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The Ravens could be without their star quarterback for a must-win game. Lamar Jackson is listed as doubtful for Saturday night’s showdown against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Jackson missed all three practices this week with a back injury that he suffered during the first half of Sunday night’s loss to the New England Patriots. Baltimore (7-8) needs to win Saturday and have the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6) lose to the Cleveland Browns (3-12) on Sunday to have a chance at winning the AFC North in Week 18. A win by the Steelers, who are 3-point favorites in Cleveland, would eliminate the Ravens from postseason contention. Coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday that Jackson could play even without practicing all week. “He’s played a lot of football, won a lot of games for us. … If he can go, he will go,” said Harbaugh, who described the injury that Jackson suffered after taking a knee to the back from Patriots safety Craig Woodson as a “deep tissue contusion.” If the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player is unable to suit up, Tyler Huntley, who came off the bench in relief on Sunday, would get the start for the second time this season. Huntley last started in Week 8 and led Baltimore to a 30-16 win over the Chicago Bears at M&T Bank Stadium while Jackson was still out with a hamstring injury that sidelined the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player for three games. In four appearances this season, Huntley has completed 76.6% of his passes for 319 yards and a touchdown. He has also rushed for 91 yards on 16 carries. Should Jackson not be able to play Saturday and the Ravens are eliminated from the playoffs, it’s also unlikely that he would play in what would be a meaningless regular-season finale in Pittsburgh. If Jackson doesn’t play again this season, it would mark the third time in his eight years that he was unable to finish a season because of injury. The Packers, meanwhile, face their own quarterback uncertainty as starter Jordan Love (concussion/left shoulder) and backup Malik Willis (right shoulder/illness) are questionable. Related Articles READERS RESPOND: Ravens fans blame John Harbaugh for 2025 results Staff picks for Week 17 of 2025 NFL season: Texans vs. Chargers, Eagles vs. Bills and more Josh Tolentino: Zay Flowers’ fumbles complicate Ravens’ future | COMMENTARY Ravens’ Lamar Jackson absent from practice again, casting doubt vs. Packers ‘In a flow state,’ punter Jordan Stout is the Ravens’ sure thing Love was injured after taking a hit to the helmet during the Packers’ loss to the Chicago Bears last week and was limited in practice all week. Willis, meanwhile, hurt his right shoulder on the final play of regulation against the Bears and did not practice Wednesday because of an illness. Clayton Tune is the team’s third quarterback. The former University of Houston and Arizona Cardinals fifth-round draft pick has played 13 games across two seasons, completing 14 of 23 passes for 70 yards. Ravens undrafted rookie linebacker Jay Higgins (knee) was a full participant Friday and is questionable. Reserve defensive tackle Taven Bryan (knee) was limited Friday and has been ruled out. Packers cornerback Bo Melton (illness), guard Sean Ryan (knee/illness), offensive lineman Zach Tom (back/knee), wide receiver Christian Watson (shoulder/illness) and safety Evan Williams (knee) are questionable, while guard John Williams and linebacker Kristian Welch have been ruled out. Have a news tip? Contact C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

We asked readers who they blame most for the Ravens’ disappointing 2025 season. Baltimore is 7-8 and needs help this weekend to have a chance at making the postseason. Here are the results from our online poll: Coach John Harbaugh — 57% (887 votes) OC Todd Monken — 10% (161 votes) QB Lamar Jackson — 8% (127 votes) The defense — 7% (115 votes) GM Eric DeCosta — 6% (95 votes) Other — 5% (72 votes) DC Zach Orr — 4% (62 votes) The offense — 2% (28 votes) Here’s what some fans have said about the Ravens’ subpar season (answers have been edited for clarity and grammar): It’s most definitely a team effort on this losing season but things rest at the hands of the coach. From blown leads to head-scratching plays on offense and defense, the person ultimately giving things the green light is Harbaugh. A head coach should say “Hey, our offensive line is terrible, why don’t we do more roll outs instead of having Lamar sit back in the pocket. Also, our defense line can’t get to the QB, why don’t we disguise more blitzing. And lastly, we are winning the game, why don’t we just give the ball to the human train we have at RB.” The team relies on the head coach to maximize the talent on the team. It’s the reason Mike Tomlin has still managed to constantly keep the Steelers in contention. I’m not saying they are a great team by any means but you can see how he works with what he has and gets a win on Sunday. I don’t think Harbaugh is a bad coach, but he might be in an Andy Reid Philadelphia situation where we need a new leader. That being said it’s hard to fire him unless you know you have a standout coach that can get in and make a positive impact, stepping into the unknown is a big deal especially with the money we are paying key players, time is limited. — James H. I don’t blame Harbaugh as much as LJ, Monken and Orr. The defense needs to remember to play four quarters, not three. Monken needs to run Derrick more. Pulling Henry in the final drive was the final straw, in my opinion. He abandons Henry and the run way too much. Derrick is built to touch the ball 25 times a game to wear out the other team and set up long runs by Keaton Mitchell after they’re winded. Our O-line is built on running, not pass blocking. Lastly, LJ choked this year. This team is built around him being dynamic and electric. When LJ is not playing we stink or he’s not 100%, he’s just not able to carry the team. He’s good for a pick or fumble in crunch time. I think it’s time to draft a QB that has a good arm but needs to learn how to throw as a third-string prospect. LJ is the best regular season player, ever. When playoffs come and competition gets tight, he chokes. — Ken K. I wish I could have chosen two. The roster is ultimately the responsibility of the general manager and the head coach. The fact that the team again lacks a strong pass rush and has a weak inconsistent offensive line is on them. Several years of repeatedly blowing fourth-quarter leads also falls on the coaching staff. — Dennis C. Harbaugh’s postgame news conferences after losses this year have been a joke. He acts like he has no control as he discusses things like abandoning the use of his 250-pound RB in the fourth quarter. If only Harbaugh knew someone who could do something about the problems he identifies after the fact. His time has come and gone. It happens to all of us. Time to move on. — Michael Marr There’s enough blame to go around, starting at the top with the owner on to the general manager who has not been very successful in the draft. But when Harbaugh says after the game that they should have run Derrick Henry more, what was he thinking DURING the game? Hindsight is 20/20. Why Monken abandons the run game with Henry so often this year is a mystery, but Harbaugh is the HEAD coach, and he should be directing the OC to alter his game plan if he is observant enough to see a problem. — Robert Monken was great creating a system for Lamar. But, he doesn’t keep with the running game, which is our strength. After the 2023 AFC Championship game with the Chiefs, I thought they’d get rid of him. Not so. How about now? — Herb Hopkins If you want to be a hungry, lean, efficient repeat Super Bowl contender, it’s time to move on. Thank you, John Harbaugh, we wish you well. Will the owner make a move? It seems doubtful, sad to say. Not having Derrick Henry in the game the last two drives was the last straw for me. — Burt Wils Related Articles Staff picks for Week 17 of 2025 NFL season: Texans vs. Chargers, Eagles vs. Bills and more Josh Tolentino: Zay Flowers’ fumbles complicate Ravens’ future | COMMENTARY Ravens’ Lamar Jackson absent from practice again, casting doubt vs. Packers ‘In a flow state,’ punter Jordan Stout is the Ravens’ sure thing Ravens injury report: Lamar Jackson misses practice, Packers’ Love limited There are so many responsible from the front office that hasn’t supplied the needed roster additions (maybe it’s time to rethink best player available and go for need in the draft), coordinators who inexplicably leave the best running back on the sidelines numerous times during games over the past few years or a defense that consistently has “communication issues” early in the season. And then a coach who should be on top of things and forcing these issues being addressed in real time, not in the postgame comments. Soft players who practice when they want to. I remember Johnny Unitas and Bert Jones playing with broken ribs … just too many to blame. Guess it’s a team effort! — Dale S. Local and national pundits noted the Ravens had the best or one of the best rosters in the NFL preseason — and here we are at 7-8 and still blowing big leads in the 4th quarter. I am concerned that the last few years have been our window, and now it is closing. We need a new coach to open the window. — Michael S. The defense has given up to many fourth-quarter leads. they never blitz the opposing QB. Also Todd Monken should design some new plays. — Jerry Olney Coaching. This team has way too much talent to be in the situation it’s in. — Justin Guhl Lamar seems checked out. Definitely seems like some internal issues might be going on with the team. — Winston Dickson The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To see results from previous sports polls, go to baltimoresun.com/sportspoll View the full article

