Ravens down but not out, still a chance to make playoffs

Week 16 was a week that started out pretty well for Ravens fans. The Buffalo Bills defeated the Miami Dolphins, 19-0, in a game that put the Ravens in a perfect position to clinch a playoff spot. Unfortunately for them, the Bengals crushed the Vikings, 42-14, forcing Baltimore to win against the Patriots if they wanted to stay in the AFC North race.

It was an AFC Championship rematch that went South FAST for Baltimore, as they were slaughtered at the hands of Tom Brady, LeGarrette Blount, and the Patriots' defense, 41-7.

It seems as if most Ravens' fans stayed positive after the loss, but can they really still make the playoffs? The answer is yes. It may be hard for them to do, but it's possible. The four playoff teams in the hunt are the Ravens (8-7), Chargers (8-7), Dolphins (8-7), and Steelers (7-8). As of now, the Dolphins own the sixth seed in the AFC.

The schedule for each of these teams in Week 17 goes as follows:

Baltimore Ravens: @ Cincinnati Bengals

Miami Dolphins: vs. New York Jets

San Diego Chargers: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Pittsburgh Steelers: vs. Cleveland Browns

Let's break it down by every single possible scenario:

Scenario #1:

• Ravens win.
• Dolphins win.
• Chargers win.
• Steelers win.

This playoff scenario article may seem confusing, so here is a way to simply break it down. Here are the things that could get the Ravens into the playoffs in Week 17:

• A win + losses by either the Dolphins OR the Chargers.
• A loss + losses by the Dolphins, Chargers, AND Steelers.