Heading into Week 17, we already know the Baltimore Ravens are the best team in the league and the Cincinnati Bengals are the worst.
In Week 16, we found out two positive certainties for the Ravens and Bengals. First, by guaranteeing the league’s worst record, the Bengals clinched the No. 1 spot in the 2020 NFL draft.
At least at the moment, it appears likely they’ll use it on Heisman Trophy winner and LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. That’s the silver lining in Cincinnati’s dismal season.
Baltimore earned a gift with its great season. At 13-2, the Ravens clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, meaning they have a bye and hold home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
Lots of other scenarios were clinched in Week 16. But many more, including a number of playoff seeds, won’t be known until after Week 17.
We touch on that and more in this week’s Touchdown Wire NFL Power Rankings.
32. Cincinnati Bengals
(1-14. Last week: 32)
Finally, there’s something to celebrate in Cincinnati. It took an overtime loss to Miami, but the Bengals officially clinched the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft. That almost certainly will be used on a quarterback, and most draft experts currently believe LSU’s Joe Burrow is the top prospect. While that seems like a certainty, the status of first-year head coach Zac Taylor isn’t a given. Bengals owner Mike Brown has been notoriously patient and frugal in the past, but a one- or two-win season may not be enough for Taylor to survive. Besides, there is plenty of room to question Taylor’s decision to go back to veteran quarterback Andy Dalton after briefly benching him in favor of rookie Ryan Finley. Yeah, Dalton threw four touchdown passes Sunday, but it’s clear he’s got no future with the Bengals. Apparently, Finley doesn’t either. This looks like a team that already has settled on Burrow.
31. Washington Redskins
(3-12. Last week: 31)
There hasn’t been much for Washington fans to cheer for this season, especially after Sunday’s overtime loss to the New York Giants dropped the Redskins into sole possession of last place in the NFC East. But there is one bright spot: the play of rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Coming off the best game of his career, Haskins continued to show progress by completing 12 of 15 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with an ankle injury. That means whoever is coaching the Redskins next year might already have his quarterback. The Redskins are going to have a premium draft pick and might decide on Ohio State defensive end Chase Young, who is more of a sure thing than any of the quarterbacks who will be available.
30. Detroit Lions
(3-11-1. Last week: 29)
Things continued to get worse for Detroit with a 27-17 loss to Denver. That was to be expected because the Lions are down to third-string quarterback David Blough, who totaled just 117 passing yards and took four sacks against the Broncos. This season has long been over for the Lions. But the real story here is about next season. Ownership came out last week and firmly said that coach Matt Patricia will be back for a third year and general manager Bob Quinn also will return. That’s somewhat surprising since Patricia’s tenure has been a disaster, and there haven’t been many signs of progress. But I can see the case for giving Patricia another year. He deserves a shot to see what he can do with quarterback Matthew Stafford healthy all season. If Patricia can’t win with Stafford, then it will be time to move on.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars
(5-10. Last week: 27)
The Jaguars made news last week by firing executive vice president Tom Coughlin. Some assume that means coach Doug Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell are safe for next season, but that’s not necessarily the case. Marrone has lost 21 of 31 games since taking the Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game after the 2017 season. Coughlin’s firing was about more than the team’s record. It was a reaction by owner Shad Kahn after the NFL Players Association issued a warning to players about signing with the Jaguars due to a high number of grievances against the organization. Those issues were a poor reflection on Coughlin. But the team’s poor record is a reflection on Marrone and Caldwell. Kahn might be better off cleaning house and starting over again.
28. Miami Dolphins
(4-11. Last week: 30)
Remember back early in the season when everyone thought the Dolphins were purposely losing to acquire better draft picks? At first, it seemed to be true, but they were just good enough to win their way out of the top pick — and it was fitting that their overtime win against Cincinnati helped the Bengals clinch the No. 1 pick. Miami stuck with veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick over second-year pro Josh Rosen most of the season. That was pointless, because Fitzpatrick is no long-term answer for a team that needs a major rebuild. By missing out on the No. 1 pick, the Dolphins apparently will miss out on consensus No. 1 quarterback prospect Joe Burrow. They probably still will draft a quarterback. Instead of Burrow, it likely will be Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa or Oregon’s Justin Herbert.
