Ravens aware of magnitude of Chiefs showdown - 'huge game!'

Adam Schultz

Ravens aware of magnitude of Chiefs showdown - 'huge game!' image

© Denny Medley

The next chapter in the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs rivalry will be written on Sunday, and this clash has a lot riding on it, both from a division perspective and from a playoff perspective as well.

Given that both are 1-2, the threat of being 1-3 and fighting against the tide to just make the playoffs is a real danger, which puts extra significance on winning this Week 4 outing, and for the Ravens, it is a chance for revenge after Isaiah Likely's toe saw them lose in cruel fashion last season in Week 1, 27-20.

But sometimes players can get a little worked up making the game bigger than it actually is, but does Derrick Henry think this is "just" another game on Sunday?

“Hell no,” Henry said. “It's a huge game, we're one and two, the same thing for them, and last year was a close game, it was a toe from going into overtime. This team has been a dynasty for a while now. They're solid on all three phases. Defense, I think they're solid from top to bottom, they got game wreckers.

"The preparation is very key this week to be prepared, we got to be focused and do what we need to do to be ready for Sunday.”

MORE: Ravens' Derrick Henry offers brutally honest thoughts on fumble issues

Can Ravens make playoffs with a loss to Chiefs?

At 1-3, it is certainly panic stations, but the AFC North isn't exactly a brutal division with the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals (no Joe Burrow), and the Pittsburgh Steelers not seen as top teams in the conference.

So, Ravens fans can still like their chances of making the playoffs, because let's be serious, they will, but the top seeds in the AFC might be gone with a loss.

However, if there is one team that can win from a Wild Card spot, it's Baltimore, although John Harbaugh would like his team to be in better shape, but it isn't the end of the world.

But the margin for error would nearly be gone completely, and just a month into the season, that's a dangerous place to be.

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Adam Schultz

Adam Schultz is a freelance writer at The Sporting News. An Australian journalist with years of experience covering the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL, Adam has interviewed several high-profile athletes in Australia for various sites and brings a unique view on the NFL.