Baltimore Sun staff writers and FOX45’s Patrice Sanders pick every game of the NFL season. Here’s who they have winning in Week 17: Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders (Thursday, 1 p.m.) Brian Wacker (9-7 last week, 158-80-1 overall): Cowboys Sam Cohn (11-5 last week, 159-79-1 overall): Cowboys Mike Preston (10-6 last week, 155-83-1 overall): Cowboys Josh Tolentino (9-7 last week, 159-79-1 overall): Commanders C.J. Doon (12-4 last week, 152-88-1 overall): Cowboys Bennett Conlin (12-4 last week, 158-80-1 overall): Cowboys Tim Schwartz (11-5 last week, 144-94-1 overall): Cowboys Patrice Sanders (10-6 last week, 148-90-1 overall): Cowboys Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings (Thursday, 4:30 p.m.) Wacker: Vikings Cohn: Lions Preston: Lions Tolentino: Lions Doon: Lions Conlin: Lions Schwartz: Lions Sanders: Lions Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Thursday, 8:15 p.m.) Wacker: Broncos Cohn: Broncos Preston: Broncos Tolentino: Broncos Doon: Broncos Conlin: Broncos Schwartz: Broncos Sanders: Broncos Houston Texans vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Saturday, 4:30 p.m.) Wacker: Chargers Cohn: Texans Preston: Chargers Tolentino: Texans Doon: Texans Conlin: Chargers Schwartz: Chargers Sanders: Chargers Seattle Seahawks vs. Carolina Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Seahawks Cohn: Seahawks Preston: Seahawks Tolentino: Seahawks Doon: Seahawks Conlin: Seahawks Schwartz: Seahawks Sanders: Seahawks Arizona Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Bengals Cohn: Bengals Preston: Bengals Tolentino: Cardinals Doon: Bengals Conlin: Bengals Schwartz: Bengals Sanders: Bengals Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Steelers Cohn: Steelers Preston: Steelers Tolentino: Steelers Doon: Browns Conlin: Steelers Schwartz: Steelers Sanders: Browns Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Jaguars Cohn: Jaguars Preston: Jaguars Tolentino: Jaguars Doon: Jaguars Conlin: Jaguars Schwartz: Jaguars Sanders: Jaguars Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Miami Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Dolphins Cohn: Buccaneers Preston: Buccaneers Tolentino: Buccaneers Doon: Buccaneers Conlin: Buccaneers Schwartz: Buccaneers Sanders: Buccaneers New England Patriots vs. New York Jets (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Patriots Cohn: Patriots Preston: Patriots Tolentino: Patriots Doon: Patriots Conlin: Patriots Schwartz: Patriots Sanders: Patriots New Orleans Saints vs. Tennessee Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Titans Cohn: Titans Preston: Saints Tolentino: Saints Doon: Saints Conlin: Saints Schwartz: Saints Sanders: Saints New York Giants vs. Las Vegas Raiders (Sunday, 4:05 p.m.) Wacker: Raiders Cohn: Raiders Preston: Raiders Tolentino: Raiders Doon: Raiders Conlin: Raiders Schwartz: Giants Sanders: Giants Philadelphia Eagles vs. Buffalo Bills (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: Bills Cohn: Bills Preston: Bills Tolentino: Eagles Doon: Eagles Conlin: Bills Schwartz: Bills Sanders: Bills Chicago Bears vs. San Francisco 49ers (Sunday, 8:20 p.m.) Wacker: Bears Cohn: Bears Preston: 49ers Tolentino: Bears Doon: 49ers Conlin: 49ers Schwartz: Bears Sanders: 49ers Los Angeles Rams vs. Atlanta Falcons (Monday, 8:15 p.m.) Wacker: Rams Cohn: Rams Preston: Rams Tolentino: Rams Doon: Rams Conlin: Rams Schwartz: Rams Sanders: Rams Have a news tip? Contact Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

The Ravens were still breathing Sunday night. Not quite comfortably, but alive enough to imagine a comeback that could’ve salvaged their season and dwindling playoff hopes. After Zay Flowers hauled in a pass from backup Tyler Huntley, the team’s top wideout attempted a juke move, the ball subsequently drifting away from his body behind his questionable grip, and New England punched it loose. It was another unfortunate ending Baltimore has previously witnessed. Flowers’ late fourth-quarter fumble in Sunday’s loss highlighted a problem that the Ravens have struggled to solve throughout the season. Baltimore possesses dynamic talents who’ve repeatedly tripped over themselves because of preventable mistakes. There’s an added sense of tension, too, with the Ravens nearing a pivotal decision on Flowers, who becomes eligible to sign a contract extension for the first time in his career at the conclusion of the season. On paper, Flowers looks like a top receiver. His 1,043 receiving yards rank ninth in the NFL and third in the AFC, trailing only Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase and Houston’s Nico Collins. Flowers was rewarded for his latest efforts Tuesday, when he was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl. Flowers, though, also occupies a spot in the basement among the league’s elite wideouts. He has just two receiving touchdowns, worst among the NFL’s top 15 receiving leaders. Flowers also has the same amount of total touchdowns, three, as he does lost fumbles. His turnover that sealed Baltimore’s fate Sunday was just the most recent reminder of his spotty ball security. During the team’s Week 6 home contest against the Rams, Flowers was involved in two critical second-half fumbles in opponent territory in a 17-3 defeat. Flowers again lost a fumble in the fourth quarter of the team’s Thanksgiving night loss to the Bengals. Under even brighter lights during the 2024 AFC championship game, Flowers lost the ball at the goal line in the 17-10 loss to Kansas City. Some might call him unlucky, but opponents see a pattern forming. Patriots linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson said as much after New England’s Week 17 victory at M&T Bank Stadium that secured the visitors a playoff berth. “We know they had a couple of speed skaters on their side,” Chaisson said. Speed skaters? “The ball just gets very loose from their body,” Chaisson said. “So if you ever watch a speed skater and how they move and their body, it’s how a couple of their ball carriers move with the ball. So, we already knew going into the game that was going to be a possibility. We emphasized turnovers, and it was in our game plan throughout the week, finding a way to get turnovers. A couple of [Baltimore’s] ball carriers, the ball can get loose from their body.” That’s not exactly the type of reputation you want as part of a team that tied the NFL lead for most Pro Bowl selections. To his credit, Flowers didn’t quickly evacuate the locker room on Sunday like how he departed for an early bye week after the Rams loss. “I tried to make a play,” Flowers said. “I saw the defender overrunning it, so I cut back, tried to get up field, get a first [down], but somebody behind punched it out.” Flowers is always attempting to make a play. It’s part of his DNA. He plays fast and twitchy, and is especially at his best in the open field. Flowers is generating career highs in catch rate (72.9%), receiving success rate (59.8%) and receptions (78). But Flowers’ ball security has proven detrimental, and he’s become a hot target for opponents hunting the football. “You can’t fumble the ball,” coach John Harbaugh said. “You have to protect the football. … If you don’t get it done, then you become known as a fumbler.” Related Articles Staff picks for Week 17 of 2025 NFL season: Texans vs. Chargers, Eagles vs. Bills and more Ravens’ Lamar Jackson absent from practice again, casting doubt vs. Packers ‘In a flow state,’ punter Jordan Stout is the Ravens’ sure thing Ravens injury report: Lamar Jackson misses practice, Packers’ Love limited Mike Preston: Ravens, Lamar Jackson