NFL Analysis
12/18/23
5 min read
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens Are AFC's Clear-Cut Favorites
The AFC has never been weaker. The Kansas City Chiefs have significant problems on offense, especially at receiver. The Buffalo Bills, even after a win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15, are in real danger of not making the postseason (Currently seeded ninth in the AFC). And the Miami Dolphins have yet to have an impressive win this season (0-3 against teams over .500). Plus, we've seen several franchise quarterbacks go down in the AFC, including Joe Burrow (Bengals), Justin Herbert (Chargers), Aaron Rodgers (Jets), and Deshaun Watson (Browns).
The Baltimore Ravens are the best team in the AFC, and this year's version might be the best of the Lamar Jackson era. Heading into Sunday Night Football, the Ravens held a 10-3 record but needed to take care of the Jaguars in Jacksonville to hold onto the No. 1 spot in the AFC. Not only did they win, but they absolutely dominated another playoff-caliber team.
It all starts with Jackson, who was magnificent again on Sunday. He completed 14 of 24 passes but made several huge throws whenever the Ravens needed them the most. He routinely escaped pressure and used his legs to buy time in the pocket. His best play of the night was a wild scramble drill where he hit Isaiah Likely for 26 yards to put the Ravens inside the Jaguars' five-yard line. Two plays later, the Ravens would score to go up 17-7 to put the game away.
Lamar avoids the sack and then Isaiah Likely makes the catch over two guys 😮
— NFL (@NFL) December 18, 2023
📺: #BALvsJAX on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/8fWNSGquwb pic.twitter.com/TwinvfqMVz
Jackson was able to control the game with his arm and his legs. Jackson finished the game as the team's leading rusher with 97 yards on 12 carries. Baltimore ran for 251 yards on 42 carries, primarily due to the threat of Jackson.
While they scored only 23 points in Week 15, this is one of the better offenses in the NFL. They’ve scored 31 or more points in six games this season and have only been held under 20 points twice. Baltimore has been able to overcome injuries at tight end (Mark Andrews) and on the offensive line, and it hasn’t really mattered as Jackson has taken the next step as a quarterback.
There are other excellent quarterbacks in the AFC playoff hunt right now including Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Tua Tagovailoa. But what separates the Ravens from those teams is their defense.
On the road against Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars, the Ravens allowed just seven points. They forced two turnovers and held Jacksonville under 4.5 yards per rush.
The Ravens' defense isn't perfect, but it has allowed only 16 points per game this season. No other team in the NFL has the lethal combination of a franchise quarterback and an elite scoring defense right now. That makes Baltimore dangerous in the AFC.
The bad news is that the Ravens lost another key player to their offense. Head coach John Harbaugh said rookie RB Keaton Mitchell suffered a "significant knee injury," which will cost him the remainder of the 2023 season.
Mitchell was having a huge game against the Jaguars, recording 88 yards on just 11 touches. They'll lean more on Gus Edwards and Justice Hill to carry the load on offense, but in all reality, it just means that the Ravens will put even more on Jackson's plate. The good news is that he can handle it. He is the type of player who can handle a huge workload, and the Ravens are always at their best when the ball is in his hands.
Sitting at 11-3, the Ravens are in a great position to earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC. That means the road to the Super Bowl would go through Baltimore, and it’s tough to see any team going there and beating them. But before the Ravens can start making plans for their bye week, they have a difficult schedule to manage.
| Seed | Team | W | L |
| 1 | Baltimore Ravens | 11 | 3 |
| 2 | Miami Dolphins | 10 | 4 |
| 3 | Kansas City Chiefs | 9 | 5 |
| 4 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 8 | 6 |
| 5 | Cleveland Browns | 9 | 5 |
| 6 | Cincinnati Bengals | 8 | 6 |
| 7 | Indianapolis Colts | 8 | 6 |
| 8 | Houston Texans | 8 | 6 |
| 9 | Buffalo Bills | 8 | 6 |
The Ravens will travel to San Francisco to take on the 49ers in Week 16. That’ll be a meeting of the two No. 1 seeds in each conference and a potential Super Bowl preview. Then, the Ravens will host the Miami Dolphins in Week 17 in what could be a battle for first place in the AFC. They’ll wrap up the season against the Steelers, who could be fighting for their playoff hopes in the season's final game.
The goal for the Ravens is simple. Win out, and they are the No. 1 seed in the AFC. And while their schedule is difficult, there is nothing to suggest that they aren’t capable of that. Outside of the 49ers, the Ravens might be the most complete team in the NFL. And when you factor in how good they are in the kicking game, you might even be able to give them the advantage over the 49ers.
Luckily for us, we will get to see these two juggernauts face off on Christmas night. And with a win, Baltimore can firmly say that they are the best team in the NFL. But coming out of Week 15, you can make a case that they are already at the top.
