National Football League

Are division-leading Ravens officially the best team in the AFC?

Published Nov. 27, 2023 2:51 p.m. ET

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Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens earned a 20-10 road win against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 12, improving to 9-3 on the season and locking down the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

That said, are the Ravens now the best team in the division?

Michael Irvin certainly thinks so.

"I still have Baltimore right now a little bit ahead of Kansas City because I know [the Ravens are] a naturally physically football team and that'll come into play when these two get together," Irvin said on Monday's edition of "Undisputed." 

"I think they can dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs because they got a run game, they got a defense and [they've got] Lamar Jackson. I love the way he's staying in the pocket. Sometimes now — even yesterday — he starts staying in the pocket a little bit too long. I was like, 'Hey, get on out of there now!’ because you have that ability. But right now I still do have them as the top team in the AFC."

Jackson has totaled 2,618 passing yards, 13 passing touchdowns, five interceptions and a 98.4 passer rating on the season, while completing 68.3% of his passes. He has also rushed for 574 yards and five touchdowns. Meanwhile, Baltimore's defense is surrendering just 273.9 total yards and 15.6 points per game, each second in the NFL.

Will Ravens dethrone Chiefs as top AFC threat after sealing No. 1 seed?

The Ravens have dismantled several reputable and/or contending teams this season, as they swept their AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals, throttled both the Detroit Lions and the Seattle Seahawks, beat the Cleveland Browns on the road and kept the Houston Texans out of the end zone entirely.

Fellow "Undisputed" cohost Richard Sherman opined that Baltimore's offense is too inconsistent, however, to name them top dogs in the AFC.

"[Defensive coordinator] Mike Macdonald has done a great job with these guys," Sherman said. "He's using Kyle Hamilton all over the field — blitzing him, covering receivers, tight ends, deep field, whatever the case may be. They (the Ravens) give you complicated looks, different looks at the line of scrimmage, in the secondary. But that offense, it just sputters at times, and you cannot sputter in big games. … They disappear for drives in the middle of the game, and if you go against good teams that'll cost you."

While the Ravens are scoring 27 points (sixth) on an NFL-best 158.6 rushing yards, they're also posting just 207.5 passing yards (20th) per game. They will also likely be without star tight end Mark Andrews the rest of the way, as the three-time Pro Bowler suffered an ankle injury in Week 11. Second-year tight end Isaiah Likely has assumed starting duties.

Next up for Jackson & Co. is a home battle against the Los Angeles Rams (5-6) in Week 14 (1 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app) after their bye.

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