are at a crossroads | COMMENTARY Unfortunately for Harbaugh’s group, Baltimore is tied with Seattle for the most lost fumbles in the league (20) and ranks 20th in turnover margin. Flowers’ three lost fumbles are the most by any NFL wide receiver and third most on the team behind only quarterback Lamar Jackson (seven) and Derrick Henry (four). Enter Flowers’ pending contract situation. His latest Pro Bowl nod pushed his fifth-year option from $24.361 million to $28.046 million, according to Over The Cap, forcing general manager Eric DeCosta to decide whether to exercise the option, keeping Flowers under contract through 2027, or pursue a multi-year extension. Flowers, who shares a close relationship with Jackson because of their South Florida roots, has generated some of the offense’s most explosive plays over his first three seasons. His game also has limitations. At 5-foot-9, 183 pounds, Flowers doesn’t win many contested catches (his average separation of 3.6 yards ranks 48th among qualified pass-catchers, according to Next Gen Stats) or high-point throws. During Baltimore’s Dec. 14 win over Cincinnati, Flowers finally ended a 14-week touchdown drought, but he also dropped what should’ve been his second touchdown while struggling to elevate and track a ball in the back right corner of the end zone. Ahead of Week 17, the Ravens rank 30th in red zone efficiency, scoring touchdowns on just 45.3% of their trips inside the 20. Neither of Flowers’ two receiving touchdowns have occurred inside the red zone. “When you have Derrick Henry, and you have dominant tight ends in the red zone, it’s hard to not give them the ball,” Flowers said earlier this month. “Everybody wants to score touchdowns … But hey, as long as we are scoring, as long as we are able to get something done, it’s alright.” Is Flowers worth WR1 money? Around the league, the WR market is booming. Ten wide receivers currently make at least $30 million in annual average salary. With two reigning Pro Bowl selections under his belt, Flowers and his representation likely will seek top dollar in future negotiations. One friendly comparison because of his similar play style to Flowers is Detroit’s Jameson Williams, who recently signed a three-year extension worth $83 million ($26 million AAV), with $67 million guaranteed. However, Williams is four inches taller than Flowers, and isn’t asked to be his team’s primary pass-catcher on the opposite side of Amon-Ra St. Brown. Flowers (78 catches, 1,043 yards) is the guy in Baltimore, and it isn’t particularly close. He’s the only pass-catcher to eclipse 400 receiving yards and 45 receptions. Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers gains yards after a catch against the Browns in November. Despite a lack of touchdowns, Flowers brings significant value to Baltimore's offense. (Sue Ogrocki/AP) How will DeCosta handle this situation, just one of many items on his growing offseason to-do list? Baltimore already extended fellow wideout Rashod Bateman last offseason on a modest three-year deal worth $36.75 million with $20 million guaranteed. Bateman has a career-low 217 receiving yards this season and has missed time with a high ankle sprain. Flowers, who trains with some of the NFL’s top receivers, including Chase, during the offseason, needs to seek renewed vigor after his critical turnovers. He’s already known as one of the team’s most intense practice participants and his talent and effort often transfers to game days. His looming pay day is coming. But his skills must adapt to include better ball security and field awareness. Flowers’ latest fumble was costly. Exactly how his recurring fumbling issues reshape the franchise’s salary books, and his standing in its long-term plans, remains to be seen. 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

With the Ravens’ season on the thinnest of ice, the status of quarterback Lamar Jackson for Saturday night’s crucial game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field remains uncertain. Jackson missed practice for a second straight day Wednesday. The only player not in attendance, he has been dealing with a back injury that he suffered near the end of the first half of Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots. The injury knocked him out of the game and could do the same against the Packers, who Baltimore needs to beat to keep its faint playoff hopes alive. Even with a victory, a win by the Steelers on Sunday against the Browns in Cleveland would wrap up the AFC North title for Pittsburgh (8-6) and eliminate the Ravens (7-8) from playoff contention. If Jackson is unable to play, Tyler Huntley, who came off the bench in relief on Sunday, would get the start for the second time this season. Huntley last started in Week 8 and led Baltimore to a 30-16 win over the Chicago Bears at M&T Bank Stadium while Jackson was still out with a hamstring injury that sidelined the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player for three games. In four appearances this season, Huntley has completed 76.6% of his passes for 319 yards and a touchdown. He has also rushed for 91 yards on 16 carries. Should Jackson not be able to play Saturday and the Ravens are eliminated from the playoffs, it’s also unlikely that he would play in what would be a meaningless regular-season finale in Pittsburgh. If Jackson doesn’t play again this season, it would mark the third time in his eight years that he was unable to finish a season because of injury. Coach John Harbaugh is scheduled to speak with reporters after practice. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Jordan Stout trudged into the Pacific Ocean at high tide. Far enough off the coast of San Diego that the water splashed his chin. Stout and two friends, one a fellow NFL punter, played a game: bury your foot into the ocean floor, lift the opposite knee and try to stay upright the longest against an avalanche of waves. Then another game: body surfing competition, chasing the tallest waves and riding them back to shore. They played Spikeball. And Pickleball. A few rounds of golf, too. Raiders punter AJ Cole, who shared in that nearly two-month West Coast excursion this summer, praised San Diego as a place they could “fully train and fully offseason at the same time.” It laid the groundwork for Stout to author a season worthy of All-Pro consideration: He leads the NFL in net average punt yards (44.9) and booted the third-longest try this season (74). This week, Stout was named to his first Pro Bowl. The Virginia native returned from San Diego with a newfound confidence, perhaps manifesting in California cool, and a new go-to kick. “I just feel like it’s all clicking,” said Stout, a 2022 fourth-round pick with his name all over the Penn State record books. “I feel like I’m in a flow state. I’m not worried out there. I just go out there and do it, and I walk off the field.” What he’s doing, more often than not, is called a boomerang kick. And it’s the reason he’s playing his way into a payday this offseason. Stout recently tried explaining what the boomerang kick is. He held out one finger to trace the flight path of the ball, shooting it off his foot up to the sky. It curls back like a ribbon and plops at the far end of the field. Stout’s finger shivered, mimicking the way the football dribbles in unpredictable ways. “There are different variations of it,” he said. “I don’t know how to explain it. It goes up like this, and then it comes down the opposite way. And I can dictate when it happens, but also sometimes I’m trying to hit a normal boomerang that goes to the right, and I hit it up, and it goes to the left. So, the unpredictability of the punt is really cool.” Special teams coordinator Chris Horton likened the punt to a helicopter propeller spinning violently above the field. “You don’t know where that ball’s going to land,” he said. Stout can hit the ball three times in a row, long snapper Nick Moore said, and “the ball does three different things in the air.” It’s perfect for blustery AFC North conditions. Every punter in the NFL has at least two kicks in his arsenal: the traditional spiral, with a flight path similar to any Lamar Jackson deep ball; and an end-over-end, which glides like a wheel. The boomerang keeps opposing teams guessing. It forces returners into making a judgment call. As coach John Harbaugh pointed out, the new addition to Stout’s repertoire came off “the Sam Koch list.” Koch was Stout’s predecessor, an innovative 16-year veteran who spent a few years on the Ravens coaching staff and still helps Stout to this day. Related Articles Ravens injury report: Lamar Jackson misses practice, Packers’ Love limited Mike Preston: Ravens, Lamar Jackson are at a crossroads | COMMENTARY Watch Episode 17 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law 