Heading into Week 16, there are nine scenarios in which the Baltimore Ravens can clinch a playoff spot in 2022.
It’s much easier said than done, but the Ravens just need to win their final three games this season. Their Week 18 game against the Cincinnati Bengals stands out as their toughest battle, and the result of that matchup will likely determine who gets the higher seed in the playoffs.
By then, hopefully, the Ravens should have already clinched a spot in the postseason. Here’s how they can do so in Week 16.
The following scenarios are courtesy of Ryan Mink from Ravens.com:
- BAL win + NE loss/tie + NYJ loss/tie
- BAL win + NE loss/tie + MIA loss/tie
- BAL win + NYJ loss/tie + MIA loss/tie
- BAL tie | NE loss + NYJ loss
- BAL tie + NE loss + NYJ tie + MIA loss
- BAL tie + NE loss + NYJ tie + LAC win
- BAL tie + NE loss + MIA loss + LAC win
- BAL tie + NE tie + NYJ loss + MIA loss
- BAL tie + NE tie + NYJ tie + MIA loss + LAC win
As you can see, three of the scenarios involve a Baltimore victory and the rest involve a tie, which is unlikely but still a possibility.
The Ravens will play the Atlanta Falcons at home on Saturday while the New England Patriots play the Cincinnati Bengals and the New York Jets play the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Ravens have a chance to win a playoff spot in Week 16
Week 15’s loss to the Cleveland Browns puts the Ravens in second place in the AFC North, one win behind the 10-4 Cincinnati Bengals, though Baltimore holds the divisional record tiebreaker.
The magic number for the Ravens’ win total is 10 — if Baltimore can nab their 10th win against the Falcons on Saturday, and if the Jets and Patriots both lose one of their remaining three games, the Ravens will have punched their ticket to the playoffs.
The AFC playoff picture looks much more precarious than the NFC playoff picture, and there is still a small chance Baltimore could win 10 games and still not make it to the playoffs.
The Ravens’ direct competition is the Jets and the Patriots, who each hold 7-7 records. The Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers, who have 8-6 records, could also threaten Baltimore’s potential playoff spot; the key for the Ravens is to simply win the rest of their games.
Baltimore will also obviously be rooting against the Bengals and hope that Cincinnati lose their next two games against the Patriots and the Bills. If Cincy suffers two losses and Baltimore scores two wins, the AFC North crown — and a top playoff seed — is theirs.
The end-of-season gauntlet is always treacherous and unpredictable, but the Ravens have the resilience to push ahead for a postseason berth. As for a deep playoff run? That’s another story.