If you’re waking up this Wednesday, January 14, 2026, and scrolling through your sports apps to see who does the Baltimore Ravens play today, I have some tough news for you.
The Ravens aren't playing today. In fact, they aren’t playing this weekend, either.
Honestly, it’s a weird feeling for Baltimore fans. Usually, mid-January means Lamar Jackson is gearing up for a high-stakes playoff run or at least nursing some bruises from a Wild Card battle. But today? The building at 1 Winning Drive is a lot quieter than anyone expected.
After a roller-coaster 2025 season that saw the team finish with an 8-9 record, the Ravens officially missed the postseason. That heartbreaking 26-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers back on January 4 was the final nail in the coffin. It’s the first time the team has finished with a losing record since 2021, and for a franchise that prides itself on "playing like a Raven" deep into the winter, it’s a bitter pill to swallow.
The Reality of the 2026 Playoff Picture
So, if you’re asking who does the Baltimore Ravens play today because you're looking for playoff action, you’ll have to look elsewhere in the AFC. While Baltimore players are likely already booking tee times or heading into early exit interviews, the rest of the league is moving into the Divisional Round.
The NFL Divisional Playoffs don't even start until Saturday, January 17. The AFC side of the bracket is currently dominated by teams like the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots—teams the Ravens actually looked competitive against at times this year, which makes this "vacation" even more frustrating.
Here is the thing: missing the playoffs wasn't just about one bad game. It was a season defined by "what-ifs."
- The Week 1 loss to Buffalo (41-40) was a literal coin flip.
- The blowout at the hands of the Texans in Week 5 showed some serious defensive gaps.
- The Week 18 heartbreaker in Pittsburgh, where rookie kicker Tyler Loop missed a game-winner as time expired, basically summarized the year.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Opponents
Since the answer to who does the Baltimore Ravens play today is "nobody," most fans have already shifted their focus to the 2026 schedule. We actually already know which teams are coming to Baltimore next fall.
The NFL’s rotation and the Ravens' second-place finish in the AFC North mean the 2026 slate is actually quite brutal. Baltimore is set to face the entire AFC South and the NFC South.
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Basically, M&T Bank Stadium is going to see some interesting visitors. The Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans are on the docket, along with the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But the real headline for 2026 will be the "strength of schedule" games. Because they finished second in the division, they have to play the second-place finishers from the AFC East (Buffalo Bills), AFC West (Los Angeles Chargers), and NFC East (Dallas Cowboys).
It doesn't get much easier, does it?
Why the Offseason Starts Now
For John Harbaugh and Eric DeCosta, the work starts this morning. There’s no game today because the roster had too many holes that finally caught up to them.
Lamar Jackson had some incredible moments this year—those two deep touchdowns to Zay Flowers in the Pittsburgh finale were vintage—but the consistency just wasn't there. Plus, the run game, which usually feels like a juggernaut with Derrick Henry, hit some weird ruts in November.
The big question today isn't about an opponent on the field, but rather the opponent in the front office: the salary cap.
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A lot of people are talking about the defensive secondary. Kyle Hamilton remains a superstar (First-Team All-Pro, no less), but the depth behind him struggled. With the NFL Draft coming up in April, you can bet the scouts are already out in full force today, even if the players are at home.
Actionable Steps for Ravens Fans Today
Since there is no game to watch, here is what you should actually do if you want to stay in the loop:
- Check the Underclassmen Tracker: Today, January 14, is actually the deadline for college underclassmen to declare for the NFL Draft. Keep an eye on which defensive tackles and offensive linemen from the SEC are hitting the pool—those are the guys Baltimore will be looking at to fix the 2025 issues.
- Rewatch the Green Bay Tape: If you’re feeling depressed about the season, go back and watch the Week 17 win over the Packers. It was a 41-24 masterclass and a reminder of what this team looks like when it actually clicks.
- Ignore the Playoff Noise: It’s okay to take a break from the NFL for a weekend. Watching the Steelers or Bengals play in the Divisional Round might just ruin your Saturday anyway.
The quest for a third Super Bowl trophy is officially on ice until September. It’s not the answer anyone wanted when they searched for who does the Baltimore Ravens play today, but it’s the reality of a league where the margins are razor-thin. For now, we wait for the draft, the schedule release in May, and the hope that 2026 brings more than just eight wins.