With time running out, the Ravens are still looking to climb back into the upper echelon of power rankings.
After giving up an 11-point fourth-quarter lead to the New England Patriots Sunday night, the Ravens are hovering around the middle of hierarchies. Baltimore, which was a unanimous top five team before the season, is now as low as No. 18 in ESPN's ranking.
Here's where Baltimore stands heading into Week 17:
| Source | Ranking | Last Week's Ranking | Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFL.com | No. 16 | No. 15 | "Lamar Jackson left Sunday night's game against the Patriots with a back injury, the Ravens blew an 11-point lead with 10 minutes left and now their playoff hopes are on life support. Simply winning the final two games doesn't guarantee a playoff spot, thanks to Pittsburgh's win in Detroit. Now comes the big-picture question that I've held back on asking until now: Are we sure John Harbaugh will return in 2026? The Ravens will finish this season 3-6 at home -- more losses in Baltimore than they had in the two previous seasons combined. With Jackson's status unknown and Baltimore traditionally struggling without him in the lineup, the Ravens could be headed for a 10-loss campaign. The future of this proud franchise feels like it's hanging in the balance right now." |
| The Athletic | No. 17 | No. 15 | "One concern: Lamar Jackson’s health. This season, Jackson has dealt with injuries to his hamstring, knee, ankle, toe and now a back injury that forced him to miss the second half of Sunday night’s game. When he’s not healthy, this team hasn’t looked right." |
| The Ringer | No. 15 | No. 15 | "At no point in the Lamar Jackson era should the Ravens be out of the playoff picture, so bungling an opportunity to rescue this season in spite of Jackson’s multiple health issues is a failure of coaching. The Ravens have lost three of their last four games and now must face serious questions about how it all went wrong. Head coach John Harbaugh hasn’t forgotten how to build a championship-level team, but his approach feels stale. His teams have fallen short too many times in the past five years. It finally feels like time to bring some fresh energy into the building to get this team back over the hump." |
| ESPN.com | No. 18 | No. 15 | "Rookie of the year: Safety Malaki Starks Starks has lived up to the expectations of being the No. 27 pick. He is one of three rookie defensive backs to record over 70 tackles and multiple interceptions this season. The Ravens have been impressed with his maturity and awareness. "He's conscientious, so he always wants to do things right," coach John Harbaugh said. It's a difficult decision to choose Baltimore's top rookie, considering the team drafted three immediate starters in 2025 -- Starks, edge rusher Mike Green (second round) and inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan (fourth round). On special teams, kicker Tyler Loop (sixth round) and return specialist LaJohntay Wester (sixth round) have also been impactful." |
| FOX Sports | No. 16 | No. 16 | "After gashing the Patriots for 128 yards on 18 carries, why was Derrick Henry on the sidelines the last two series? John Harbaugh took his team's destiny out of its hands." |
| Sports Illustrated | No. 16 | No. 15 | "If you happen to find yourself on the website today, check out this piece on Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. I think this team is a prime candidate for an Aaron Rodgers-Jordan Love type situation as we head into a disappointing offseason." |
| USA Today | No. 15 | No. 15 | "Maybe they'd be more successful if they went into fourth quarters trailing rather than trying to protect leads?" |
| CBS Sports | No. 16 | No. 17 | "After blowing an 11-point lead to the Patriots, they now face long odds to make the playoffs. Their game with Green Bay on Saturday night is essentially a playoff game because a loss eliminates them." |
| Pro Football Focus | No. 11 | No. 8 | "Even without Lamar Jackson (70.0 grade; 26th), who was ruled out with a back injury for the second half of their Week 16 loss against the Patriots, the Ravens were still in range to snatch a late victory. Instead, individual mistakes — which have often been the downfall of the offense in 2025 — reared their ugly head again in the form of a Zay Flowers (76.9 grade; 25th) fumble. Jackson looked closer to his best, and backup Tyler Huntley was effective enough off the bench, while the Ravens leaned into giving Derrick Henry (72.7 grade; 27th) the ball. In the end, it wasn’t enough, and the Ravens let an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter slip. Pair that with the Steelers' win against the Lions, and the Ravens are almost all but certainly out of the playoffs." |
