The Ravens 2017 opponents are nearly set

Fourteen of the sixteen matchups on the Baltimore Ravens 2017 schedule have been set by the league’s predetermined rotation. The Ravens will play their usual home and away intra divisional series with Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Cleveland, accounting for six games.

The AFC North is paired with the AFC South and NFC North divisions next year. The Ravens will host Houston, Indianapolis, Chicago and Detroit in Baltimore. They will travel to play Tennessee, Green Bay and Minnesota. The league has announced the Jaguars will serve as the home team when the Ravens meet them in London.

This leaves two remaining games that have not been finalized yet. Baltimore will face the AFC East and AFC West teams that finishes in the same spot of the divisional standings as they do this year. For example, the Ravens finished third in the AFC North in 2015, so they played against the Raiders and Jaguars since they also finished third in their divisions last year. Unfortunately, the Ravens did not receive the benefit of the supposedly easier schedule this season, since the much improved Raiders beat them at home, while the Steelers defeated both of their second place schedule opponents - the Chiefs and Colts.

The AFC East contest will be a home game for the Ravens, with the AFC West match on the road. Pending the outcome of the final two games on the 2016 slate, the Ravens will finish either first or second in the AFC North. This will likely pit them against the Raiders or Chiefs from the West. Their AFC East opponent will probably end up being the Patriots or Dolphins.

As always, the results of the AFC North head to head games will be a critical factor in their postseason quest.