After 13 straight weeks of play, the Baltimore Ravens can finally enjoy their long-awaited bye week while the rest of the league competes.
Of course, they are working hard to prepare for the latter part of the season and the playoffs, but the other games in the league will impact their playoff hopes. So here are three games Ravens fans should watch for during their bye week.
The Ravens need help to win their second straight AFC North title, which means the Steelers will lose. Pittsburgh has a 1.5 game lead over Baltimore in the division, and with only a few weeks left in the regular season, that’s a lot to overcome.
The Browns can help the Ravens immensely if they can upset the Steelers on Sunday. They already won the first game of the season two weeks ago, so it’s possible they win this one as well.
If Cleveland pulls off the upset, Baltimore’s chances of winning the division will increase from 38 percent to 62 percent according to the The New York Times Playoff Simulator (the exact odds fluctuate all the time).
Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers have been better than expected this season, currently sitting in the top wild card spot in the AFC with an 8-4 record. This will be their toughest challenge of the season, as facing the Chiefs at Arrowhead is always a tall order, especially with Kansas City finding the most ridiculous ways to win this season.
As dirty as it may seem to put down roots in Kansas City, it’s the most practical option right now. The AFC’s top seed is basically a pipe dream for Baltimore at this point, but Los Angeles is directly competing for a wild card spot, so a loss would be much more beneficial.
Granted, there aren’t many games that directly impact the Ravens this week, as most of the teams near them in the standings are also enjoying their bye week. In the absence of these games, let’s go with the tried and true method of rooting against a division rival.
The Bengals have had a brutal season so far, as despite Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase playing exceptional football every week, their atrocious defense has them at 4-8 and their playoff hopes are on life support . A loss to the Cowboys on Monday would mean a losing season and end the Bengals’ faint playoff hopes, so eliminating one more team could help the Ravens.
At the very least, the “Simpsons Funday Football“The simulcast should be fun to watch.
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