Last week: 7 (-1)
Record: 9-5
Net points per drive: 0.21 (11th)
DVOA: 9.2% (10th)
Weighted DVOA: 3.3% (13th)
The Ravens could easily lose their final 2 games and go into the playoffs on a 5 game losing streak and 9-7 as either a wild card or a weak division champion, depending on what happens in Pittsburgh/Cincinnati next week (though the Ravens did back into a playoff spot last week, assure that all 4 of last year’s first round bye teams will make the playoffs for the first time in at least a decade). In fact, if lines hold, they’ll be dogs in both of their final 2 games.
However, I think they win both because of the Giants’ tendency to lose when they’re expected to win late in the season and the Bengals general struggles with playoff caliber teams. It is worth noting, however, that the Ravens could easily be 7-7 right now if not for Ben Roethlisberger injury (or even Byron Leftwich’s injury) and Ray Rice’s 4th and 29. Their last win by more than 3 was week 10 and they have just 2 wins by more than a field goal dating back to week 5, when they barely beat the Chiefs.
On the season, they have just 3 wins by more than a field goal. I’m really not sold on a single team in the AFC outside of New England, Denver, and Houston and maybe Pittsburgh, if they even make the playoffs (and even then they’d have to go to Foxboro in the first round). The Ravens should beat the Colts in the first round of the playoffs, but I think they’d get killed on the road against any of the AFC’s top-3.
Studs
TE Dennis Pitta: Caught 7 passes for 125 yards and 2 touchdowns on 10 attempts on 45 pass snaps, 9.0 YAC per catch, 2 drops
CB Corey Graham: Allowed 1 catch for 14 yards on 2 attempts, 1 pass deflection, 5 solo tackles, 2 stops
LOLB Courtney Upshaw: 1 quarterback hurry on 5 pass rush snaps, 5 solo tackles, 3 stops, 1 missed tackle
LE Pernell McPhee: 1 sack and 2 quarterback hits on 8 pass rush snaps, 1 stop
Duds
RB Ray Rice: Rushed for 38 yards (19 after contact) on 12 attempts, caught 3 passes for 3 yards on 7 attempts, 1 drop
RT Kelechi Osemele: Allowed 1 quarterback hit and 6 quarterback hurries on 46 pass block snaps, run blocked for 2 yards on 1 attempt
WR Anquan Boldin: Did not catch a pass on 6 attempts on 46 pass snaps, 1 interception when thrown to, 1 penalty
CB Cary Williams: Allowed 6 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown on 11 attempts, 2 pass deflections, 1 penalty, 7 solo tackles, 2 stops
NT Terrence Cody: Did not record a pressure on 14 pass rush snaps, no tackles
RE Haloti Ngata: 1 quarterback hurry on 25 pass rush snaps, 2 assists
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