In a perfect world, the Baltimore Ravens would have looked great and entered the playoffs with an AFC North title and plenty of momentum. Instead, they were just good enough.

The Cleveland Browns had a lot of injuries and had no chance on Saturday, and the Ravens played somewhat below their level, although they won 35-10 and secured the AFC North championship. The Ravens also had Pro Bowl receiver Zay Flowers leave the game with a knee injury.

Jackson wasn’t bad, but he had a chance to make a decisive final statement in the MVP race and it’s hard to say he succeeded. Sure, Jackson was the first player in NFL history to post 4,000 passing yards and 800 rushing yards in a season. He also became the first quarterback with 40 or more passing touchdowns and fewer than five interceptions in a season. Jackson threw two touchdowns against the Browns but completed only half of his passes for 217 yards in a good but not great game.

If you preferred Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen before Saturday, Jackson’s performance probably didn’t change your mind.

Ultimately, the biggest thing about Saturday was that you couldn’t get upset about the Browns in any way, and there was never any doubt about that.

The Ravens were poised to win the division in Week 18 with a win over the undermanned Browns or a late-game loss by the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Cincinnati Bengals. There was never much excitement when the Ravens beat a Browns team that came into the game 3-13 and had Bailey Zappe and Dorian Thompson-Robinson playing quarterback. The Ravens will be the No. 3 seed in the AFC and will face the No. 6 seed next weekend, which should be either the Steelers or the Los Angeles Chargers.

It was probably the closing argument in the MVP race. The Bills have already said Allen will play very briefly to maintain his consecutive starts streak, meaning he won’t add much to his resume. Saquon Barkley and Joe Burrow are far behind in the race. This probably means that all evidence has been presented. Now it’s up to voters to choose between two quality options.

Jackson and the Ravens would likely prefer a long playoff run over a third MVP, and winning the division was a big step in that direction.

Ravens have a comfortable lead

The Browns did their best, which wasn’t much given their limitations. They got two fourth-down stops inside their own territory in the first half. They did a good job against Derrick Henry, holding him to 8 yards on six carries in the first half. Jackson had a nice touchdown pass to Mark Andrews, but not much else, although it’s Jackson and he still had a few highlights.

The score was 14-3 at halftime as the Browns were unable to make it interesting.

The Ravens got a gift in the first quarter. Zappe threw a pick-6 to right to rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins.

Considering how injured and poor the Browns entered the game, that 7-0 lead was a sign that the Ravens didn’t have to sweat to win the division on Saturday. With the score at 14:0 there was practically no chance of a surprise. The Browns scored in the fourth quarter, snapping a streak of 24 straight possessions without a touchdown. This probably annoyed Baltimore because it forced the Ravens to keep their starters in the game and take a 21-10 lead. Henry scored a pair of touchdowns in the final seven minutes, triggering a nice financial bonus, to make it a blast.

When it comes to Week 18 scheduling, the NFL is at the mercy of the draw. Some seasons have more than a few exciting matchups that have playoff implications. The NFL didn’t have many options this season. So on Saturday we ended up in an island game against the Browns, who are the biggest underdogs of the season with 20 points.

Baltimore sails in the decisive point

The Ravens were good enough on Saturday. Seeing Flowers holding his knee in pain and leaving the game in the first quarter was the worst news of the day. Flowers had more than 1,000 yards and is Jackson’s top wideout.

The Ravens have other options. Henry got going in the second half, rushing for 138 yards. Andrews caught another touchdown, his 11th of the season. Rashod Bateman continued his breakout season with his ninth touchdown. While Baltimore’s defense lacked a competent quarterback, it continued its surge late in the season by rarely allowing Cleveland to move the ball.

The Ravens have gotten into shape and are in danger of winning a Super Bowl. Whether Jackson wins the MVP or not, he remains one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in NFL history. Henry will help him in the playoffs. The defense has improved amazingly since some struggles early in the season.

Baltimore’s win on Saturday wasn’t its best performance. But it didn’t have to be great to win. The Ravens will be better off in the next few weeks. You are capable of this.