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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

The Ravens let slip an 11-point, fourth-quarter lead, losing to the Patriots, 28-24, on a night a season’s worth of issues all came to a head. Now 7-8, two games back of the AFC North lead, Baltimore no longer controls its own playoff destiny. Here are five things we learned from the game: Sunday night was a dizzying roller coaster ride If you were to chart the Ravens’ postseason hopes throughout Sunday night on a graph, measuring time perpendicular to the heart rate of the fan base, the squiggly line would look like a rollercoaster that left its riders with frizzy hair, doubled over the toilet. At 7:50 p.m. EST, over 500 miles away at Ford Field in downtown Detroit, the Lions scored what appeared to be a game-winning touchdown to beat the Steelers. That was the helping hand Baltimore needed in the AFC North standings. After some deliberation, the touchdown was overturned, Pittsburgh won and that line began its initial descent. By 8:39 p.m., the Ravens were playing like a team ready to make a playoff push. Not only did they still control their own playoff destiny, they white-knuckle gripped it. Derrick Henry rushed for a touchdown to cap a quick scoring drive, then Marlon Humphrey picked off Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. Baltimore was buzzing. Then at 9:34 p.m., about two minutes before halftime, Baltimore fell silent. Lamar Jackson trudged into the locker room steps, hanging his head and grabbing at his back. Huntley replaced him, which in a game of this magnitude, the line representing their playoff hopes fell faster than Joe Frazier in 1973. During an 11-minute window around 10:30 p.m. their playoff hopes were tied to a rocket ship. Zay Flowers took an end-around handoff 18 yards for a touchdown. The Patriots then tried a fake punt, fumbled it and Henry punched in his second touchdown to give the Ravens a two-score lead in the fourth quarter. At 11:22, that charted line crashed with its final descent. There were MVP chants for the opposing quarterback. The Ravens had a chance to put the nail in the coffin and instead ran an uninspiring penultimate drive. Then, on the potential game-winning drive, Flowers fumbled the ball away 15 seconds into a two-minute drill. Fair to say that’s how this Ravens season felt? Late December, we’re getting off a roller coaster that left everyone with frizzy hair, doubled over the toilet. “When we were 1-5, we knew that we were still a good team, and that we had a chance,” wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins said. “We just had to correct some things, and we did that. We went on a little run, but obviously this is the NFL. You have to bring it every week.” ‘It’s BS’; This has been the roughest season of Lamar Jackson’s career Surprisingly, Jackson agreed to speak with reporters after Sunday’s game. He stood against against his locker grimacing in pain. Injured players rarely, if ever, field questions postgame. Trapped inside a Louis Vuitton coat and gray beanie, the superstar quarterback stood upright so as not to move his back too much. “Pain,” he said. “It hurts.” Late in the first half, Jackson, giving himself up on a rare slide, took an awkward knee to the back. He stayed in for one more play. Then he checked out of the game, replaced by Huntley. Jackson said he got a Toradol shot, an anti-inflammatory drug, to alleviate the pain of what coach John Harbaugh unofficially called a “bruise of some kind.” It didn’t get any better. Inside the locker room, he tried throwing a football with one of the team trainers. “It just hurt,” he said. Sunday night may have been the final chapter in what has been the roughest season of Jackson’s eight-year, two-time Most Valuable Player career. He hopes to play in Green Bay on a short week but is expected to undergo imaging on Monday. This season, Jackson has already suffered injuries to his hamstring, knee, ankle and toe. He missed at least one midweek practice for six straight weeks, for reasons listed as injuries, illness and a rest day. There was a three-game stretch without producing a touchdown. He’s five sacks away from tying a single-season career most. Jackson started to look more like himself the past two weeks. He recently acknowledged he was finally feeling closer to playing like himself. Then the 28-year-old was again snakebitten by injury. His night ended having completed seven of 10 passes for 101 yards. Jackson fielded questions in the home locker room about what is closing in on, officially, a lost season. Much of that can be chalked up to the unavailability or uncharacteristic quarterback play. “It’s BS, bro,” he said. “I can’t control that.” Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson slowly walks off the field after injuring his lower back against the Patriots. He left the game in the second quarter and did not return. (Nick Wass/AP) Meanwhile, the other quarterback clinched a division title for his team while the remaining fans who traveled from up north showered him with MVP chants. Drake Maye completed 31 of 44 passes for 380 yards, two touchdowns and an interception; all while playing behind an offensive line with multiple reserves. “I have to give [Maye] credit, some of those passes were hotly-contested, tight throws, under pressure, so you have to give them credit for making those plays in those situations,” Harbaugh said. “You have to do the things that are required to win, to win a lot of games. And we haven’t done that enough.” The guy regularly making those plays for Baltimore hasn’t been regularly making those plays. “I felt great tonight,” Jackson said. “It was unfortunate that it happened. I wish it didn’t though.” ‘It’s been a theme’ Kyle Hamilton is sick of talking about it. And he knows reporters aren’t fond of having to repeatedly ask it. The Ravens struggled with turnovers, between Flowers and Henry both fumbling. They failed to wall up on what required a signature defensive stand, leading by a field goal with five minute left. Not to mention that 11-point fourth-quarter lead vanished, marking Baltimore’s sixth loss in the past seven seasons after leading by 10 or more points in the final stanza. Related Articles 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 Instant analysis from Ravens’ 28-24 loss to Patriots in Week 16 “It’s redundant, and [there are] no excuses at this point,” Hamilton said. “You said we had six losses at home. Is that right? Yes, that’s terrible. Our fans, whoever’s supporting us coming out to these games — it’s not like the attendance has dropped off at all — there’s people still out at these games on a Sunday night. It’s cold outside, the stadium’s packed out, people have work tomorrow, and we’re not making it worth their while at the end of the day.” Those words loom heavy from the highest paid safety in the league and the face of the Ravens defense. This is, unfortunately, who they are. The game’s final few minutes were a microcosm of all that has hindered this Super Bowl caliber roster from getting over the hump to competing for a Lombardi Trophy in the Jackson era. There were coaching decisions worthy of criticism. Prominent players came up short in crucial moments. And the defense couldn’t bring down the quarterback nor get off the field when they desperately needed to. To quote Dennis Green, “They are who we thought they were.” On that final drive, punter Jordan Stout pinned New England at its own 11-yard line. In four plays, they closed in on midfield. Maye, who has been one of the league’s most efficient deep-ball passers, showed no reservations about trying the Ravens defense. He converted a pivotal fourth-and-2, fitting a ball through a tight window to Stefon Diggs. “We just didn’t do enough to close out the game,” said safety Ar’Darius Washington, who nearly tipped the fourth-down throw. “Having an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter [and losing], that’s just not what we wanted to do. That’s not Ravens football, and we know that.” Historically, that’s not Ravens football. Of late, it’s not out of the norm. With the game on the line, Ravens should give the ball to Henry Zay Flowers dropped his head. He shrugged, trying to make sense of what had unfolded. “I tried to make a play,” he said, hard on himself for what was his third career fourth-quarter fumble. This one came two plays into a failed game-winning drive. “I seen him over run it so I cut back. Tried to get upfield. Get a first [down]. Somebody behind punched it out.” It’s a maddening flaw in what has otherwise been an impressive, nascent career for the former first-round pick. Flowers arrived in Baltimore in 2023. He’s grown into the closest thing the Ravens have to a homegrown wide receiver one. The one-time Pro Bowl selection eclipsed 1,000 yards for a second straight year. On Sunday, he caught seven passes, totaled 84 yards and ran for a touchdown. Two explosive plays on the game’s opening drive set the tone. It’s become clear in recent weeks how much Jackson relies on the road runner who jolts and squirms like there’s a battery pack taped between his shoulder blades. Flowers was as reliable an option as the Ravens had all night. Until the final drive, when he caught a short pass from Huntley and Patriots linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson punched it loose. Chaisson said they knew Baltimore had some “speed skaters,” an analogy he used to explain Ravens players who are a bit too liberal with their ball security. Ravens running back Derrick Henry celebrates scoring a touchdown against the Patriots. He scored two in the loss, although Baltimore didn't give him any touches in the game's final 10 minutes. