"It's better to be lucky than good" is a cliche that some may have felt applied to the 2021 Ravens, who entered this past Sunday's meeting with the Los Angeles Chargers with the perception that they might not be as good as their record suggested.
After thumping the Chargers, however, the narrative has changed. The consensus is that the Ravens are good. Real good. Perhaps even best-in-the-AFC good.
The Ravens (5-1) moved up at least two spots in all six of the major power rankings. They're ranked as high as No. 4 and no lower than No. 6.
"The Ravens looked like the team to beat in the AFC with a 28-point rout of the Chargers," ESPN’s Jamison Hensley wrote.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport wrote: "That the Ravens were able to destroy the Chargers in a game where Lamar Jackson didn't play especially well should scare the bejeezus out of the rest of the AFC."
| Source | Ranking | Last Week's Ranking | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFL.com | No. 5 | No. 7 | “The Ravens are thriving as they enter a surprisingly consequential Week 7 matchup against the Bengals.” — Dan Hanzus |
| Bleacher Report | No. 5 | No. 7 | ”The Ravens are one of the best teams in the league when it comes to destroying inferior opponents, but nobody expected them to hammer the talented Los Angeles Chargers like that. This team is really coming together following a killer defensive performance from that new-look unit.” — Brad Gagnon |
| ESPN | No. 6 | No. 8 | “This has been a masterful coaching job by John Harbaugh, who has guided Baltimore to a 5-1 start despite 16 players on injured reserve.” — Jamison Hensley |
| Sports Illustrated | No. 4 | No. 7 | “Watching your 2015 fantasy football backfield score touchdowns in 2021 is neat, but getting it done without Ronnie Stanley and Marcus Peters is far more impressive.” — Gary Gramling |
| CBS Sports | No. 6 | No. 8 | “The Ravens abused the Chargers on both sides of the ball. The play of the defense is a good sign going forward, especially with the Bengals on tap this week.” — Pete Prisco |
| USA Today | No. 5 | No. 7 | “First-round WR Rashod Bateman made his NFL debut Sunday and caught four balls. A surging team that's won five straight now getting healthy around potential MVP Lamar Jackson? Look out.” — Nate Davis |
