Back in the same position as the AFC's top seed, the Ravens hope to avoid a repeat of 4 years ago

Updated Jan. 11, 2024 6:49 p.m. ET

Associated Press

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens clinched the top seed in the AFC two weekends ago when they thrashed Miami.

Coach John Harbaugh barely had time to enjoy the victory before facing an inevitable question about 2019.

That season was the last time the Ravens were the top seed. Led by MVP Lamar Jackson, Baltimore went 14-2. Then the Ravens faltered, losing their playoff opener 28-12 to Tennessee. With Baltimore now back in that same position — and Jackson favored to win MVP honors again — that game against the Titans is a bit haunting for Ravens fans.

“We remember 2019. It’s not something we’re going to forget,” Harbaugh said after that win over the Dolphins. "You’re not going to take it for granted. Not that we ever would, but it’s one more thing that makes you who you are at this point in time. We haven’t forgotten that.”

The Ravens have a first-round bye and then will face one of four teams — Houston, Cleveland, Miami or Pittsburgh. Baltimore played against that entire group during the regular season, going 3-3. The Ravens were 10-1 against everyone else.

Jackson is sometimes criticized for being 1-3 in the postseason, but it's really only the 2019 loss that stands out. Aside from that, the star quarterback has a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers as a rookie, as well as a 2020 postseason in which he played two road games and won one. The defeat against Tennessee is the one that's hard to explain away.

Even in that game, Jackson threw for 365 yards and ran for 143. Four sacks dropped his total net yardage for that day to 488, still the third-highest postseason mark by a player in the Super Bowl era.

“We put up 500 yards up in that game. We just didn’t score touchdowns. That’s really the bottom line, and by the end of the game, our defense was a little worn out against a really good running team. So, it’s a narrative, we didn’t win the game,” Harbaugh said. “We didn’t score enough points, but it wasn’t like we weren’t moving the ball.”

The Ravens also turned the ball over three times — two interceptions and a fumble by Jackson. And they went 0 for 4 on fourth down. Jackson was stopped on twice on fourth-and-1. The loss snapped a 12-game winning streak for Baltimore.

“We lost that game. We were so young, too. We had rookie receivers, a first full-time starting quarterback,” Jackson said. "We had a couple vets, but running backs were young. We had Gus (Edwards). We had Mark (Ingram), but Mark was hurt. Our All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews was nicked up. We had guys that were down, but guys were fighting, and we were young at the same time. We were just starting to get into that situation of (a) playoff atmosphere, but I believe we’re going to be better this year this time around.”

After beating Miami 56-19, the Ravens were able to hold several key players — including Jackson — out of the regular-season finale last week against the Steelers. Of course, that means those players will be playing for the first time in three weeks when they take the field for the postseason.

For Harbaugh, rust is less of a concern than preparation.

“One of the things we talked about was, ‘Be your own biggest critic,’ and in terms of being your own biggest critic this week and trying to improve in every area you can, you’re also your own biggest advocate,” he said. "So, advocate for yourself by being critical of yourself, and try to do the best you can to become as good as you can or better this week in terms of making improvements, and then we’ll be ready and prepared for what’s ahead of us.”

There are plenty of players on this team who weren't with Baltimore in 2019. Linebacker Roquan Smith is one of them, and he certainly sounds determined to win next week. If the Ravens do that, the city of Baltimore would host the AFC championship game for the first time since Jan. 3, 1971, when the Colts defeated the Oakland Raiders 27-17.

“Have you ever been on a safari? Ever been in the wild and just seen cats that's trying to survive and trying to make their next meal? I feel like we have that mentality, and we know if one get a kill, we all going to share it, at the end of the day,” Smith said. "I know many guys would die to be in the position that we’re in, as far as a type of team, because there's so many just genuine, good dudes, but when you get on that field, cats that want to rip your face off and maybe cut your hair, too.”

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