The Ravens won't need luggage to start the playoffs, because they're staying home.
Baltimore (12-5) secured homefield advantage for Wild Card Weekend with a 35-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns that clinched the Ravens' second straight AFC North championship.
The regular season can be put to bed, but the Ravens have Super Bowl dreams. They will open the playoffs at M&T Bank Stadium as a battle-tested team that deserves major props for overcoming their 0-2 start and a tough schedule.
This is Baltimore's sixth division title under Head Coach John Harbaugh, who has led Baltimore to the playoffs 12 times in 17 seasons, continuing an impressive run of sustained excellence. However, the Ravens hope this division title is only the beginning.
"The AFC North I think is the toughest division, and to come out champs, it's awesome," outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy said. "But we have better and bigger things to worry about."
Here are my thoughts on a team on a mission, that heads into the postseason riding a four-game winning streak:
The jury on the 2024 Ravens is now in session.
This team will be judged by what happens during the playoffs.
That's been the Ravens' reality for 12 months, after advancing to the AFC Championship as the No. 1 seed last year but losing at home to the Kansas City Chiefs. Nothing that has happened since Week 1 has changed their mission.
Baltimore has the NFL's No. 1-ranked offense, nine players who made the Pro Bowl, a potential three-time MVP quarterback in Lamar Jackson, and a defense that has been the best in the league down the stretch.
The Ravens are built to be the last team standing, but the journey to the Lombardi Trophy is never easy. With the postseason finally here, the Ravens will focus on raising their game when it matters most. They've been to the playoffs five times in Jackson's seven seasons but have not been to the Super Bowl. It's the last piece of unfinished business in his career, and Jackson wants to take care of it – badly.
"I've very proud of my team," Jackson said. "We got the job done, but the job is undone … you know what I mean? I'm cool with what's going on today. But my mind's on something else."
Zay Flowers' status is uncertain, but the Ravens offense is relentless.
The sight of wide receiver Zay Flowers walking gingerly to the locker room with a knee injury in the second quarter was the biggest downer of this game for Baltimore. A 1,000-yard receiver and first-time Pro Bowler, Flowers is the energizer of the passing attack, a receiver who can turn even a short pass into a huge gain.
Harbaugh said more would be known about Flowers' status after an MRI on Sunday. However, when Flowers left the game, the Ravens simply turned to other weapons. They are the first NFL team with more than 4,000 yards passing and 3,000 yards rushing in a season, in their second year with Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken.
"Todd Monken's going to get a game ball for that," Harbaugh said. "I think he did a great job this year. All the coaches did. All the players did. That's really an incredible accomplishment."
Rashod Bateman (five catches, 76 yards, one touchdown) looked totally comfortable as the No. 1 receiver after Flowers left, joining Mark Andrews (four catches, 54 yards, one touchdown) and Derrick Henry (20 carries, 138 yards, two touchdowns) to help Jackson carry the offensive load.
The Ravens' offense is versatile and fluid, one that can cause a myriad of problems for its Wild Card opponent, even if they have to do it without Flowers.
A 100-yard game from Henry is like a victory cigar.
It was fitting that Henry lit up a stogie in the locker room, because when he rushes for more than 100 yards, it's like a victory cigar for the Ravens. They are 8-0 when Henry tops the century mark this season, and that's a statistic to remember heading into the playoffs.
The Ravens can ride Henry at home, on the road, in cold weather, against even the best defensive teams. He's a future Hall of Fame running back who rushed for 1,921 yards this season, the kind of backfield weapon that Jackson has never gone to battle with.
Jackson rushed for 63 yards against the Browns and looks antsy to use his legs in the playoffs if necessary. Henry is always willing to use his. The dynamic duo of Jackson and Henry has been even better than the Ravens could have hoped for, and they may be too much for any opponent to stop.
Baltimore's defense is frisky heading into the playoffs.
The Ravens defense has been the stingiest in the NFL since Week 11 and is having fun in the process.
Rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins set the tone against Cleveland with a pick-six to open the scoring. It was his first career interception and Wiggins showed his savvy, leaving Browns leading receiver Jerry Jeudy and jumping in front of Elijah Moore to make the pick.
Defensive tackle Michael Pierce provided the exclamation point in the fourth quarter with his interception, but it was his slide that followed that had teammates and coaches doubled over in laughter. Forgive Pierce, he hasn't had a lot of practice sliding, and he didn't want to fumble.
"I didn't want to end up as a meme on Instagram, my wife and everybody laughing at me," Pierce said.
No one is laughing at the Ravens' defense now, as the players and coaches have found answers under first-year Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr. In the first half of the season, the Ravens didn't have a defense solid enough for them to win a Super Bowl. They do now.
"That was really tough to have us questioned, Zach questioned," Pierce said. "More important, that gives us a chance to get back to the big one."
Extra Points:
- Andrews has caught touchdown passes in six consecutive games, setting a franchise record. He also has a personal best 11 touchdown receptions this year.
- Henry has three seasons of at least 15 touchdowns and 1,500 yards rushing, the most in NFL history.
- Van Noy's sack gave him a career-high 12.5. Odafe Oweh's third quarter sack reached 10 sacks for the first time in his career.
- Left guard Patrick Mekari was sick all week and while he started the game, Andrew Vorhees saw extended action.
- Jackson (41 touchdown passes, four interceptions) is the first player with more than 40 touchdowns passes and fewer than five interceptions in a season.
