The latest power rankings following their Week 18 trouncing of the Cleveland Browns.
Several national pundits boosted the Baltimore Ravens in recent power rankings after their dominant 35-10 win over the Cleveland Browns to secure the division and the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs. The Ravens are a consensus top-six team while rising as high as three on a few lists. Let’s see exactly where they land in the landscape of NFL power rankings heading into the postseason.
The Ringer: 3 (Last week: 2)
All season, we’ve lamented the Ravens’ inability to finish games and their tendency to beat themselves with poor special teams play and penalties. But this team has largely cleaned up its operation down the stretch. Defensively, the Ravens have turned up their aggression by loading the box and forcing opponents to beat them on the perimeter, something that’s been made possible by rookie Nate Wiggins’s growth and Marlon Humphrey playing like the best slot defender in the NFL. Running back Derrick Henry gives this team a change of pace on offense that it’ll need to beat the likes of Buffalo and Kansas City on the road in the playoffs, and the receiving corps has a better balance of roles and body types than ever before. It finally seems like the pieces are in place to allow Lamar Jackson to lead the Ravens on a deep run, and he can plant his flag as the undisputed best player in football if he delivers.
The Athletic: 6 (Last week: 6)
One lesson learned: Thirty is the new 20
Maybe that’s an exaggeration, but there’s no question Derrick Henry would have gotten more attention in free agency if he wasn’t 31 years old. He was 30 last offseason, and that’s traditionally considered the cliff for elite running backs. Not for Henry, who rushed for 1,921 yards this season and has made the Ravens offense one of the most dangerous in the league heading into the playoffs.
NFL.com: 5 (Last week: 6)
Saturday’s throttling of the Browns was about the defense. From Nate Wiggins’ pick-six to big man Michael Pierce’s interception (with another Kyle Van Noy sack in between), the Ravens were mostly dominant on that side of the ball, compensating for a slow start by the offense that kept the score semi-close. Then Lamar Jackson heated up and Derrick Henry rumbled for two TDs. Right now, it just feels like the Ravens are flying way below where they were on the radar at this time last year, when they were the team everyone was looking up at. Now the Ravens are the hunters, lying in the weeds. Sure, there’s some tall grass in the AFC, but the best version of this team can mow down the field.
USA Today: 3 (Last week: 7)
Is anyone playing better? They’ve won four straight, by an average of 23 points, since a Week 14 bye. Good luck finding an offense that has more ways to beat you – even if Pro Bowl WR Zay Flowers (knee) misses time. After being the team’s early season Achilles, the defense has gelled – allowing fewer than 11 points and 250 yards over the past month while forcing six turnovers (including two pick-sixes). Even struggling K Justin Tucker has stabilized.
Oh yeah, Jackson is probably the best football player on the planet.
But before going all in on the Ravens, one must consider their recent postseason flops. They’re 2-5 in the playoffs since Jackson came aboard in 2018 – he missed one of those losses – and he’s decidedly not been the same player when the chips are on the table. The AFC North champs will likely have to win road games at Buffalo and Kansas City in order to reach the Super Bowl. And to do that, they’d be wise not to lose sight of their identity – looking at you, OC Todd Monken – and that means running the ball, whether by feeding RB Derrick Henry or some designed gallops for Jackson, who can loosen up a defense like no other. Also, Ravens supporters can’t be thrilled to see the Kryptonite Steelers, much as they’ve scuffled lately, as the opening assignment Saturday night.
Yahoo Sports: 5 (Last week 6)
Zach Orr hasn’t been a hot name yet this offseason. Maybe next year he will. The defensive turnaround looks great on the 32-year-old coordinator. John Harbaugh has proven to be a great head coach, and getting a young rising talent off his tree would be smart. Orr is on his way to a head coaching job, and soon.
CBS Sports: 5 (Last Week 6)
They head into the playoffs as one of the best in the AFC. The offense will be tough to stop, but their defense will be what decides how far they go.
Sports Illustrated: 6 (Last week 6)
Zay Flowers’s availability complicates my confidence in Baltimore’s ability to avoid a straight-up slugfest against Pittsburgh just slightly. While the Steelers are not some kind of impenetrable force, allowing them to hang around past the third quarter is pure hell for any team, hence the need for a gamebreaking wide receiver.
33rd Team: 6 (Last week: 6)
The Baltimore Ravens won the AFC North for the second straight season and did so by winning four straight games to end the season. However, they will likely need to win in the playoffs without Zay Flowers, who suffered a knee injury against the Browns. Baltimore has enough weapons on offense to overcome it, but it certainly won’t be easy.
Sporting News: 5 (Last week 6)
The Ravens finished on a fantastic four-game surge to close the season with Lamar Jackson padding his MVP-caliber stats and getting a lot more help from an improved complementary defense. Derrick Henry and their running game is built to handle this clutch time of year, and they also can erase opponents’ rushing attacks. They just need their offensive line and secondary to keep it up in tougher matchups.
New York Post: 6 (Last Week 7)
MVP candidate Lamar Jackson put the finishing touch on a historic season in a 35-10 win against the Browns to clinch the AFC North title. He became the first quarterback ever to throw for 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns with four or fewer interceptions. Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman caught touchdowns, but No. 1 option Zay Flowers left with a knee injury.
Bleacher Report: 5 (Last week: 6)
After blasting the woeful Cleveland Browns on Saturday, the Baltimore Ravens are champions of the AFC North and the conference’s No. 3 seed. Head coach John Harbaugh told reporters that while the team will celebrate the division title, there’s still much more for the Ravens to accomplish this year.
Fox Sports: 5 (Last week: 6)
From Bucky Brooks
The Ravens are playing their best football heading into a tournament requiring them to be at their best. Lamar Jackson has played MVP-caliber ball, exhibiting the explosive dual-threat skills that make him nearly impossible to defend. Though he will need to take his game up a notch in the playoffs, he has a strong supporting cast around him that should alleviate the need for him to play “hero ball” in the playoffs.
Pro Football Talk: 6 (Last week: 6)
Will the playoffs end differently this time for Lamar Jackson and company?
Sharp Football Analysis: 4 (Last week: 4)
The Ravens clinched their second consecutive AFC North title with a convincing 35-10 win over the Browns with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry combining for an impressive 201 rushing yards. Despite their strong showing, the Ravens will need to address one area of concern – their occasional sloppy play, which could be costly in high-stakes playoff matchups.