The Baltimore Ravens need to win on Sunday, or they will see their playoff hopes plummet.
It is not at all shocking that the Baltimore Ravens have found themselves in a world of trouble regarding their current playoff chances.
Had the team beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, they would be 7-6 and in first place in the AFC North. However, they lost and are 6-7.
There is still a chance the Ravens can win out and secure the AFC North crown, but that will be a tough task. Using The Athletic's playoff simulator, Baltimore currently has a 27 percent chance of making the postseason.
That figure will take a nose dive if the Ravens lose to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Per the simulator, the Ravens losing to the Bengals on Sunday will catapult their chances at the playoffs to just 13 percent.
Oddly enough, a loss against the New England Patriots will make that number rise to 20 percent, and 22 percent if they beat the Green Bay Packers in Week 17.
The safest and best path to the playoffs is to win out. If the Ravens can finish strong with four straight wins, their chances will rise to 53 percent, and likely will be dependent on the Steelers losing some games.
There are multiple scenarios that may work out here.
A loss to the Bengals, but wins against the Patriots, Packers, and Steelers make that figure shoot to a 63 percent playoff chance.
A loss to the Bengals, a loss to the Patriots, but wins against the Packers and Steelers will give the team a 31 percent chance at the postseason.
With all the mathematical ways in which the Ravens can make the playoffs, winning out or splitting the final four games with a win against the Steelers will matter a great deal here.
The Steelers' final four opponents are the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, and the Ravens.
Three of the four teams are angling for the playoffs, so expect the Dolphins, Lions, and Ravens to come out strong.
Baltimore has tough opponents in their final four matchups. Two divisional matchups, and potential top seeds in the AFC and NFC, are fighting for a first-round bye.
The Steelers have three playoff hopeful teams, and one divisional matchup.
As it currently stands, both teams could be seen as equal in terms of their final four opponents. The Ravens, on the other hand, need a win against the Bengals to help aid their rise in the AFC North.
Win out, and there is more than a 50 percent chance at making it.