Ravens Preparing for Most Challenging Portion of Schedule

The Ravens play five AFC North teams over the final seven weeks of the season.

Baltimore is in first place heading into that critical stretch ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns.

It is the only division in the NFL where every team has a winning record. 

The Ravens currently own the second seed in the AFC playoffs behind the Tennessee Titans (8-3). 

"It’s just a great division," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "I have been in this division now for many years, and it’s always like that. It really doesn’t really matter what the records are; it’s still always really, really tough to play these games, yet now, everybody is above .500, and everybody is in it. And all the games are now at the end, between all of us, so it’s going to be pretty exciting.”

The Ravens lost their only division game to Cincinnati 41-17 on Oct. 24 at M&T Bank Stadium. The Bengals also beat the Steelers and looked like the class of the division until they lost two games in a row to the Jets and Browns.

Baltimore hosts the Browns on Nov. 28 and then travels to Cleveland on Dec. 12. The Browns have their bye in between those games.

The Ravens play at Pittsburgh on Dec. 5 and then finish the regular season with the rematch at M&T Bank Stadium.

The Ravens play at Cincinnati on Dec. 26. The Bengals knocked off Baltimore 41-17 on Oct. 24. 

Baltimore plays at Cincinnati on Dec. 26.

So, the AFC North champion might not be crowned until the final week of the season.

"It’s hard to win in the National Football League; it’s a big challenge," Harbaugh said. 

Here's a breakdown of the AFC North:

1. Ravens

Record: 7-3

Wins: Chiefs, Lions, Broncos, Colts, Chargers, Vikings, Bears

Losses: Raiders, Bengals, Dolphins

NFL Rankings: Offense: 5; Defense: 12

Remaining Games: Browns (2), Steelers (2), Bengals, Packers, Rams

2. Bengals

Record: 6-4

Wins: Ravens, Vikings Steelers, Lions, Jaguars, Raiders

Losses: Bears, Packers, Jets, Browns

NFL Rankings: Offense: 18; Defense: 19

Remaining Games: Browns, Raiders, Chargers, Ravens, Steelers, 49ers and Chiefs.

3. Steelers

Record: 5-4-1

Wins: Bills, Broncos, Seahawks, Browns, Bears

Losses: Raiders, Bengals, Packers, Chargers

Tie: Lions

NFL Rankings: Offense 24; Defense 14.

Remaining Games: Ravens (2), Bengals, Browns, Vikings, Chiefs and Titans

4. Browns

Record: 6-5

Wins: Texans, Bears, Vikings, Broncos.

Losses: Chiefs, Cardinals, Chargers

NFL Rankings: Offense 7; Defense 23.

Remaining Games: Ravens (2), Steelers, Raiders, Bengals and Packers