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AFC playoff picture: Where the Ravens stand entering Week 16

kevin oestreicher
·2 min read

The Baltimore Ravens currently stand at 8-6 as they enter Week 16 of the 2021 season. They have a massive divisional matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals on the docket, which could in some ways determine the outcome of their season.

Baltimore lost to the Green Bay Packers in Week 15, which had a massive impact on where they currently stand in the AFC playoff picture. They came into the week leading the AFC North, and left the week out of the playoff picture completely. The top seven seeds in the AFC through 15 weeks are as follows:

  1. Kansas City Chiefs (10-4)

  2. New England Patriots (9-5)

  3. Tennessee Titans (9-5)

  4. Cincinnati Bengals (8-6)

  5. Indianapolis Colts (8-6)

  6. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)

  7. Buffalo Bills (8-6)

The Ravens come in as the No. 8 seed in the AFC at 8-6. Many are wondering how that can be the case when Baltimore has the head-to-head tiebreaker over both the Colts and the Chargers. However, head-to-head record isn’t the first method of tiebreakers when when there are more than two teams with the same record fighting for a wild card spot. Both Indianapolis and Los Angeles hold the tiebreaker over the Ravens for now, as both have better conference records than Baltimore. The Bills hold the No. 7 seed due to having a better record in common games than the Ravens.

In the AFC North, the standings are as follows.

  1. Cincinnati Bengals (8-6)

  2. Baltimore Ravens (8-6)

  3. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6-1)

  4. Cleveland Browns (7-7)

Part of the reason that Baltimore’s Week 16 game against the Bengals is so important is the fact that Cincinnati defeated the Ravens in Week 7. If Baltimore loses to the Bengals again, Cincinnati will hold the head-to-head tiebreaker and the Ravens’ divisional record will fall to 1-4.

There are still plenty of scenarios where Baltimore makes the playoffs, and their season is far from over. However, they must win their divisional games if they want to make their path to the postseason as easy as possible.