The Baltimore Ravens haven't reached must-win territory mathematically, but Sunday's Week 8 matchup against the Buffalo Bills could have significant implications for a team suddenly fighting to remain in the AFC playoff picture.
Baltimore (4-3) enters Week 8 in last place in the AFC North after consecutive losses to Cleveland and Cincinnati, dropping to 0-2 against division opponents. The Ravens are ninth in the AFC standings, two spots outside the seven-team playoff field, with the New England Patriots holding the eighth position. The AFC North is becoming increasingly competitive. Cleveland (5-2) leads the division by head-to-head tiebreaker over Pittsburgh (5-2), while Cincinnati (4-2) holds the seventh and final AFC playoff spot.
Baltimore's
losses to Cleveland and Cincinnati are particularly damaging because head-to-head results are the first divisional tiebreaker. The Ravens still have four division games remaining, but another conference loss would complicate their path to the postseason.
The immediate challenge is Buffalo (5-1), which enters Sunday as the AFC's No. 2 seed behind Kansas City. The Bills average an NFL-best 32.8 points per game, making them a tough assignment for a Baltimore defense that has allowed 48 unanswered second-half points in its last two losses. Game Center
A win would take the Ravens to 5-3 and improve their AFC record to 3-2, potentially helping them regain ground in the wild-card race. A loss would leave Baltimore at 4-4, with a 2-3 conference record and a tougher road ahead.
Sunday's other games could significantly affect the standings. Cleveland visits Pittsburgh in a critical AFC North matchup, Cincinnati hosts Tennessee, Kansas City travels to Denver, and New England faces Miami. The Browns-Steelers result guarantees one division rival will lose, while Cincinnati can improve to 5-2 against the struggling Titans.
Baltimore will also have a short turnaround before hosting Jacksonville on Thursday night in Week 9, giving the Ravens consecutive opportunities to strengthen their standing against AFC opponents. Lamar Jackson's potential return provides reason for optimism. The two-time NFL MVP returned to practice Wednesday after missing three straight games with a high ankle sprain, but his availability against Buffalo remains in doubt.
The Ravens have 10 games remaining and sufficient time to recover, but their margin for error is shrinking. Sunday isn't an elimination game. However, a third straight loss would leave Baltimore at .500, behind three division rivals, and under added pressure to recover in November.
AFC playoff picture entering Week 8
CURRENT SEEDING AFTER WEEK 7 — NOT FINAL PLAYOFF PROJECTIONS
For a team with championship aspirations, beating Buffalo would represent more than ending a losing streak. It would show Baltimore can still compete with the AFC's strongest teams.
Most important Week 8 AFC games
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Is Ravens vs. Bills a must-win game for Baltimore's playoff hopes?
