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          NFL Nation

          Could Ravens go from last place to first place this weekend?

          • Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterNov 14, 2014, 11:30 AM ET
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              Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
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          In an unpredictable season like this one, it would almost make sense for the Baltimore Ravens to go from last place to first place in the AFC North without playing a game in Week 11.

          There is certainly a chance that can happen, at least mathematically. Whether it will actually occur is open for debate.

          The Ravens, who are enjoying their bye week, would need the other three teams in the AFC North to lose in order to reclaim first place all for themselves for the first time since Week 7. What are the chances of that happening?

          • The Cleveland Browns (6-3) would have to lose to the Houston Texans (4-5) at home on Sunday. Reason for optimism: The Texans have won four of their last five meetings with the Browns.

          • The Cincinnati Bengals (5-3-1) would have to lose at the New Orleans Saints (4-5). Reason for optimism: The Saints are 10-2 at home against AFC opponents since 2008.

          • And the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) would have to lose at the Tennessee Titans (2-6) on "Monday Night Football." Reason for optimism: The Steelers are 2-7 at the Titans since 1997, when the Houston Oilers became the Tennessee Titans.

          Sure, the odds aren't great of this happening. The Browns and Steelers are both favored to win, and it's difficult to put too much faith in quarterbacks Ryan Mallett and Zach Mettenberger to pull off the upset.

          Still, if the rest of the division loses, the Ravens (6-4) would have the best record in the AFC North along with the Browns. But, because of the Ravens' win in Cleveland in Week 3, the Ravens would technically own first place.

          Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs acknowledged that he will be scoreboard watching.

          "You definitely have to take a peek, but you also have to handle your own business," he said. "It doesn’t matter if you don’t win your games and take care of the things you have to do. We’re definitely going to be scoreboard peeking, but it also doesn’t matter if we don’t win. We definitely have to look at ourselves, too.”

          It wouldn't be a historic day if those three division teams all fell. The last time the Browns, Bengals and Steelers all lost in the same week was just last season -- Week 1 of 2013.