The Baltimore Ravens have larger aspirations, but they accomplished one of their goals for the 2024 season on Saturday.
Baltimore clinched a spot in the playoffs for the third straight year and sixth time in the last seven seasons with a 34-17 win over Steelers.
Here is a look at where they fit into the current playoff bracket and standings:
AFC Playoff Bracket
1. Kansas City Chiefs (bye)
7. Denver Broncos at 2. Buffalo Bills
6. Los Angeles Chargers at 3. Pittsburgh Steelers
5. Baltimore Ravens at 4. Houston Texans
AFC Playoff Standings
Division Leaders
1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-1; clinched AFC West)
2. Buffalo Bills (11-3; clinched AFC East)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5; lead AFC North, clinched playoff berth)
4. Houston Texans (9-6; clinched AFC South)
Wild Card Race
5. Baltimore Ravens (10-5, clinched playoff berth)
6. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
7. Denver Broncos (9-6)
8. Indianapolis Colts (6-8)
9. Miami Dolphins (6-8)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)
Eliminated
11. New York Jets (4-10)
12. Cleveland Browns (3-11)
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11)
14. Tennessee Titans (3-11)
15. New England Patriots (3-11)
16. Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
NFC Playoff Bracket
1. Detroit Lions (bye)
7. Washington Commanders at 2. Philadelphia Eagles
6. Green Bay Packers at 3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5. Minnesota Vikings at 4. Los Angeles Rams
NFC Playoff Standings
1. Detroit Lions (12-2; lead NFC North; clinched playoff berth)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2; lead NFC East; clinched playoff berth)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6; lead NFC South)
4. Los Angeles Rams (8-6; lead NFC West)
Wild Card Race
5. Minnesota Vikings (12-2, clinched playoff berth)
6. Green Bay Packers (10-4)
7. Washington Commanders (9-5)
8. Seattle Seahawks (8-6)
9. Atlanta Falcons (7-7)
10. Arizona Cardinals (7-7)
11. San Francisco 49ers (6-8)
12. Dallas Cowboys (6-8)
13. New Orleans Saints (5-9)
Eliminated
14. Chicago Bears (4-10)
15. Carolina Panthers (3-11)
16. New York Giants (2-12)
Frankly, making the playoffs seemed like it would be a formality coming into the season for the Ravens. Not only did they have reigning MVP Lamar Jackson under center and a solid defense, they also added future Hall of Fame running back Derrick Henry during the offseason.
Pairing Jackson and Henry together in the backfield turned out to be a nightmare for opposing defenses.
Jackson is in the middle of MVP discussions after throwing his 37th touchdown pass of the season against Pittsburgh, while Henry has eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the sixth time in the last seven seasons and has 15 total touchdowns.
The Alabama product has remained dominant at 30 years old and after leading the league in carries in four of the previous five seasons, giving the Ravens another dynamic playmaker who can take advantage of all the attention defenses have to pay to Jackson.
All it takes is a split second of a linebacker hesitating to figure out who has the ball between Jackson or Henry for either Ravens star to take off for a game-changing play.
It hasn't been all smooth sailing for the Ravens, though, as they lost their first two games of the season. The one against the Las Vegas Raiders has not aged well, and it was fair to question whether they would be in trouble in the AFC playoff picture.
All they did was respond with five straight wins and a 7-1 stretch that saw them defeat the Cincinnati Bengals twice, Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos. Even with some inconsistent play after that with losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles, it was clear Baltimore was going to make the postseason.
The question now is whether it will take the next step.
The Ravens lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game last season despite having home-field advantage. They have never reached the Super Bowl during the Jackson era, and the quarterback's playoff track record is the only question mark on his resume.
Jackson is just 2-4 as a starter in six playoff games with six touchdown passes to six interceptions. Those statistics don't stack up to peers such as Patrick Mahomes (three Super Bowl rings and 41 touchdown passes to eight interceptions in 18 playoff games) and Josh Allen (21 touchdown passes to four interceptions in 10 playoff games).
Yet he will have the opportunity to change that narrative once again during the upcoming playoffs after the Ravens clinched their spot.
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