Ravens finally win again on Sunday, is their season still alive?

by Kobey Ronk, October 29, 2025

"Source: AP Photo"

A Rocky Start to the Season

I don’t think many football fans expected the Baltimore Ravens to start their season the way it has. Prior to Sunday, the Ravens were 1-5 coming off the bye week, and did not have Lamar playing. Their win Sunday against the bears was a season defining moment some would argue. Before the game, sportsbooks had them to make the playoffs at just +110. That’s a lot of faith for a 1-5 team with their starting quarterback being hurt. Does Vegas believe highly in the Ravens, or is the AFC just that bad? Either way, the game against the Bears was a must win. They now sit at 2-5, and it’s a longshot, but their playoff dreams are still alive for now.

From Super Bowl Hopefuls to Struggling Contenders

The Ravens were a superbowl hopeful heading into the season. They barely lost to Buffalo last year in the AFC divisional, and any team with Lamar Jackson has a chance to make it all the way. That’s not how it was looking to start the season. After an embarrassing choke against the Buffalo Bills, they went on to beat the Cleveland Browns to sit at 1-1. After this is where it got ugly. They lost to the Detroit Lions by 8 points on Monday night, got embarrassed by the Kansas City Chiefs with Lamar exiting the game, and then got embarrassed by the Los Angeles Rams and Houston Texans at home without Lamar. They needed the bye week more than ever to get healthy and right in order to try and save their season. Even without Lamar on Sunday, the Ravens defense which had been a problem all season looked stronger and healthier. Backup Tyler “Snoop” Huntley looked competent with 186 yards and a passing touchdown. Derek Henry is showing signs of his old self. He ran it in twice while having 71 yards and no fumbles. The fumbles had killed the Ravens in critical moments earlier in the season. Reports are saying Lamar will be ready to go Thursday night against the Miami Dolphins on the road. Things are starting to come together for a potential post season push. With that being said, let’s look at what they have coming up.

Upcoming Challenges: Can Baltimore Keep the Momentum?

The Ravens’ next three games are all on the road, a tough stretch for a team fighting for its season:

1. @ Dolphins (Thursday Night) Miami upset the Falcons on Sunday, but with Lamar back, Baltimore should have the edge. Tua under the lights is unpredictable — this one leans Ravens.

2. @ Vikings (Next Sunday) Likely the hardest of the three. Brian Flores’ defense can pressure Lamar, but Baltimore’s defense could win this one. If rookie J.J. McCarthy starts, advantage Ravens.

3. @ Browns Cleveland’s defense is elite, but their quarterback situation isn’t. If Lamar plays like he did last time, Baltimore could sweep this road trip.

The Ravens have Thursday night against the Dolphins, next Sunday against the Vikings, and the Browns after that. All of these games are on the road, tough for a team that needs wins desperately. I think with these teams however they can get by. The Dolphins got an upset win Sunday against the Falcons, but we know how this team has played all season. With Lamar back and Tua playing under the lights in primetime, I think the Ravens can win this one pretty easily. I think the Vikings game will be the hardest out of these 3. Brian Flores’ defense is good enough to put pressure on Lamar and the offense. I think the Ravens win this one on defense. We haven’t seen enough of J.J. McCarthy yet to make a decision on if he’s the guy or not. J.J playing is in favor of the Vikings, since Carson Wentz last few games for them was a disaster. Baltimore should win this one. Wrapping the road stretch up with the Browns, it should be a road sweep. The Browns defense is legit, but Dillion Gabriel is not the answer. Lamar did great last time against the Browns, and I don’t see it being any different this time.

The Path Ahead: A Manageable Schedule

After the road trip, Baltimore’s schedule lightens up considerably:

• Jets (home): A clear win.
• Bengals (home, Thanksgiving): No Burrow — Ravens favored.
• Steelers (home): Rodgers can still sling it, but home-field helps.

After these 3, the Ravens sit at 5-5. They have it pretty easy going forward. The Jets at home is a win, no need to explain further. Bengals at home on Thanksgiving, Steelers at home, and then the Bengals again on the road. The Bengals don’t have Joe Burrow, and Flacco has already had his shining moments for the year. I see a season sweep against them. It gets tricky with Pittsburgh. These are supposed to be the division contenders, and this is one of the biggest rivalries in the league. Aaron Rodgers is on his potential last season tour, but since this is at home I’ll take the Ravens. This puts them at 9-5, am I being optimistic? Potentially.

Final Stretch: The Toughest Tests Await

The season’s end will test Baltimore’s resilience:

• Patriots (home): Mike Vrabel’s team travels well. Possible upset loss.
• @ Packers: December football in Green Bay is no joke. Tough to steal this one.
• @ Steelers: The classic rivalry finale. Whether or not the playoffs are on the line, expect intensity and emotion. A toss-up game.

Wrapping the season up they’ll face their hardest stretch. The Patriots are good, and Mike Vrabel on the road is deadly. This is in Baltimore, but I can see them losing this one. You can’t win that many games in a row without dropping one here and there. Drake Maye has also shined in big moments. The Packers on the road is another tough one. They have an elite all around team, and they have the cold, home advantage in December. Lamar has a great record in the NFC, but I’m not sure this team can keep up. I’ll give this to Green Bay. To end the season off with Pittsburgh, in Pittsburgh, is an evil act by the NFL. For the fans, this is great. Big rivalry, potential playoffs and division total on the line, this should shape up to be an all time classic. I have this one as a toss up. Even if the Ravens or Steelers are out of it, they are going to play hard. That’s how much hate is there. Ending that all, I see them either being 10-7, 11-6, or 9-8. For how bad the AFC has been this year, even with 9-8 they have a shot. Lamar is constantly being dragged down about how he can’t win the big one. If he can get his team together and make the playoffs, this will be one of the best regular season comebacks for a team ever.