6 Ravens selected to Pro Bowl Games, tying for most in NFL Inside the Harbaugh way: What it’s like to play for Jim and John Koch helped fine-tune Stout’s boomerang. Stout diligently drilled it in San Diego. Then he showed up to training camp with a new club in his golf bag that has him kicking with gusto. Cole knows Stout’s ascension as well as anyone. They’ve shared every offseason since college, so this breakout season comes as no shock. But two memories came to mind. First was in Birmingham, Alabama, in the summer of 2020. Cole didn’t know much about the kid from Virginia Tech at this particular workout. He remembers standing near one goal line. On a field full of kickers and punters booming the ball to and fro, one piercing thud startled Cole. He turned around to find Stout, who had just launched a ball 80 yards (the length of that shortened field) with no wind. “Do that again,” Cole said, as if he were a talent scout discovering his next big star. Stout delivered, “again and again and again,” Cole recalled, repeatedly smashing the ball nearly the length of the field. “Dude, you have the freakiest leg I have ever seen in my entire life,” Cole said. Stout’s technical skills were still pretty raw at the time. But the sound of his foot-to-ball contact left Cole stunned. Jordan Stout was named to his first Pro Bowl on Tuesday. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Fast-forward a year. Stout transferred to Penn State, where he had a solid but unspectacular season. They’re all back in Birmingham, punters ranging from college to the Canadian Football League to the NFL. A group of 15 or so went to TopGolf to blow off some steam. “He was basically telling people,” Cole recalled, “‘What I would really like to do this year is just ball out and declare [for the draft].’” A few guys scoffed. Stout had only played one year in the mighty Big Ten. But Cole doesn’t like to bet against “people with freaky leg talent.” In 2021, Stout proved him right: He was named Big Ten Punter of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten by coaches and media. That was good enough for the Ravens to use a 2022 fourth-round draft pick on their new punter. There’s been steady improvement year over year, until the puzzle pieces clicked into place this fall. “I feel like throughout my whole career, I’ve worked as hard as I can while still mentally stable,” Stout said. “It kind of feels like this is four years of work that’s finally paying off. I’m not working any harder than I ever have.” As this season wore on, most of the attention around the Ravens focused on a team that was, at one point, 1-5, and now on the brink of missing the playoffs altogether. Folks have been interested in the defense, which was porous early, dominant during a five-game heater and confounding as of late. It’s more compelling to talk about the two-time Most Valuable Player at quarterback and the backslide Lamar Jackson endured, rendering Baltimore’s offense a shell of itself, than a special teamer whose job it is to hand the other team the ball. Punters occupy a forgotten corner of the locker room. If they’re playing well enough, nobody talks about them. “They are also the game’s vestigial organs,” Louisa Thomas of The New Yorker writes, “a remnant of the days when football was ‘foot ball,’ before the invention of that modern horror, the forward pass.” Punters are as important as they are unexciting. That is, until that afternoon in late November. It was Week 12 against the Jets. Shortly before halftime, Stout launched the ball 74 yards, a career long that tied Koch’s franchise record. Then, in the fourth quarter, he angled a 67-yard boot that skipped out of bounds, pinning the Jets near their own goal line. Stout turned to the home crowd and flared his arms wide, as if embodying Maximus from Gladiator, shouting, “Are you not entertained!?” His long snapper caught a glimpse of it on the Jumbotron. “He deserved that,” Moore started to say, when a nearby Charlie Kolar butted in. “Oh, my God, are we still talking about the punt?” he asked, in jest. The tight end was on the field, too, and clarified that he loved it. But to his point, yes, any Stout discourse will include that kick for a while. It was like an approach shot to the 17th green on a spring Saturday. Stout’s punt wasn’t the finisher, nor the final stand. But he set up the Ravens defense to carry a win across the finish line. Harbaugh called it a “red letter” day for the special teams unit, much thanks to Stout. The punter entertained more than a few interview scrums. He was among the most popular in Baltimore’s postgame locker room. That continued in the weeks to follow, with a growing interest in where this success came from. San Diego? Finding a punt variation that fits his strengths? The swagger, the kick, the execution, it’s all intertwined. Stout admitted he’s motivated by bringing smiles to the faces of every coach on the Ravens’ sideline. But also, he beamed, “I want to be the best to ever do it.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. Ravens kicker Tyler Loop leaps onto punter Jordan Stout after Stout's punt pinned the Jets deep inside their own territory. Stout has had the best season of his NFL career in 2025. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) View the full article

As the Ravens prepare for a crucial Week 17 contest against the Packers on Saturday evening at Lambeau Field, all eyes remain on quarterback Lamar Jackson’s health. Jackson, who has battled a slew of injuries this season, is now dealing with a back injury suffered near the end of the first half of Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player did not participate in Tuesday’s walk-through practice, according to the team’s injury report. He was the only nonparticipant on the active roster. Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (foot), running back Keaton Mitchell (calf), and offensive guard Andrew Vorhees (foot) were limited, while safety Kyle Hamilton (ankle) and linebacker Jay Higgins IV (knee) with estimated as full participants. Coach John Harbaugh described Jackson’s latest issue as a “significant” back contusion and noted the quarterback is considered “day to day” as the team heads into this late-season matchup at Green Bay. “I know he’s going to fight to try to play,” offensive coordinator Todd Monken said Tuesday. Jackson was replaced by reserve quarterback Tyler Huntley in Sunday’s loss. Huntley completed 9 of 10 passes for 65 yards. Jackson, 28, said he received a Toradol injection to try to manage the pain, but after attempting a few throws inside the locker room, he realized he wouldn’t be able to return. Jackson maneuvered gingerly, grimacing as he sat down to put on his socks and shoes, and was one of the last players to depart M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday night. Meanwhile, the Packers are facing their own quarterback injury concerns. Starting quarterback Jordan Love is in the concussion protocol and was cited as a limited participant with an additional left shoulder injury in Tuesday’s walkthrough practice. Backup Malik Willis (shoulder) also was limited. Love and Willis were among the whopping 20 players included on Green Bay’s initial injury report. “I think they’re a very talented team,” Hamilton said. “They’ve been one of the better organizations in the league. The quarterback [injury] thing, [Love and Willis] are both super talented. They can both throw it. They’re both pretty mobile. We’ll prepare [for both quarterbacks] as we go through the week, but we just have to do us first.” The Ravens not only need a win at Green Bay to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, but they also require help from around the AFC North. Even with a potential victory over the Packers, Baltimore will be hoping for the Browns to defeat the Steelers at 1 p.m. Sunday in order to keep its postseason hopes alive. “It’s win or go home,” left tackle Ronnie Stanley said Tuesday night. “We know it’s not up to us, but we know we don’t have a chance if we don’t win. So, everything is on the table. We’ve got to get this win. I’m very confident in [Huntley]. He has all the abilities that we need to win against any team.” Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. Related Articles Mike Preston: Ravens, Lamar Jackson are at a crossroads | COMMENTARY Watch Episode 17 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law 6 Ravens selected to Pro Bowl Games, tying for most in NFL Inside the Harbaugh way: What it’s like to play for Jim and John Ravens coach John Harbaugh comments on his job security: ‘Day-to-day job’ View the full article

