Eric Weddle on Ravens not letting playoff chance slip away: ‘People that are here obviously understand the situation’

The Baltimore Ravens couldn’t be in a better place.

They’ve won five of their last six games. Their defense is the most dominant in the NFL. They have a dynamic rookie quarterback, Lamar Jackson, who can make plays with his feet, as well as with his arm.

‘It’s been a driving force all offseason’

But the Ravens have some recent history to overcome entering Sunday’s regular-season finale at home against the Cleveland Browns that gives them the chance to win the AFC North. Only a year ago, they missed the playoffs after losing the final game of the year, also at home, against another division opponent, Cincinnati.

“I think that people that are here obviously understand the situation we’ve been in,” safety Eric Weddle told David Moulton and Bruce Gradkowski on the SiriusXM Blitz. “Not just last year, but the year before. I mean losing to Pittsburgh in Week 15 ended our chance at the playoffs. So it’s been a driving force all offseason. And it’s not (just) obviously finishing and getting back to the playoffs, but being at our best when our best is needed.

‘It’s no better way to have a chance in the same situation than to go out and reach our goal’

“It’s been our focus, it’s been our determining factor all season. It’s no better way to have a chance in the same situation than to go out and reach our goal and play and go win the game. So it’s going to be a tough challenge, but we’re up for it, we’re excited and we have a chance at the division and we’re going to go all out to go get it.”

“We’ll have some energy and play our style and go out and have a great game.”

The Ravens have played highly aggressive defense. They will look to use their blitz-heavy approach to get the better of Browns rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has done a good job of living up to his status as the top overall pick of the draft.

‘We play an aggressive, in-your-face physical match’

“Well, I think it’s who we are,” Weddle said. “We play an aggressive, in-your-face physical match. And that’s when we play our best ball, when we do what we do and do what we do best. And that’s playing aggressive, playing man, getting after the quarterback and stopping the run.

“It’s worked well for us this season. We’ve just got to go out there against a really good Browns team. It’s going be a tough game, but we’ve got them at home. We’ll have some energy and play our style and go out and have a great game.”