3 Takeaways from Ravens' Week 9 Win

The Baltimore Ravens picked up what could turn out to be a crucial victory in the AFC playoff hunt Sunday.

John Harbaugh's team rebounded from its Week 8 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers by beating the Indianapolis Colts by 14 points at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Sunday's victory will be important in the AFC wild-card race if the Colts remain competitive in the AFC South and the Ravens are stuck behind the Steelers in the AFC North.

The Ravens carry the best wild-card record, which would set them up with the most favorable first-round matchup against the division winner with the worst record, which right now is the Tennessee Titans.

Although Baltimore left Indianapolis with a win, the Ravens still have a few things to work on, especially on the offensive front.

Ravens Defense Came Up with a Handful of Important Plays

AJ Mast/Associated Press

Chuck Clark's 65-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown headlined a strong defensive performance.

Baltimore forced a pair of turnovers and held the Colts without a point after halftime.

The Ravens started the second-half shutout with a Marcus Peters interception and ended it by halting the Colts 20 yards short of the end zone.

Malik Harrison and Matthew Judon turned in strong performances, combining for 18 tackles and two quarterback hits.

The entire unit forced Rivers and his collection of running backs to be ineffective for stretches. The Colts quarterback went 25-of-43 for 227 yards, and no running back recorded more than 40 rushing yards.

If the Ravens stifle the top individuals in the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans offenses in their next two games, they could enter the Thanksgiving Day showdown with the Steelers in the best possible shape to end their undefeated run.

Offense Did More with Less Production

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Baltimore was outgained 339-266, but the offensive unit still found a way to outscore the Indianapolis offense by seven points.

Lamar Jackson was responsible for 228 of the 266 yards. He threw for 170 and recorded 58 on the ground off 13 carries. On the drive that ended on Jackson's touchdown run, he recorded the two longest gains of the series. The top gain was his nine-yard touchdown scamper.

Although winning with fewer yards is not ideal, the Ravens proved they could eke out a victory without large yardage totals from their stars.

That could be important in the coming weeks if the top running backs, wide receivers and Mark Andrews are as ineffective as they were Sunday.

Ravens Need More Production from Skill Position Players

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Baltimore was able to leave Indianapolis with a win because of its defensive performance and Jackson's dual playmaking ability.

For the Ravens to be the contender they want to be in the AFC, they need to get more production from their skill position players across the board.

J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards managed 53 rushing yards on 23 carries. Jackson gained 58 yards on 13 attempts.

No player involved in the passing game had more than 50 receiving yards. Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews, who are supposed to be Jackson's top two targets, combined for six receptions and 60 yards.

Andrews is up to three straight games with fewer than 40 receiving yards, and Brown has four receptions on seven targets in his past two games.

For Baltimore to threaten Pittsburgh, Kansas City and the other AFC contenders, it needs more production from its running backs, top wide receiver and No. 1 tight end. If the Ravens work out those issues and continue to receive strong defensive performances, they could be a major player when the playoffs roll around.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference.