NFL predictions: How Week 3 loss to Lions on Monday Night Football impacts Ravens futures odds

From coach John Harbaugh to defensive tackle Travis Jones to quarterback Lamar Jackson, the message from the Baltimore Ravens was clear and consistent after their 38-30 loss to the Detroit Lions on Monday night.

"We need to play better than we did," said Harbaugh.

"We've just got to play better at the end of the day," said Jones.

"We've got a lot of work to do," said Jackson.

The Ravens, who entered the season on the short list of favorites to win the Super Bowl, are just 1-2 after three games. And they face another daunting task this week: a game on short rest at the reigning AFC champions Kansas City Chiefs, who are also desperate to win after starting the season 1-2.

Kansas City is a 2.5-point favorite against Baltimore.

According to the SportsLine's Inside the Lines team and Projection Model, Baltimore's situation is not dire. Because Monday's loss came against a NFC team and not, say, the Steelers, and because the Ravens have the seventh easiest remaining strength of schedule (47.8%), they still have a 63.3% chance to win the AFC North, the best of any team in the division. They also have an 89.9% chance to reach the playoffs, which is the fourth-best percentage in the AFC, behind only the Bills, Colts and Chargers.

The projection model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, still gives Baltimore a 19.6% chance to win the AFC, which is behind only Buffalo (46.8%). The model also says the Ravens have a 10.8% chance to win the Super Bowl, behind only the Bills (27.6%) and Eagles (15.2%).

"It's still the beginning of the season," Jackson said after losing to the Lions.

Monday's loss could still have some significant ramifications. The Ravens are now effectively three games behind Buffalo (3-0) for the coveted No. 1 seed in the AFC, which is a significant gap given the Bills' remaining strength of schedule (third easiest in the league at 45.8%). 

If the model's projections are correct, the Ravens would finish with the No. 4 seed in the AFC, which could mean having to win two road games in the playoffs to get to the Super Bowl, likely including one in Buffalo.

Before Baltimore can look ahead to the postseason, the Ravens need to address their problems in the regular season. Their normally stout defense is allowing 149.0 rushing yards per game, which is the third most in all of football. That includes 224 yards on 38 carries by Detroit on Monday. Baltimore also allowed the touchdown drives of 98 and 96 yards.

"We're just not very good," cornerback Marlon Humphrey said of the defense.

By contrast, the Ravens' running attack has disappeared. Over the last two weeks, they have rushed for just 45 yards (against the Browns) and 85 yards (against Detroit), averaging 3.3 yards per carry. Normally dependable running back Derrick Henry has lost fumbles, which were key in the team's losses to the Bills and Lions. 

"Adversity is rough right now, but as long as we stay focused and everybody stays focused, [we will] try to turn this thing around," Henry said. "I know we will."