four teams set to do battle with each other in Week 12, the standings were always going to look a little different after Sunday was over.

With a one-game lead over the Cincinnati Bengals going into the day, the Ravens were hoping to see their arch-rival Pittsburgh Steelers prevail. Evidently, that did not happen.

The Bengals trounced their division foes to the tune of a 41-10, not too dissimilar to the last time they played the Ravens.

All of a sudden, the Ravens’ lead in the AFC North has been cut to a half-game going into tonight’s matchup. And with the Bengals holding the tiebreaker by virtue of their win against Baltimore earlier in the year, a Ravens loss would drop them to second place in the division.

A Ravens win in Week 12 has suddenly become even more crucial

This was already a critical matchup for the Ravens. The Browns sit at 6-5 and are very much in the thick of things in a wide-open AFC North. Amazingly, this is also only the second divisional game the Ravens have played this year.

And after falling short against the Bengals earlier in the year, a loss to Cleveland would drop them to 0-2 in the division.

The Ravens will play division opponents the following two weeks after this, but falling in an early 0-2 hole in the division could seriously hinder their chances of winning the AFC North.

Now, with the Bengals winning, it has become a must-win game for the Ravens.

The stakes are high in Week 12. Lamar Jackson is returning and he will look to lead his team to an all-important division win under the lights of primetime on Sunday Night Football.

Here’s to hoping the Ravens pull this one out and remain atop the AFC North for another week.