Ravens Won't Be Scoreboard Watching As Playoffs Come Into Focus
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — A scoreboard in the corner of M&T Bank Stadium keeps track of all the NFL games.
This year, the outcome of some of those matchups are critical because Baltimore needs help to make the playoffs. Nonetheless, the players and coaches won't be glancing at those out-of-town scores.
The Ravens' focus is winning the game in front of them and ignoring the outside noise.
“Being honest, we’re just going to let it take care of itself," Jackson said. "We’re not focused on the outside, or other teams and stuff like that. We’re focused on ourselves because we can’t peak too early [and] we can’t peak too soon at nothing right now. We’ve just got to focus on the Giants because that’s a good team that we’re going to face on Sunday.”
The Ravens (9-5) are currently ranked eighth in the seven-team AFC playoff race. Baltimore needs the Browns (10-4), Colts (10-4), or Dolphins (9-5), to lose one of their remaining two games to make the postseason.
Some of the players haven't even bothered to keep track of that scenario.
“To be honest, I really don’t know much," left tackle Orlando Brown Jr, responded when asked about the playoff race.
Neither of Baltimore's opponents over the next two weeks — the Giants (5-9) and the Bengals (3-10) — have winning records. New York, however, can still win the NFC East so the stakes are high for both teams in Week 16.
That's why Ravens. coach John Harbaugh is making sure his players stay focused on the game in front of them and not the other potential playoff teams.
"The Giants are fighting for a division championship," Harbaugh said. "The Giants have won, what, four out of their last six games or something like that? They beat Seattle three weeks ago in Seattle. They can pound the ball [when] running the ball. They can stop the run. They have skill players, pretty much, all over the place.
"We have a very tough challenge in front of us; we understand that. The other stuff is just peripheral – it’s not even in our view. It’s not what we’re thinking about."