4 dangerous teams the Ravens don’t want to face in the playoffs
By John Buhler
Even if the Baltimore Ravens end up with the No. 1 seed in the AFC this year, their pathway through the postseason and into the Super Bowl will not be easy. They had been the No. 1 seed previously, but the Ravens laid an egg vs. the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round way back in 2019. A lot has changed for the Ravens, and for all of us, to be honest, but we know what the playoffs are all about.
Where things stand now, the only thing Lamar Jackson does not have on his illustrious NFL resume is a Super Bowl appearance, as well as a corresponding Lombardi Trophy. He is probably well on his way towards being a Pro Football Hall of Famer anyway, but a Super Bowl ring would make it even more of a reality. As for his head coach John Harbaugh, a second Lombardi guarantees he will get to Canton.
But with three weeks left in the regular season and at least three more postseason games left to be played, the Ravens will need a refined sense of focus to not only gain home-field advantage in the postseason, but to come out of the deep AFC bracket alive and well. This might be the Ravens' year for all we know, but the same sort of thing can be said about a handful of other playoff-caliber teams.
Here are the four opponents Ravens Flock is not going to be happy about facing in the AFC Playoffs.
4 teams the Baltimore Ravens will not want to face in the AFC Playoffs
4. Cincinnati Bengals may be without Joe Burrow, but are a division rival
Joe Burrow may be out for the season, but I kind of like what the Cincinnati Bengals are about right now. His backup Jake Browning is playing very well in his place right now. This is not only a testament to his mental makeup, but the brilliance of Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan. He should be an NFL head coach next season. The Bengals are so lucky to have him, along with Lou Anarumo, too.
Even though the Ravens would probably host the Bengals in a home playoff game, assuming Cincinnati would have to win one on the road prior to advancing to a date with Baltimore at M&T, this is still a division rivalry. Furthermore, Cincinnati was the team that ended the Ravens' season a year ago. The bad blood is brewing in the NFL's black and blue division, alright, so buckle up for that, y'all!
Ultimately, I would take the Bengals over the Cleveland Browns, and definitely over the Pittsburgh Steelers, as the likeliest team in-division that could conceivably clip Baltimore in the postseason. While most of Baltimore's toughest potential matchups reside outside of the AFC North, you better believe the Ravens will not want to face a feisty Bengals team at home in a win-or-go-home scenario.
Burrow not playing in this hypothetical game is a boost for Baltimore, but one they will surely need.