The Baltimore Ravens left Atlantawith an overtime win, but their NFL standing depends on who you ask. Some see a team capable of beating quality opponents even without Lamar Jackson, while others remain concerned about a defense that continues to surrender too many third-down opportunities.
Four major outlets moved Baltimore up their power rankings entering Week 6, although their evaluations vary considerably. Week 6 approaches as Baltimore tries to maintain its momentum. Here's where the Ravens stand after surviving their Sunday night battle with the Atlanta Falcons.
USA TODAY
We begin with the lowest ranking among these four platforms. USA TODAY places the Ravens at 13. That is, however, a rise from 17th, where they were entering Week 5.
FOX Sports
The Ravens rank
sixth on FOX Sports. They move up three spots from last week's ranking.
"The Ravens are just not the same team when QB Lamar Jackson is hurt, but they still looked pretty good Sunday night with Tyler Huntley at the helm. Their defense still isn’t what everyone thought it would be, but they can still run the ball better than almost anybody in the league. Getting Jackson back at full strength is really the key to their staying power, though. Maybe not next week in Cleveland, but certainly against the Bengals, Bills and Jaguars in the three tough weeks after that."
CBS Sports
Pete Prisco also ranks the Ravens sixth. They move up one spot from last week's ranking.
"Winning at Atlanta with backup Tyler Huntley is a good sign for this team. They showed a lot in rallying to win that game."
ESPN
ESPN ranks the Ravens in their top ten at number seven. Jamison Hensley states the following.
"The Ravens are allowing teams to convert 41.5% of their third downs, which ranks 20th in the NFL. It's frustrating because Baltimore seems as if it's winning on the early downs before giving up a big play on third down. Quarterbacks are averaging 8.7 yards per attempt on third down, the fifth highest in the league. The Ravens gave up nine third-down conversions Sunday, which are the most they've given up in a game in two seasons. "It obviously feels a lot better fixing those mistakes with a win," safety Kyle Hamilton said. "I might be a little too cynical or critical, but we can be better."
The Ravens' power rankings are trending upward, with three outlets placing them sixth or seventh and USA TODAY moving them up four spots. Another win strengthened Baltimore's case as a contender, but the defensive concerns are hard to ignore.
If the Ravens can tighten up on third down while navigating Jackson's injury situation, they can justify the growing confidence. Their Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns offers the next chance to prove that Sunday's comeback was more than a short-term boost.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Power Rankings Roundup: Where do the Ravens stand entering Week 6?