27. New York Giants
(4-11. Last week: 28)
Sure, the Giants are 4-11, and Sunday’s victory against a bad Washington team came in overtime. But I’m going to go way out on a limb and declare the Giants the favorite to win the NFC East in 2020. Seriously. Why? The Giants have the brightest future of the bunch. You could see Sunday that the Giants are set at quarterback and running back for the long term. Rookie quarterback Daniel Jones returned from injury and threw for 352 yards and five touchdowns. Second-year running back Saquon Barkley ran for 189 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 90 yards and another touchdown. Jones and Barkley could be superstars. Sure, there’s plenty of work to be done on the defense, at receiver and on the offensive line. But Jones and Barkley give the Giants hope and something to build around. Their presence and promise probably is enough to keep coach Pat Shurmur employed.
26. Carolina Panthers
(5-10. Last week: 25)
Perhaps the most insightful NFL quote of the week came from veteran Carolina tight end Greg Olsen, who has a bright future in broadcasting. After an embarrassing loss to Indianapolis, Olsen put Carolina’s situation into perfect context.
“It’s a really tough way to operate,” Olsen said. “Players are underperforming. It’s right now a very collective failure, organizationally a failure.”
The Panthers might be in the most disarray they’ve been in since coach George Seifert’s final year, a 1-15 season in 2001. Interim coach Perry Fewell hasn’t come close to winning a game since taking over when Ron Rivera was fired. It’s become obvious that Fewell will not get the permanent job. Owner David Tepper has to go out and find the right guy. If general manager Marty Hurney sticks around and has any input, his track record suggest he’ll favor a rising coordinator and not a former head coach or a college coach.
25. Los Angeles Chargers
(5-10. Last week: 23)
The Chargers lost to the Raiders on Sunday, but the big story here came in the postgame. Veteran quarterback Philip Rivers told reporters he wants to continue playing. Rivers is 38 and in the final year of his contract.
“I’m capable enough physically and mentally, there’s no question,” Rivers said. “Yes, I do want to play football. I do, and that’s how I feel deep down as I stand here.”
But the bigger question is do the Chargers want Rivers back? Despite all he’s done for the franchise through the years, Rivers has endured a bad season. His 18 interceptions rank second in the NFL to Jameis Winston’s 28. The Chargers have been one of the league’s most disappointing teams and haven’t developed much of a fan base in Los Angeles. They’ll be moving into a new stadium next year, and it might be time for an infusion of excitement at quarterback, whether through the draft or via free agency.
24. Arizona Cardinals
(5-9-1. Last week: 22)
Suddenly, the Cardinals are trending upward and have a chance to finish the note on a high note. They took a big step Sunday by going into Seattle, one of the league’s toughest venues for road teams, and upsetting the Seahawks. It helped that Seattle was dealing with injuries, particularly to running back Chris Carson. But this was a turning point for the Cardinals that will carry over into next year. They showed they can go on the road and beat a good team. Rookie quarterback Kyler Murray (118 passing yards and a touchdown) wasn’t prolific. But he was efficient (zero interceptions and only one sack). Murray has improved his efficiency as the year has progressed, and he got plenty of help from Kenyan Drake (166 yards and two touchdowns) in the running game. The Cardinals have done what they wanted this year by showing growth. Give them another offseason of roster moves and they could be a playoff contender.
23. New York Jets
(6-9. Last week: 26)
Unfortunately for Jets fans, their team will miss the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season. And while Sunday’s win against Pittsburgh might not seem like much, it was significant. The Jets didn’t have much to play for, while the Steelers were fighting for their playoff lives. But the Jets showed up and won an ugly game. That was important for coach Adam Gase, who’s likely to get at least one more year. His team has shown signs of progress, and 22-year-old Sam Darnold has raised hopes that he can be a franchise quarterback in time. Most importantly, the fact that the Jets were still playing hard with nothing on the line shows that they have bought into Gase’s system.