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) If divine intervention could grant the Ravens a do-over, Harbaugh might have preferred a highly paid veteran to decide this game. “Looking back, would I rather have Derrick starting the drive? Yeah,” he said. Harbaugh was alluding more specifically to the drive before. Baltimore led by a field goal and took over possession with under nine minutes left. A touchdown drive might’ve put the game out of reach. Rather than Henry, backup running back Keaton Mitchell was in to start the drive. It was part of a plan the Ravens have been running with lately, rotating running backs on a per-drive basis. By that point, Henry registered 128 yards on 18 carries. He scored two touchdowns against one of the league’s worst run defenses over the past month. Mitchell, who has played well of late, managed just 13 yards on a season-high nine attempts and a career-low 1.4 average. Henry said he was not surprised by how the touches were distributed. That’s because it’s something they’ve been doing for weeks. “Keaton is deserving of it,” Henry said. Flowers is too. He has shown as much. Curiously, it was third stringer Rasheen Ali who was out there for the final drive. In a game of this magnitude, with the star quarterback watching from the sideline in street clothes, there’s one player who should have had the ball in his hands. “When you look back on it,” Harbaugh said, “I think it’s pretty easy to say, ‘Hey, he should have been in there or shouldn’t have been in there.’ But we’re rotating those guys throughout the game as two backs. “But yes, game-winning drive, do I want Derrick Henry on the field? Sure, I do want him on the field.” The Ravens are out of options. They must win out and get help. Thirty minutes before kickoff Sunday night, fans who had already found their seats were glued to the big board. Half the split-screen showed Ravens and Patriots players stretching; fans didn’t care much for that. They were locked into what wound up being a dramatic ending between the Steelers and Lions over 500 miles away. Detroit quarterback Jared Goff nearly authored a two-minute drill for the ages (with some help from officials). It would have given Baltimore a sliver of breathing room. Instead, the Steelers held on, reached nine wins and complicated the Ravens’ playoff push. Now, any combination of a Ravens loss in Green Bay on Saturday or a Steelers win Sunday in Cleveland would end Baltimore’s season. The grim energy in the postgame locker room suggested as such. DeAndre Hopkins said, “It sucks.” Asked about the team’s postgame message, Humphrey admitted, “To be honest, I have no idea what just got said. I’m still processing everything, so I can’t really answer that.” Center Tyler Linderbaum called it “very frustrating” knowing they have the talent to be a playoff contender but for much of this season, they haven’t been able to “translate that onto the field.” “I think it’s very simple,” linebacker Roquan Smith said, “We didn’t play winning football.” Because of it, the Ravens have backed themselves into a corner where just playing winning football won’t be enough to salvage this season from hell. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. The Ravens went just 3-6 at home this season, and their playoff chances are slim with two games left in the regular season. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) View the full article

It appeared Tyler Huntley had done enough. The Ravens led the New England Patriots, 24-13, with 12 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, and Huntley had capably guided Baltimore through the second half after Lamar Jackson exited with an injury. His stat line wasn’t eye-catching, but he managed the game and built a lead. It should have been enough. It wasn’t. Baltimore surrendered 15 unanswered points, including a nine-play, 89-yard go-ahead drive, as its defense faltered late. Running back Derrick Henry was absent for the Ravens’ final two possessions, and wide receiver Zay Flowers lost a fumble on Baltimore’s last drive. As linebacker Roquan Smith put it, the Ravens simply “didn’t play winning football.” Since the 2020 season, Baltimore has now lost 13 games after leading by 10 or more points. Sunday marked the Ravens’ second such collapse this season, following a blown 15-point lead against Buffalo in the season opener — also on “Sunday Night Football.” “The guys fought and battled, but we didn’t do enough to win the game. We didn’t do the winning things that we needed to do to win the game,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We made plays, but not enough and made some mistakes that cost us.” Patriots quarterback Drake Maye solidified his NFL Most Valuable Player Award candidacy with a 139-yard, one-touchdown fourth quarter. He finished with 380 passing yards and two touchdowns. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey said the difference late was the Ravens’ inability to limit explosive plays. Maye connected with Kyle Williams for a 37-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to one score, then hit Mack Hollins and Stefon Diggs for gains of 20 and 21 yards on the ensuing drive. