Lamar Jackson, Ravens Face Crucial Stretch With Playoff Hopes Hanging in the Balance
The Baltimore Ravens are still in the fight-but the margin for error is razor-thin.
Despite Lamar Jackson missing another practice this week, he's expected to suit up for a pivotal AFC North clash against the Cincinnati Bengals. And with just four games left in the regular season, the Ravens' playoff hopes are hanging in the balance, teetering between possibility and elimination.
Right now, Baltimore sits at 6-7, second in the division behind the Steelers. They're coming off a tough loss to Pittsburgh and were handled convincingly by Cincinnati in their last meeting. If they’re going to make a run, it has to start now.
No Wild Card Safety Net-It’s Division or Bust
Let’s be clear: the Ravens don’t have a backdoor into the postseason. There’s no Wild Card cushion. Their only path to January football runs directly through the AFC North title-and that means overtaking the Steelers.
That’s a tall order. Pittsburgh holds a one-game edge and a 75% chance of winning the division, per FTN Fantasy.
Baltimore? Their odds sit at 21%.
Not impossible, but far from ideal.
The good news? The Ravens still get another shot at the Steelers in Week 18.
The bad news? They’ll likely need to win that game-and a couple more-to even have a shot.
Head coach John Harbaugh isn’t backing down from the challenge.
“Four games left. The season is not over,” Harbaugh said.
“Fighting for the AFC North for the next four games. That's where we stand.”
That fight starts this week against the Bengals.
The Scenarios: What It’ll Take to Get In
If the Ravens win out, they’ll be crowned AFC North champions. That’s the cleanest route. But even a 3-1 finish could be enough-if the right dominoes fall.
Let’s say they beat the Bengals and Steelers, but drop games to the Packers and Patriots. In that case, they’d need the Steelers to lose two of their remaining three non-Ravens games. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s not a fantasy either.
There’s even a narrow path at 8-9. And yes, believe it or not, a 7-10 finish could technically get them in-but that would require a Steelers collapse (0-4 down the stretch) and the Bengals dropping at least two of their final three against the Dolphins, Cardinals, and Browns.
It’s a lot of “ifs,” but the math isn’t zero.
According to one projection model, the Ravens have a 30% chance of making the playoffs. But the Week 15 matchup against Cincinnati is a fork in the road.
Win, and their odds jump to 48%. Lose, and they plummet to 14%.
That’s a massive swing for one game.
Lamar Jackson Holds the Key
Let’s not sugarcoat it-this team goes as Lamar Jackson goes. And lately, the former MVP hasn’t looked like himself.
He’s in a four-game slump, throwing just one touchdown to four interceptions in that span. That’s the longest stretch of his career without multiple passing scores in a game.
But here’s the twist: Jackson is 4-0 in Cincinnati, with 15 touchdowns and just one pick in those games. He’s owned this matchup in the past.
Harbaugh is betting on his quarterback to rise when it matters most.
“When the game starts, and the lights come on, there's nobody you'd rather have,” Harbaugh said. “I always have so much respect for [Jackson] and the way he plays, the way he fights and competes.”
Jackson knows what’s on the line.
“Each and every week there's no room for error,” Jackson said. “We are professionals.
Now, I feel like we are just trying to win as much as we can right now. We've just been talking about the four-game stretch.
You just have to lock in and put it all on the line.”
He’s dealing with some physical limitations-enough to miss practice-but Harbaugh made it clear that Jackson’s health is being prioritized.
“If it's not the best thing to practice because you want to get your body right, I think you have to respect that as a coach,” Harbaugh said. “I know you have to respect that as a coach.”
The Road Ahead
After the Bengals, the Ravens host the Patriots, then travel to face the Packers and close the season in Pittsburgh. That’s a tough stretch-no cupcakes on the schedule-but it’s also an opportunity.
If Baltimore can navigate this gauntlet, they’ll be playoff-tested and battle-hardened. And if Lamar Jackson finds his rhythm again, the Ravens could be a dangerous team come January.
But first, they’ve got to survive December.