Ravens (nearly) in the postseason with Bengals (almost) eliminated barring a miracle

The implications of the TNF win of the Ravens over the Bengals cannot be clear: Baltimore is a postseason team, and Cincinnati is... not?

That's stretching things a bit, of course, as we're only 11 weeks into the regular season and there is still a full third of the year to play. Hell, the Ravens haven't even gone on their bye week yet!

But the truth is that after beating Cincy 34-20 on TNF, the Ravens (8-3) are looking like a lock to make the playoffs while the Bengals (5-5) are facing more than long odds to even make the wild card game.

Baltimore is currently in possession of the fourth-best winning percentage across the NFL with two more games played than all teams above them in the standings (they have played early in Week 11 and have yet to go on a bye).

In the AFC, only the Chiefs (7-2) have a better winning percentage than the Ravens, but Kansas City will play Philadelphia on Monday. The Eagles have the best record in the NFL at 8-1, but something has to give when all is said and done at the start of next week with one of these two inevitably (most probably barring and odd tie) losing.

On the other hand, Cincinnati is 5-5 overall but a putrid 1-5 in AFC matchups and a disastrous 0-3 in the AFC North division in particular. Also, the Ravens have swept the Bengals 2-0 so that means there is no realistic way the Bengals overtake Baltimore in the division standings.

The Bengals' outlook is plain horrible. They will need to make the wild card because they are virtually eliminated from an AFC North title. They are currently in 10th place in the AFC tied with three other teams, and they are tied for 14th in the NFL with four other franchises.

Oh, hey, and did I mention Joe Burrow had to left Thursday's game with a right wrist (his throwing arm) injury halfway there? After starting the season with an injured calf!? Uh, oh. Not looking good, boy!

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