Baltimore Ravens Ready For 'Playoff Like' Environment In Final Four Games
If the Baltimore Ravens enter the playoffs as the top seed in the AFC, there will be no questions about whether they earned it.
In the Ravens' (10-3) final four games, they play four teams that would be in the playoffs if the season ended today – the Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5), San Francisco 49ers (10-3), Miami Dolphins (9-4) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6). Jacksonville, San Francisco and Miami are also in first place in their respective divisions, and the 49ers became the first team in the NFL to clinch a playoff spot with their 28-16 win over the Seattle Seahawks (6-7) on Sunday.
Baltimore faces San Francisco in a battle of the top teams in its conference on Christmas at 8:15 p.m. ET at Levi's Stadium.
With the daunting stretch of games to close the season, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said it'll play a role in preparing his team for the postseason.
"It will prepare us," Harbaugh said. "We talked about that last night, and that's really what it's all about. What we're going to be focusing on is doing the best we can to win that game in what we're going to consider a playoff type of an environment and a playoff type of game – that kind of stakes. That's how our guys will look at it."
Lamar Jackson threw for 316 yards and three touchdowns against the Los Angeles Rams.
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
The Ravens got a taste of a playoff-like environment in their 37-31 win over the Los Angeles Rams (6-7) in overtime on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore had to stage a late comeback in regulation when Lamar Jackson found Zay Flowers for the go-ahead 21-yard touchdown on third and 17 with 1:16 left in the game.
After a Rams field goal at the end of regulation forced overtime, both defenses got a stop, which set the stage for Tylan Wallace's 76-yard punt return for the game-winning touchdown.
The Rams are the eighth seed in the NFC and just one game back of the Green Bay Packers.
"I love the way they fought," Harbaugh said. "The plays that were made down the stretch and throughout the game - really that made the difference in the game. Those were all the things that are exciting to watch and difference makers [in] December football."
With the Jaguars and Dolphins each losing, Baltimore jumped back to the top seed in the AFC. With games against those two, the Ravens will have a chance to further separate itself from the pack and ensure that the conference runs through Baltimore in the playoffs.
Baltimore heads south to face the Jaguars on Sunday Night Football at 8:20 p.m. ET at Everbank Stadium.