Quarterback Lamar Jackson’s career has hit a crossroads in Baltimore. The team has been in negotiations with Jackson, 28, about an extension to the five-year agreement worth $260 million he signed in April 2023, but there have been no specific updates, even though those discussions are ongoing. I wouldn’t offer him another contract, not with the injuries he has suffered this season. In fact, I’d ask him for a rebate like former great Tom Brady did with the New England Patriots. A discounted deal would let the Ravens sign some quality offensive linemen and put a cap on the 41 sacks taken by Baltimore quarterbacks in 15 games this season. You want better protection? Give back and we’ll buy some. The Ravens have the same philosophy as most other teams in the NFL when it comes to overpaying a quarterback and then going light on the offensive and defensive lines. Jackson is expected to make $74.5 million in 2026 and 2027, which would make him the highest-paid signal-caller in the league. But here is a suggestion for Baltimore: maybe it should call in former Ravens greats like middle linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Rod Woodson, who played 17 years, to speak with Jackson about extending his eight-year career. The injuries have come because he plays quarterback in the NFL, and he’s the best dual-threat player in the history of the league. He missed three games because of a hamstring injury, and then knee, ankle and toe problems forced him to miss a day of practice every week afterward. Now he has a back contusion. Maybe Lewis or Woodson could enlighten him about proper conditioning and diet. There was no player more efficient than former Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe about nutrition, who played 14 years. Lewis ran those hills over at Oregon Ridge, and Woodson had his own stretching routine. The breakdown of an NFL player’s body is natural, but Jackson could help himself. He doesn’t need to be up late at night playing video games or falling asleep in team meetings. He needs to train more around The Castle instead of only attending mandatory minicamps, where he disappears after one day. A major problem, a lot of it on the Ravens, is that there are team rules and then there are rules for Jackson. That’s why Baltimore practices in the heat of the afternoon instead of in the morning. Once the Ravens become critical of Jackson, he becomes more withdrawn. It’s a shame because Jackson isn’t a mean-spirited person, just an overgrown kid in an adult’s body. His on-field play has been outstanding. There aren’t too many players who can run at full speed and cut. Only Jackson can do that. His arm strength has improved, and so has his touch on the long ball. At first, Jackson could only throw rolling to his right, but now he can toss it from anywhere on the field. Yet when Jackson was a rookie, former Philadelphia and Atlanta star quarterback Michael Vick warned him of the dangers of being a running quarterback. Maybe he wasn’t Nostradamus, but the consistent hits have taken a toll on Jackson’s body. On Sunday, Jackson left the game with about two minutes left in the first half after he took a knee in the back after a 3-yard gain up the middle from safety Craig Woodson. There were some who questioned his toughness, but I didn’t. The skepticism is understandable because Jackson didn’t play in games in four games he missed in 2022, the last time he was involved in contract negotiations. But Jackson is, first and foremost, a competitor, and this time of the year is crucial for teams with postseason ambitions. What I see is a player whose body is starting to wear down. The NFL Most Valuable Player in 2019 and 2023 has 22,269 career passing yards with 184 touchdowns and a passer rating of 101.9, while rushing for 6,506 yards, averaging 6.1 yards a carry. Related Articles Watch Episode 17 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law 6 Ravens selected to Pro Bowl Games, tying for most in NFL Inside the Harbaugh way: What it’s like to play for Jim and John Ravens coach John Harbaugh comments on his job security: ‘Day-to-day job’ Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is day to day with ‘significant’ back contusion Oh, he has paid his dues, especially with his reluctance to slide or go out of bounds near the sideline. A gold jacket and a bust will definitely be presented to him one day at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. This season, though, has been so disappointing, especially with the team expected to be Super Bowl contenders. In 11 games, Jackson is averaging only 192.6 yards passing per game and only 18.3 yards rushing. His passing totals are the lowest since 2022, and his yards rushing are the worst of his career. In the eight games he has started in the postseason, Jackson has a 3-5 record and performed poorly, which is why there is a “Regular Season Lamar” and “Postseason Lamar.” I’m convinced that Jackson will rebound, but not unless he starts following a strict training regiment complete with weightlifting sessions. Meanwhile, the Ravens should explore all options. It’s clear that coach John Harbaugh has become tired of Jackson, even though he builds him up after every game. He has to, or Jackson will go into his own self-exile. The Ravens should look at possible trades, which could net them two or three first-round picks. Jackson would love to play in Miami, where quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is no longer the starter, or possibly Las Vegas, where Brady, a partial owner of the Raiders, has shown a fondness for him. Baltimore should also draft a young quarterback in the early rounds. Right now, the Ravens are a mess. They still have an opportunity to make the playoffs if they beat Green Bay on Saturday night, and then Cleveland upsets Pittsburgh on Sunday, setting the stage for the AFC North title next Sunday in Pittsburgh. It sounds fitting, especially for a league that has become more and more like the WWE. Regardless, Jackson has already become a central figure in possible trade talks along with Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, who complained about being unhappy in a city where he once played in a Super Bowl 2021. Both careers appear to be at the crossroads. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson leaves the field against the Patriots with a back injury. Jackson has left two games early this season, and he missed another three games because of injury. (Nick Wass/AP) View the full article

Episode 17 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 a crushing Ravens loss to the Patriots on “Sunday Night Football.” With the defeat, Baltimore no longer controls its playoff chances. The Ravens need the Steelers to lose to the Browns on Sunday or they’ll officially be eliminated from the playoffs. You can watch the podcast 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

The Ravens might not make the playoffs this year for the first time since 2021, but it isn’t because of a lack of talent. Six players were selected to this year’s Pro Bowl Games, tying for the most in the NFL with the Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks. That’s also three more than the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers. Baltimore (7-8) trails Pittsburgh by two games with two remaining and would be eliminated from playoff contention by a Steelers win over the Browns on Sunday or with a loss to the Green Bay Packers on Saturday. Four Ravens were named as starters for the AFC: strong safety Kyle Hamilton, middle linebacker Roquan Smith, fullback Patrick Ricard and punter Jordan Stout. Wide receiver Zay Flowers and center Tyler Linderbaum were also selected. Three others — quarterback Lamar Jackson, running back Derrick Henry and tight end Mark Andrews — were voted as alternates. It is the first time Jackson, who missed three games this year because of a hamstring injury and has dealt with several other afflictions, has not been selected as a starter since 2022, which was also another injury-marred season. Reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Josh Allen, Drake Maye and Justin Herbert are the AFC quarterbacks. Sam Darnold, Dak Prescott and Matthew Stafford are the quarterbacks for the NFC. For Ricard, it is his sixth Pro Bowl, despite missing the first two months of the season with a calf injury. He has also helped pave the way for what is the league’s No. 3 rushing attack (147.9 yards per game) that includes a league-high 20 runs of at least 20 yards. With Ricard helping lead the way, Henry has also racked up 1,253 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns, both fourth-most in the NFL. A former undrafted free agent out of Maine in 2017, Ricard is the seventh player in franchise history to be selected to at least six Pro Bowls, joining linebacker Ray Lewis (13), tackle Jonathan Ogden (11), safety Ed Reed (nine), guard Marshal