Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has warned his team not to overlook the Los Angeles Rams ahead of their Week 14 matchup.
“The Rams, we’ve been studying those guys really pretty much last week as well and they won three in a row,” Harbaugh said this week, via the Ravens’ official team website. “They’re coming on. Sean [McVay] has done a really good job with their team. Their coaches have done a good job. They’re young, built around two superstar players, one on offense, one on defense. … Playmakers, very physical team, play super hard on defense. It’s just very impressive what they’ve done.”
The Rams have won three games in a row to improve to 6-6 and work themselves back into playoff contention in the NFC. Most recently, Los Angeles topped the Cleveland Browns by a score of 36-19 this past weekend. Prior to beating the Browns, the Rams assembled wins against the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals
“So, we recognize the challenge that’s in front of us,” Harbaugh said. “We understand what they’re bringing. They’re fighting for a playoff spot, but we’re fighting for things, too. We have a lot to play for, so I’m confident our guys are going to be out there playing well and playing their best.”
The Ravens have been on a roll themselves, winning five of their last six games. They are coming off of a Week 13 bye, and back in Week 12, they defeated the Los Angeles Chargers.
Baltimore is currently 9-3 and is fighting for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. It holds a two-game lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns for first place in the AFC North.
Harbaugh’s club has made the playoffs in four of the last five seasons but has been unable to move past the Divisional Round.
The Ravens have a brutal schedule the rest of the way. After their clash with the Rams, they will have to battle the Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins and the Steelers. Funny enough, Los Angeles may very well be the easiest remaining game on Baltimore’s slate.
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