The Ravens improved to 13-2 with a 31-15 win over the Browns, who fell to 6-9.
What did we learn?
Lamar Jackson added an exclamation point to his MVP season.
After a messy 28 minutes to begin the game, Jackson had arguably the best two-minute stretch of the season. Jackson fueled the Ravens to two long drives, both ending in touchdowns for tight end Mark Andrews.
In the second half, Jackson continued to explode on the ground, eventually breaking the 100-yard mark. Jackson also tossed his third touchdown of the day, his 36th of the season. Jackson will not play in Week 17 to curb injury risk, but he finished the regular season in style over the last two weeks.
Congrats, MVP.
As good as Lamar was, the fumbles returned.
After losing just one fumble all season, Jackson and Mark Ingram botched an exchange, and the Browns recovered. No matter how effective Jackson has been with pulling the ball out from Ingram, every mesh point runs the risk of catastrophe. It is a risk that the Ravens must live with as the downside to one of the most efficient rushing offenses in NFL history.
The defense needs to step up one more level in the playoffs.
Yes, they rank in the top five in terms of points allowed and yards allowed, but the Ravens always appear to be on the precipice of collapse. Coupled with the inability to maintain consistent pressure on the quarterback, the Ravens have managed to avoid disaster in recent weeks. The Browns were mere inches away from a pair of long touchdown passes that would have changed the tide of the game. While the Ravens only allowed 241 yards to the Browns, the number would have been significantly higher if Baker Mayfield found his man on one of the deep passes he attempted. The Ravens have one of the best secondaries in the NFL, but they are forced to be elite on every snap due to the lack of consistent pressure.
A look into the AFC playoff picture:
The Ravens have clinched the top seed in the AFC for the first time. They have tied the team record for most wins in a season, and a triumph over the Steelers would give the Ravens the rarified air of 14 wins. The Ravens will get a playoff bye for just the third time in their history. In previous seasons, the Ravens have parlayed their bye weeks into a loss to the 2006 Indianapolis Colts and a win over the 2011 Houston Texans before succumbing to the top-seeded New England Patriots.
Coming into the day, the Browns needed help from the Saints, Colts, and Jets to stay alive in the playoff picture. The Saints, Colts, and Jets held up their end of the bargain, but the Browns failed to secure a victory over Baltimore, contributing to the 17th consecutive season without playoff football in Cleveland. With the loss, the Browns have clinched a 12th consecutive losing season. The Browns have the longest playoff drought in the NFL, and only the Seattle Mariners have a longer drought in the four major sports.
A look ahead to Week 17:
The Ravens return home to face the 8-7 Steelers. The Ravens have nothing to play for in Week 17, but the Steelers desperately need a win to stay alive in the playoff race. While they would not be eliminated with a loss, the Steelers would need a lot of help to make the playoffs regardless of a win or a loss. The Ravens won the matchup in Pittsburgh, surviving in a 26-23 dogfight that ended in overtime.
The Browns travel to Cincinnati to play against the 1-14 Bengals. The Bengals are locked into the number one overall pick, so the game has little consequence due to Cleveland’s recent elimination from the playoff picture. The Browns won the first matchup 27-19.
