The Baltimore Ravens wouldn't be in the playoffs if the regular season ended today, but they do control their playoff fate.

How is that possible?

It boils down to the final week of the regular season, when the Cincinnati Bengals play at the Pittsburgh Steelers. As a result, only three of the four AFC teams currently with eight wins (Ravens, Bengals, Steelers and San Diego Chargers) can finish the regular season with 11 wins.

So if the Ravens, Bengals and Chargers win their final three games, the Ravens finish second in the AFC North and earn a wild-card berth. The Steelers would be the odd team out.

If the Ravens, Steelers and Chargers win out, the Ravens finish second in the division and earn a wild-card spot. Under this scenario, the Bengals wouldn't make the playoffs.

Even if the Ravens and Chargers win out and there's a tie between the Bengals and Steelers in Week 17, the Ravens finish second to the Bengals and earn a wild-card spot. The Steelers wouldn't reach the postseason in this situation.

"Our fate is in our hands," linebacker Terrell Suggs said. "We don't want to have any help going down the stretch. We win and we're in."

Suggs is exactly right. Even though the Ravens are currently No. 7 in the six-team playoff field, they would earn a playoff berth for the sixth time in seven seasons by winning their last three games.

The combined record of their remaining three opponents -- Jacksonville (2-11), Houston (7-6) and Cleveland (7-6) -- is 16-23 (.410). That's the easiest remaining schedule of the four eight-win teams in the AFC.

"It's a playoff game every week from here on out," running back Justin Forsett said.