The playoffs began Monday night. The Ravens’ 47-42 win in Cleveland was the game of the year and reminds everyone watching in Miami, Las Vegas and the rest of the AFC that Lamar Dematris Jackson is not going away peacefully.
In the context of this season, the now 8-5 year old Ravens need more of a game. It was the team’s third game in 12 days as their Covid-19 outbreak cut their season and NFL regular season schedule by almost 12 percent. It was another game because Jackson has taken a serious turn from the virus that has defined everything like American life this season. I thought of that absence when Jackson missed 11 plays with a stretch in the fourth quarter, only to return a 44-yard touchdown in 4 to 5, which will be part of MVP’s devotion to 2019 as long as he plays. (Even if he didn’t “Pull a Paul Pierce. “)
Baltimore’s way to win 11 is open ahead on the docket with the Jaguars, Giants and Bengals. He may need to win them all to squeeze into the stacked AFC field and Jackson looks ready to take him out of here, no matter how many injuries occur in the Ravens defense.
Over the last 25 years, the Cleveland Brows have needed more of a game. That can always be true unless they win a few Super Bowls like an organization that has left their city. But with a win over the Colts and Titans at 9-4, This Brown doesn’t need to apologize for where they are. On Monday, the whole country saw the creativity, calmness and aggression of Browse coach Kevin Stefansky. The Browns are an aggressive team and they play like that. Baker Mayfield is playing the best ball of the season when it is most important.
Still, Monday night’s result, but there are guarantees that the Steelers will win the AFC North. Being part of the night like this is a step in the right direction for the 9-4 Brown, but they need to close the deal in the final three weeks. His path to eleven wins and his first playoff spot since 2007 is clear with potential resting early players from the Giants, the Jets and a Steelers team. Both Ravens and Browns should play wild card weekends, but it’s hard to imagine them playing another game this season.
So what does the rest of the AFC playoff picture look like after week 14?
