Four games from the end of an improbable regular season - and possibly the start of what once was an even more unlikely postseason - the Ravens still have all playoff options in front of them.
Division title? Still attainable. As it stands, the Ravens can erase a one-game deficit and Pittsburgh's tiebreaking edge in the AFC North by beating the Steelers on Dec. 14 at M&T Bank Stadium. That would open the door to a possible home game in January and perhaps even a first-round bye.
Wild-card berth? There for the taking. At 8-4, the Ravens are in position to claim the second wild-card spot in the AFC. But they might have to fend off the New England Patriots (7-5) to finish the job. And that probably means winning three of their final four.
Catching the Steelers is doable, although difficult.
Getting caught by the Patriots pretty much happens only if the Ravens drop two of their last four games and New England sweeps its final four.
"I think it's more likely that Baltimore catches Pittsburgh," ESPN analyst Tom Jackson said, "than New England getting into the playoffs."
Jackson's rationale is defense drives December success. A former Pro Bowl linebacker, he also said the Steelers showed how to beat the Patriots on Sunday - by pressuring quarterback Matt Cassel. After throwing for 400 or more yards in consecutive games, Cassel threw for just 169 and was sacked five times in a 33-10 loss to the Steelers at home.
"Last week, we saw what happens if [Cassel] gets pressure," Jackson said.
"I have such respect for the Ravens' defense and such respect for those two teams in the North [Ravens and Steelers]. I think people will find as we come down the stretch that what wins football games is what beat New England last week - great defense that is portable and an offense that is the same."
The Ravens and Steelers have similar stretch-run schedules. Each team faces three playoff contenders and one also-ran. But the Ravens get three of their last four at home, a seeming reward for having to play 15 straight weeks.
Pittsburgh gets the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at home, then travels to Baltimore and the Tennessee Titans, finishing at home against the Cleveland Browns.
The Ravens close with the Washington Redskins on Sunday, the Steelers at home, the Dallas Cowboys in Texas in Week 16 and the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 17.
