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The storied Army–Navy Game is returning to Baltimore this weekend, and for Ravens safety Alohi Gilman, it brings back the one moment he would do anything to feel again. “If I could go back and relive just one more [game], that would probably be it,” Gilman recently told The Baltimore Sun. Gilman is one of two current Ravens who’ve experienced the rivalry from the inside. His path ran through the Naval Academy. Rookie fullback Lucas Scott came from the other sideline at Army. Their college careers never intersected, but their journeys at the respective service academies, including their involvement in the rivalry, helped shape them in similar ways. With one of college football’s most historic traditions arriving Saturday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium, those memories come rushing back for a couple of alumni, who now occupy stalls inside the home locker room of the city’s professional football team. Gilman, 28, and Scott, 22, understand the weight and pressure that comes with playing in the 126th edition of the iconic rivalry. Both players know how much Saturday will mean to the players on the field and to the thousands who served the country after participating in the mid-December tradition. They also know how quickly a full season’s work can suddenly turn into either immense pride or unforgettable heartbreak. Gilman learned just that during his lone season as a freshman in 2016, when Army halted Navy’s 14-year win streak. The defensive back recorded eight tackles in the 21-17 upset loss. Afterward, he witnessed something he had never seen before. “Guys were crying,” Gilman said. “My teammates, legit crying. It meant that much. It’s an amazing rivalry. It’s special to be part of.” Gilman grew up in La’ie on the North Shore of O’ahu. He committed to Navy, mainly because former coach Ken Niumatalolo also hailed from the same town in Hawaii. As a freshman, Gilman played in all 14 games, earned All-American Athletic Conference honorable mention and finished second on the team with 76 tackles. Thousands of miles away from home, he felt he had found a path that fit both his identity and career goals. Months later, the rules and regulations changed. A Department of Defense decision during the Donald Trump administration required service academy athletes to fulfill a minimum two-year military commitment before pursuing professional sports. Trump will be in attendance Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium. “It was a tough decision,” Gilman said of leaving Navy. “They changed the rule after I got there that if I wanted to go pro, I had to serve first. Which is different from when I first got there, guys had an opportunity to go pro.” Gilman transferred to Notre Dame, where he recorded 168 tackles over two seasons and served as a captain. He also formed a close bond in South Bend with fellow safety Kyle Hamilton that has carried into their time with the Ravens. Although his football journey took him away from Annapolis, Gilman will always cherish his time with the academy and his lone experience in the Army-Navy game. “There is a brotherhood that is built there that you carry for the rest of your life,” Gilman said. “You talk about rivalries, that was big-time, one of the best traditions in the sport.” Scott recalls those life-changing moments, too. Related Articles Ravens film study: Missed opportunities hurt Lamar Jackson in Steelers loss Watch Episode 15 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law The Ravens can still make the NFL playoffs. Here’s the path. Ravens’ John Harbaugh laments poor 4th-quarter execution in Steelers loss Ravens-Patriots game Dec. 21 in Baltimore flexed to ‘Sunday Night Football’ He watched the game growing up, remembering it as the only college football matchup still on television after championship weekend. During his college recruitment, he specifically pointed to the Army-Navy as a sticking point, comparing the game with any other stage he might reach. “You are not playing in front of 70,000 to 100,000 people at a smaller school,” he said. “One of the reasons why I committed was to be able to play in that game. So much tradition and history. It definitely sways you. “I think it is the best game in college football. There is so much respect on each side, but also so much will and drive to want to beat each other.” Army went 2-2 against Navy in Scott’s four years at West Point. In 2022, Army won the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy by beating both Air Force and Navy. The Black Knights did not play in a bowl game that year, so those victories represented their season’s punctuation mark. “Beating Navy was an awesome way to send off the seniors,” Scott said. Ravens fullback Lucas Scott, right, goes through a drill during training camp. Scott played in four Army-Navy games during his college career. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Last year’s memories aren’t so fond for Scott, a member of the Ravens’ practice squad. Army posted one of its best seasons in program history, but lost, 31-13, to Navy. The disappointment still lingers between Scott and his former teammates, a group of self-described ‘lifelong brothers,’ he hopes to reunite with this weekend. “That loss kind of felt like a big failure,” Scott said. “It’s an amazing game, it’s awesome that Baltimore is hosting it. Last year was obviously a heartbreak, especially with the season we had, to go out there and lose like that. “But it’s an amazing game, it definitely plays a role in why people commit to Army or Navy or Air Force, it’s to serve and play on that beautiful stage. Just so much tradition and history involved, it definitely sways you. It’s awesome to be part of.” Scott’s versatility as a former offensive lineman and tight end helped him land in Baltimore, where he has been learning under five-time Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard. Scott’s coach at Army, Jeff Monken, also is the cousin of Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Like Gilman, Scott pointed to the strong sense of brotherhood that is established as athletes at service academies. “The best of friends I have ever met came from Army,” he said. “They will be there for me the rest of my life. They are like family to me.” Navy (9-2, 7-1 American Athletic Conference) leads the all-time series 63–55–7, although Army (6-5, 4-4) has won six of the last nine meetings. Recent history, though, shows records don’t mean much at all. The pageantry, tradition and competitiveness attached to Army-Navy reigns. Gilman and Scott continue to carry their respective memories into every day they spend as teammates. Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. View the full article

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson dropped back to pass, had Mark Andrews wide-open in the left flat for a critical first down late in the game and instead passed over the middle to DeAndre Hopkins short of the sticks. Watching from his couch, Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback and Super Bowl 34 Most Valuable Player Kurt Warner noted that had Jackson had a better “pressure plan” to handle the blitz and gotten the ball to the tight end, it was “game over.” That was 14 weeks ago in a crushing season-opening one-point loss to the Buffalo Bills. Yet, Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium, many of the same missed opportunities plagued Jackson and Baltimore again, this time in a critical AFC North defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers as much as the right hand of the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, among some shoddy officiating and a multitude of miscues by others. The Ravens are just a game back in the division and can assure themselves of a third-straight division title and playoff spot by winning their remaining four games, but the common threads between that Week 1 collapse and their most recent outing are as astonishing as they are pernicious. The tape, as coaches often say, doesn’t lie. What the NFL’s All-22 film revealed Being compared to second-year Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is not a compliment. That’s who ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky invoked, though, while also calling many of Jackson’s misfires against the Steelers “egregious” during an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show” this week. While Jackson was almost entirely brilliant in that Bills game — despite his decision on the Ravens’ final offensive play — he has been anything but for most of the season and especially lately. In his past five games, Jackson has failed to reach a 60% completion rate, the longest such stretch of his career. He also went three straight without producing a touchdown for the first time before breaking that skid with a passing touchdown and a score on the ground against Pittsburgh. Still, as Orlovsky said, Jackson is getting caught from behind more than he ever has before and Baltimore’s offense looks “broken.” There were plenty of examples. Final series of the game: Trailing by 5 points with 1:56 remaining, the Ravens took over at their own 26-yard line with one time out. Then it took 57 seconds to run two plays. On the game’s final play, Jackson was sacked from behind by linebacker Alex Highsmith. “It wasn’t good enough,” coach John Harbaugh said of the operation. “I’ll just leave it at that. Suffice to say that we have to be better in those situations. “We weren’t in the right spot all the time. We had to flip a formation one time, basically, the one time that the clock was running on us; we had to change the side that we were aligned on.” Second-to-last possession: On a fourth-and-5 from the Steelers’ 8 with 2:28 remaining, receiver DeAndre Hopkins flashed open in the back of the end zone. Jackson, avoiding the rush, threw over the middle, but Andrews, well-covered on the crossing route, couldn’t haul it in the pass, which was also tipped slightly. Who the pass was intended for, though, is unclear. Harbaugh said Monday that he hadn’t yet talked to Jackson about the play and said he wasn’t sure who he was trying to throw to. First quarter: On the fifth play of the game, Flowers raced down the right sideline