The Baltimore Ravens jumped the Pittsburgh Steelers for first place in the AFC North following their Week 12 win over the New York Jets. Sunday’s win was another ugly showing for the offense, but just as they did against the Cleveland Browns, the defense stepped up and propelled the team to its sixth victory of the season.
The win matches Baltimore with Pittsburgh at a record of 6-5, but they hold the tiebreaker over their counterpart due to their record in AFC North matchups. The Ravens are 2-0 in those games, while the Steelers are 2-1.
Still, the division is far from won. That part is obvious. But looking at the schedule ahead, while Baltimore controls their own destiny, their schedule will no longer be easy. With four matchups against division rivals and two others against legitimate playoff contenders, they have six straight tough, competitive games lying ahead.
Head Coach John Harbaugh knows what is at stake following Sunday’s win. The Ravens have a short week, taking on the Cincinnati Bengals in primetime on Thanksgiving. He knows they cannot take their foot off the gas. In fact, they have to push the accelerator to the floor.
“[Being in first in the AFC North] feels great, but it’s halfway done. Season’s not over,” Harbaugh said. “We play the Steelers twice and we play the Bengals twice in the next few weeks, so that’s gonna be it right there. Starting Thursday night, we got no time to rest. We gotta go to work on the Bengals, and we know what that’s like, how challenging that is. We’ll be ready to go.”
Ravens immediately face tough challenge after Sunday’s win
The celebration of Sunday's win will have to last just a few hours, as the Ravens will immediately jump into planning for Thursday night’s game against the Bengals. Not only will it be a tough divisional matchup in a primetime environment, but they could also meet quarterback Joe Burrow in his first game back since suffering a turf toe injury in Week 2.
Burrow always gives Baltimore a run for their money. He and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins tend to torch the Ravens’ defense, but this time, it seems like Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr will be prepared to welcome them to Charm City.
Orr and his unit have held each of their last six opponents to less than 20 points, and while Cincinnati’s offense is more electrifying than most they have faced during that stretch, the defense looks like one of the more sound units in football over the last couple of months. The Bengals’ abysmal defense should also make the Ravens favorites in Week 13.
Still, it only starts there. It does not end there. Another win next week would put Baltimore in the driver’s seat for the AFC North heading into the rest of the campaign, but each of their final six opponents should pose tough challenges. That is especially true for the Steelers in Week 14 and Week 18.
Simply put, this is just the beginning for Baltimore. They have rebounded after a horrendous start, but a record of 6-5 far from guarantees them a playoff berth. The goal is to win the division, and despite leaping into first place in Week 12, the road will only get rockier in the coming month.