22. Atlanta Falcons
(6-9. Last week: 21)
Atlanta coach Dan Quinn might not be as far gone as we thought a few weeks ago. Even before Sunday, I heard from sources within the Falcons organization that owner Arthur Blank was leaning toward bringing back Quinn for a sixth season. Quinn only helped his case with a win against Jacksonville. It was Atlanta’s third straight win. Quinn can hang his hat on the fact that his team has stuck by him, going 5-2 after a 1-7 start. Blank isn’t the type to sit still. If Quinn stays, there likely will be some changes to the coaching staff and/or front office. Blank is an owner who takes pride in giving everyone in the organization what they need to succeed. If Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff stay, they’re going to start next season with great expectations and on very hot seats.
21. Cleveland Browns
(6-9. Last week: 20)
Back in the preseason, the Browns were a trendy Super Bowl pick. After all, Baker Mayfield was coming off a season in which he set an NFL rookie record with 27 touchdown passes, and the team acquired star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Instead, Cleveland badly underachieved. The Browns officially were eliminated from playoff contention with Sunday’s loss to Baltimore. Someone’s going to have to pay for such a disappointing season, and it may be first-year head coach Freddie Kitchens. Between his questionable decision making and clock management and the way players yelled at each other and coaches Sunday, the Browns sure looked like a dysfunctional team.
20. Denver Broncos
(6-9. Last week: 24)
The Broncos defeated the Lions 27-17 on Sunday in a game that didn’t seem to have much meaning for either team. But this game meant a lot for Denver’s future. Rookie quarterback Drew Lock didn’t have big numbers (192 passing yards with one touchdown), but he wasn’t intercepted or sacked. On the surface, this game would indicate that the Broncos still don’t know if they have their quarterback for the long term. Remember, they’ve had a revolving door at quarterback since Peyton Manning retired. But you have to look beyond the surface when it comes to this game. The truth is Lock was battling the flu all week. The front office and coaching staff are well aware of that. Lock’s mistake-free performance had to score him some points for the long run.
19. Indianapolis Colts
(7-8. Last week: 19)
The Colts, who already were out of the playoff picture, had a seemingly impressive 38-6 win against Carolina on Sunday. Second-year running back Nyheim Hines became the first player in franchise history to return two punts for touchdowns in a single game. That was nice. But quarterback Jacoby Brissett had another unimpressive outing. Brissett completed just 14 of 27 passes for 119 yards, and it marked the third consecutive game in which he’s completed less than 53% of his passes. Early in the season, it looked as if Brissett was a suitable replacement for Andrew Luck. But the Colts can’t be so sure now. Their draft pick won’t be early enough to get one of the top quarterbacks. The Colts may have to sign a quarterback in free agency. This isn’t a bad team. Add a veteran such as Cam Newton or Andy Dalton, and this team could be in the playoffs next season.
18. Chicago Bears
(7-8. Last week: 17)
The storyline entering Chicago’s game against Kansas City on Sunday night was that the Bears could have drafted quarterback Patrick Mahomes ahead of Mitchell Trubisky in 2017. The storyline coming out of the game was exactly the same. Chicago fans always are going to remember they could’ve had Mahomes, who has become a superstar. But they wound up with Trubisky, who has been a dud. Trubisky reinforced that opinion Sunday by throwing for only 157 yards and leading the Bears to just three points. This has been an incredibly frustrating season for the Bears, who were 12-4 last year. They have a good defense, but Trubisky has dragged this team down. It might be time to move on and get a quarterback in free agency. A veteran such as Cam Newton, Andy Dalton or Philip Rivers could change things overnight.
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(7-8. Last week: 15)
Prior to Saturday’s game Texans-Buccaneers game, NFL Network reported that quarterback Jameis Winston will be back with the Bucs next season — one way or another. But after watching Winston throw four more interceptions, Tampa Bay’s front office might want to rethink that matter. Winston did throw for 335 yards, but his first two interceptions spotted the Texans 10 points. And his fourth-quarter interception ended any chance of a comeback. That’s pretty much the story of Winston’s career. With the Bucs stuck in another non-winning season, decision time is coming. The Bucs can elect to sign Winston to a big-money contract, let him leave as a free agent or buy another year with the franchise tag. Using the tag appears to be the most prudent move. Winston hasn’t shown enough to prove he deserves a long-term contract with a big guaranteed payday.