and got behind safety and former Raven Chuck Clark. Jackson hit him for a 31-yard gain. But the ball had drifted too far toward the sideline — perhaps from a breeze and/or bad footwork — and Flowers had to contort his body to make an over-the-shoulder catch. A few plays later, Flowers had to slow down to try to catch an end zone fade on third down that was consequently broken up by cornerback Brandin Echols. On Baltimore’s second possession, Jackson scrambled up the middle before sliding for a 4-yard gain. He has said often in the past he doesn’t like to slide and often hasn’t. That hasn’t always been the case lately, though, and had the quarterback, who has dealt with hamstring, knee, ankle and toe injuries, stayed on his feet, there was a sizable opening ahead and to his right. Of course, later in the quarter, Echols raced around the massive Faalele and easily sacked Jackson. Related Articles Watch Episode 15 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law The Ravens can still make the NFL playoffs. Here’s the path. Ravens’ John Harbaugh laments poor 4th-quarter execution in Steelers loss Ravens-Patriots game Dec. 21 in Baltimore flexed to ‘Sunday Night Football’ NFL admits to blown call in Ravens loss, but Harbaugh still unsatisfied Other throws that were badly off-target in the opening quarter included a rollout to the right in which Flowers was open and Jackson again threw erratically to the sideline and incomplete as well as a crossing route late in the quarter that Jackson was incomplete on with the ball behind Flowers. Still, the belief in the building is that the Ravens can turn things around. “He is Lamar Jackson, and he is that great of a player,” Andrews said last week. “So, [I have] full confidence in him, always and forever.” Jackson is also aware of what little margin for error remains. “I feel like each and every week there’s no room for error,” he said. “You just have to lock in and put it all on the line.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Episode 15 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law is here. Preston and Coleman discuss the Ravens’ disappointing 27-22 loss to the Steelers to fall into second place in the AFC North. You can watch it weekly, posting every Tuesday during the NFL season on YouTube and The Baltimore Sun, and listen on Spotify, Apple, Amazon and iHeart. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

So, you’re saying there’s a chance? It didn’t feel that way Sunday afternoon inside the home locker room at M&T Bank Stadium. Lamar Jackson’s face flushed from the agony of defeat. His teammates couldn’t believe what had transpired. Most fled the scene rather quickly after the Ravens’ 27-22 loss to the Steelers. But with four games left, one game back in the AFC North, coach John Harbaugh was quick to remind them, “the season is not over.” Baltimore still controls its own destiny. Those margins, however, are slim. The cleanest playoff push requires the Ravens win each of their final four games: at Cincinnati, home versus the Patriots, at Green Bay, then a shot at vengeance in Pittsburgh. It’s been weeks of chatter treating each game like it was a playoff game. They’ve essentially reached survive and advance territory. After losing to the Steelers, Baltimore’s playoff odds dropped from 60.9% to 28.9%, per ESPN. The New York Times playoff simulator sank its chances from 64% to 27%. After Sunday’s loss, the message in the locker room was simple: “We just need to win some games. That’s kind of it,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. If the Ravens beat the Bengals next week and the Steelers in Week 18, they can afford to drop one, either versus the Packers or Patriots. But they would need some help in the form of a Steelers loss to one of the Dolphins, Lions or Browns this month. If the Ravens beat the Bengals next week and the Steelers in Week 18, but lose to the Packers and Patriots, they can still sneak through the back door of the playoffs. Pittsburgh would need to lose two of their next three in a relatively soft schedule. What if the Steelers completely implode? Based on what we saw Sunday – Aaron Rodgers throwing for 284 yards and a touchdown and wide receiver DK Metcalf torching a respectable defense for 148 yards on seven catches – that’s unlikely. Although not impossible considering they ended last year on a four-game skid. As of now, the Steelers have a 70% shot to clinch a spot in the postseason, per The Times. But if the Browns and quarterback Shedeur Sanders beat the Steelers, or the Steelers lose both games after that, the Ravens can afford to lose in Cincinnati. If that’s the case, they Ravens need to win out in the final three games. Are you following? If it were up to the Ravens, they’d simplify all this by winning the games in front of them. “I really am not trying to think about the playoffs,” running back Derrick Henry said. “Finish the season strong, and then see where we land.” Related Articles Watch Episode 15 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law Ravens’ John Harbaugh laments poor 4th-quarter execution in Steelers loss Ravens-Patriots game Dec. 21 in Baltimore flexed to ‘Sunday Night Football’ NFL admits to blown call in Ravens loss, but Harbaugh still unsatisfied Ravens OL Ben Cleveland suspended 3 games by NFL after pleading guilty to DUI If Baltimore beats the Bengals, Packers and Patriots, and the Steelers drop each of their next three, Week 18 loses its punch. The Ravens will have earned a third straight AFC North title before ringing in the new year. Any scenario for the Ravens making the playoffs at seven or eight wins requires a Pittsburgh collapse and more help from the rest of the division. Cincinnati finishes their season at Miami, then hosting the Cardinals and Browns. But the Bengals are playing better than either of the two division leaders. It would take a lot. But the Ravens do, technically, still have a chance. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Despite the string of officiating snafus, fair and not, that complicated the Ravens’ comeback chances Sunday afternoon, they still had a shot. Two shots, in fact, to spin a game-winning drive in their 27-22 loss to the Steelers. Both came up empty in a stretch that coach John Harbaugh said, “wasn’t good enough. Just leave it at that.” Baltimore took over possession with five minutes, 41 seconds left in the fourth quarter. A 19-yard Derrick Henry rush and 33-yard pass to Zay Flowers did most of the dirty work getting upfield. Then Isaiah Likely’s go-ahead touchdown catch was ruled incomplete after official review. Two plays later, the Ravens sat five yards from the end zone. It was third-and-2. Confusion ensued on a crucial short-yardage situation. Jackson flipped the play at the line of scrimmage. Henry jumped from the right side of his quarterback to his left. There appeared to be some exchange with center Tyler Linderbaum as the play clock wound down to its final ticks. Flowers was sent in motion, Henry took a handoff and was stuffed three yards back. Officials flagged left guard Andrew Vorhees for illegal formation. The whole try was thwarted by a self-inflicted mishap. “It’s crazy that that happened,” Harbaugh said. The longtime coach said postgame he considered using a timeout; he still had all three in his pocket. A day later, Harbaugh was more definitive that if he were given a re-do, he would have called off the play. There was some miscommunication between offensive coordinator Todd Monken and quarterback Lamar Jackson, according to Harbaugh. “We got to take responsibility for that on the coaching side,” he said. “I’ll take responsibility for that one. Shouldn’t happen.” The Ravens were pushed back to a fourth-and-5. Jackson threw an incomplete pass that deflected off Mark Andrews’ hand in the end zone and the drive was nullified. Likely’s overturned touchdown will haunt lowlight reels. But letting that third-and-2 crumble became one of the night’s most underrated missed opportunities. Baltimore finished the night two of six in the red zone. At 44.90%, the Ravens now own the third worst red zone scoring percentage in the NFL. The offense, as it has for the better part of this season, looked out of sync a stone’s throw from scoring. Why? “I don’t know at this point,” wide receiver Rashod Bateman said. And still, they had one more shot Sunday afternoon. Pittsburgh’s three-and-out near the 2-minute mark, their third in as many fourth quarter drives, gifted the Ravens one minute, 56 seconds to save their season. Sloppy football burned the next minute, leaving the Ravens stuck at their own 26-yard line. Penalties and a lack of obvious urgency hurt their chances down the stretch. They inched toward the red zone with nine seconds left ready for a shot to win it. Jackson dropped back 12 yards behind the line of scrimmage, Alex Highsmith took a wide angle around the pocket and chased him down for a game-winning sack. Related Articles Ravens-Patriots game Dec. 21 in Baltimore flexed to ‘Sunday Night Football’ NFL admits to blown call in Ravens loss, but Harbaugh still unsatisfied Ravens OL Ben Cleveland suspended 3 games by NFL after pleading guilty to DUI 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 27-22 loss to the Steelers Mike Preston: Ravens could learn something from Aaron Rodgers | COMMENTARY “Divisional game that just came down to the last second and the last minute,” Jackson said after the game. “we have to finish and find a way to put some points on the board. They beat us by 5 points. We have to find a way to get a touchdown on that last drive.” Failure to execute down the stretch made the difference between sole possession of first place in the AFC North and what is now a 6-7 record heading into Cincinnati with their season on life support. “Suffice to say,” Harbaugh said, “we have to be better in those situations.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

