If you woke up this morning, January 14, 2026, wondering did the Baltimore Ravens play football today, I have some bad news for you.
They didn't.
Actually, the Ravens haven't been on a field in over a week. While the NFL playoffs are currently heating up and the Divisional Round is just around the corner, Baltimore is stuck in "wait until next year" mode. It’s a weird feeling for a fan base that has grown so accustomed to January football, but the reality of the 2025-26 season is finally sinking in. The bank is closed for the winter.
The short answer: Did the Baltimore Ravens play football today?
Basically, no. The Ravens finished their season on January 4, 2026, with a heartbreaking 26-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. That loss didn't just hurt the pride of the Flock; it effectively slammed the door on any postseason hopes.
The NFL is currently in that quiet midweek gap between the Wild Card round (which just finished up on Monday) and the Divisional Round. Even if the Ravens had made the cut, they wouldn't be playing on a Wednesday. But since they finished the regular season with an 8-9 record, they aren't even in the building. They’ve moved on to exit interviews and scouting for the 2026 NFL Draft.
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What went wrong in the 2025-26 season?
It’s kinda wild to look back at how this season unfolded. Honestly, if you told a Ravens fan in August that Lamar Jackson would stay mostly healthy and they’d still miss the playoffs, they wouldn’t have believed you. But the AFC North was a meat grinder this year.
The Steelers ended up taking the division with a 10-7 record, leaving Baltimore in second place but outside the Wild Card bubble. You can point to a few specific moments that changed everything:
- The Week 1 loss to Buffalo (41-40) where a single point dictated the momentum of the first month.
- That brutal mid-season stretch where they lost to the Texans and Rams back-to-back at home.
- The final showdown at Acrisure Stadium where a late field goal ended the season.
When you ask did the Baltimore Ravens play football today, you’re really asking about the ghost of a season that could have been. The team showed flashes of brilliance, like that dominant 24-0 shutout of the Bengals in December, but the consistency just wasn't there.
Who is playing if the Ravens aren't?
The NFL postseason is moving forward without Baltimore. Since the Wild Card games wrapped up on January 12, we now know exactly who is left. If you're looking for football to watch this coming weekend, here is the lineup for the Divisional Round:
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Saturday, January 17
The Buffalo Bills travel to face the top-seeded Denver Broncos at 4:30 PM ET. Later that night, the San Francisco 49ers head to Seattle for a massive NFC West rivalry game at 8:00 PM ET.
Sunday, January 18
The Houston Texans, who looked incredible beating the Steelers last Monday, go to Foxborough to play the New England Patriots at 3:00 PM ET. The weekend closes out with the Los Angeles Rams visiting the Chicago Bears at 6:40 PM ET.
It's a solid slate of games, but for anyone in Maryland, it’s going to feel a bit hollow. Seeing the Texans dismantle the Steelers—the team that knocked Baltimore out—is a bit of a "what if" moment for many.
The 2026 Opponents are already set
Even though the answer to did the Baltimore Ravens play football today is a resounding no, the front office is already looking at the 2026 schedule. Because they finished second in the AFC North, they’ll play a "second-place" schedule next year. This means they avoid some of the absolute top-tier division winners but still face a gauntlet.
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We know they’ll have the usual home-and-away series with the Steelers, Bengals, and Browns. Beyond that, they are slated to face the NFC South and the AFC South divisions. Expect games against the Falcons, Saints, Jaguars, and Titans. It’s not an "easy" road, but it’s the road they’ve earned.
Actionable steps for the displaced Ravens fan
Just because there’s no game today doesn't mean you can’t engage with the team. Here is what you should be keeping an eye on over the next few weeks:
- Draft Positioning: Start looking at mock drafts. With an 8-9 record, the Ravens will have a mid-round pick that could be used to shore up the offensive line or add another weapon for Lamar.
- Coaching Carousel: Keep an ear out for defensive coordinator news. There have already been rumors about teams eyeing Ravens' staff for head coaching positions.
- Free Agency Prep: The Ravens have some key veterans with expiring contracts. The "legal tampering" period starts in March, but the decisions are being made right now in the Owings Mills facility.
The season is over, and the pads are off. While the answer to did the Baltimore Ravens play football today might be disappointing, the cycle of the NFL never actually stops. It just shifts from the turf to the war room.