The Ravens slipped in the power rankings this week but seven of the eight outlets we monitor kept them in the top 10.
The exception was NFL.com, which dropped the Ravens (9-5) four spots to No. 12. That put Baltimore behind teams such as the Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars, which seemed unimaginable a few weeks ago.
Then again, who would've expected the Ravens to score just two touchdowns over their past three games?
"The hope (prayer?) is that Lamar Jackson's return to the lineup will signal the end of the offensive woes for the Ravens, who were kept out of the end zone in a sleepy 13-3 loss to the Browns," NFL.com’s Dan Hanzus wrote. "Baltimore continued to run the ball with authority (piling up 198 yards), but the passing attack remained moribund, an issue that predated Jackson's knee injury."
The Ravens' highest ranking this week was No. 8 (CBS Sports, The Ringer).
| Source | Ranking | Last Week's Ranking | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFL.com | No. 12 | No. 8 | “The hope (prayer?) is that Lamar Jackson’s return to the lineup will signal the end of the offensive woes for the Ravens, who were kept out of the end zone in a sleepy 13-3 loss to the Browns. Baltimore continued to run the ball with authority (piling up 198 yards), but the passing attack remained moribund, an issue that predated Jackson’s knee injury.” — Dan Hanzus |
| Bleacher Report | No. 10 | No. 8 | “Jackson's return will help, to be sure. But Baltimore's issues in the passing game go beyond the quarterback to a lack of weapons around him. That's a problem that cannot be solved overnight.” — NFL staff |
| ESPN | No. 10 | No. 9 | |
| Sports Illustrated | No. 10 | No. 7 | “There is nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to banking wins at the beginning of the season and then surviving: The Ravens have a 98% chance of making the playoffs, and they even have some wiggle room with a Steelers game looming. Hosting the Falcons at home should be a nice palate cleanser for the Ravens to get to 10 wins.” — Conor Orr |
| CBS Sports | No. 8 | No. 8 | “They don't score enough on offense right now, no matter who plays quarterback. When Lamar Jackson returns, they have to be better throwing it.” — Pete Prisco |
| The Athletic | No. 10 | No. 7 | “Lamar Jackson is reportedly likely to return this week after a two-game absence from a knee injury. That’s good, because Baltimore managed just three points against the 26th-ranked Browns defense (by DVOA) with Tyler Huntley at the helm. If you’re a Ravens optimist, there’s reason to believe the offense can do its job with Jackson, Mark Andrews and J.K. Dobbins playing together for the first time since Week 6, alongside a defense that has been the third-best in the league by DVOA since Week 9. If you’re a Ravens pessimist, well, their injury luck over the past two years has proven you right already.” — Bo Wulf |
| The Ringer | No. 8 | No. 7 | “The past few weeks are clear evidence of just how much the Ravens need Lamar Jackson back. In the three games that Tyler Huntley has played in place of the injured Jackson, Baltimore ranks 27th in EPA per drive and is tied for last in offensive points per game. They’re one of the worst offenses in football without Jackson; with him, they have to be considered a deep postseason contender. The drop-off couldn’t be more significant.” — Austin Gayle |
| Sporting News | No. 9 | No. 7 | “The Ravens' offense was sputtering with Lamar Jackson and those woes have continued with Tyler Huntley. The running game with J.K. Dobbins is a new bright spot on top of the dominant defense, but the passing game needs to get better to avoid a quick playoff exit.” — Vinnie Iyer |
