There's a special amount of brainpower that NFL rankers have to devote to trying to figure out the Baltimore Ravens.
Few teams have let down on expectations as badly as they have, falling as far as four games back from a neutral win-loss ratio, but here they stand, ready to troop into the regular season's third act with a neutral .500 record. Four consecutive wins have them right back in the mix, yet their individual possessions do little to back up claims that they've completely found the effortless stride that many were projecting that they'd have preseason.
The Kansas City Chiefs pose a similar mental challenge, having accrued a so-so 5-5 record of their own, but their play suggests more middling than the rollercoaster Ravens have demonstrated. When Bleacher Report attempted to provide distinctions to every team who still has a prayer of making the playoffs, the Ravens offered compelling cases for and against being taken seriously.
Their argument as a sleeping giant works well as a first instinct; they were about as battered by injuries as any hopeful-contenders through the regular season's first two months.
Lamar Jackson and his hurt hamstring headlined the ailments, but he was far from the only star who was in and out of the lineup. All-Pros like Roquan Smith, Patrick Ricard and Kyle Hamilton have each missed games here and there, not to mention the cornerback room that's sustained near-weekly injuries in the form of Marlon Humphrey's regular side-plots.
Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson and Fullback Patrick Ricard
Oct 1, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) celebrates with fullback Patrick Ricard (42) after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
"Injuries destroyed the first quarter or so of their season, but the Ravens haven't lost in over a month and should be heavily favored in each of their next four games," Brad Gagnon wrote. "The path to a third straight division title is clear."
It's true that they don't have much local competition to be sufficiently worried about, with the inconsistent Pittsburgh Steelers barely holding onto their AFC North lead while the disfunctional Cincinnati Bengals and top-heavy Cleveland Browns do little to meaningfully challenge the Ravens while they've knocked out easy wins. They've won every game they've needed to in four straight weeks, but that pressure remains as they look to parlay the newfound momentum into a winning record.
"A 1-5 start leaves no margin for error and probably means they will have to win some road playoff games to finally get to a Super Bowl," Gagnon said in making the case for their pretender status. "That hasn't been the formula in the past."
Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson
Nov 16, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) is sacked by Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
He concluded by taking in the star-studded roster's side as a "contender," but Gagnon was sure to slap a fat asterisk alongside that title. There remain more consistently successful team-wide units in the AFC, and the rest of the NFL has maintained tabs on the sort of opponents they've recently been beating up on and how they're doing it.
"This remains a team with a ceiling short of the Super Bowl, especially because Jackson and the offense remain out of sync. They've been bailed out by the defense and will likely be in trouble against Buffalo or Denver in a January road game."
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