Ravens Playoff Chances 2022: Scenario For Baltimore To Get Wild-Card Spot Over Colts, Chargers

The Baltimore Ravens are still in the playoff race — barely — in Week 18 of the NFL season. A scenario exists for the Ravens to earn an AFC wild-card spot, though their playoff chances are extremely slim.

Four Week 18 results have to go Baltimore’s way in order for the Ravens to make the 2022 NFL playoffs. Baltimore is the No. 11 seed in the AFC, hoping to move ahead of the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Chargers in the standings.

The Las Vegas Raiders are one game ahead of the Ravens. Las Vegas owns the tiebreaker over Baltimore.

The Ravens’ playoff hopes start with their 1 p.m. EST matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday. Baltimore must defeat Pittsburgh in order to keep its playoff chances alive.

The game between the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars kicks off at the same time as the contest in Baltimore. The Ravens need the Colts to lose in order to avoid elimination.

If the Ravens and Jaguars both win, Baltimore’s attention will turn to the 4:25 p.m. EST game between the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins. The Ravens would need the Patriots to either win or tie the Dolphins.

Miami and Baltimore enter Week 18 with the same record, and the Dolphins have the tiebreaker over the Ravens. Miami has already been eliminated from contention.

If the Patriots take care of business for the Ravens, Baltimore still needs the Sunday night game to go its way. The Ravens can only make the playoffs if the Raiders beat the Chargers in Las Vegas.

The Ravens are favorites over the Steelers, and the Patriots are heavily favored to defeat the Dolphins. A win for the Jaguars over the Colts, however, would be a stunning upset, making it unlikely that Baltimore is still in the playoff race when Sunday’s late-afternoon games start.

The Chargers are short road favorites over the Raiders.

A four-way parlay for the Ravens, Jaguars, Patriots and Raiders to win has around 34/1 odds.