The Ravens’ Dec. 21 game against the New England Patriots at M&T Bank Stadium has been moved from 1 p.m. to “Sunday Night Football” on NBC, it was announced on Monday evening. It takes the place of the Cincinnati Bengals’ game at the Miami Dolphins, which will now be played that Sunday at 1 p.m. on CBS. With the Bengals dropping to 4-9 after Sunday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills and needing to run the table to even have a chance to make the playoffs, the Ravens-Patriots game is much more compelling, with two-time NFL Most Valuable Player and quarterback Lamar Jackson going against MVP candidate Drake Maye in a matchup between one team just hoping to get into the playoffs and the other vying for the top seed in the conference. ​​The game will be the first between the two rivals who at one time took turns vying for conference supremacy. They have met just four times since 2016. Each team has won twice, with the Ravens winning their most recent contest, 37-26, at Gillette Stadium in September 2022. The Ravens also won their most recent meeting in Baltimore, 37-20, in 2019. The Ravens (6-7), who will play in Cincinnati on Sunday, are looking to bounce back after a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday that dropped them a game behind the AFC North-leading Steelers. The Patriots (11-2) are coming off a win over the New York Giants last week and are tied for the best record in the AFC. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

A day after the Ravens suffered a crushing defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium, the NFL admitted that it got wrong one of three controversial calls that went against Baltimore. In the second quarter, defensive tackle Travis Jones was flagged for unnecessary roughness on long snapper Christian Kuntz as he charged through the gap during a Chris Boswell field goal. It was ruled that the contact rose to being unnecessary against a defenseless player and that any forcible contact can’t be made, referee Alex Moore explained in a pool report after the game. But that was incorrect, the league said in a call on Monday initiated by coach John Harbaugh, Ravens assistant and former NFL referee Tony Michalek and general manager Eric DeCosta. “They told me I had permission to state this, that it was a wrong call,” Harbaugh said of the call with NFL rules analyst and club communications liaison Walt Anderson and senior vice president of officiating administration Perry Fewell. “It should not have been called. “It has to be forcible conduct with the head and neck area. That’s the rule. It’s not forcible contact with a defenseless player. It’s not whether you run a player over, trying to block a field goal. That has nothing to do with it. It’s forcible contact to the head and neck area.” The Steelers accepted the penalty, took the field goal off the board and scored a touchdown on the next play to take a 17-3 lead and went on to win 27-22. The final tally was also impacted by an apparent Isaiah Likely touchdown that would have put the Ravens in front with just under three minutes remaining in the game that was overturned by replay. The tight end hauled in a 13-yard pass from quarterback Lamar Jackson in the end zone, landed on his right foot, took another step with his left and then just before taking a third step had the ball stripped out of his extended hands by cornerback Joey Porter. Likely had the ball extended throughout the catch but the ball squirted from his grasp after taking two steps but not a third and a touchdown was called. NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth said in the pool report that Likely obtained control and had both feet in bounds but did not have an “act common to the game” proceeding it, which would have been getting a third step down. Less than 24 hours later, Harbaugh was still not satisfied with the ruling or explanation. “Am I comfortable? No,” he said. “Do I think it needs more clarification? Yeah. It’s about as clear as mud right now. That’s how I feel about it. “It didn’t clear anything up, it didn’t make it any easier to understand either one of the two calls. They’re very, very hard to understand how they get overturned. But they did, and that’s where it stands.” Asked if he thought the overturned touchdown cost the Ravens the game, he said, “You never know what costs you a game.” The other call Harbaugh was referring to was when quarterback Aaron Rodgers appeared to have a batted pass intercepted at the line of scrimmage by linebacker Teddye Buchanan at Pittsburgh’s 32-yard line with 7:01 remaining in the game and Baltimore trailing 27-22. Initially, it was ruled that Buchanan had possession of the ball as he pulled it from the quarterback’s grasp with the two men falling to the ground. But replay overturned the call, ruling that Rodgers was down with possession of the ball. “The offensive player had control of the ball as he was going to the ground,” Butterworth said. “There was a hand in there, but he never lost control of the ball and then his knees hit the ground.” Related Articles Ravens’ John Harbaugh laments poor 4th-quarter execution in Steelers loss Ravens-Patriots game Dec. 21 in Baltimore flexed to ‘Sunday Night Football’ Ravens OL Ben Cleveland suspended 3 games by NFL after pleading guilty to DUI 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 27-22 loss to the Steelers Mike Preston: Ravens could learn something from Aaron Rodgers | COMMENTARY When Harbaugh was asked if he questioned why the Likely play was ruled not a catch but that Rodgers play was ruled one, he said that was part of the conversation with the league. “You’re going to the ground, you have to have control of the football, you have to survive the ground when you make a catch,” he said Monday. “I mean, that’s what a catch is. You can’t say the time element’s like that and he satisfies the time element when you’re going to the ground. The time element doesn’t apply to going to the ground. It’s pretty clear cut.” While there also wasn’t much solace in the explanations, Harbaugh stopped short of blaming the calls on the outcome. He also pointed to a number of other shortcomings by the Ravens, from its lackluster final drive inside the last two minutes of the game to two blown defensive assignments on a touchdown pass to running back Jaylen Warren that ended up being the decisive score, among others. “We move on,” Harbaugh said. “It’s our job to make it right. You’re not going to expect everything to go your way. “If we become the type of team that overcomes these types of things then you become the type of team that can go far.” At 6-7 and a game back of the Steelers in the AFC North with just four remaining, however, time is running out on just how far they can go. The Ravens, who have won the division each of the past two years and haven’t missed the playoffs since 2021, have just a 27% chance of reaching the postseason, according to the New York Times/The Athletic playoff simulator. The most likely scenario would be by winning the AFC North, with a less-than 1% chance to make it as a wild-card team. Baltimore will next play the Bengals in Cincinnati on Sunday. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely watches the football escape his grasp in a 27-22 loss to the Steelers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) View the full article

Ravens offensive lineman Ben Cleveland has been suspended for three games by the NFL for violating the league’s Substances of Abuse Policy, it was announced Monday night. Cleveland, 27, was arrested in Georgia in February on suspicion of driving under the influence, with a breathalyzer showing a blood alcohol level of 0.178, more than double the legal limit. Last month, he pleaded guilty to one count of DUI and was sentenced to 12 months’ probation, according to court documents. He was also ordered 40 hours of community service to be completed within six months of sentencing, not to consume any alcoholic beverage or drugs unless prescribed, and to attend and complete a DUI risk reduction program and victim impact panel, according to the documents. Cleveland was also ordered to serve 24 hours in jail, but was credited for time served. A third-round pick out of Georgia in 2021, Cleveland has seen his playing time cut in recent years. He has appeared in 10 games this season, almost entirely on special teams. The Ravens did not respond to a message seeking comment. Cleveland was stopped at 10:25 p.m. on Feb. 12 in Milledgeville, about 90 miles southeast of Atlanta, after police observed his black Ford F-250 failing to maintain its lane, weave between the lines and nearly go into a ditch, according to the arrest report. The 6-foot-7, 315-pound lineman told police he had “approximately 3-4 beers” and was coming from a nearby country club but had not consumed any alcohol within two hours, the report said. However, he failed at least one field sobriety test and was issued a breathalyzer at the scene. He was then arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and failure to maintain his lane. Despite the arrest, Baltimore re-signed the veteran and former starter in March to a one-year deal worth $1.17 million shortly after he became a free agent. While the Ravens’ offensive line has struggled this season, Cleveland has not managed to get a foothold among the starting five or in the rotation. He has also been surpassed in the depth chart by third-round rookie Emery Jones Jr. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Related Articles Ravens’ John Harbaugh laments poor 4th-quarter execution in Steelers loss Ravens-Patriots game Dec. 21 in Baltimore flexed to ‘Sunday Night Football’ NFL admits to blown call in Ravens loss, but Harbaugh still unsatisfied 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 27-22 loss to the Steelers Mike Preston: Ravens could learn something from Aaron Rodgers | COMMENTARY View the full article