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson capped the rally by scoring from 21 yards out with just over two minutes remaining. After allowing just one New England play of more than 20 yards in the third quarter, Baltimore surrendered four such gains on the Patriots’ two fourth-quarter scoring drives. “It seemed like we had them bottled up pretty decent throughout the game, but then in the fourth quarter [we] had some lapses,” Humphrey said. “Drake Maye made some great throws and they were able to come back.” Henry recorded his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season, totaling 128 yards and scoring early in the fourth quarter to give Baltimore a two-score lead. The touchdown came on a four-play, 32-yard sequence by Henry capped by a 2-yard run. Henry did not touch the ball again. Keaton Mitchell handled the carries on Baltimore’s second-to-last drive, rushing twice for 4 yards. Henry remained on the sideline during the Ravens’ final possession, with Rasheen Ali lining up at running back. Related Articles 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 28-24 loss to the Patriots 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 Instant analysis from Ravens’ 28-24 loss to Patriots in Week 16 Asked about Henry’s absence on the final two drives, Harbaugh said that the Ravens have rotated Mitchell and Henry in recent weeks. “Looking back, would I rather have had Derrick starting the drive? Yes,” Harbaugh said. “But Derrick was kind of ready for Keaton to start that drive. And then he was planning on coming in next.” Mitchell finished with a career-low 1.4 yards per carry on a season-high nine attempts. Henry echoed Harbaugh’s explanation, saying the rotation had been used the past couple of weeks and that he felt he was in a good “flow” with Mitchell. “I don’t think this would be a big deal if we had won the game. There wouldn’t be any questions about it,” Henry said. “But I understand that when you lose, everybody’s going to want to know or try to analyze every situation.” Such as the way the Ravens lost was familiar, so was the play by Flowers to effectively end the game — cutting back on a 5-yard reception and having the ball punched out. It marked Flowers’ third lost fumble this season, more than his total receiving touchdowns this year. Along with Henry’s first-quarter fumble, Baltimore is now tied with Seattle for the league lead in lost fumbles with 12. “We all have to protect the football. That’s a lesson that has to be understood,” Harbaugh said. “We have not done a good enough job of that on offense this year.” In a loss defined by late mistakes, the Ravens were again reminded how thin the margin is between control and collapse — a mistake that now leaves their playoff fate out of their hands. Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Mikephowes. Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams, left, catches a touchdown against Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey on Sunday. Baltimore's defensed faded in the fourth quarter of the 28-24 loss. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP) View the full article

The Ravens were 10 minutes away from icing one of their biggest wins of the season, a prime-time contest against the 11-win Patriots. Instead, the defense fell apart and Baltimore abandoned its reliable running game yet again in a game’s final moments. Baltimore’s playoff hopes aren’t mathematically dead, but with Lamar Jackson battling a new back injury, it’s hard to imagine the Ravens getting the breaks needed in Weeks 17 and 18 to make the postseason. It’s a brutal turn of events for Baltimore, which held a two-score lead going into Sunday’s final 10 minutes. Here’s what national analysts had to say about Baltimore’s 28-24 loss to the Patriots. ESPN’s Tim Hasselbeck “Lamar just didn’t seem right this year, if I’m calling it like it is,” he told Scott Van Pelt after the game. “The hamstring injury, whatever else was bothering him, he just didn’t seem right. He is normally the scariest player when things break down. He’s going to either take off and run or create. We just didn’t see enough of that.” Jackson exited Sunday’s game in the second quarter, although the offense performed admirably in his absence. Baltimore’s backup quarterback Tyler Huntley led a pair of second-half touchdown drives, finishing the game 9-for-10 passing for 65 yards. Jackson was 7-for-10 for 101 yards. Patrick Peterson, CBS Sports “We’ve seen this time and time again,” the longtime NFL defensive back said on a postgame show. “When they need to lean on Derrick Henry late in the game, here’s nowhere to be found. I don’t know if it’s because of the fumbles early in the game that’s causing [offensive coordinator Todd] Monken to shy away from him, but they have to find a way to keep him engaged in the game, especially when he’s having the game he was having.” Henry’s lack of usage was a major postgame storyline. The bruising running back carried the ball 18 times for 128 yards and two touchdowns, but he didn’t play a snap over Baltimore’s final two drives. Most analysts took issue with Henry’s lack of usage in the waning moments of the fourth quarter. Bryant McFadden, CBS Sports McFadden, on the same show as Peterson, had the same opinion. “I don’t want to tackle him in the fourth quarter. He was rolling … but for some reason, they took him out of the game,” McFadden said. “They did the Patriots a big-time favor by doing that.” New England’s comeback came as the Ravens abandoned Henry in the running game. Shannon Sharpe, Nightcap “They might as well just go ahead and shut Lamar down,” the former Ravens tight end said on his YouTube show. “He has not been the same since he came back.” Sharpe says that Jackson’s limited mobility greatly hampered Baltimore this season. He also thinks that the franchise needs to take a serious look at John Harbaugh, the team’s longtime coach. “I don’t really advocate for anything like this, but it might be time for the Ravens to get a new voice … they need to go in a different direction,” he said. 