Raven Country

Ravens Clinch 2024 Playoff Berth

The Baltimore Ravens are back in the postseason for the third-straight year.

Jon Alfano

Dec 21, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; h8] throws as Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (95) applies pressure during the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
Dec 21, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; h8] throws as Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (95) applies pressure during the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
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The Baltimore Ravens have finally slayed the dragon, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-17 on Saturday afternoon. Pittsburgh had won eight of the past nine games in this storied rivalry, but Baltimore finally gets one back on its arch enemy.

In doing so, the Ravens clinched a playoff berth for the third season in a row, and their sixth in the past seven seasons. They were already a virtual lock to make it to the postseason, but it's good to officially lock up a spot.

It's been a bumpier road to the playoffs than last season, when the Ravens cruised through the regular season en route to a 13-4 record and earned the top seed in the AFC. Still, they navigated the peaks and valleys throughout the season, and now they've earned their ticket to the dance.

Currently, the Ravens occupy the No. 5 seed in the AFC, which would pit them against the No. 4 seed and AFC South champion Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round. Of Course, the final two weeks of the season could change the seeding substantially.

As for the AFC North, the Ravens still face long odds to repeat as division champions. While they've forced a tie atop the division, with both them and the Steelers sitting at 10-5, they still need a bit of help to take the crown. Essentially, the Ravens must either finish with a better record than the Pittsburgh (obviously), or defeat the Cleveland Browns and have the Cincinnati Bengals defeat the Steelers in Week 18, which would give them the tiebreaker thanks to a better divisional record.

With their postseason spot locked up, the Ravens have yet another short week ahead of them as they travel to face the Texans on Christmas Day.

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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Jon Alfano
JON ALFANO

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