The Ravens don’t look like AFC’s best against Cardinals, but they’ve earned their 6-2 record

Phoenix, Arizona Despite all the idle chatter over the last two months over how many victories these Ravens truly should have, they will head into November with six wins, which on Sunday seemed to matter both a lot and very little.

Following a thrilling 31–24 victory over the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium, no AFC team had a better record. The Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Chiefs, and the 6-2 Ravens are all tied for first place. At the top of the AFC North are the 6-2 Ravens. The 6-2 Ravens could falter in the last games and still finish in the bottom half of the standings with 10 wins and possibly a postseason berth.

Nevertheless, unlike the previous week when they destroyed the Detroit Lions, the 6-2 Ravens did not appear to be the greatest team in the AFC. At least not on Sunday, the 6-2 Ravens did not appear to be the best team in the AFC North. The 1-7 Cardinals outgained the 6-2 Ravens, who were unable to defeat their impressive foe but at least sent them plummeting back to Earth.

“Get the lead, stay the lead, that’s what my mom always says,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh remarked. “I guess we’re tied for first place in the AFC, but this is a long season.” “Nobody’s crowned after eight games,” as we often say. Plenty more football is left to be played.

The Ravens have deserved to be in the top spot. They played five of their eight opening games away from Baltimore, and they have traveled through Pittsburgh, London, Baltimore, and just outside of Phoenix in the last month. The journey hasn’t been easy however; defensive tackle Michael Pierce reported waking up at 4 a.m. on Sunday due to jet lag from yet another lengthy flight.

On Sunday, all seven of the Ravens’ opponents had won three games or more. Entering Week 8, only the Cardinals were in a race to the bottom. However, in a season of league parity, the Ravens have had a few blowout victories in between heartbreaking defeats and tenacious victories. As of Sunday night, only the Bills (plus-86) had a bigger point difference than the Ravens (plus-81); Buffalo, with a 5-3 record, is currently in the AFC’s second division.

For all of which, it was hard to digest Sunday’s performance. Although the Cardinals possessed a decent offense, Joshua Dobbs was a second-string journeyman, and the Ravens had made quarterbacks who were eligible for the Pro Bowl seem like journeymen. This Ravens offense was the final piece to fit the puzzle of the Cardinals’ poor defense. Really, what chance did Arizona have?

Mark Andrews, a tight end, stated, “I thought we could have taken control of this game and blown this game out.” “I think it was a good game, a pivotal game, and we’re going to work on this and get better,” he continued. “They held on.”