Rob Long: Let's Stay Focused
One of the statements that's often made by fans of the Baltimore Ravens is, "I hope the players stay focused on the task at hand."
Well, we can only hope that the players stay focused because the fans, some of them at least, do not seem to be too focused right now. It seems that the sweep against the AFC North has caused some confusion here. There are four games to be played and they are crucial for the team to secure home field in the play-offs.
One of the questions that has been asked a lot is whether or not the Ravens will clinch the AFC North if they win one more divisional game. The Pittsburgh Steelers share a 9-3 record with the Ravens. That means that if the Ravens go out and lay eggs in three our to the final four and beat Cleveland but have the Steelers end up with a better overall record, the Steelers win the division. This isn't college football. You're overall record is what counts. Just ask the Oakland Raiders who were 6-0 in the division but lost out to the Kansas City Chiefs who only won two games in the division but had a better overall record.
Let's stay focused folks. There's still a lot of football to be played here. The Ravens still have to win in order to both win the division and get home games for the post-season. Nothing's been determined as of now. Let's just enjoy the ride.
Rob Long
