The week seven game between the Ravens and the Steelers was a lost opportunity for the Ravens. The Ravens entered the game with a 3-3 record, while the Steelers were 1-4. With a win that week, the Ravens would have gotten their season back on track, and in the process, squashing the Steelers season.

Instead, the Ravens’ offense played as though they were in quicksand, the defense was gashed up the middle to a team that couldn’t run at the time, and the special teams wet the bed in a crucial situation. In addition, the Steelers used the game to resuscitate their season.

It was a lost opportunity—something that we have seen the Ravens do quite a few times this year.

Tonight’s Thanksgiving primetime showdown presents another opportunity—for both teams. It is essentially a week 13 playoff game. The winner puts itself in a good position for the final wildcard spot, while keeping pressure of the division-leading Bengals.

The Ravens cannot afford a season sweep by the Steelers for many reasons. Obviously, the biggest  reason is that the Ravens cannot afford another loss, period. But, since the Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland, the Steelers will most likely wind up with a better division record than the Ravens. With a win today, the Steelers could potentially have a 5-1 divisional record. The Ravens are hoping for a 4-2 or 3-3 divisional record. Moreover, the Steelers have a much favorable schedule than the Ravens, ending the season with three of their last four games playing at Heinz Field. The Ravens still have Detroit, New England, and Cincinnati.

The Ravens need to limit the big-play ability of the Steelers’ defense. The Ravens’ offense needs to better capitalize on field position and finish off drives with touchdowns, not field goals. Last week’s field position wastefulness cannot happen again tonight. The Ravens need to come up big in a big moment like tonight’s spotlight showdown.

In short, the Ravens cannot afford to squander another big opportunity. Here are this week's plotlines. Happy Thanksgiving! 

A statement game. A complete game. An all-around team win.

These are some of the comments that have been made describing the Ravens’ win against the New York Jets. I am not so sure that these are accurate assessments because, well, it was the New York Jets—a woeful team that has somehow found a way to still be relevant in week 13 of the NFL season. How much can one actually take away from a game like this?

That being said, there were some encouraging signs from the game. The key will be for the Ravens to stack another game like this, showing signs that they are getting better, not merely riding the roller coaster of inconsistency. This week’s Thanksgiving opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers, has overcome a horrendous start and is beginning to hit a stride of consistency—the team appears to be getting better each and every week. I will discuss more about this game in this week’s Plotlines post.

Back to the Jets’ game. Here is this week’s Reality Assessment, where we examine a couple of elements that have been hot topics this week, and maybe a couple of angles that have not been overly discussed.

Put up or shut up. That has to be the theme this week. The Ravens and the Jets—two teams that are fighting for the final playoff berth—are they contenders are pretenders? In the watered-down AFC, the answer to that question may be both.

Both teams trot out squads that are called “offense,” but both squads are really just offensive. Prepare for an ugly defensive struggle (aka offensive ineptitude) that will meander on throughout the afternoon—The Great Battle of Attrition. 

Today’s game may resemble 2011’s Ravens-Jets clash, when five of the six total touchdowns were scored by the defense and special teams. The final score was 34-17 in favor of the Ravens, but only one offensive touchdown was scored—a Ray Rice run.

All mocking aside, here are today’s plotlines.

Weekend at Bernie’s. Home Alone. Die Hard. Speed. Alvin and the Chipmunks (hey, I have kids). Most horror movies.

What do they all have in common? The sequel, and in some cases several sequels, follow the exact same script as the original.  

Doesn’t this feel like each and every Ravens game this season?

Each week we see in some form or fashion: a forced pass by Joe Flacco, a terribly timed challenge by John Harbaugh, the defense wilting in crucial situations, a dropped pass by a receiver, aggressive tendencies when caution is more in order, questionable clock management, and a dumb penalty at the inopportune time, and now we can add a blown lead to the list.

Each week, we watch the same thing over and over again. “Look kids, there’s Big Ben and there’s Parliament!” (This movie and its sequels are not to be lumped with the others. Okay, Vegas Vacation doesn’t count.) The game against the Chicago Bears was no different.  

Writing the Reality Assessment has been like writing a script to one of these sequels. Let’s see if we can examine a couple of elements that have been hot topics this week, and maybe a couple of angles that have not been overly discussed.

My father-in-law asked me if the Ravens were going to win last week. I said, “Probably not. The Bengals should win. But the Ravens will probably win just to give us fans a false sense of hope heading down the stretch.”

I was partially correct. I am hoping that there is real hope, instead of false hope. Watching the Bengals play football gives one hope that the division is not lost for the Ravens. However, the Ravens’ performance last week did nothing to improve the opinion that they are a playoff caliber team. Thank goodness the AFC is weak this year.

This week I am smashing together a bit of last week’s Reality Assessment with a running list of plotlines for today’s game against the Chicago Bears. 

There isn’t really much to say about this week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, other than this really is a must-win situation. A loss today will end any chance the Ravens have of making the playoffs via winning the AFC North division. A win today only slightly improves their already narrow chances of division crown.

However, in the unpredictable world of the NFL, even with a loss today, the Ravens would still not be eliminated from a playoff berth. The competition for the sixth seed in the AFC is muddled with mediocrity. The leading candidates for the sixth spot are five and/or four win teams: the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, and San Diego Chargers. The Ravens and their three wins would incredibly, not be out of the chase; albeit, more as pretenders rather than contenders.

But the story today in Baltimore is about the possible changing of the guard within the AFC North. Have the Cincinnati Bengals truly emerged as the beasts of the AFC North jungle? We shall find out today at about 4pm whether or not the AFC North power has officially shifted.

Here are today’s plotlines.

The Ravens stink.

I was going to post that, and only that, on Monday following the Ravens’ 24-18 loss to the Cleveland Browns.

Usually, the Reality Assessment is an opportunity of reflection regarding the previous week’s game. The knee-jerk, emotional, quick responses have time to subside, and there is time to zero in on the good, the bad, and the ugly.

This team has a whole lot of ugly. The issues that have plagued the team since the preseason are still plaguing the team: a horrific ability to run the football, deplorable offensive line play, secondary meltdowns, idiotic penalties, a defense who can’t get off the field in key situations, and a lack of a true team identity. There is no sense in rehashing what has been hashed, and hashed, and hashed endlessly since August.

Unfortunately, the Cleveland game illuminated a new, while also old, issue. Up until this game, quarterback Joe Flacco was not a primary cause of the Ravens’ issues. He was against Cleveland. His inaccuracy caused missed opportunities and failed drives, and it took points off the board. His throws were either high, behind, late, or all of the above.

This has led to people again questioning Joe Flacco’s leadership ability, and it has drudged up the whole “elite” debate. Really? Why, oh why, have we returned to this?

Seize the opportunity.

What a difference a week can make in the NFL. Just last week, the Ravens were two and a half games behind the Cincinnati Bengals, with many pundits not giving the Ravens a chance of catching the Bengals in the AFC North divisional race.

Then, on Halloween night, this happened.

That safety opened the door for opportunity for the Ravens. With a win today in Cleveland (which is no guarantee), the Ravens have an opportunity to close the gap in the divisional race. A win today sets up another opportunity next week when the Ravens face a big divisional match-up against the Bengals. Another win next week, and the divisional gap will be closed.

Obviously, I am getting a bit ahead of myself. But the point remains. An opportunity exists the next two weeks. It all begins with this game in Cleveland. A loss today and a major opportunity will go to waste.

With opportunity being the major plotline this week, here are the plotlines that will help determine today’s outcome in Cleveland.