The Ravens were left despondent in the aftermath of a 27-22 loss to the Steelers on Sunday, having let slip a winnable must-win game. Here are five things we learned from the AFC North showdown: Two feet down in the end zone sometimes isn’t enough To directly criticize a referee is (often) a nonstarter. Players and coaches know such scrutiny is subject to a fine. So they danced around answering for a controversial call that could define this season’s home stretch: Tight end Isaiah Likely caught the fourth-quarter go-ahead touchdown with under three minutes remaining — and officials overturned it. NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterman explained that Likely needed a third step in the end zone while maintaining control of the football. He told the pool reporter that Likely had his right then left foot down with control. “Then the third step,” Butterman explained, “is an act common to the game, and before he could get the third foot down, the ball was ripped out.” Officials disallowed the touchdown. It sucked the life out of M&T Bank Stadium, which burst with more pep than it had in weeks. Did the Ravens think it was a touchdown? There was a politician’s approach, masking confusion and frustration, in how they handled the most pressing question of the night. Coach John Harbaugh, when asked if he believed it was a clean play, said, “You know what, I believe a lot of things.” He made no other mention of Likely, pivoting to his understanding of a comparable rule for another call that favored Pittsburgh, which was Teddye Buchanan’s overturned interception minutes earlier. “They made a call,” Likely said, “and we have to live with what the referees say at the end of the day.” That sums up the response from much of the locker room. In some form or another, they all said, “It’s not my decision.” Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins waited until reporters cleared out to share his frustration on social media in a since-deleted post: “13 years in this league, how many steps do you need in the end zone for a TD?” That play might haunt the Ravens. It will be hotly debated in Baltimore bars for weeks to come. Images of Joey Porter Jr. popping the ball loose from Likely’s white gloves will circulate Ravens group chats until the end of time — much like his big toe from Week 1 in Kansas City last year, or more recently, his goal-line fumble last week. And yet, Likely’s overturned touchdown wasn’t the only referee ruling worthy of inquiry. In the second quarter, the Steelers lined up for a chip-shot field goal that would have made it a 10-point game. It was called back and Pittsburgh was awarded an automatic first down for unnecessary roughness against Ravens defensive tackle Travis Jones, who, according to referee Alex Moore, made contact with the snapper and “ran him over.” Related Articles Mike Preston: Ravens could learn something from Aaron Rodgers | COMMENTARY Josh Tolentino: A teary-eyed Lamar Jackson represents a Ravens season slipping away | COMMENTARY Ravens react to pair of controversial calls in 4th quarter of Steelers loss The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 27-22 loss to Steelers Ravens’ playoff hopes take crushing blow in 27-22 loss to Steelers Moore told the pool reporter afterward that “it does not necessarily matter who is contacted first,” the center or the left guard, but “the snapper is still by rule a defenseless player.” Thus, one official deemed Jones’ forcible contact unnecessary against a defenseless player. Jones neglected to criticize: “That’s above my pay grade,” he said. The Steelers moved up 15 yards and scored a touchdown the very next play. By the final quarter, the Ravens crawled back within striking distance. Pittsburgh led by six with about seven minutes remaining. Rodgers’ pass was batted down at the line of scrimmage. It landed somewhere between his arms and Buchanan’s. The rookie linebacker wrestled it loose. What was thought to be their first turnover of the day set the home sideline ablaze. Officials called it an interception until they watched it back. Butterworth explained the offense had “initial control of the ball and ended up being down by contact.” Nuances of NFL officiating are confusing. The rulebook, if printed out, would resemble an old phone book. Sunday taught the Ravens a few new wrinkles in the rules, but they learned the hard way. The Ravens have no more room for error Jackson sat hunched over in his locker. A white ski mask covered the better part of his head, leaving some breathing room for his eyes, which stared intently at nothing in front of him. Jackson had already changed out of his cleats and into slides. He wasn’t ready to take off the pads or jersey and concede this night over. Jackson later described his frustration to be “through the roof.” Harbaugh planted himself in the adjacent stall, leaning over to console his star quarterback. Those two were supposed to author what would have been the Ravens’ third Super Bowl in as many decades. Instead, they shared the far corner of the home locker room 14 weeks into the season and confronted collapse. What exactly was said, we’ll never know. Jackson revealed only that his coach encouraged him “to just stay locked in.” With Sunday’s loss, Baltimore’s playoff odds plummeted from what would have been 75% with a win, according to The New York Times’ simulator, to now 31%. ESPN has them even further out of contention. “Four games left,” Harbaugh said. “The season is not over.” Ravens coach John Harbaugh shakes hands with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin following an AFC North showdown in Baltimore. Pittsburgh prevailed, 22-17. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) The Ravens have a rematch with the Bengals next weekend in Cincinnati. They’ll head to Green Bay to face the playoff-bound Packers. Then the Patriots, who own the NFL’s best record, come to town before a season finale in Pittsburgh. It’s an uphill climb that complicates Baltimore’s road to a third straight AFC North title. The Ravens could ill afford to lose two of three straight divisional games. Against the Bengals on Thanksgiving, “it was turnovers” that lost them the game. Five, to be specific. “But this one here,” Jackson said, “I don’t know what happened.” They had a chance late. The Ravens reclaimed possession with two minutes left and one timeout at their own 26-yard line. Sixty-one seconds later, they were stuck in the same spot, having burnt the timeout. Both Harbaugh and Jackson used the word “chaotic” to describe the final drive. A few chunk plays pushed them to Pittsburgh’s 30-yard line. On the final play, eyes upfield toward the end zone, hoping for a miracle, Jackson scrambled. He’d already been sacked once. Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith took a wide angle and corralled Jackson before the buzzer. The clock hit triple zeros with the quarterback on his butt. “I feel like each and every week there’s no room for error,” Jackson said. Now more than ever. Jackson ended his drought. It still wasn’t enough. It had been three months since his last rushing score, Week 1 against Buffalo. Jackson had failed to score, with his legs or his arm, since Week 10 in Minnesota, which was a month ago. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player’s snowballing struggles raised eyebrows about his health. That led to questions concerning Jackson’s ability to lead a playoff push. On Sunday, an imperfect performance offered some optimism. Jackson looked a bit more nimble than he has of late. There were designed runs. “I felt like I was moving pretty well,” he said. And fewer head-scratching throws compared to recent weeks. Harbaugh thought he “played really well.” Jackson threw for 219 yards with one touchdown and an interception. He also picked up 43 yards on seven carries. That second-quarter do-it-himself touchdown allowed Ravens fans everywhere, full of angst about their quarterback’s recent stretch, to sigh a bit of relief. A funny thing happened on the other side of halftime. The Ravens had the ball down in the red zone, which no longer guarantees points. Keaton Mitchell set them up nicely with a 55-yard rush. Three players later, Jackson dropped back to pass. Then he crept up near the line of scrimmage. A confident forward step forced Pittsburgh’s defense, specifically a spying linebacker Patrick Queen, to bite just a smidge. That opened a lane for Likely in the back of the end zone, where the tight end who didn’t just get paid a hefty extension caught his first touchdown of the year. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson used his legs well against the Steelers, but his efforts still weren't enough in a 27-22 loss. Jackson finished with 43 rushing yards and a score on seven carries. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) On a day the Ravens needed the offense to click, Jackson normally would have relied on his security blanket, Mark Andrews. Rather, it was Zay Flowers whom he went back to again and again. Flowers was targeted 11 times. He caught eight of them and dropped one, totaling 124 yards. That’s Flowers’ best outing since Week 1. Jackson thrice found him on a long ball for at least 30 yards. “It was what we’ve come to expect in how he plays,” Harbaugh. He’ll need to be even sharper moving forward. It’s the only thing that can keep this season from spiraling. Aaron Rodgers turns back time Rodgers hadn’t completed a downfield pass since Week 8. The 42-year-old quarterback either misfired or threw an interception every time he uncorked one with at least 20 yards of air distance. His backup, Mason Rudolph, failed, too. On Sunday, Pittsburgh’s drought ended rather quickly. DK Metcalf burned cornerback Marlon Humphrey up the right sideline on the offense’s first play. Rodgers caught him in stride for a 52-yard pickup on a drive that ended in Rodgers’ first rushing touchdown in two years. The old guy’s still got it — apparently. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers runs into the end zone untouched against the Ravens in the first quarter of Pittsburgh's 27-22 win. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Rodgers targeted Metcalf 12 times. The 27-year-old, two-time Pro Bowl selection caught seven (three deep balls) for 148 yards. That’s the best outing any receiver has had against Baltimore’s secondary so far this season. In all, Rodgers threw for 284 yards. Baltimore’s secondary had its share of highlights. Humphrey got Metcalf back with a pair of crucial pass breakups, one in the end zone and another on third down in the game’s waning minutes. But the Ravens’ defensive backs, who have locked down respectable pass attempts in recent weeks and arrived Sunday at full strength, got picked apart by Rodgers. The Steelers knew this game had do-or-die implications, too. And they ended Baltimore’s run of seven straight games forcing a turnover. “We knew what was on the line today,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “That’s why you go do business with a guy like Aaron. Thick days, like today, he’s a been there, done that guy. Beyond the experience component of it, he relishes it. You can just tell. That’s the benefit of having a guy like him.” ‘The AFC North is the mid division’ One team has to make the playoffs. Thems the rules. So here’s a question worth chewing on: Through 14 weeks, which team — Ravens, Steelers, Bengals or Browns — looks best equipped to make the playoffs? And which looks most ready to win a playoff game? They’re probably different answers. The former now appears to be the Steelers, who stole sole possession of first place in the AFC North with four games left on the schedule. The latter is up for debate, but just might be the Bengals, whose odds to reach the postseason are seemingly out of reach. By that logic, the team representing the hardened AFC North, a division that prides itself on toughness and sustained success, described by Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton as “the purest form of football,” might be represented by a team with single-digit wins. Before Sunday, none of the four were above .500. Now, the Steelers are 7-6. The Ravens are below .500. The 4-9 Bengals lost a shootout in snowy Orchard Park, New York, against the Bills, letting slip their last chance at a miracle climb up the standings. And the Browns are the Browns (3-10). “It’s weird,” Humphrey said last week. “Maybe I’m on ESPN a little too much, and I guess the AFC North is the mid division. I think that’s not normal, but it is two teams that literally can control their own narrative.” Much of this season’s home stretch consists of the four teams duking it out. The Ravens will see Cincinnati and Pittsburgh once more each. Both the Steelers and Bengals have another game against the Browns. Amidst the handshake line after the final whistle on Sunday, CBS cameras followed Tomlin. The Steelers coach blew a fat kiss to the camera. It was reported before kickoff that the Steelers won’t fire Tomlin no matter how this season ends. It’s never a good sign when that has to be verbalized. Still, it’s his team, which hadn’t won a road game since September, that now has the leg up in the North. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

As Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers walked off the field, he was embraced with a hug from coach Mike Tomlin. It was a touching moment, symbolic of Pittsburgh’s hard-fought 27-22 victory against the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. The victory gave the Steelers (7-6) a one-game lead over Baltimore (6-7) in the AFC North, but more importantly, it showed why Tomlin and the organization signed Rogers to a one-year, $13.65 million contract during the offseason. After several recent failures in the postseason, Pittsburgh needed to figure out how to win, and Rodgers led the way Sunday. He completed 23 of 34 passes for 284 yards and one for a touchdown and then ran for another score, a 1-yard scamper on a great play fake midway through the first quarter. This wasn’t all about his performance, but his snarky attitude. After the Steelers lost to Buffalo last week, Rodgers had all the receivers over and talked to them about making adjustments and corrections. Rodgers, who turned 42 on Tuesday, always has to prove that he is the smartest guy in the room. When it comes to football, he just might be. Are you listening, Lamar Jackson? When asked about the win Sunday, Rodgers replied to the media: “It means maybe you guys will shut the hell up for the week.” Typical Rodgers. He screamed at running back Kenneth Gainwell when he didn’t stop and Rodgers misfired on a 10-yard pass that resulted in a 28-yard field goal by Chris Boswell in the third quarter. He complained to officials about a pass that they ruled was intercepted by Ravens rookie linebacker Teddye Buchanan in the fourth quarter before being overturned on replay review as a catch by Rodgers on the deflection. At one point, Rodgers just strolled back on the field to take possession. “I did,” Tomlin said of seeing Rodgers taking control. “But again, we knew what was on the line today. That’s why do we business with a guy like Aaron. Thick days, like today, he’s been there, done that. Beyond the experience of it, he relishes it.” It was absolutely brilliant, but that’s also what separates Rodgers from other quarterbacks as he eventually heads into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He oozes with confidence, and he isn’t afraid to call out his teammates. Tight end Isaiah Likely caught what was initially ruled a 13-yard touchdown pass from Jackson with 2:47 left in the game that might have sealed the win for Baltimore. Likely appeared to take three steps, but he didn’t tuck the ball away before it was broken up, and it was ruled incomplete on replay. I could see Rodgers giving Likely an earful, especially after he had a similar fumble on the goal line against Cincinnati on Thanksgiving night. That’s what great quarterbacks do. They don’t care, and it’s their team. Rodgers was in full control Sunday. Not only did he work the officials, but he also chewed out his offensive linemen when he got hit. It didn’t faze him. At one point, he was jawing with Ravens coach John Harbaugh after Harbaugh called a timeout in the first half. That’s leadership, and the Steelers seemed unfazed. It probably got some of them pumped up playing against their top contender in the division. As for Rodgers play, he was pretty impressive, the best I’ve seen him in recent weeks. The Steelers rolled him to his right several times. When the Ravens got pressure on Rodgers, he escaped, much like he did when he was the starting quarterback in Green Bay after backing up Brett Favre for the first three years of his career. Related Articles Josh Tolentino: A teary-eyed Lamar Jackson represents a Ravens season slipping away | COMMENTARY Ravens react to pair of controversial calls in 4th quarter of Steelers loss The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 27-22 loss to Steelers Ravens’ playoff hopes take crushing blow in 27-22 loss to Steelers Instant analysis from Ravens’ 27-22 loss to Steelers in Week 14 Rodgers was expected to throw a lot of short passes against the Ravens, but he had completions of 52, 38 and 31 yards. Also, can the Ravens please find someone to fill in for cornerback Marlon Humphrey when he has to play on the outside? Receiver DK Metcalf had seven caches for 148 yards, averaging 21.1 yards per reception. Meanwhile, Rodgers controlled the game, yapping, growling, consoling and at times cussing out folks. It was a great day, and he continues to cap off a Hall of Fame career that includes a Super Bowl title and four NFL Most Valuable Player Awards. He seems to be in the right place at the right time. Unfortunately, it’s Pittsburgh. “I think we were in an aggressive posture all day,” Tomlin said. “I just think that’s how we got out of bed this morning. That’s what is required when you’re playing these guys in their venue.” Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

Lamar Jackson sat quietly at his corner locker, still in full uniform and pads, his teary eyes offering a blank stare across the room. Thirty minutes after taking a game-ending sack that dropped the Ravens out of first place in the AFC North, the franchise quarterback attempted to gather himself. Coach John Harbaugh pulled up and sat to his left, consoling the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, offering a few words only Jackson could hear. It was a symbolic snapshot of where the Ravens stand right now. With four games left to play, Baltimore’s chaotic season took another turn with its 27-22 loss to Pittsburgh. The Ravens no longer control their playoff destiny after they found another way to unravel in their latest chapter of a massively disappointing campaign that is beginning to rapidly slip through their fingertips. To be clear, the Ravens had no business losing to the Steelers on Sunday. Yet here they are, now sitting at 6-7 and sliding in the division race. Baltimore’s playoff odds dropped to 31%, according to the New York Times’ simulator, while the Steelers’ (7-6) odds jumped to 66%. “[My frustration] is through the roof,” Jackson said. “Thanksgiving game, we shouldn’t have lost that game. But this one here, I don’t know what happened.” Despite playing in seven fewer games, Jackson already has exceeded his interception and sack totals from last season. He was officially hit five times, but surely endured much more contact in a game that saw Jackson run more frequently than he had over the past month. Jackson finished with seven carries for 43 yards, while recording his first rushing touchdown since Week 1 at Buffalo. “We are still turning it around,” he said. “I believe this loss to a divisional opponent was a tough loss because I felt like we could have put more points on the board, and unfortunately, we didn’t. Time ran out, and those guys do what they’re supposed to.” Why exactly didn’t the Ravens do what they’re supposed to do? Well, they actually sort of did. Aside from getting gashed through the air, the Ravens, by and large, dominated across the board in total plays (77 to 51), total yards (420 to 318), time of possession (33:44 to 26:16) and first downs (22 to 13). Pittsburgh also punted four times compared to just two punts from Jordan Stout. Suffering from yet another slow offensive start — this has become an all too familiar line — the Ravens commanded the exact type of game plan that was drawn up heading into the Week 14 showdown. A few doses of untimely misfortune didn’t aid the home sideline. Defensive tackle Travis Jones was penalized for running over long snapper Christian Kuntz, which gifted Pittsburgh with a new set of downs, and ultimately seven points rather than the initial three in a game that was decided by four. Related Articles Ravens react to pair of controversial calls in 4th quarter of Steelers loss The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 27-22 loss to Steelers Ravens’ playoff hopes take crushing blow in 27-22 loss to Steelers Instant analysis from Ravens’ 27-22 loss to Steelers in Week 14 Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell ruled out vs. Steelers