Are Baltimore Ravens the class of the AFC?

The Ravens sit atop the AFC after the Bills suffered their second loss of the season, but Mike Florio and Peter King are wary of declaring them the best of the conference this early.

Video Transcript

MIKE FLORIO: Time now for more "PFT" on Yahoo Sports. Peter King, Mike Florio, all the big stories in the National Football League. And now that the Buffalo Bills have picked up their second loss of the season, there's one team in the AFC with only one loss. It's the Baltimore Ravens.

Peter, are the Ravens the class of a very top heavy and competitive AFC?

PETER KING: See that's the problem with taking the temperature of any conference, any division in week five, six, seven, eight. A, it really doesn't matter. B, two weeks ago we might have said, hey, are the Chargers the class of the AFC?

Last week we would have said, hey, are the Bills the class of the AFC and, in fact, the NFL? So now because the Ravens are the only five and one team in the AFC, we say are they the class of the AFC? Today, right now, if there was a playoff game played today involving any two AFC teams and one of them was Baltimore, I'd probably pick Baltimore.

However, you don't play playoff games on October 19, 2021. You play playoff games in three months, and that's when it will matter.

MIKE FLORIO: And that's really the question. What can we glean from what's happening now as it relates to whether or not the Ravens can start having sustained success in the postseason? And I saw the domination of the Los Angeles Chargers. And on "PFT Live" yesterday, Mike Golic made a great point. That after the game. Justin Herbert said we saw looks from the Ravens defense that they had not put on film.

If they have a broader plan for holding things back, changing things up, and improving as the season goes on, that's the key. The blowout, the domination of a team that we would have said is one of the best in the League before that game, that has kind of given me faith at the Ravens taking those close wins, all those times they pulled a rabbit out of the hat. And they gained confidence. And they developed momentum.

And when they beat the Seahawks in week six or so in 2019, that propelled them to start blowing people out. I'm curious to see if this Ravens team has reached the level of performance and confidence where they can blow people out. And will it sustain into the postseason when its single elimination?

PETER KING: You know, Mike, a month ago, they needed the longest field goal in NFL history to beat what is now an 0 and six team, the Detroit Lions. Last week, they were behind the Indianapolis Colts 22 to 3 late in the third quarter. And, again, I'm not trying to rain on the Ravens' parade.

I mean the Ravens were the best team in the League this weekend. That doesn't mean they're the best team in the League or their own conference right now. We'll see. And, again, I don't mean to be a get off my lawn type guy on a question like this. But to me it's going to change almost every week.

And if the Ravens had lost either one of those games that they won by semi miraculous ways, and they were four and two right now, would we even be having this discussion?

MIKE FLORIO: Well, no. We'd be having it about the team that's five and one. But that proves your point. We take the temperature on a regular basis even though we know ultimately it's going to be determined in January. But the Ravens, for now, have shown me that they are capable of winning close games, and they're also capable of winning in convincing fashion, which we saw.

And I will say this. They have the Bengals this weekend then their bye week. To the extent that this notion is true that Lamar Jackson doesn't have his contract because number one, he represents himself, and number two, he's been too busy with football, I hope everyone makes it a priority to get this guy taken care of financially. Because number one, he's one of the best quarterbacks in the League. And number two, he is constantly at physical risk, Peter, they need to get this done.

The Baker Mayfield injury is even more proof they need to get this guy taken care of. Because he is what makes that team go.

PETER KING: He's still one in three in the playoffs. He's played four playoff games. He's averaged scoring 13 points a game in those four games. And, again, if I were the Ravens, I would wait till after the season to figure out what to do. What happens if they lose in the first round of the playoffs 28 to 3? And there's Lamar Jackson with a $45 million a year contract.

MIKE FLORIO: No. If I was Lamar Jackson, I'd say pay me, or you can play Tyler Huntley instead. But that's a topic for another day. Thanks for some of your time.

PETER KING: Not me.

MIKE FLORIO: Peter King, Mike Florio. Will be back with more "PFT" on Yahoo Sports throughout the season.