Ravens Could Be Facing a Brutal Path to Super Bowl
There are nonetheless seven weeks to go within the common season, but when it ended right this moment, the Ravens’ path to the Super Bowl would possible be daunting.
Trailing the Pittsburgh Steelers by two video games within the loss column within the AFC North and at the moment holding the sixth seed within the convention, the Ravens may find yourself having to beat the AFC’s high three groups on the highway to make it to New Orleans in February.
“If the season ended right this moment, Baltimore would journey again to Pittsburgh for the wild-card spherical,” The Baltimore Sun’s Sam Cohn wrote. “Should quarterback Lamar Jackson exorcise his black-and-gold demons, the Ravens would possible fly north to face the Bills (9-2), who the Ravens beat at house in Week 4. A win there would possible imply an AFC championship sport rematch in Kansas City (9-1) with a Super Bowl journey on the road.
“A attainable trio of playoff highway video games in Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Kansas City — Head Coach John Harbaugh’s file in such contests is an inconclusive 6-6 since 2009 — would supplementarily require the Bills to advance previous the Broncos (6-5) within the divisional spherical and the Chiefs, who preserve the first-round bye, to get previous the winner of the Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) vs. Houston Texans (7-4).”
It’s fairly the gauntlet, however previous Ravens groups have efficiently navigated comparable challenges within the playoffs.
The 2000 and 2012 Ravens groups that gained the Super Bowl had been wild playing cards. Unlike the present situation, each of these squads had a first-round house sport, however they nonetheless had to beat the Nos. 1 and a pair of seeds on the highway.
Of course, loads can change over the subsequent seven weeks, beginning with Monday night time’s huge sport in Los Angeles going in opposition to the Chargers, who at the moment have the No. 5 seed.
“Sunday was additionally oddly Pittsburgh’s first divisional sport of the 12 months,” Cohn wrote. “Facing the eleventh hardest remaining schedule, the Steelers have 5 of their closing seven video games in opposition to AFC North foes. Kansas City and Philadelphia are the opposite two opponents. Should the Ravens bypass Pittsburgh for the highest seed within the AFC North, beating the Chargers, Texans and Steelers alongside the best way, your entire playoff image swiftly reshuffles.”