with knee injury Linebacker Teddye Buchanan also saw his interception, briefly representing the defense’s only takeaway, called back following a questionable review that ruled Rodgers had legally caught his own pass instead of it being wrestled away by the rookie Buchanan. Isaiah Likely’s would-be go-ahead touchdown reception that was reversed to an incompletion completed Baltimore’s triple threat of critical misfortune. Until Baltimore regains control of its playoff destiny, many fans will express anger toward the Likely touchdown that was ruled incomplete by officials. Those calls will undoubtedly sting. However, rough luck and misfortune are only part of Baltimore’s symptoms rather than the problem itself. If a borderline replay decides your fate at home against a rival barely above water, the moment is more indicative of the underachieving product. Why even put yourself in that position, trailing in the waning moments of a home game over your longtime rivals? The once-Super Bowl favorite Ravens mustered just nine points in the first half against the NFL’s 28th-ranked defense. Sunday marked two consecutive games in which the Ravens’ secondary was exposed, leaving little room for error for an offense that has frequently spelled disaster for a majority of the season. Rodgers, who hadn’t completed a pass longer than 20 yards in more than a month, dropped a 52-yard dime down the right sideline and into D.K Metcalf’s bread basket on Pittsburgh’s first(!) play. Metcalf, who led all pass catchers with 148 receiving yards, beat veteran cornerback Marlon Humphrey on Rodgers’ opening shot. “Over the years, that’s kind of usually the Steelers’ thing against us, is to take a lot of shots downfield,” Humphrey said. “So, it didn’t necessarily surprise me.” While Harbaugh insisted there will be no finger pointing inside the organization, some leaky hints from Sunday’s disaster say otherwise. When asked what it’ll take for the Ravens to turn things around, linebacker Roquan Smith pointed to an overused phrase: “It’s about … each and every individual taking control of their 1 of 11, and doing it play in and play out. I think if you do that, and if every single person does that, you will get what you want. The talent’s there, but it’s not about the talent. … It’s about playing, doing your 1 of 11, and if No. 10 is doing their job and No. 1 is not — it’s not good enough.” Mark Andrews, four days after securing $26 million in new guaranteed salary, was a no-show, finishing with one catch for nine yards across five targets. Wide receivers Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers and Likely each had drops, while Jackson completed 19 of 35 throws with a passer rating of 71.0. Ravens tight end Mark Andrews fails to catch a high pass in Sunday's 27-22 loss to the Steelers. Andrews had just one catch in the defeat. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) And then there’s the offensive line. Oh, boy, that offensive line. Perhaps the group most responsible for Jackson still basking in his thoughts long after the final whistle. According to the CBS broadcast, Jackson, following his turnover, was spotted barking toward embattled right guard Daniel Faalele near the home bench. Baltimore ran for 219 yards, an impressive bounce-back outing that masks another reality. The battered Steelers arrived without multiple key defensive linemen, and lost additional defenders to injury throughout the contest, yet still pressured Jackson a whopping 19 times. The final knockout, delivered by linebacker Alex Highsmith, sealed the loss and Jackson’s postgame stare. “I just saw chaos,” Jackson said of the game’s final play. “I just tried to move around as much as I could.” General manager Eric DeCosta bet on continuity up front, while offensive line coach George Warhop banked on progress. Both should face the music in the nearing offseason for employing a regressing unit that struggles to keep their quarterback upright on a weekly basis. “I always have so much respect for him and the way he plays, the way he fights and competes and everything else out there,” Harbaugh said of Jackson. “When the game starts, and the lights come on, there’s nobody you’d rather have.” The Ravens are running out of time. Jackson’s boiling emotions all but confirmed it. “Each and every week there’s no room for error,” he said. “We’ve just been talking about the [final] four-game stretch. You just have to lock in and put it all on the line.” Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. View the full article

For a moment, it was a catch. And a touchdown. And a go-ahead score for the Ravens with just over two minutes remaining against Pittsburgh on Sunday. Isaiah Likely leaped forward to corral a 13-yard pass in the end zone from quarterback Lamar Jackson. The tight end landed on his right foot, then took another step with his left, before attempting to squeeze in one more with his right foot while cornerback Joey Porter wrapped around him. Likely extended the ball forward the entire time with his 32-inch arms. Even while Porter knocked it out, it was a touchdown. For about a minute. Collective groans cast over M&T Bank Stadium after officials ruled it was an incomplete pass following a short review. The Ravens turned it over on downs three plays later at the 8-yard line following the punched out, and overturned, score from Likely’s grasp and couldn’t muster a game-winning drive with a minute remaining, losing 27-22. “I thought it was a touchdown,” running back Derrick Henry said. “13 years in this league, how many steps do you need in the end zone for a TD?” wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins wrote in a since deleted social media post on X. “If you were on the field with us, you would’ve thought it was a touchdown, too,” Jackson told reporters postgame. NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth explained postgame a three-step process to secure a catch. Likely obtained both control and two-feet inbounds, but did not have an “act common to the game” proceeding it — which would have been getting his third foot down. The tight end refrained from criticizing the officiating, and said he hadn’t seen a replay of the reversed call. “They made a call, got to live with what the refs say at the end of the day,” Likely said. It’s the second consecutive week a would-be touchdown from Likely was overturned. Against the Bengals on Thanksgiving, he fumbled a potential 44-yard score at the goal line as safety Jordan Battle punched it away. The tight end said the two plays are different. Against the Bengals, he said he got “lackadaisical” while scampering in. This week, he has to “live with what the refs called.” Likely didn’t cite anything he would have changed on the play. Related Articles The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 27-22 loss to Steelers Ravens’ playoff hopes take crushing blow in 27-22 loss to Steelers Instant analysis from Ravens’ 27-22 loss to Steelers in Week 14 Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell ruled out vs. Steelers with knee injury Ravens vs. Steelers, December 7, 2025 | PHOTOS Coach John Harbaugh said officials told him the tight end’s third foot didn’t touch down until the ball was tapped out, but was also frustrated with an overturned Aaron Rodgers turnover in the same frame. Defensive tackle C.J. Okoye batted down a Rodgers pass midway through fourth. The ball hung in the air before the 42-year-old signal caller tapped it back to himself with his right hand — grabbing it above his helmet. Linebacker Teddye Buchanan also seemingly grabbed it, and ripped it out of the quarterback’s hands as the two fell to the ground. Initial ruling: interception. So the Ravens offense began to take the field, trailing by five and at the Pittsburgh 32-yard line. Then came the first rash of boos at M&T Bank Stadium that quarter as officials ruled Rodgers was down with possession of the ball before Buchanan snagged it. “The offensive player had control of the ball as he was going to the ground,” Butterworth said. “There was a hand in there, but he never lost control of the ball and then his knees hit the ground.” Even while the Steelers punted two plays later, Baltimore began its drive at the Ravens’ 22 rather than the Pittsburgh 32. The Likely fumble occurred on the ensuing drive. “I saw the replay and it looked like he was probably down,” Buchanan said. “We’re not going to use it as an excuse or anything like that.” Harbaugh wasn’t as forgiving. He argued that a receiver must “survive the ground” for a catch to stand, and Rodgers didn’t. He also stressed the decision wasn’t a local officiating error — final calls come from the NFL office in New York. “He didn’t survive the ground. He’s not down by contact. He was catching the ball on the way down with another person,” Harbaugh said. “I don’t know why it was ruled the way it was on that one.” The fourth-quarter calls came in a game where Baltimore lost its grip on the AFC North lead and fell a game behind Pittsburgh. Four games remain for a team suddenly searching for answers — and if the Ravens want to make a playoff run, they’ll have to overcome more than just a pair of fourth-quarter whistles. Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Mikephowes. View the full article