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 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 Instant analysis from Ravens’ 28-24 loss to Patriots in Week 16 Sharpe suggested that Baltimore’s roster has become too old and too slow to compete. He’s in favor of the Ravens getting a new coach and overhauling portions of the roster. He says that the team’s lack of a high-end pass rusher is a clear weakness that needs to be fixed in the offseason. Michael Hurley, NBC Sports Boston “Derrick Henry averaged over 7 yards per carry and the Ravens only gave him the ball 18 times in a must-win game where Lamar Jackson got hurt before halftime,” he posted on X. “That’s unconscionable.” Henry’s lack of touches in the final minutes will likely be discussion fodder for weeks as Ravens fans and NFL media members try to determine what the heck went wrong Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium. Have a news tip? Contact Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

Here’s how the Ravens graded out at every position in their 28-24 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore: Quarterbacks Starter Lamar Jackson left the game with two minutes remaining in the first half after taking a knee to the back. Until that point, Jackson had played well, connecting on 7 of 10 passes for 101 yards. Replacement Tyler Huntley completed 9 of 10 passes for 65 yards but was basically a game manager as the Ravens were content to hand the ball off to the running backs. It will be interesting to see what the Ravens do with Jackson from this point on as far as a possible contract extension. He has been hurt most of the season, suffering almost every injury imaginable in the lower half of his body. After eight years, have the Ravens had enough? Grade: C Running backs The Ravens controlled a lot of the game with running backs Derrick Henry and Keaton Mitchell. Henry had 128 yards on 18 carries with two touchdowns but also lost a fumble in the first half with Baltimore seeking a two-score lead. Mitchell had nine carries and finished with only 13 yards, but he forced the Patriots to spread out their defense with his sheer speed. With the injury to Jackson, both backs helped the Ravens control the game in the final two quarters. The Ravens, though, should have stayed with Henry late in the game. They gave up on him way too early, and the Patriots couldn’t stop him. Grade: A Offensive line The Ravens did a good job of sustaining blocks, maybe their best effort of the season as far as maintaining blocks after initial contact. The entire group did well, and the Ravens were successful in terms of “gut running” in the first half. In the second half, the Ravens did exactly what was needed with both tackles playing well and guards Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees dominating the middle of the field. Pass blocking will always be a liability with this team, but the Ravens finished with 171 rushing yards (5.2 per carry). They allowed only one sack but did surrender five quarterback hits. Overall, they didn’t need much else because the running game was strong. Grade: B Receivers Tight end Isaiah Likely had a great block to spring receiver Zay Flowers on an 18-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. The Ravens dominated New England’s defense, especially since the Patriots were missing middle linebacker Robert Spillane, the team’s leading tackler. The Ravens, though, used the play-action pass to Flowers well. He had seven receptions for 84 yards, but his fumble after a catch over the middle in the final two minutes basically sealed the win for New England. Flowers is a great playmaker when used properly, but he needs to hold on to the ball. DeAndre Hopkins had a big game, at least compared with previous outings, with four catches for 41 yards. The Ravens didn’t need this group to step up because they ran the ball so well and the Patriots were content on backing up and giving the Ravens space. But the bend-don’t-break approach worked for New England. Grade: C Defensive line The Ravens’ core group of tackles John Jenkins and Travis Jones and ends Brent Urban and Dre’Mont Jones held the Patriots to 79 rushing yards, but they didn’t get a lot of pressure on Drake Maye. And when they did, it mostly came from the outside linebackers. The Ravens need to rebuild this group by using some first- and second-round draft picks on linemen who can do more than just one thing, which is stop the run. This group played well enough to win, but wilted in the final quarter. We’ve seen this before. Grade: C- Linebackers Middle linebacker Roquan Smith led the Ravens in tackles with 10. The Ravens, though, did some bizarre