The latest power rankings following their Week 12 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Most national pundits were pleased by how the Baltimore Ravens bounced back from a disappointing loss a week ago with a resounding win in the Harbaugh Bowl where they beat the Los Angeles Chargers 30-23 on Monday Football to close out Week 12. However, the consensus belief is still about the same as it pertains to where they stack up in the AFC and overall NFL hierarchy with some pundits even dropping them a spot or two despite coming out on top in impressive fashion. Now, it’s time to see where the team lands in the NFL landscape of power rankings heading into Week 13.
The Ringer: 6 (Last week: 5)
Just like the Eagles, when this Ravens team can lean on its run game and win the line of scrimmage on defense, Baltimore can control the game against just about any opponent. Baltimore RB Derrick Henry can be explosive he needs to be, but simply serving as a hammer like he did against the Chargers takes the strain off of quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ receiving corps. John Harbaugh did an excellent job of managing the fourth-down decision-making in Monday’s Harbaugh Bowl, and the Ravens converted all three of their fourth-down attempts. It would be nice to be able to count on this team to replicate this all-around solid performance, but I’m just going to celebrate this win for what it was.
The Athletic: 7 (Last week: 8)
Best-case scenario: Super Bowl
After a one-week slump against the Steelers, Baltimore put 30 points on the league’s best scoring defense, and that’s why this team is still a frontline Super Bowl contender despite its warts — which include being the most penalized team in the league (97) and being 29th in the league in defensive EPA against the pass (minus-.14). Derrick Henry had 140 more rushing yards Monday and now has 1,325 on the season, second only to Saquon Barkley.
NFL.com: 5 (Last week: 7)
No player and no team go from preheat mode to nuclear hot faster than Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. The Chargers controlled the first quarter on Monday night, running the ball right through the heart of Baltimore’s defense, where Roquan Smith (inactive due to a hamstring injury) would have lined up, taking a 10-0 lead. That’s when the Ravens gave the Chargers a dose of their own meds, handing it to Derrick Henry three times in short succession for 19, 14 and 11 yards, setting a new tone for the night. With that, the gutsiest call of the year (Mark Andrews converting fourth-and-1 from Baltimore’s own 16) and a helping of Lamar magic, the Chargers were pretty much toast. Henry ran for 140 yards. Jackson recreated his viral high school highlight on his TD run. Justice Hill even had a 51-yard TD to put the game away. Just a three-quarters assault in a battle of AFC heavyweights, and the Ravens — even with their usual slew of penalties — were a class above the Chargers in this edition of the Harbowl.
ESPN: 8 (Last week: 7)
Offense ranking: 1
Defense ranking: 14
Special teams ranking: 23
With quarterback Lamar Jackson among the favorites to win his third Most Valuable Player award, the offense has carried the Ravens and kept them in the race for the AFC North title. Their offense ranks in the top three in total yards (first, 426.7 per game), rushing (second, 180.2), passing (third, 246.5) and points (second, 29.8). The biggest concern is a pass defense that ranks 31st in the NFL (277.7 yards allowed per game) and has allowed a league-worst 31 completions of 25 yards or longer. Another issue is special teams, where usually dependable kicker Justin Tucker is enduring one of his worst seasons (17-of-23 on field goal attempts).
USA Today: 7 (Last week: 6)
“Harbaugh Bowls” are becoming byes for them. Not really, and playing another physical team on the West Coast in a Monday night matchup doesn’t bode especially well for the turnaround with those brutish Eagles making the quick commute to Charm City on a short week. But the Ravens are in a good spot, only a half-game out of first place in the AFC North.
Yahoo Sports: 5 (Last week 6)
Even when the Ravens start slow, they can easily put up 30 points. The defense played one of its better games too on Monday night, holding the Chargers to one touchdown outside of garbage time. They’re still a scary contender, especially if the defense continues to come along.
CBS Sports: 6 (Last Week 7)
They got back to playing Ravens football on the road to beat the Chargers. They were physical and got Derrick Henry going again.
Sports Illustrated: 7 (Last week 7)
A spicy game from John Harbaugh, though we would all be pretty confident handing the ball off to Derrick Henry on fourth and short, too, especially when we consider how far this Chargers defense still has to go before the talent meets Jim Harbaugh’s expectations. Kyle Hamilton shifted back to more of a traditional safety in this game which seemed to put a clamp on Los Angeles’s offensive plans.
Sporting News: 8 (Last week 8)
From Vinnie Iyer
The Ravens lost to the Steelers in Week 11 but can keep putting pressure on them by winning the battle of Harbaughs on Monday night. They got a big night again from Lamar Jackson and the passing game to help Derrick Henry to win the HarBowl to end Week 12.
New York Post: 8 (Last Week 8)
The Ravens went 3-for-3 on fourth down and turned those conversions into 14 points — or the exact margin of victory in a 30-23 win against the Chargers. Derrick Henry bulldozed his way to 140 yards and Lamar Jackson tossed two touchdown passes for an offense that was averaging 7.1 yards per play early in the fourth quarter — before conservative play-calling took over.
Pro Football Talk: 5 (Last week: 6)
The defense showed up — which doesn’t take much when the offense is firing on all cylinders.
The 33rd Team: 8 (Last week: 7)
The Baltimore Ravens bounced back after a rough loss to the Steelers by going on the road and beating the Chargers in a hard-fought game. Lamar Jackson was fantastic, and the run game took over in the second half. There are still some concerns about their defense, but Jackson can be the difference-maker in any single game and gives Baltimore a legitimate shot of winning the AFC this year.
Bleacher Report: 7 (Last week: 6)
The first half was close, but in the second half the Baltimore offense simply imposed its will on the Chargers on both sides of the ball. Offensively, the Ravens topped 200 yards on the ground—the first time that has ever happened to a Jim Harbaugh-coached team in the NFL. Defensively, the Ravens consistently harassed Justin Herbert and didn’t allow a second-half touchdown until the game was decided. It was a big win for Baltimore after last week’s loss to the rival Steelers—and a reminder that the Ravens are very much in the Super Bowl hunt in the AFC.
Fox Sports: 8 (Last week: 10)
Their Monday night victory over the Chargers showed the football world how well the Ravens respond to adversity. Baltimore’s Week 11 loss to the Steelers, due to a series of self-inflicted mistakes, exposed the team’s immaturity and inconsistent focus. With a bounce-back win against a tough squad, the Ravens re-established their identity as the baddest bully on the block with the talent, toughness and tenacity to make a championship run.
Sharp Football Analysis: 5 (Last week: 7)
The Ravens followed up their disappointing loss to the Steelers in Week 11 with a solid victory over a good Chargers team on Monday night. Lamar Jackson finished with 3 total touchdowns while Derrick Henry rumbled for 140 yards on the ground. Baltimore remains behind the Steelers in the loss column, but they get them at home in Week 16. This race for the AFC North should go down the wire.