BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens' ugly performance Saturday night has them sitting pretty in the AFC playoff race.

With a 23-16 win over the struggling Indianapolis Colts, the Ravens can clinch their first playoff berth since 2014 in three different ways. Baltimore (9-6) can earn a wild-card spot by either beating the Cincinnati Bengals in the regular-season finale, the Tennessee Titans losing their final two games or the Buffalo Bills losing at the Miami Dolphins in Week 17.

Now, the Ravens certainly didn't look like a playoff team against the downtrodden Colts (3-12). Playing as sloppy as the muddy field at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore made it too hard on itself with dropped interceptions on defense, unfinished drives on offense and a late punt getting blocked against one of the worst teams in the NFL.

As 13-point favorites, the Ravens weren't able to breathe a sigh of relief until the final two minutes of the game. Nickelback Maurice Canady broke up a fourth-down pass to T.Y. Hilton in the red zone with 1:38 left to seal the Ravens' fifth win in their past six games.

"We didn't play our best game," coach John Harbaugh said. "It's not a beauty contest. We haven't won many beauty contests around here. We all know that. We're not pretty, but our guys are tough."

Baltimore essentially won with marathon possessions and Justin Tucker's leg. The Ravens' five drives of at least 10 plays are tied for the most by any team in a game this season and are the most by Baltimore since 2011. The problem was that most resulted in field goals by Tucker, who converted from 30, 39 and 36 yards.

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco finished 29-of-38 for 237 yards and two touchdowns in a game in which he wasn't always sharp. Baltimore dominated time of possession 35:48 to 24:12.

"Our goal's to get to the playoffs, and once you get to those games, you can't rely on winning those games by 20 or 30 points," Flacco said. "You have to rely on being able to play 60 minutes and being able to have the nerve and everything else that goes along with that. Winning the game on the last drive; stopping the team on the last drive. A lot of things go into that. So, the fact that we've had to deal with this is definitely a positive."

This was expected to be another pushover game like the ones against the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions. Instead, Baltimore was on its heels all game against the NFL's No. 31 offense and couldn't consistently get into the end zone against the league's No. 30 defense.

But in the end, the Ravens moved into the No. 5 spot in the AFC heading into Week 17, taking a half-game lead over the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills. Baltimore has put all of its focus on next Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals (5-9), who've beaten the Ravens in six of the past eight meetings.

"It is going to take a phenomenal effort on our part next week," linebacker Terrell Suggs said. "We are putting all our eggs in one basket. Everything is on the line to play a division foe. They are going to come in and be ready, and we have to do everything with our job to make sure we are ready."