seestyle: NFL playoff picture How Ravens can earn an AFC wild-card spo

The Ravens still can make the AFC playoffs for a third straight season with Lamar Jackson. Baltimore isn't close to the 14-2 team that earned the AFC's top playoff seed in 2019, but it will gladly accept a wild-card berth with all Archie Bradley Jersey the injury and illne s i sues it has had in 2020.Coming out of Week 15 and following back-to-back wins over the Browns and Jaguars, the Ravens (9-5) are still the No. 8 team in the AFC because the Dolphins (9-5)holdthe conference-record tiebreaker by one game.But the Ravens have one of the easiest finishing schedules in the NFL: vs. the Giants (5-9) and at the Bengals (2-10-1).With that in mind, will the Ravens Alex Avila Jersey sneak into the AFC tournament at the bottom, a year after being on top? Here's a breakdown of the scenarios:MORE: Ravens win out at 2-0 to finish 11-5The Ravens are not totally guaranteed to be in by winning out, but it's close. The Titans (10-4) and Colts (10-4) are battling for the AFC South title. Both teams have incredibly toughgames in Week 16:Tenne see is at Green Bay and Indianapolis is at Pittsburgh. There's a good chance one or both end Robbie Ray Jersey up 11-5.The Ravens own the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Colts, but they lose it to the Titans. The Dolphins play at the Raiders (7-7) in Week 16 before going to the Bills (11-3)in Week 17.The worst-case scenario for the Ravens at 11-5 would be the Colts winning out to get to 12-4,the Titans finishing second in the AFC South at 11-5 and the Dolphins finishing second in the AFC East at 11-5. The Titans, who beat the Ravens, and the Dolphins would have 8-4 conference records. The best the Ravens can do in the conference is 7-5.But that's a suming two teams there win out along with the Ravens, which is a long shot based on the schedules. Baltimore, after getting past Cleveland, by far hadthe most favorable path to running the table. The help required for the Ravens to get in would be minimal. Sweeping the Browns puts an extra tiebreaker in their back pocket.Ravens end 1-1to finish 10-6The Eduardo Escobar Jersey Ravens also have a pretty good chance of getting in this way, believe it or not. The Titans are the better betto beat out the Colts for the South because of a superior division record. With the reeling Texans being their other opponent, the Titans should do that at 11-5. The Colts, beyond the Steelers, draw the Jaguars in Week 17.So being rather reasonable barring major upsets, the Ravens wouldn't be able to catch either South team at 10-6; they'dfinish a full game behind. Then the focus would A. J. Pollock Jersey go to the Dolphins.If the Dolphins lose to the Raiders or the Bills,then they would cap out at 10-6 with,at best, a 7-5 conference record. The Ravens, if they lose to the Bengals, could get to only 6-6 in AFC play. But a suming Luis Gonzalez Jersey the Bills have something for which to play in Week 17, the Dolphins would be considerable underdogs in that game, even if they beat the Raiders.The Ravens would still have a strongchance to get in with theBrowns and the AFC South runner-up in this scenario.Ravens go 0-2 to finish 9-7The Ravens, because of a bad conference record and holding only the clear Colts tiebreaker, would need a lot of help from other teamsinvolving the Dolphins and Raiders to get in here. Double-digit win totals give the Ravens a strong chance of making the playoffs; staying in the single digits drops those odds dramatically.