Yanda (eight), outside linebacker Terrell Suggs (seven) and kicker Justin Tucker (seven). For Smith, it is his fourth consecutive selection. His 124 tackles lead the team and are 11th-most in the NFL. He also has five tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, three passes defensed and one fumble recovery. Hamilton, meanwhile, got his third straight nod. Related Articles Inside the Harbaugh way: What it’s like to play for Jim and John Ravens coach John Harbaugh comments on his job security: ‘Day-to-day job’ Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is day to day with ‘significant’ back contusion READER POLL: Who do you blame for the Ravens’ disappointing season? Josh Tolentino: Ravens abandon Derrick Henry again. Shame on Todd Monken. | COMMENTARY The versatile defender is the only safety in the league and just one of three players overall to rack up at least 90 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles, five passes defensed and five tackles for loss. He is also one of just two players, along with Browns safety Grant Delpit, to record at least 175 snaps at each slot cornerback, high safety and outside linebacker. Hamilton has played snaps on the edge, middle linebacker, interior line and cornerback. He is the only Ravens defensive back to be chosen to the Pro Bowl three times in his first four years in the league. For Stout, it is his first Pro Bowl in what is his fourth season. His net punting average of 44.9 yards ranks first in the NFL, while his 50.5 gross is third. Both are on pace to set single-season franchise records. Stout has also dropped seven punts inside the 10-yard line and four inside the 5, tying for third-best in the NFL, while his 74-yard punt against the New York Jets in Week 12 was the third-longest boot in the league this season. Linderbaum also was selected for a third straight year after being at the center of a line that has produced the league’s top rushing attack in terms of yards per carry (5.9). He is just the third offensive lineman in team history to nab at least three Pro Bowl selections, joining Ogden and Yanda. A year after becoming the first Ravens receiver to be named to a Pro Bowl, Flowers was selected again. Through 15 games this season, the 2023 first-round pick has 78 catches, which ranks 12th in the AFC, while his 1,043 yards are ninth. He also has two touchdown receptions along with one rushing score. Flowers is only the third Baltimore receiver to record consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, along with Derrick Alexander and Derrick Mason. This is the fourth year of the Pro Bowl Games. The league replaced its full-contact All-Star game with skills competitions and a flag football game. The events will be held in San Francisco ahead of the Super Bowl. Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice (NFC) and Steve Young (AFC) will coach the flag football teams on Feb. 3. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

When Alohi Gilman learned that he was being traded to the Ravens in early October, his phone buzzed with a message that made him pause amid the expected chaos from an in-season, cross-country move from Los Angeles to Baltimore. Jim Harbaugh, a coach who trusted him and pushed the Chargers toward a tougher identity over the past two seasons, wanted Gilman to know that he’d be missed. “He said he’s bummed for me to leave,” Gilman recalled. “But happy that he knows where I’m going … he knows I’m in good hands.” Gilman is one of three current Ravens, along with outside linebacker David Ojabo and practice squad wide receiver Cornelius Johnson, who have played for both John and Jim Harbaugh. Together, they offer a rare inside look at two of the most decorated coaching siblings in football history. The Harbaugh family tree has intersected at the highest level. John holds a 3-0 edge over his younger brother Jim in their head-to-head matchups as opposing NFL coaches. There was the Thanksgiving night game in 2011, when the Ravens beat the 49ers, 16-6. There was the biggest stage of all, Super Bowl XLVII, a 34-31 Baltimore victory that remains etched in league history as the “Harbaugh Bowl.” The Harbaugh brothers met on opposite sidelines again last November, when the Ravens defeated the Chargers, 30-23, at SoFi Stadium. Jim, who turned 62 on Tuesday, has never forgotten any of the unique matchups with John, 63. “My brother, my best friend, I love him, I’m proud of him,” Jim said last February. “He earned that [Super Bowl XLVII victory] and he deserved that and his team did. … When I say it motivates me every day, it’s every day.” Competition runs deep in the Harbaugh family, even from afar. After the Chargers defeated the Steelers in Week 10, aiding the Ravens in the AFC North race, John jokingly acknowledged that he texted his younger brother numerous “good luck” and “thank you” messages that week. “I was very pleased with the outcome,” John Harbaugh said with a big laugh on Nov. 10, one day after Jim’s Chargers defeated Pittsburgh. For the three Ravens who have experienced both brothers up close, the similarities often outweigh the differences. The Harbaughs are unapologetically old-school, and both brothers always credit their mother, Jackie, and father, Jack, who spent more than four decades coaching among the college ranks. “They have a true passion for their dad and that family and that family tree and football,” Ojabo said. “Experiencing it in their delivery … they have their own unique way of handing off messages. Both are very football oriented. They keep the main thing the main thing, every single story somehow has a way to relate back to football. Which again, is what we get paid to do, so their messaging is perfect in my eyes.” Said Gilman: “They’re a big football family. They’re all about ball. Kind of a no-nonsense environment, just all about ball.” Each Harbaugh brother has carved his own path. Jim spent more than a decade in the NFL playing as a quarterback and now as a coach gravitates toward the “offense as his baby,” Gilman described. John worked his way up through special teams and defense, and still expresses plenty of passion with those specific phases. Since Gilman arrived in October, the Ravens’ defense rediscovered its identity, emphasizing communication and physicality. His presence in the secondary also has allowed former college teammate and fellow safety Kyle Hamilton to play closer to the line of scrimmage. The trade that sent pass rusher Odafe Oweh to Los Angeles was a reminder that even in a season full of twists, Baltimore was determined to reinforce its strengths, deployed for 18 seasons under John. Related Articles Ravens coach John Harbaugh comments on his job security: ‘Day-to-day job’ Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is day to day with ‘significant’ back contusion READER POLL: Who do you blame for the Ravens’ disappointing season? Josh Tolentino: Ravens abandon Derrick Henry again. Shame on Todd Monken. | COMMENTARY 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 28-24 loss to the Patriots Ojabo has witnessed the Harbaugh way shape players from the very beginning. He vividly remembers sitting in a diner booth as a teenager when Jim traveled to his New Jersey prep school to sit down with and recruit him to Michigan. “From that moment, I knew already — this is my coach,” Ojabo said. “His energy was pure and it was strictly football. He also stressed the importance of education, which is very important in my [Nigerian] culture. I was sold.” Ojabo broke out during his sophomore season, posting 11 sacks. He credits his growth to the Harbaugh mentality, repeatedly drilled by Jim. “That confidence instilled from the teaching of the coaching staff, it made you unbreakable,” Ojabo said. “If [Jim or John] put you out there, you can’t take that for granted, man. They’ve seen a lot of football, won a lot of games, changed a lot of programs. “I don’t want to let either of them down.” Draft night brought his journey full circle. John and the Ravens selected Ojabo in the second round in 2022. “It just shows family,” Ojabo said. “They take care of each other. I’m sure they talked, they exchanged notes. … From the start man, that whole Harbaugh family aspect and football aspect, it’s been conjoined.” Johnson took a longer road to Baltimore, but he sees a similar heartbeat in both coaches. He spent a rare five years, all at Michigan under Jim, culminating in a national championship season that became a defining moment in Jim’s second act in college football. “I never transferred. We built something strong there with my teammates and coach Harbaugh,” Johnson said. “At Michigan they say, ‘those who stay will be champions.’ And we ended up being national champions.” That same offseason, Jim left Michigan to replace Brandon Staley in Los Angeles. On Day 3 of the draft, the Chargers selected Johnson. “That was a dream come true,” he said. “I’m forever thankful Jim gave me the opportunity.” Outside linebacker David Ojabo, shown in 2024, has played for both Jim and John Harbaugh during his career. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) “Compared to Staley, [Jim] changed the culture in Los Angeles, the accountability,” Gilman said. “He kind of created that tough-nosed, gritty mentality over there.” Johnson was later cut by the Chargers and spent the 2024 season on the Packers practice squad. Green Bay waived him this past August, and about a week later, the Ravens called with an offer for him to join the team’s developmental group. Johnson considered the opportunity to work under the older Harbaugh a no-brainer. “They’re different,” Johnson said of Jim and John, “but you also see a lot of similarities in between like some of their mannerisms. They both talk about their father, Jack Harbaugh, a lot. They both like boxing. It makes sense because they grew up together. It’s cool to see that. They have a lot of similarities in some of the ways they do stuff with the team meetings and how they deliver messages.” After they shared a dormitory hall and multiple classes at Michigan, Johnson and Ojabo are reunited in Baltimore. The NFL season has been a blur, but during down times, the pair of teammates enjoy reflecting on their individual journeys, playing for both Jim and now John. With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Ravens currently sit outside the AFC’s playoff picture, while the Chargers sit in the No. 5 seed. Regardless of how the season finishes out, the Harbaugh brothers have changed programs, created legacies and lifted trophies on different levels. Throughout their individual coaching careers, family and football always serves as the foundation. “You’ve got to realize, man, they’re legends,” Ojabo said. “Think about brothers, blood brothers, winning together and playing against each other on the biggest stage. You can’t script that up. So you’ve got to take it all in while it’s here. “I don’t know if there’s ever going to be brothers coaching at this level in the future. You’ve got to take it all in.” 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 coach John Harbaugh is signed through the 2028 season after inking a three-year extension in March. Whether he is still in Baltimore by then, though, perhaps remains to be seen after what has been a disastrous 2025 season. Asked on Monday following an epitomizing 28-24 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium to drop to 7-8 and two games back of the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers with two to play if he anticipates being back next season, the 18th-year coach turned philosophical. “One thing I always believed is coaching at any level is a day-to-day job,” Harbaugh said. “Your job is to do the best job you can today. “It’s never been about keeping a job … We have responsibilities, we’re given opportunities to steward those responsibilities and we’re given a job to do that until you’re not.” This season, that job has proven more laborious than in most years. Harbaugh, who is in his 18th at the helm in Baltimore and the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL behind only Mike Tomlin, has seen his Super Bowl expectations sink to being on the brink of playoff elimination. A victory by the Pittsburgh Steelers over the Cleveland Browns next week or a Ravens loss to the Green Bay Packers would cement it. It’s not just that the Ravens are on the precipice of failing to qualify for the postseason for just the sixth time in Harbaugh’s tenure, but how they got here that has sparked questions about Harbaugh’s future. Though Baltimore reached the AFC championship game following a 13-4 record in 2023, there has been a regression since. Last year, the Ravens lost to the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round of the playoffs, the defeat marred by a familiar series of sloppy turnovers by quarterback Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews, who also dropped a would-be game-tying 2-point conversion pass with 1:33 remaining. This season, there is still faint mathematical hope to reach the playoffs, but Baltimore’s fate was largely sealed with similar mistake-filled home losses to the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving night and the Steelers 10 days later. Then came Sunday night’s debacle. Up 11 with 13 minutes to play, it marked the 12th time the Ravens have lost a game when leading by seven-plus points in the fourth quarter since 2021, the most in the NFL. But Harbaugh, 62, said he is focused on the present and what’s ahead. “My focus is on always and has been for the last 18 years here and the last 41 years in coaching has been to try to do the best job I can today and fight as hard as I can so the guys have the best chance to be successful today,” he said. “And anything after today, I’m not thinking about because it’s not given for me to think about. “We don’t have control over that except for the job we do today. If we do a good enough job today, then the opportunity to do that job or a different job will be there tomorrow and that’s what you hope for.” Of course, it was only this past offseason, with Harbaugh set to enter the final year of his contract, was inked to the multi-year extension by owner Steve Bisciotti that continued to make him one of the league’s highest-paid coaches in the sport. Related Articles Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is day to day with ‘significant’ back contusion READER POLL: Who do you blame for the Ravens’ disappointing season? Josh Tolentino: Ravens abandon Derrick Henry again. Shame on Todd Monken. | COMMENTARY 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 28-24 loss to the Patriots Inside how the Ravens blew another double-digit 4th-quarter lead Harbaugh is, after all, the winningest coach in the franchise’s 30-year history with an overall record of 192-123, which is also the third-most wins among active coaches in the league. Coming into this season, his 12 playoff appearances were also tied for the second-most behind only Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid’s 20. But the Ravens are also on the verge of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Injuries have played a part, most notably with Jackson missing three games because of a hamstring injury earlier this season before also dealing with knee, ankle and toe afflictions and now a back contusion. But so have fumbles and interceptions, penalties, a porous defense and other self-inflicted errors. That has led to some tough conversations with Bisciotti, who Harbaugh said has also been a great leader and supportive. “Steve wants to win,” Harbaugh said. “He wants to be successful. I’ve been around a lot of competitors in this job and even in my family and there’s no bigger competitor than Steve Bisciotti.” Have there been talks between the two about Harbaugh’s future? “The future is today,” the coach said. “The future is the Green Bay Packers.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Lamar Jackson suffered a “good, significant contusion” to his back Sunday night and is considered day to day, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Monday afternoon, less than 24 hours after the quarterback was knocked out of Sunday night’s 28-24 loss to the New England Patriots at M&T Bank Stadium. What his availability will be for Baltimore’s game against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night at Lambeau Field remains to be seen, but even with the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player’s services, the Ravens’ playoff hopes are hanging by the thinnest of threads. A loss to the Packers or a win by the Pittsburgh Steelers over the Browns in Cleveland the following day would eliminate Baltimore from playoff contention and put the final nail in a season that started with Super Bowl expectations and ended in painfully familiar fashion as so many others have in recent years. Jackson took a knee to the back on a hit by safety Craig Woodson after a 3-yard carry late in the first half. The quarterback grimaced as he headed to the sideline, clapped his hands in frustration as he headed to the locker room and did not return to the game, watching the finish in street clothes from the bench. In the locker room afterward, Jackson grimaced as he put on his socks and repeatedly winced as he spoke with reporters. “My legs felt great,” Jackson said. “I just got kneed in the back in the red zone. I just couldn’t finish the game. I was trying.” He also said that he received a Toradol shot and tried to make some throws in the locker room, but the pain did not