The Baltimore Ravens take on the 3-8-1 Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, which doesn't seem like much of a challenge. Of course, any team can win on any given Sunday, and the 6-6 Ravens aren't a "sure-thing" in any game they play in.
The game today may be one of the most important games of the year for Baltimore, especially if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive.
If the Ravens were to win, they'd be above .500 for the first time since Week 5, and still hold the sixth seed in the AFC.
If the Ravens were to lose, they'd be in quite the pickle. Even if the Tennessee Titans, San Diego Chargers, and Miami Dolphins lost, Baltimore would still be in a very tough situation.
The last three games of the season are against teams that will most likely make the playoffs. These teams include:
These teams have a combined record of 24-12, and all of them have better records than the Ravens at this point in time. The last three games may be the hardest ones the Ravens have played all year, making it crucial that they play their best football in those games, but what does that have to do with the game against the Vikings?
If the Ravens were to lose to Minnesota, they would start off the last four games of the season with a 0-1 record. That would mean they would be going into the really tough games with a sub-.500 record, making it necessary to win almost all three of the games against the Lions, Bengals, and Patriots.
The race for the 6th seed in the AFC is tight, and if the Ravens want to stay relevant, they'll have to get a win on Sunday against a team that everyone knows they should beat. Their only problem will be the great Adrian Peterson, and it'll be exciting to see what the Baltimore defense has in store for such an elite running back.
If Baltimore can't pull a win out on Sunday, it may be time to kiss the hopes of their sixth-straight playoff appearance goodbye. Even a lot of fans believe if the Ravens lose to Minnesota, they probably don't deserve to make the playoffs in the first place.
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