16. Los Angeles Rams
(8-7. Last week: 14)
A last-second loss to San Francisco made it official — the Rams aren’t going back to the Super Bowl. If you think back to the start of the season, that’s highly surprising. On paper, the Rams had a roster that was loaded after adding veterans Clay Matthews and Eric Weddle in the offseason. Nevertheless, the Rams missed the playoffs for the first time in Sean McVay’s three seasons. There could be a price to pay for that. Don’t be surprised if McVay feels pressure from above to make changes to his coaching staff. But let’s cut to the chase and talk about the biggest issue with the Rams. When they were a playoff team, running back Todd Gurley was the focal point of the offense and an all-around threat. But the Rams reduced Gurley’s role this season to go easy on his delicate knee. He didn’t produce nearly as much as in previous seasons, and that made things tough on the offense. Quarterback Jared Goff is good, but not the kind of guy who can carry a team. To get back to the playoffs next year, the Rams have to find a replacement or at least a complement to Gurley.
15. Oakland Raiders
(7-8. Last week: 18)
The Raiders beat the Chargers, and believe it or not, Oakland somehow remains mathematically alive in the playoff race, although their chances are miniscule. To be entering the last game of the season with even a remote chance at the playoffs is huge progress for after going 3-13 last year in Jon Gruden’s first season of his second stint with the Raiders.
“Let’s not sugarcoat it, we’ve been through a lot,” quarterback Derek Carr said. “To say we are still playing in Week 17 for something, that’s unbelievable. No one thought we would be playing for the playoffs. Let’s just keep it real.”
In reality, the Raiders probably won’t be going to the playoffs. But they now have some momentum behind them as they move to their new home in Las Vegas next season.
14. Dallas Cowboys
(7-8. Last week: 13)
Let’s get straight to the point. The Cowboys choked. They entered Sunday needing only a win against Philadelphia to clinch the NFC East title. It didn’t happen, as they lost 17-9 at Lincoln Financial Field. Somehow, the Cowboys still can make the playoffs if they win their finale against Washington and Philadelphia loses to the Giants. The bigger issue: Why are the Cowboys even in this position? Their roster is loaded, particularly on offense with quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott and wide receiver Amari Cooper. Those three guys alone should get you to 10 wins, especially in a weak division. But that hasn’t happened for the Cowboys, and somebody’s got to pay. That’s obviously going to be coach Jason Garrett. Even if the Cowboys somehow make the playoffs, Jerry Jones must part ways with Garrett. The Cowboys have enough talent to be a Super Bowl contender. Instead, they’re a borderline playoff team.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers
(8-7. Last week: 12)
A 16-10 loss to the New York Jets took a lot of the air out of Pittsburgh’s playoff chances. For the Steelers to qualify for the postseason, two things need to happen. First, Pittsburgh needs to beat the Ravens next week. That may be easier than it sounds, because Baltimore already has clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed and may rest its starters. But the Steelers also need the Titans to lose to the Texans. It’s a minor miracle that the Steelers are even remotely in playoff contention in the final week after losing quarterback Ben Roetshlisberger to injury early in the season. They’ve scraped by with Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges at quarterback. But Rudolph got hurt Sunday. So did running back James Conner and center Maurkice Pouncey. If the Steelers somehow end up in the playoffs, Mike Tomlin should be Coach of the Year.
12. Tennessee Titans
(8-7. Last week: 11)
The Titans lost to New Orleans on Sunday, a day after the Texans clinched the AFC South. Still, Tennessee remains in the hunt for the final AFC wild-card spot. The easiest way for the Titans get in to the playoffs is to beat Houston on Sunday. Otherwise, they will need help from other teams to back into the postseason. But no matter what happens, this season has turned out to be a productive one for the Titans. They opened the season with Marcus Mariota and hoped he could firmly establish himself as the franchise quarterback. That didn’t happen. Tennessee turned to backup Ryan Tannehill who has surprised virtually everyone. Tannehill saved Tennessee from a losing season, and he’s almost certainly going to get a nice contract in the offseason. The future looks bright for the Titans and Tannehill. But the present isn’t over yet. If this team can squeeze into the playoffs, anything becomes possible.