Here’s how the Ravens graded out at every position in their 27-22 loss to the Steelers on Sunday: Quarterback Lamar Jackson keeps getting better, but it might be too late to help save the Ravens’ season. He made some decent runs Sunday, even threatening to go out on the perimeter several times on option keepers. But it took the Ravens way too long to realize that outside linebacker T.J. Watt kept crashing down on every play and finally in the second half they figured out how to attack Watt with fullback Patrick Ricard. Regardless, whatever the reason, Jackson isn’t as fast or as quick as he used to be and he completed only 19 of 35 passes for 219 yards with one touchdown and one interception and finished with a passer rating of 71. Overall, it’s an improvement from what we’ve seen in the past four weeks. Grade: C+ Running backs Starter Derrick Henry pounded the Steelers for 94 yards on 25 carries, and Keaton Mitchell had six carries for 76 yards, including a 55-yard burst. Mitchell might have made a difference late in the game, but he left in the second half with a knee injury. He is a good change-of-pace back for Baltimore. The Ravens had 40 carries for 217 yards but waited too long to punish the Steelers up front. Pittsburgh entered Sunday allowing 117 rushing yards per game. Baltimore, though, should have committed to running the ball in the first half. They had 19 carries for 73 yards and clearly the Steelers’ defensive line was gassed in the second half. Jackson rushed seven times for 43 yards. Grade: B+ Offensive line Pittsburgh had only two sacks and five quarterback hits, but it kept constant pressure on Jackson, who still can’t decide if he wants to run or pass in tough situations. Both tackles Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten had trouble with outside linebackers Alex Highsmith and Watt, and Jackson was under duress because both guards, Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele, got beat inside. There were times when Faalele looked lost simply because of his foot speed. Overall, though, the Ravens had opportunities to win and the best shot to pull that off was by running the ball. Baltimore did that, but it still continues to struggle as far as pass blocking. Grade: C Receivers The Ravens finally accomplished one thing: they got slot receiver Zay Flowers more touches. Flowers had eight catches for 124 yards, but this group seemed uninterested, and maybe that’s because the Ravens ran the ball so much. Tight end Isaiah Likely’s near 13-yard touchdown reception with 2:47 left in the game should have been confirmed, but instead it was ruled incomplete. The worst part is that after Likely fumbled on the goal line against the Bengals on Thanksgiving Day, he should have known to tuck the ball. There are no more excuses. Jackson was simply off on some of his throws, like the one to DeAndre Hopkins out of bounds or his overthrows of Rashod Bateman and Flowers. It wasn’t a great day for the receivers, but this group didn’t need to be great, just adequate. Grade: C- Defensive line Pittsburgh had only 34 yards on 17 carries, but that was enough to complement the offense. The Steelers simply had a running game only to keep Baltimore’s defensive line honest. The Ravens, though, didn’t get their hands up to knock down a lot of short passes thrown by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. They got some pressure on Rodgers, but he showed his best mobility in recent weeks. Tackle John Jenkins had only one tackle and Travis Jones finished with one, too. Tackle C.J. Okoye almost had the play of the game when he tipped a Rodgers pass in the second half, but a Teddye Buchanan interception was nullified because Rodgers caught the ball first and had one knee on the ground. That was actually the correct call. Unfortunately, the Ravens didn’t have a sack on Rodgers and had only three quarterback hurries. Grade: B– Linebackers Middle linebacker Roquan Smith had 10 tackles to lead the team, but there were times when he looked lost on the field, like on Kenneth Gainwell’s 6-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The linebackers still can’t cover well, as exemplified on Jaylen Warren’s 38-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. It was a short pass in the flat, and how many times have we seen that this season? And one more thing, outside linebacker Mike Green, he went that way. The Ravens tried several different blitzes up the middle, but that stuff doesn’t work against proven quarterbacks like Rodgers. Grade: C- Related Articles Ravens react to pair of controversial calls in 4th quarter of Steelers loss Ravens’ playoff hopes take crushing blow in 27-22 loss to Steelers Instant analysis from Ravens’ 27-22 loss to Steelers in Week 14 Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell ruled out vs. Steelers with knee injury Ravens vs. Steelers, December 7, 2025 | PHOTOS Secondary Pittsburgh came into the game with a small ball offense but completed passes of 52, 38 and 31 yards. The Steelers took the Ravens to task, especially on the outside with cornerback Marlon Humphrey trying to play against DK Metcalf, who had seven catches for 148 yards. As far as tackling, it was an atrocious day for this group. Starting cornerback Nate Wiggins missed a bunch of tackles even though he finished with six, and the Ravens need to find a way to get Humphrey help when he is isolated on the outside. Rodgers made this group look really bad. There were times when the secondary looked lost. Again. Grade: D Special teams Rookie Tyler Loop converted on field goal attempts of 36, 28 and 36 yards, but how does he miss an extra point try? Also, I thought the Ravens had gotten over the mishaps with the directional kickoffs, but they continue to flounder. Whenever rookie LaJohntay Wester returns a punt, you just kind of hold your breath. This is the NFL, not college football. One move, and then go north and south, not east and west. You’re not outrunning anybody in this league. Wester averaged 4.7 yards on three punt returns. Not good. Jordan Stout averaged 51 yards on two punts. Grade: C- Coaching The Ravens were ready for a physical game, and they got one. Unfortunately, Pittsburgh was willing to gamble early and had success, which resulted in a 17-9 halftime lead. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken tried several new combinations with Henry and Mitchell both playing, but he waited too long to to go with the ground game. As for the Ravens’ defense, there isn’t much to be said. They can’t cover, and they don’t have a pass rusher. End of conversation. Grade: C- Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

The past met the present Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium, where the Ravens’ inaugural Super Bowl championship team celebrated its 25th anniversary. More than 50 members were on hand, from Trent Dilfer to Ray Lewis, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker had an enthusiastic parting message for the current team before departing the halftime festivities. “Baltimore! Baltimore!” he bellowed. “Time to go to work, baby!” Instead, the Ravens were left looking for answers again, this time from the officials. Trailing 27-22 with just over three minutes remaining, Lamar Jackson drove the Ravens to the Pittsburgh 13-yard line before connecting with Isaiah Likely over the middle for what appeared to be his second touchdown of the game. But the call was overturned by replay, with Likely ruled as not having completed the catch as the ball was ripped out of his hands, despite having taken at least one step with control. Ravens coach John Harbaugh, the crowd and Baltimore’s sideline disagreed vehemently. Baltimore then failed to convert on fourth-and-5, and Jackson was sacked on the Steelers’ 39 on its next series on the final play as the clock struck zero. Pittsburgh (7-6) hung on for the victory and moved into first place in the AFC North, a game ahead of Baltimore (6-7) with just four games remaining in the regular season. It was a surreal setting and finish in many ways. The game marked the first time since 1999 the two had met in December with neither above .500. Still, first place in the AFC North was on the line for the longtime and bitter rivals, and someone had to claim it. That it was close was also not a surprise — 28 of the past 38 games between these two had been decided by a single score, and this would be no different. There was plenty of drama and controversy to go with it. With just over seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (23-for-34 passing, 284 yards, one touchdown) dropped back to pass from his own 41, the ball was tipped at the line of scrimmage and appeared to be intercepted by linebacker Teddye Buchanan. But replay overturned that call, with Rodgers ruled down after he initially caught his own pass. It resulted in a 9-yard loss and Pittsburgh punted two plays later, but instead of the Ravens having the ball at the Steelers’ 33-yard line, the crowd in full throat and a chance to surge ahead, they were denied. Ravens coach John Harbaugh shouted, “That’s wrong! That’s wrong!” at the referees. But it was to no avail. Baltimore had plenty of other things to be frustrated with. The Steelers and Rodgers hadn’t completed a pass of more than 20 yards through the air in over a month. It took all of one play for that streak to end. On the game’s first play, the 42-year-old went 52 yards up the right sideline to Metcalf over Marlon Humphrey. Then Rodgers scored his first rushing touchdown since Jan. 1, 2023, on a run around the right end to cap the scoring drive for a 7-3 lead. It was a precursor of things to come. After Baltimore’s defense stopped Pittsburgh on a third-and-1 from the 13 in the second quarter to limit the damage to a field goal, Travis Jones was flagged for a questionable unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for running over the center. Harbaugh was livid over the call and had a case, but the first down led to an easy 6-yard Kenneth Gainwell touchdown as he pranced through the left side of the defense unbothered. Related Articles Instant analysis from Ravens’ 27-22 loss to Steelers in Week 14 Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell ruled out vs. Steelers with knee injury Ravens vs. Steelers, December 7, 2025 | PHOTOS Ravens vs. Steelers live updates: Postgame reaction, analysis from 27-22 loss Ravens vs. Steelers staff picks: Who will win Sunday in Baltimore? That four-point swing put the Steelers up 17-3 with the Ravens looking discombobulated in every phase of the game. They did get some help, though. Their best offense of the first half turned out to be the yellow flag. Pittsburgh’s kickoff came up short of the landing zone, resulting in a penalty and the ball at Baltimore’s 40 to start its next possession. Two more penalties on third down then helped extend the drive, and the Ravens marched 60 yards in 13 plays with Jackson (seven carries, 43 rushing yards, one touchdown) scoring his first rushing touchdown since Week 1 on a 6-yard scramble on third and goal. Then Loop missed the extra point. Things weren’t any better in the second half and in some ways mirrored the first. Loop’s kickoff to start the third quarter went out of bounds. On the first play from scrimmage, Rodgers had all day to throw, allowing Metcalf to get open and haul in a 41-yard catch. That helped set up another Chris Boswell field goal to extend the lead to 20-9. Despite the two-score deficit, the Ravens stuck with their running game. It finally paid dividends. After two straight runs set up a third-and-1, Keaton Mitchell popped loose through left side and raced 55 yards before being surprisingly caught by defensive back James Pierre at the 7-yard line. But just when it appeared another red zone opportunity might go by the wayside on third-and-goal from the 4, Jackson (19 of 35, 219 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception) broke toward the end zone, sucking the Steelers’ defense in, only to find a wide open Likely for a touchdown. Rather than go for a 2-point conversion to pull within a field goal, Baltimore opted for an extra point, and this time Loop connected to cut the deficit to 20-16. The score energized the crowd. But the celebration was short-lived. Rodgers again capitalized on another one-on-one matchup on the outside, connecting with Calvin Austin III, who got behind Chidobe Awuzie, for a 31-yard gain on third-and-5 from his own 25. Three plays later and again on third down, he then dumped a short pass off to an open Jaylen Warren, who raced 38 yards down the sideline for the score to put Pittsburgh up 27-16 with 3:38 left in the third quarter in what ended up being the decisive score. