After 13 straight weeks of game action, the Baltimore Ravens finally get to enjoy their long-awaited bye week as the rest of the league squares off.
Of course, they’re hard at work preparing for the final stretch of the season and the postseason, but the other games around the league will have an impact on their playoff hopes. So, here’s three games Ravens fans should keep an eye on during their bye week.
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers – 1 p.m. ET, CBS
The Ravens need some help to win their second straight AFC North title, and that means the Steelers losing. Pittsburgh has a 1.5-game lead over Baltimore in the division, and with just a few weeks left in the regular season, that’s a lot to overcome.
The Browns can help the Ravens out tremendously if they can upset the Steelers on Sunday. They already won the first matchup of the season two weeks ago, so it’s possible that they can win this one as well.
If Cleveland pulls off the upset, Baltimore’s chances of winning the division rise from 38 percent to 62 percent according to the New York Times’ playoff simulator (exact chances fluctuate all the time).
Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs – 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers have been better than expected this season, currently occupying the top wild card spot in the AFC with an 8-4 record. This will be their toughest challenge of the season yet, as facing the Chiefs in Arrowhead is always a tall order, especially with Kansas City finding the most ridiculous ways to win this season.
As dirty as it may feel to root for Kansas City, it is the more practical option right now. The AFC’s top seed is basically a pipe dream for Baltimore at this point, but Los Angeles is directly competition for a wild card spot, so a loss would be far more beneficial.
Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys – 8:15 p.m. ET Monday, ABC/ESPN
Admittedly, there’s not a lot of games that directly impact the Ravens this week, as most of the teams near them in the standings are also enjoying their bye week. In the absence of said games, let’s go with the tried and true method of rooting against a division rival.