11. Philadelphia Eagles
(8-7. Last week: 16)
For Philadelphia quarterback Carson Wentz, Sunday’s NFC East showdown with Dallas was the biggest game of his career — and he rose to the occasion. Wentz threw for 319 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions and only one sack to lead the Eagles to a 17-9 victory. He had plenty of help from rookie running back Miles Sanders, who racked up 79 yards and a touchdown on the ground, plus five catches for 77 yards). The win puts Philadelphia in the driver’s seat in the division. If Philadelphia beats the Giants next week, the Eagles win the division. They also can lose and still win the division if Dallas loses to Washington. If the Eagles lose Sunday and the Cowboys win, Dallas wins the division. It’s been a crazy year in the NFC East, so no outcome would be surprising.
10. Houston Texans
(10-5. Last week: 10)
The Texans won the AFC South for the fourth time in five years, but there shouldn’t be too much celebrating. Let’s be honest. The Texans aren’t a team that scares any of the other AFC playoff teams right now. Houston beat the Buccaneers on Saturday, but they struggled mightily in doing so. Tampa Bay tried to give the game away early with three interceptions in the first half. But the Texans allowed Tampa Bay back into the game and allowed Jameis Winston to throw for 335 yards. The Texans are hoping pass-rusher J.J. Watt will be healthy enough to return for the playoffs. That would be a big boost for the defense. But the offense’s performance against Tampa Bay leaves real concerns. Despite five Bucs turnovers, Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson managed just 184 passing yards and no touchdowns, and the running game never got on track. If the Texans are going to do any damage in the postseason, they need to play much better than they did against Tampa Bay.
9. Minnesota Vikings
(10-5. Last week: 9)
Coming into Monday night’s game, a lot was made about Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins’ 0-8 record on Monday nights and 7-14 in prime time overall. Those seemed like random, meaningless stats. But, where there is smoke, there is fire. After throwing for only 122 yards, Cousins now is 0-9 in Monday night games and 7-15 in prime time. But Cousins doesn’t deserve all the blame, like he was getting early in the season. Cousins had played well since Week 5, but not on Monday, when he was without injured running back Dalvin Cook. The Vikings are in the playoffs, but will have to go on the road. If Cook isn’t available in the postseason, Cousins will have to take his game to another level, because what he showed Monday night wasn’t nearly good enough.
8. Buffalo Bills
(10-5. Last week: 7)
There’s no such thing as a good loss, but Saturday’s defeat at New England was as close as it gets. The Bills went on the road and took the Patriots down to a last-minute drive. The Patriots, once again, are the kings of the AFC East. But the Bills have emerged as princes and may eventually overthrow the division dynasty. For now, the Bills are in the playoffs and locked in as the No. 5 seed. Despite the loss, they grew up some Saturday. Second-year quarterback Josh Allen went head to head with Tom Brady. Allen can make plays with his feet and his arms, and he’s only going to get better. So are the Bills. They’re a dangerous team entering this year’s playoffs. Coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane have assembled a roster that’s going to be good for a long time.
7. Kansas City Chiefs
(11-4. Last week: 8)
Momentum is greatly important as the playoffs approach, and the Chiefs have plenty of it. In winning their fifth straight game, they played perhaps their most complete game of the season in a 26-3 victory over Chicago. Andy Reid’s team is clicking at the right time, and the Chiefs have an outside chance at the AFC’s No. 2 seed and a first-round bye. They can get it if they beat the Chargers on Sunday and the Patriots lose to the Dolphins. The latter is unlikely, but the Chiefs have positioned themselves for a playoff run either way. Everyone knows how great quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City offense are. But the defense also is clicking. The Chiefs have allowed only 48 points during the five-game winning streak.
