Pundit Says AFC North Is Three-Team Race, Division Champion Could Have Losing Record
Three days after the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving knocked the Ravens out of a first-place tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North and into the "on the bubble" category in the playoff race, the Steelers' 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday vaulted Baltimore back on top, and now Pittsburgh is on the outside looking in.
The Ravens and Steelers are both 6-6, but Baltimore would win the division if the season ended today because of a better record in common games (5-3) than Pittsburgh (4-4).
Whoever wins the showdown between the Ravens and Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium this Sunday will take control of the division, but obviously, nothing will be settled. That might not happen until the archrivals meet again in Pittsburgh in the season finale.
Meanwhile, the Bengals (4-8) are threatening to make it a three-team race. Their win over the Ravens and having quarterback Joe Burrow back have given them hope.
Cincinnati is 3-1 in the division (Baltimore and Pittsburgh are 2-1) and will host the Ravens in Week 15 and the Cleveland Browns in Week 18. Record in divisional games is the second tiebreaker (after head-to-head results).
ESPN’s Dan Graziano said that with the Ravens and Steelers sitting at .500, the Bengals have a shot, and it's not out of the realm of possibility that the AFC North winner could have a losing record.
"We all know Mike Tomlin's Steelers have never finished a season with a losing record, so this is a tough call to make. But my goodness, did they stink Sunday," Graziano wrote. "So the Steelers are playing extremely poorly. Thing is, the Ravens kind of are, too. Yeah, they had won five in a row before Thursday night, but Lamar Jackson hasn't thrown a touchdown pass in three games, and Baltimore's offense looks out of sync.
"The 4-8 Bengals are in this thing, folks, and looking at those schedules and the way these teams are playing, don't tell me they can't win the division at 8-9."
No team has ever won the AFC North with fewer than 10 wins.
Two Positive Takeaways From Jackson's Performance Against Bengals
The Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Shaffer found some good in Jackson's otherwise rough night against the Bengals.
Jackson said after the game that he just needs to "be Lamar" going forward, and Shaffer saw flashes of the best version of the two-time MVP.
"Lower-body injuries — first a hamstring, then a knee, then an ankle and most recently a toe — have slowed Jackson all year," Shaffer wrote. "But, four days after looking tentative and lumbering at times in a win over the New York Jets, Jackson had some explosiveness back.
"He scrambled for first downs in the first and second quarters. He took an option keeper for a third-down conversion in the third quarter. And he showed his trademark keep-the-play-alive ability on a handful of scrambles, most notably a 20-yard completion to tight end Isaiah Likely. … Having a more mobile quarterback should open the Ravens' running playbook and add a much-needed dimension to their passing game."
Shaffer also found a throw Jackson made to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins encouraging.
"Every so often Jackson will leave clues that he trusts Hopkins to win in ways that he has not trusted other Ravens wide receivers over his career," Shaffer wrote. "On Thursday, that faith showed in the fourth quarter. Over Jackson's career, he has almost never had the kind of security-blanket outside wide receivers that the Bengals' Joe Burrow has enjoyed. And so he's almost never attempted the kind of throw that Burrow has specialized in: the back-shoulder fade. According to Sports Info Solutions, over his first seven years in Baltimore, Jackson went just 1-for-4 on back-shoulder fades, and 0-for-2 when targeting outside receivers.
"In training camp, Jackson showed a willingness to look for Hopkins in contested-catch settings. But not until Thursday did he embrace a back-shoulder opportunity. With Bengals outside cornerback Daxton Hill's back turned to Jackson as Hopkins ran a vertical route down the left sideline, Jackson fired a pass to Hopkins, who paused his route and attacked the ball to secure a 15-yard catch."
Is Daniel Faalele Criticism Fair?
Even though the Ravens have moved into a rotation at left guard between Andrew Vorhees and rookie Emery Jones Jr., right guard continues to be a focal point for media and fans.
Right guard Daniel Faalele has been the subject of scrutiny this season, but is the criticism fair? The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec weighed in.
"Some of it is," Zrebiec wrote. "Faalele, a converted tackle, has had his fair share of struggles since becoming a starter last year. He has some really good reps, but those are glossed over in favor of the plays where he's on the ground, a step behind or blocking air. It's just a mixed bag with him and the lows are really low.
"However, it also needs to be said that the entire offensive line has not played up to its potential this year and that includes the accomplished duo of Ronnie Stanley and Tyler Linderbaum."
Faalele has had strong games the past two weeks. Pro Football Focus gave Faalele a 72.9 grade against the Bengals, which was the fifth-highest mark on the offense, and a season-high run-blocking grade of 75.
Dre'Mont Jones Reacts to Fine
Outside linebacker Dre'Mont Jones responded on social media to being fined $14,055 by the NFL for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The league deemed Jones made a "violent gesture" after his sack in the final minutes of the Ravens' win over the New York Jets in Week 12.
The sack, which resulted in an 8-yard loss, occurred on third-and-9 at the Jets' 19-yard line with 1:56 remaining and the Ravens ahead by 13.