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Ravens tight end Isiaiah Likely can't hang on to what would've been a go-ahead touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Steelers. 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Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 27-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14 of the NFL season on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore: Brian Wacker, reporter The Ravens (6-7) won’t like the overturning of Isaiah Likely’s touchdown catch, and they have a beef. But there were also plenty of other shortcomings to be frustrated about, most notably their pass defense against a Steelers (7-6) offense led by 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers that has struggled to move the ball. But as often has the case been, Baltimore’s defense proved to be a welcome tonic to an ailing offense. Too many times the Ravens didn’t get pressure on Rodgers and too often it allowed him to find open receivers downfield. Now comes an uphill climb with games against the Bengals’ Joe Burrow, the Patriots’ Drake Maye, the Packers’ Jordan Love and Rodgers again. That’s a tall task and it might be too much to overcome to make the playoffs. Mike Preston, columnist The Ravens made this game closer than most of us expected. The Steelers came into this game reeling and the Ravens had every opportunity to win, but not even the magic of quarterback Lamar Jackson could pull out the victory for Baltimore. Jackson was sacked by Cameron Heyward on the game’s final play in Pittsburgh territory. Sure, there was some questionable officiating in this game, but that’s standard in the NFL. Tight end Isaiah Likely should have tucked the ball, even though he took two steps in the end zone. But Pittsburgh was willing to gamble in the first half and built a nice lead to hold off the Ravens at the end. Regardless, the Ravens are a mess. Their offensive line can’t pass block and the secondary can’t cover. They deserve to be 6-7 at this point. Josh Tolentino, columnist Well, at least Todd Monken got the memo. After abandoning Derrick Henry in the team’s Thanksgiving night loss to the Bengals, Baltimore fed the future Hall of Fame running back to the tune of 25 carries for 94 yards (3.8 average) against Pittsburgh. Henry’s efforts, though, weren’t enough as Zach Orr’s defense failed to record a takeaway against one of the league’s worst offenses, while quarterback Lamar Jackson saw his season interception total rise to five. There have been plenty of disappointing moments this season, but if the Ravens fail to secure a playoff berth, they’ll look back at this Week 14 loss and remember a prime opportunity they flushed down the drain. Baltimore commanded the exact type of game plan it wanted against its division rivals, between dominating time of possession, 33:44 to 26:16, and outgaining the Steelers, 420-318. Yet timely mistakes, along with a questionable reversed touchdown call on Isaiah Likely’s would-be go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter, proved to be detrimental. Sam Cohn, reporter Baltimore’s undoing, on Sunday and perhaps in the greater context of this Ravens season, will be haunted by a few metaphorical kicks squarely to the groin, courtesy of the men wearing stripes. Fair or not, the Ravens were this close. Travis Jones was flagged for unnecessary roughness after breaking through the middle of the line on a Steelers field goal attempt. Gifted a fresh set of downs, Pittsburgh scored a touchdown one play later. Rookie Teddye Buchanan registered the first interception of his career, only for officials to rule Aaron Rodgers down with his hands on the ball upon review. Then, the one that Ravens fans will take to the bars to debate with friends, was Isaiah Likely’s touchdown catch. Officials negated the score, ruling it incomplete. Still, the Ravens had a chance. They got the ball with two minutes left and one timeout. That drive never reached the end zone, ending with the quarterback on the ground. Because of it, Baltimore’s odds to reach the playoffs plummeted. Michael Howes, reporter The immediate chatter postgame will be on the two consequence calls against the Ravens in the final minutes. First, an interception overturned that would’ve moved Baltimore into Pittsburgh territory. Then, another Isaiah Likely touchdown overturned. Did the Ravens deserve to win the game, though? Probably not. Related Articles Ravens’ playoff hopes take crushing blow in 27-22 loss to Steelers Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell ruled out vs. Steelers with knee injury Ravens vs. Steelers, December 7, 2025 | PHOTOS Ravens vs. Steelers live updates: Postgame reaction, analysis from 27-22 loss Ravens vs. Steelers staff picks: Who will win Sunday in Baltimore? An Aaron Rodgers who entered M&T Bank Stadium struggling and looking like a 42-year-old quarterback passed for a season-high 284 yards with a 67.6% completion rate. DK Metcalf torched the recently stout Baltimore secondary for 148 yards and seven catches, both season highs. And there were still chances for Baltimore to win the game. After the Likely score was overturned, the Ravens stalled at the Pittsburgh 8-yard line on fourth down after they couldn’t pick up two yards on third down. The clock ran out on Baltimore on its final drive as Lamar Jackson was sacked. The Ravens’ grasp on the division lead is gone. Will they be able to overcome that adversity in the final four games? C.J. Doon, editor That felt like the Ravens’ entire season wrapped into one game, didn’t it? We saw more mediocre play from quarterback Lamar Jackson, continuing an alarming stretch for the two-time NFL MVP. The offense was just as frustrating as ever, at times sticking to the running game to keep the chains moving but often stalling out in the red zone. (Side note: Keeping Derrick Henry on the sideline for a couple plays here and there in the first half, while curious at the time, might have paid off in the second half.) Some brutal drops didn’t help. There are no trustworthy pass catchers on this team, not even Zay Flowers. DeAndre Hopkins and Rashod Bateman have been MIA. Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely are inconsistent at best. The offensive line is in shambles. Jackson doesn’t have the explosiveness to bail the Ravens out the way he used to. Even a burst from Keaton Mitchell was immediately followed by a trip to the medical tent with a worrying knee injury. Starting 1-5 was a crisis that the Ravens admirably fought through. Now, trailing the division leader by one game with four games left, is another. The Bengals, who embarrassed the Ravens on Thanksgiving and held a late lead at Buffalo on Sunday before collapsing, host Baltimore next week to continue a brutal stretch of games to finish the season. Right now, there isn’t much confidence that it will end with a playoff berth. We thought this was one of the best rosters in Ravens history. Instead, it has all the makings of a historic flop. Tim Schwartz, editor The Ravens have not looked like a legitimate playoff team in months. Sunday was no different. Against a reeling Steelers team that had lost five of its past seven, Pittsburgh brought the juice at M&T Bank Stadium and took control of the AFC North, the NFL’s worst division. The fourth quarter wasn’t without controversy, with a touchdown pass from Lamar Jackson to Isaiah Likely wiped out after being ruled incomplete and a would-be interception of Aaron Rodgers overturned by replay, but Baltimore had plenty of opportunities beyond that. This team will make you rip your hair out. There’s a good chance that ends with the regular-season finale in Pittsburgh. The postseason feels like a long shot. Bennett Conlin, editor The Ravens have reason to be upset with the officials. A pair of crucial late calls both went against Baltimore, including what seemed to be a game-changing interception and a potential go-ahead touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely. The interception reversal felt particularly egregious. Still, Baltimore had chances to win and made a few terrible mistakes. Why is Todd Monken calling for a delayed handoff on third-and-2 on the Ravens’ penultimate drive? It resulted in a 3-yard loss and doomed what should’ve been a touchdown drive. How does the secondary get cooked so badly for the first three quarters against an aging Aaron Rodgers? The ill-timed penalties in the final two minutes essentially killed the team’s final chance at scoring. Losing this game at home is brutal, and it could signal the end of John Harbaugh’s tenure. This doesn’t look like a playoff team despite the roster’s significant individual talent. It’s inexcusable. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. 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