AFC North Power Rankings Week 17: Browns, Ravens create separation

1. Baltimore Ravens (12-3)

As frustrating as this is to admit, the Baltimore Ravens are playing incredible football right now. They haven't lost a game since Cleveland knocked them off back in Week 10 by a score of 33-31. That's five wins in a row and while we could say their first four weren't against great teams, that changed on Monday.

The final game on Christmas night featured the Ravens going into San Francisco and putting on a clinic. With everyone praising Brock Purdy as an MVP candidate, Lamar Jackson showed us the difference between a system quarterback and a legit MVP. Jackson had 252 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers.

Purdy, on the other hand, folded under the pressure the Ravens brought. When things got tough for him, he crumbled to the tune of four interceptions on 18-of-32 passing. Purdy, who completed just 44 percent of his attempts for 125 yards in a loss to the Browns, has struggled when Kyle Shanahan's script is taken away from him and Baltimore understood this — and took advantage.

Now with a record of 12-3, they're the favorites for the No. 1 seed. The good news for Cleveland is that they've already gone into the Ravens house and stole a game, so they shouldn't be too concerned about the AFC going through Baltimore — should that be the case.

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