6. Seattle Seahawks
(11-4. Last week: 2)
Just about all season long, the Seahawks were cruising. They entered Sunday with the lead for the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs and what seemed like an easy game against the Cardinals. So what happened? The Seahawks lost to Arizona, and they may have lost a lot more. Running backs Chris Carson and C.J. Prosise were injured, and coach Pete Carroll said both are done for the year. Left tackle Duane Brown needs knee surgery and could be done for the year. All three losses are significant, but the injury to Carson could be devastating. He had rushed for 1,230 yards and seven touchdowns and was one of the focal points of the offense. It’s impossible to replace someone like Carson. The Seahawks are going to have to tweak their offensive philosophy. They need to put more responsibility on the plate of quarterback Russell Wilson, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
5. Green Bay Packers
(12-3. Last week: 6)
It took some time to pull away, and it was nothing pretty, but the Packers defeated the Vikings on Monday night. That gave the Packers the NFC North championship. More importantly, it means Green Bay is still in the mix for the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. It also guarantees the Packers will end up as no worse than the No. 3 seed. There was nothing flashy about this game for either team. This was old-school football, a throwback to the days of the bygone NFC Central when it was called the Black & Blue division. The NFC Central became the NFC North when it shed the Buccaneers in 2002. But this game looked like the old days. It featured a rarity — two head coaches calling plays directly against each other. Green Bay rookie head coach Matt LaFleur called the offense against Minnesota’s defense, which was directed by veteran coach Mike Zimmer. LaFleur won the battle.
4. San Francisco 49ers
(12-3. Last week: 5)
The 49ers eliminated the Rams from playoff contention with a 34-31 victory on Saturday night. More importantly, the 49ers are now in the driver’s seat for the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC playoffs. They can clinch that with a victory at Seattle in Week 17. But that’s easier said than done. Seattle is one of the toughest road venues in the league, and the 49ers haven’t won there since 2011. Although San Francisco has been a bit inconsistent after an 8-3 start, this is a team with the potential to win in Seattle and do major damage in the postseason. The win against the Rams was more impressive than it sounds. Los Angeles was a Super Bowl team last season, and the Rams were playing for their playoff lives. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was off much of the night, but he came through on the winning drive. Garoppolo may not be elite, but he’s a winner.
3. New England Patriots
(12-3. Last week: 4)
The Patriots beat the Bills to clinch their 11th consecutive AFC East title and need only a win against Miami in the regular-season finale to clinch the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye. Business as usual in New England? Not quite. The Patriots revealed a new identity against Buffalo, and this is what they’ll need to do to get back to the Super Bowl. New England won with strong defense, a solid running game and some clutch chunk plays by quarterback Tom Brady. This isn’t the offensive machine we’ve gotten used to seeing in past years, but that’s reality. There has been a lot of talk in recent weeks about New England’s lack of explosiveness at wide receiver, an area that remains a legitimate concern aside from Julian Edelman. But Brady and Bill Belichick have made some changes. The Patriots showed Saturday what they’re all about. Count them out at your own peril.
2. New Orleans Saints
(12-3. Last week: 3)
The Saints are so good they were able to cruise to a road win against Tennessee even though they didn’t play their best game. In the process, they remained in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Seahawks and 49ers also are in the mix. But earning the No. 1 seed would be huge for the Saints. The Mercedes-Benz Superdome is one of the best home-field advantages in the NFL. I’ve been to every stadium in the league except the new ones in Atlanta and Santa Clara and the two temporary ones in Los Angeles. In my opinion, the Superdome is the loudest stadium in the league (Seattle is second). I’ve felt the building shake many times in New Orleans and have even worn ear plugs. If the noise in New Orleans can cause problems for a writer, imagine what it can do to an opposing team. The Saints are a Super Bowl contender under any circumstances, but their chances greatly increase if they get the No. 1 seed.
1. Baltimore Ravens
(13-2. Last week: 1)
For the first time in franchise history, the Ravens have earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. They did it with a routine victory against Cleveland. That means they get a bye and hold home-field advantage throughout the playoffs (in Baltimore’s two Super Bowl seasons, they were a No. 4 seed). The only question is whether coach John Harbaugh will sit the bulk of his starters in the season finale against Pittsburgh. Harbaugh would be foolish to play them and risk significant injuries. Let the backups play. A loss isn’t going to hurt the Ravens at all. Besides, their backups might be good enough to compete with a Pittsburgh team that will be fighting for a playoff berth. You’re usually not supposed to look ahead in the NFL. But the Ravens are the one team that can afford to do that this week.
Pat Yasinskas has covered the NFL since 1993. He has worked for The Tampa Tribune, The Charlotte Observer and ESPN.com and writes for numerous national magazines and websites. He also has served as a voter for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
