When the Ravens started the 2024 season with back-to-back losses, not many people expected them to end it with back-to-back division titles.
The smell of cigar smoke in the Ravens' postgame locker room following their 35-10 win over the Cleveland Browns in the regular-season finale tells a different story.
The Ravens are the 2024 AFC North champions, winning the division title for a second straight year after winning their final four games to snatch the crown away from the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, who had a two-game lead.
"It's really an unbelievable feeling," tight end Mark Andrews said. "It's a credit to the men in this locker room and the organization that clawed and fought all year long, the type of team that we have. We're excited about this. It's a huge accomplishment and we're looking forward to this next game in the playoffs."
The Ravens (12-5) enter the playoffs as the AFC's No. 3 seed and will host either the Los Angeles Chargers or Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium in the Wild-Card round. The Steelers' loss to the Cincinnati Bengals Saturday night, their fourth straight, means the Ravens will face Pittsburgh if the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Last Vegas Raiders on Sunday. If the Chargers lose, they will come to Baltimore next weekend.
Either team will be facing a red-hot Ravens team. Baltimore entered the 2024 season with the second-toughest schedule, based on last year's winning percentages. It turned out to be just as challenging, if not moreso, than advertised. That made it all more satisfying to win.
"It's an awesome thing," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "It's a week-to-week league, and you really just have to take it one week at a time, one day at a time, one play at time, and our guys have done a really good job of holding onto that. That 1-0 T-shirt that we all wear around is real, and so, four wins later, we're the AFC North Champions."
The Ravens have beaten every team in the AFC playoffs (or playoff picture) except for the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins, who they didn't face. Baltimore scored big wins over Buffalo, Pittsburgh, the Los Angeles Chargers, Houston, Denver, and Tampa Bay.
"It was a tough schedule, and we played teams when they were at their best quite often, and they were on a roll when we played them," Harbaugh said. "I thought our guys handled that. You get forged; you get tough. And when you come from iron, then you become iron, and I think our guys have done that. Let's see where it takes us."
The Ravens last won AFC North titles in 2018 and 2019 (no team has ever won it three straight years). Baltimore fell short in the playoffs both of those seasons, however.
"The AFC North, I think, is the toughest division, and to come out champs, it's awesome, and we're grateful to celebrate that tonight," said outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who won two Super Bowls with the Patriots. "But we have bigger and better things to worry about, which is the Wild Card Weekend."
For as much as the Ravens treasure winning the AFC North, they have their sights set much higher after last year's AFC Championship loss. The Ravens were the No. 1 seed last season. This year, they enter as the No. 3 seed but with just as much confidence and perhaps even more focus.
Much of that feeling emanates from their on-field leader, Lamar Jackson, who has demanded perfection from his teammates all season long.
"I'm not going [to] lie to you. I'm cool [with] what's going on today," Jackson said "I'm cool, don't get me wrong, but my mind [is] on something else. ... We've got things to finish."
