With a little less than two weeks remaining in the regular season, we’re officially at that point in the year where some teams control their own destiny while others are begging for some help. In the case of the Baltimore Ravens, unfortunately, it’s more of the latter than anything else.
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Thanks to the Houston Texans’ 20-16 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday of Week 17, the Indianapolis Colts have been officially eliminated from playoff contention. That leaves the door open for Baltimore, which had just a 10% chance of making the playoffs ahead of their matchup with the Green Bay Packers.
Lamar Jackson was ruled out for the contest, meaning that they had to gut this one out with Tyler Huntley. But they somehow managed to find a path to victory. And their chances of reaching the postseason increased to 22%.
With the win now out of the way, they also need the Pittsburgh Steelers to lose to the Cleveland Browns in Week 17. The Steelers themselves are boasting a 90% chance of making the playoffs ahead of their road trip to Cleveland, and even if they were to lose, their odds would fall no further than 74%. Oddsmakers are currently listing Pittsburgh as -3.5 point favorites against the Browns, while the comeback on Cleveland’s money line is offering odds of +150.
The numbers that the bookies are handing out seem to suggest that it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Ravens hanging around for at least one more week. If that proved to be the case, then the Ravens and Steelers would be forced to settle things the old-fashioned way in their head-to-head match-up in the final week of the season.
Between their storied divisional rivalry and the added context of a playoff spot being on the line, that contest could end up being an instant classic in the making. But it’s hard to imagine Huntley outdueling a future Hall of Fame quarterback like Aaron Rodgers when things matter most.
In sticking with their theme for the season, this entire narrative hinges on the availability of Jackson. If he’s able to return in Week 18, then everything is on the table. Should he remain on the sidelines, however, then the Ravens will likely be forced to pack their things and fly south for the winter.
