Playoff urgency not lost on Ravens despite Dolphins win
The Baltimore Ravens might have kept their season alive with a 28-6 win over the Miami Dolphins, but no one in that organization is breathing a sigh of relief.
Why? Because at 3-5, the Ravens are still very much in peril as it pertains to the playoffs, and only a monster winning streak will suffice if John Harbaugh and his team are to punch their ticket.
Still, you have to start somewhere, and the wins over the Chicago Bears and now Miami have the Ravens on a two-game winning streak, so that is at least something.
And for Lamar Jackson, despite the win and momentum growing, it is still as you were from a mindset perspective.
“Yeah, I mean it's do or die, win or go home,”
Ravens' playoff mentality can't change
Sitting at 3-5, yes, the win over Miami was exactly what was needed. The Ravens can't rest because a loss next week against the Minnesota Vikings would put the franchise in a huge hole.
Also, still with five tough division games left, the Ravens can't afford to drop many games, if any, in the pursuit of playoff football.
Jackson is right, it is do-or-die for Baltimore, and each game is, for all intents and purposes, a playoff game. Win and the season is kept alive; lose, and depending on other results, the playoffs could be off the table or close enough to it.
That isn't a great place to live in the NFL, but that is Baltimore's reality.
Now it has to live that dangerous life for the next nine weeks.
49ers trade deadline plans are now obvious after latest injury update
The San Francisco 49ers notched another win on Sunday, moving to 6-3 after defeating the New York Giants 34-24. While winning has been a theme for the Niners this season, so have significant injuries. Unfortunately, San Francisco experienced both in Week 9.
The major injury in this game happened to Mykel Williams, who is feared to have suffered a torn ACL.
The rookie edge defender will be the latest key player the 49ers lose for the season, and also the latest edge in San Francisco to go down with an injury. The Niners were already thin at that position and were expected to acquire an edge defender ahead of the trade deadline, but now they may be forced to make a trade if Williams is out for the remainder of the year.
Early in the season, San Francisco lost perennial Pro Bowler and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa to an ACL injury. Bosa’s absence put a strain on the group, and that strain was intensified when Bryce Huff went down with a hamstring injury in Week 7. Huff is expected to return this year, but he has missed the last two games, leaving the 49ers without much of a pass rush.
Now, Williams has joined his veterans on the injury report, and San Francisco has no choice but to add a veteran edge defender. Fortunately for the Niners, there are options. The most likely options both play for the Miami Dolphins, who have officially opened up for business after falling to 2-7 and firing their general manager. Outside linebackers Bradley Chubb and Matthew Judon are both trade candidates, and San Francisco could actually use both of them.
With the trade deadline on Tuesday, Nov. 4, the 49ers will surely be active up until that point.
San Francisco clearly has a competitive team, so it needs to try and fill the gaps while it can.
