The latest power rankings following their Week 16 domination of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Most national pundits haven’t changed their views or opinions on the Baltimore Ravens who notched a vindicating 34-17 win over their archrival Pittsburgh Steelers to punch their ticket to the playoffs and stay alive in the AFC North race. The consensus belief is that they are still a top 10 team in the league with most moving them up slightly a spot or two while others didn’t move them at all on their respective lists. Now, it’s time to see where the team lands in the NFL landscape of power rankings heading into Week 17.
The Ringer: 3 (Last week: 5)
When a team is as talented as Baltimore, it will often refuse to make changes to its schematic philosophy late in the season. The Ravens, though, have made tweaks on both sides of the ball, and it’s paid off in consecutive blowout wins against the Giants and Steelers. Quarterback Lamar Jackson is averaging more than 9 air yards per attempt in each of the past five games—three clearing the 10-yard mark. And defensively, the Ravens have essentially abandoned playing Cover 4 shells to load up the box and play single-high more often—trusting their corners to win one-on-one. With Kansas City at 14-1 and Buffalo the only team to have beaten the Chiefs, people have kind of glossed over the Ravens down the stretch—but I still believe that this is the best team in the AFC this year.
The Athletic: 7 (Last week: 8)
Since 2018 when Lamar Jackson was drafted, he is eighth in the NFL in expected points added per dropback (.13), and he has won two MVP awards. In the playoffs since 2018, he is 32nd in EPA per dropback (minus-.06) and has a 2-4 record. If Jackson can shake that history and Baltimore can play like it did Saturday in thumping the Steelers, Baltimore has as good a chance as any team to lift the Lombardi Trophy.
NFL.com: 7 (Last week: 7)
Beating the Steelers surely met the Ravens’ emotional needs after they let the first matchup slip away in Pittsburgh. The win also helped them clinch a playoff spot, but capturing the AFC North will take a little more work. If Baltimore and Pittsburgh each win out, the Steelers take the division title because of their stronger record in common games. Can the Ravens win in Houston and at home against the Browns? Yes and yes. Could the Steelers suffer a home loss to the Chiefs on Christmas Day or to the Bengals in Week 18? Both are likely tough outings for Pittsburgh. So things are looking up for the Ravens, but even if they don’t finish tops in the division, they’re not likely to be anyone’s first choice of opponent on Super Wild Card Weekend. Derrick Henry hasn’t scored in four games, which is wild, but he’s averaging 112.8 rush yards in that span and is usually extra nightmarish to tackle at this time of year.
ESPN: 6 (Last week: 8)
Rookie of the year: Offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten
Rosengarten is the starting right tackle for an offense that ranks first in total yards (423.7) and third in scoring (29.3). A second-round pick out of Washington, he has excelled opening lanes for running back Derrick Henry, ranking second among all tackles with an 83.8% run block win rate.
USA Today: 7 (Last week: 8)
Lamar Jackson’s immediate priority might be Queen Bey. Otherwise, he and his teammates very much seem to be rounding into championship form at the right time … and 12 years after they won the last Super Bowl staged in New Orleans.
Yahoo Sports: 7 (Last week 8)
Josh Allen has the momentum for NFL MVP. What if, after Allen didn’t do much vs. the Patriots, Lamar Jackson has a massive day on Christmas with everyone watching? Jackson looks like a long shot because the narrative is on Allen’s side, but the race shouldn’t be considered over yet.
CBS Sports: 7 (Last Week 8)
By beating the Steelers, they are back in the division race. The defense is making strides at the right time.
Sports Illustrated: 7 (Last week 8)
More continued success for Justin Tucker, who has not missed a kick since the bye week!
Sporting News: 7 (Last week 8)
The Ravens are finding some real defense and big plays at the right time to help Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. They are back in the AFC title mix, not far behind the Chiefs.
New York Post: 7 (Last Week 8)
After a rare interception thrown by Lamar Jackson, teammate Marlon Humphrey responded with an interception of his own … and he returned his for a fourth-quarter touchdown in a 34-17 win against the Steelers. Jackson threw three touchdown passes and the Ravens picked up three of their own fumbles to avert disaster and clinch a playoff berth.
Pro Football Talk: 7 (Last week: 7)
It feels like they’ll get another crack at the Chiefs.
Bleacher Report: 6 (Last week: 8)
The AFC North just got really interesting. By virtue of Baltimore’s double-up of the Pittsburgh Steelers, both teams now sit at 10-5. The Steelers still hold the tiebreaker as things stand today, but the final two weeks of the regular season now carries massive stakes for both teams. The Ravens were propelled to victory by quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry – and by a pick-six from veteran cornerback Marlon Humphrey.
Fox Sports: 7 (Last week: 9)
Do not look now, but the Ravens are peaking heading into the playoffs. Lamar Jackson is playing at an MVP level, evolving as a dual-threat playmaker inside and outside of the pocket. Derrick Henry adds pop to the running game as a super-sized back with a devastating stiff arm. With the defense steadily improving under defensive coordinator Zachary Orr, the Ravens are starting to look like the title contender many envisioned before the season.
Sharp Football Analysis: 4 (Last week: 5)
The Ravens have clinched their third straight playoff berth and their sixth in the last seven seasons. This marks the 12th playoff appearance under head coach John Harbaugh in his 17-season tenure. The offense has been on a historic run, averaging 6.86 yards per play this season, the third-most in a single season in NFL history. Lamar Jackson has set a new franchise record with 37 touchdown passes this season. Derrick Henry‘s fourth 1,500-yard rushing season puts him in elite company, trailing only Barry Sanders in that category.