subside and was too much to overcome. “It’s BS, bro,” Jackson said of his latest injury in a season rife with them. “I can’t control that. I’m on the ground. I’m down. I gave myself up. I got kneed in the back, but yes, for the most part, you can say that because [I’m] getting injured, and then we’re fighting for a chance to make the playoffs. I can’t finish the game with my guys. It’s BS. “I’m mad because I felt like the game was in our favor. Don’t get me wrong, my brother [Tyler Huntley] got out there — it still was in our favor — but I can’t control that. I wish I could. I can’t control it.” This was perhaps the most painful affliction Jackson has suffered this season. Earlier, he missed three games because of a hamstring injury. Knee, ankle and toe injuries also followed. Related Articles READER POLL: Who do you blame for the Ravens’ disappointing season? Josh Tolentino: Ravens abandon Derrick Henry again. Shame on Todd Monken. | COMMENTARY 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 28-24 loss to the Patriots Inside how the Ravens blew another double-digit 4th-quarter lead National pundits react to Ravens’ collapse vs. Patriots: ‘Shut Lamar down’ All of them, among other things, have surely impacted Jackson’s performance. In a dozen games this season, he has averaged 192.6 yards passing per game — his lowest average since 2022, when he suffered a season-ending knee injury late in the year — and just 28.3 rushing yards, easily the lowest mark of his eight-year career. If Jackson can’t play Saturday or in Week 18 in Pittsburgh, it would mark the third time his season has been ended because of an injury. Asked on Sunday night how much pain he was in, Jackson winced again. “Pain,” he said. “It hurts. [It] hurts.” This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens’ season is officially on the brink. Baltimore no longer controls its own destiny after a 28-24 loss to the Patriots on Sunday in which it squandered an 11-point fourth-quarter lead and lost quarterback Lamar Jackson to a back injury. To advance to the postseason, the Ravens need to beat the Packers on Saturday and have the Steelers lose to the Browns on Sunday, then Baltimore needs to beat Pittsburgh in Week 18. The odds are slim. Who do you blame most for the Ravens’ disappointing season? We want to hear from you. After you vote, leave a comment and we might use your take in The Baltimore Sun. The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To read the results of previous reader polls, click here. View the full article

Lamar Jackson went down clutching his back, and with him went the Ravens’ increasingly thin margin for error. The crowd noise inside M&T Bank Stadium faded into unease Sunday night as the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player rolled onto his side after Patriots safety Craig Woodson’s knee connected with Jackson’s lower back. In that moment, the Ravens’ path forward should have been unmistakable. Future Hall of Fame running back Derrick Henry flattened the heavyweight Patriots all evening. Early in the fourth quarter, he ripped off four straight runs for 32 yards, punctuated by his 2-yard rushing touchdown that pushed Baltimore ahead 24-13 with 12:50 remaining. With Jackson sidelined and an 11-point fourth-quarter lead in hand, the Ravens looked positioned to close. Then Henry disappeared. Vanished. Poof. Like Casper the Friendly Ghost. But it wasn’t his own doing. Over Baltimore’s next two possessions — nine offensive plays representing the most important moments of the season — Henry did not receive a single touch. Perhaps more troubling, he did not see the field again for a single snap. Zero touches. Zero snaps. Zero! The Ravens didn’t lose this critical Week 16 prime time contest because Jackson went down with his fifth reported injury this season. Baltimore lost because the coaching staff inexplicably stopped feeding the King. That failure falls squarely on offensive coordinator Todd Monken, whose decisions turned a manageable situation into a self-inflicted crisis. For whatever reason, Monken veered away from the simplest, safest option available to him. It’s not the first time Monken wasted Henry in a devastating loss either. “Looking back, would I rather have had Derrick starting the drive? Yes,” coach John Harbaugh said. “But Derrick was kind of ready for Keaton Mitchell to start that drive. And then he was planning on coming in next. So, they were working that rotation.” A rotation? With the season hanging in the balance and backup quarterback Tyler Huntley in? C’mon. Rolling out a running back rotation with your backs against the wall is some type of comedy. To Mitchell’s credit, the 5-foot-8 speedster has provided some juice as a change-of-pace tailback over his three seasons, but don’t get it twisted — he’s not even a fraction of the challenge that Henry, a 6-foot-2, four-time All-Pro, consistently presents. Treating those options, even reserve Rasheen Ali got on the field again before Henry, as being interchangeable was a reckless decision that brought consequences Baltimore will now suffer from. The Mitchell experiment also wasn’t even working. Related Articles 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 28-24 loss to the Patriots Inside how the Ravens blew another double-digit 4th-quarter lead National pundits react to Ravens’ collapse vs. Patriots: ‘Shut Lamar down’ The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 28-24 loss to Patriots Ravens squander late lead in 28-24 loss to Patriots, putting playoff hopes in serious peril Mitchell touted the football a season-high nine times against New England, but averaged just 1.4 yards per attempt, representing a single-game career low. Along the way, Baltimore’s offense stalled while its most physically imposing weapon stood idle on the sideline. Despite not seeing the field again after his second rushing touchdown, Henry finished with a game-high 128 rushing yards across 18 carries (7.1 average). Those final 12 minutes and 50 seconds might ultimately define Baltimore’s highly disappointing season. With everything on the line, the Ravens handed a winnable game away like an early Christmas gift for the visitors. The defense folded like wrapping paper against Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, but let’s be real, Henry should’ve been draining the clock rather than riding the bench. Harbaugh, at least, acknowledged the season-defying mistake. “I don’t like the drive at all,” Harbaugh said in reference to Henry not playing over the offense’s final two possessions. “But we’re rotating those guys throughout the game as two backs. But yes, [on a] game-winning drive, do I want Derrick Henry on the field? Sure, I do want him on the field.” Why not step in then? Monken might dial up the personnel and call the plays, but Harbaugh owns the operation. Leadership in tense moments should require intervention. Henry sat out nine straight plays before wide receiver Zay Flowers coughed up his NFL-leading third lost fumble to effectively seal the team’s bitter fate. The damage, though, was done long before the ball was punched from Flowers’ apparently loose grip. Monken, Harbaugh and the Ravens had already surrendered their advantage. With Henry glued to the sideline, the Patriots rallied for a comeback victory that secured New England a playoff berth and shrunk Baltimore’s playoff chances from small to improbable. Was Henry surprised to not be on the field for most of the fourth quarter? “No,” he said. “We’ve been doing a rotation for I don’t know how many weeks. Keaton has been doing a great job in the run game, and we are both in there doing the best we can. “Any player would just like to be able to have the ball in their hands and make plays for the team just to give ourselves a chance to go win. I think any player would have that same response, if you’re a competitor, and you love the game — and I definitely love the game — but this didn’t go our way tonight. They were the better team, and that’s where they won.” Kudos to Henry for taking the high road. But Baltimore, even without Jackson, was in fact, the better team for much of Sunday’s contest. It’s a shame the coaching staff didn’t realize its wrongdoings once again as it all unfolded with Jackson and Henry together on the home sideline. With everything on the brink, the Ravens neglected to keep pounding the rock with Henry. It was certainly quite the choice this turbulent season may not survive. Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. Ravens running back Derrick Henry scores on a 21-yard run against the Patriots in the first quarter Sunday. Henry ran for 128 yards, but he didn't receive a touch over Baltimore's final two drives. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) View the full article