As Ravens enter final stretch of regular season with Super Bowl hopes, plenty of challenges await

Head-to-head wins over the Jaguars and Dolphins would significantly help Baltimore’s cause for the top seed, but there’s only so much in the team’s control. In contrast to the Ravens, the Chiefs, who are still in the top seed mix at 8-4, don’t play a team that currently has a winning record the rest of the way. Aside from Baltimore, the Jaguars’ only other game against a team currently in playoff position is versus the Browns, who started their fourth different quarterback Sunday. The Dolphins do have a challenging finish to their schedule with their last three against the Dallas Cowboys, Ravens and Buffalo Bills.

Either way, the Ravens are set up for a month’s worth of scoreboard-watching — although not everybody will indulge.

“Honestly, I don’t want to pay attention to that,” Ravens rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers said last week when asked about the team’s standing in the AFC. “I just come out and play ball and try to get wins every week.”

The Ravens have talked all season about not getting ahead of themselves. The mentality has served them well so far. Dominant wins haven’t lingered into the next week, nor have disappointing losses.

Twelve Ravens Thoughts coming out of Week 13 bye

Though no longer occupying the AFC’s top spot after Miami’s win, the Ravens do control their path to the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage with Kansas City falling to Green Bay. Daunting remaining schedule or not, you can’t ask for much more than that with a month to go.

The Browns have allowed a combined 65 points to Denver and the Los Angeles Rams over the last two weeks, which should end any talk about Cleveland having a better defense than Baltimore.The Ravens have allowed the fewest points in the NFL and now rank first in defensive DVOA.

Speaking of the playoff-hopeful Rams, Baltimore sleeping on Sean McVay’s team would be a big mistake coming out of the bye. Matthew Stafford is coming off his best two games of the season, and the Los Angeles defense has also been playing better in recent weeks.