Ravens' Rooting Guide for NFL Playoff Implications of Week 12

With three losses in their past four games, the Baltimore Ravens find themselves on the outside of the AFC playoffs heading into Week 12.

Making matters worse, the Ravens are tentatively scheduled to play the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday. The game was originally supposed to be played on Thanksgiving, but COVID-19 issues with both teams forced the NFL to adjust the schedule.

Amid the uncertainty around Baltimore's schedule, here are the Sunday games for Ravens fans to keep an eye on that will have an impact on their team's postseason chances.

Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars

The Cleveland Browns currently own the second wild-card spot in the AFC. As the No. 6 seed, they are in line to play the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the postseason.

The Ravens already own a 38-6 victory over the Browns in Week 1. The two AFC North rivals will meet again at FirstEnergy Stadium on Dec. 14. If Baltimore wins that game, it will own the season tiebreaker for potential playoff positioning.

Unfortunately, the Ravens don't seem likely to gain any ground on the Browns this weekend. The Jacksonville Jaguars are on a nine-game losing streak since a 27-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1.

Mike Glennon, who hasn't started a game since 2017, will be under center for the Jaguars. Jacksonville's 25th-ranked run defense will be tasked with stopping Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb, who have combined for 1,219 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 243 carries.

Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts

While the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts have their eyes on the AFC South title, the Ravens will just be happy to see one of them lose.

The Titans and Colts share identical 7-3 records entering Sunday's matchup. Despite the loser having four defeats on the season, the Ravens do have a clear rooting interest.

Baltimore has played both teams already this season, defeating the Colts and losing to the Titans. Tennessee's head-to-head win would be the deciding factor if it finishes with the same record as the Ravens.

On the other hand, the Ravens have a leg up on the Colts if those two teams finish with the same record. A loss by Indianapolis would be good news for the Ravens, especially since their schedule lines up favorably for a good run down the season's final stretch.

After the Steelers game, Baltimore closes with the Dallas Cowboys, Browns, Jaguars, New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals.

The Colts schedule includes two games with the Houston Texans, Las Vegas Raiders, Steelers and Jaguars.

Las Vegas Raiders at Atlanta Falcons

The Ravens, Raiders and Miami Dolphins have identical 6-4 records coming into Week 12. Las Vegas currently has the final playoff spot in the AFC thanks to having a better record in conference games.

Sunday's matchup with the Atlanta Falcons won't impact the Raiders' conference record, but it will count in the standings just the same.

Las Vegas came within two minutes of beating the Kansas City Chiefs twice this season. It's safe to say that head coach Jon Gruden's rebuilding plan has paid off, as his team is in playoff contention for the first time since 2016.

Despite their 3-7 record, the Falcons have been playing better of late. They are 3-2 under interim head coach Raheem Morris and are averaging 26 points per game during this stretch.

This week against the Falcons and next week against the New York Jets marks the last "easy" stretch of the season for Las Vegas. Its final four games are against the Colts, Los Angeles Chargers, Dolphins and Denver Broncos.

Miami Dolphins at New York Jets

As is the case for the Ravens watching the Browns, betting on a Dolphins loss this week seems like it will lead to disappointment.

Miami seems like it will be without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is doubtful with a thumb injury. The team already knows it can win if Ryan Fitzpatrick has to play. He won three of his last four starts before being replaced by the rookie in Week 8.

Regardless of who is at quarterback for the Dolphins, playing the Jets has been a great way to make everyone look good. They are the NFL's only winless team (0-10) and have given up more than twice as many points as they have scored (302 to 149).

New York has given up at least 24 points in each of its first 10 games and has only scored more than 20 points three times.

A win will give the Dolphins a 7-4 record overall and a 4-3 mark against the AFC. Baltimore is currently 4-4 in intraconference games, which could be used as a tiebreaker if these two teams finish the season with matching records.