Baltimore Ravens Climb in Power Rankings Despite 1-5 Start
The Baltimore Ravens may be 1-5, but experts believe their season isn’t over yet. Despite a four-game losing streak and Lamar Jackson’s injury, the team made a surprising leap in Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) latest power rankings, jumping from No. 25 to No. 7.
According to PFF, the Ravens’ overall potential remains strong even amid injuries and inconsistent play. The site’s rankings factor in player grades, past team performance, and strength of schedule. Currently, PFF gives Baltimore a 39% chance to make the playoffs and a 3% chance to win the Super Bowl.
“As bad as things are in Baltimore, it’s hard to put a real microscope on this team given the injuries,” PFF noted. “The only way that’s going to happen is through a wild-card berth, but it also doesn’t happen until Lamar Jackson is back and healthy.”
Lamar Jackson’s Injury and Expected Return
Jackson has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury but is expected to return after the Ravens’ Week 7 bye. His absence has been felt, as the offense has scored only 13 total points in two games without him.
Head coach John Harbaugh told reporters earlier this week that Jackson’s recovery is “right on track” and that the team is optimistic he’ll be available in Week 8. “We’ve been smart with his timeline,” Harbaugh said. “When he’s back, we expect to get back to playing our brand of football.”
Experts Still Believe in the Ravens’ Potential
While PFF ranked the Ravens surprisingly high, other outlets have been more cautious. Most national media have Baltimore ranked between No. 19 and No. 25 entering Week 7.
NFL.com placed the Ravens at No. 23, writing: “Lamar Jackson is on track to be back after this week’s bye. Now, the bad: the Ravens are 1-5, with six more road games, and they probably need to go 9-2 or better to make the postseason. But Sunday offered a glimmer of hope that things could be better.”
The Ringer also noted the Ravens’ cautious optimism with Jackson’s recovery, saying: “Once he returns, this 1-5 team has to immediately be at its absolute best if it wants to make up the ground it has lost.”
Other outlets, including ESPN, CBS Sports, and Sports Illustrated, pointed to injuries and offensive inconsistency as major challenges. ESPN wrote, “The Ravens can’t win without Lamar Jackson,” while FOX Sports called backup quarterback Cooper Rush’s two starts “a disaster.”
Despite those critiques, analysts agree that Baltimore’s defense showed improvement in Week 6 against the Los Angeles Rams. The unit held Los Angeles to just 17 points and showed flashes of the physicality that once defined the franchise.
The Baltimore Ravens Have a Chance to Hit Reset
The Ravens head into their bye week hoping to regroup before a critical stretch of games. When play resumes, Baltimore will face the Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, and Cleveland Browns — all teams hovering around the .500 mark.
If Jackson returns healthy and the offense regains its rhythm, Baltimore could still climb back into wild-card contention. The Ravens’ resilience is one reason many experts are not ready to count them out just yet.
As Harbaugh summed it up, “We’ve got a lot of football left. Our record doesn’t define what kind of team we can be.”
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