With their latest commanding victory bringing their record to 11-3 on the season, the Baltimore Ravens became the first team in the AFC to clinch a playoff spot. Barring everybody else losing out, they need only win one more game this season, in fact, to capture the top seed and the first-round bye—but it has to be a specific game—and a bit of help.
The @Ravens secure a spot in the #NFLPlayoffs ud83dude08#CellyClinched | @budlight pic.twitter.com/PUI8YbzzS6
— NFL (@NFL) December 18, 2023
The earliest the Ravens could clinch the top seed would be in Week 17, when they face the currently 10-4 Miami Dolphins, one of only three teams remaining in plausible striking distance, the others being the Kansas City Chiefs and, against all odds, the Cleveland Browns, both 9-5.