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Ravens back in playoffs, Seahawks seal top seed
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THE Baltimore Ravens are back in the National Football League playoffs after a 20-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, while the Seattle Seahawks earned home-ground advantage.
Baltimore made the postseason in the first five years with John Harbaugh as coach and Joe Flacco at quarterback, winning the 2012 championship. They failed to get in last season, but victory over the Browns on Sunday, combined with the San Diego Chargers’ 7-19 loss at Kansas City, did the trick.
The Ravens earned a wildcard and will be seeded sixth in the AFC. They will play at AFC North champions the Pittsburgh Steelers, their staunch division rivals, next Saturday.
“Anything can happen when you get into the playoffs,” Flacco said. “I won’t be surprised if in three weeks from now we’re still sitting here playing.”
Defending Super Bowl champion Seattle earned the top seed in the NFC by beating the St Louis Rams 20-6. The Seahawks, winners of the NFC West, were 7-1 at home at the intimidating CenturyLink Field, and have a bye next week. They will play on Saturday, January 10.
“Our main goal coming into the season was winning the division, but getting the No. 1 seed is just as big,” Seattle linebacker KJ Wright said.
Green Bay won the NFC North by handling the Detroit Lions 30-20 and got the No. 2 seed in the conference and a bye.
Both the Packers and Seahawks finished 12-4, with the tiebreaker being Seattle’s opening victory against Green Bay.
Detroit (11-5) will play at NFC East champions the Dallas Cowboys (12-4) in the wildcard round next Sunday. Green Bay’s first game will be the following Sunday.
“We prefer to play here. But this is playoff football now. Everything changes once we get going in two weeks. Playing at home doesn’t guarantee you anything and there are no guarantees, but this is definitely where we prefer to play,” coach Mike McCarthy said.
Carolina (7-8-1) became the second division champion with a losing record in NFL history. Its 34-3 rout at the Atlanta Falcons earned the NFC South title.
The Panthers will host the injury-ravaged Arizona Cardinals (11-5), which fell to the San Francisco 49ers 17-20 but got the other NFC wildcard. That game is next Saturday.
“The beautiful thing — record doesn’t matter,” coach Ron Rivera said. “That’s the best part.”
AFC East champions the New England Patriots (12-4) own home-field advantage in the conference and will be off next weekend before resuming on January 10. Denver (12-4), the West winner, also will have a bye after defeating the Oakland Raiders, 47-14. The Broncos will play next on January 11.
AFC North champion Pittsburgh (11-5) beat Cincinnati 27-17 for that title. The Bengals (10-5-1) got a wildcard berth and are at South champion Indianapolis (11-5) next Sunday.
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