stuff, such as having outside linebackers like Kyle Van Noy and Trenton Simpson in coverage. Both handled the extra duties well, but both should have been victimized by touchdown passes in the right corner of the end zone. Jones, who doubles as an outside linebacker, played well and finished with one sack and two pressures. Fellow outside linebacker Tavius Robinson didn’t stick out despite playing well a week ago. Simpson had seven tackles, including one sack and two tackles for losses. This is another area where general manager Eric DeCosta has to invest in some talent. If a team can’t provide pressure in the postseason, especially with the front four, all the exotic blitzes won’t work. Grade: C- Secondary Overall, the Ravens struggled in coverage, even though Maye threw some great passes, especially early in the game. But the Ravens had no one who could cover veteran receiver Stefon Diggs. He has been disgruntled for years, but he worked the Ravens over for nine catches for 138 yards. As expected, the Patriots went after cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who might need to move to safety next year. Humphrey gave up a 37-yard touchdown reception to rookie Kyle Williams with 9:01 left in the game, and he was burned by Diggs several times across the middle. Humphrey did have an interception deep in Ravens territory in the first quarter. After the Ravens got the 11-point lead early in the fourth quarter, they were content to give up the dink-and-dunk passes as long as they tackled well, but New England riddled the secondary with crossing patterns. The Ravens left the field with New England fans chanting “MVP” for Maye after the game. The Patriots lit the Ravens up for 453 yards of total offense, including 380 through the air. Grade: D 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’ Ravens squander late lead in 28-24 loss to Patriots, putting playoff hopes in serious peril Instant analysis from Ravens’ 28-24 loss to Patriots in Week 16 Special teams Jordan Stout averaged 42 yards on two punts and had a long of 45 yards. He planted one inside the 20-yard line. The Ravens averaged 24.5 yards on four kickoff returns and rookie LaJohntay Wester still looks indecisive when returning punts. He had only one return for 11 yards. Rookie Tyler Loop converted a 36-yard field goal, but his 56-yard try fell short. The Ravens were fortunate to play against New England, whose special teams play was horrendous. The Patriots failed on a fake punt late in the third quarter that Baltimore turned into a touchdown for a 24-13 lead. Grade: C Coaching Of course it’s hindsight, but the Ravens should have stayed with Henry, even late in the game. The Patriots had no answer for him, but the Ravens tried to use the passing game, which was disappointing. Baltimore appeared ready for this game, and even had a five-play, 65-yard touchdown drive on its opening series. But there was no passing game to complement the running game, and the defense was giving up big plays on the back end. Coach John Harbaugh said after the game that the Ravens had played hard all season, but that’s not true. They didn’t play hard once the injuries started mounting early in the year and they tried to compensate for Jackson’s absence with a good running game. Overall, they had no passing game, and the coverage in the secondary and the pass rush were brutal. Grade: C Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

Even without Lamar Jackson, the Ravens had a chance. In practically a must-win game against the New England Patriots on Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore’s quarterback took a knee to the left side of his ribs/back from safety Craig Woodson on a short run up the middle with just under 2 minutes remaining in the first half and never returned. Jackson winced as he exited the field and headed to the locker room, clapping his hands in frustration. It was that kind of night — and has been that kind of season for the Ravens and their biggest star, who has also suffered hamstring, knee, ankle and toe injuries this year. Still, Baltimore was in position to win — until, like so many times this year, it wasn’t. With the Ravens leading 24-13 with just under 13 minutes remaining in the game, Drake Maye (31 of 44 passing, 380 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) rallied the Patriots to a 28-24 victory with Rhamondre Stevenson scoring the go-ahead touchdown from 21 yards out with 2:15 remaining. Baltimore took over at its own 32-yard line with 2:03 left, but wide receiver Zay Flowers was stripped from behind and fumbled with 1:48 remaining to all but end any chance of a comeback. Huntley finished 9 of 10 passing for 65 yards. With the Steelers’ win in Detroit over the Lions earlier in the day, coupled with the Ravens’ loss, Baltimore is now two games behind Pittsburgh with as many games remaining. It also means their playoff chances are out of their control and on life support. If the Steelers beat the Browns in Cleveland next Sunday, Pittsburgh will be the AFC North champion, rendering the Ravens’ result against the Green Bay Packers in Week 17 on Saturday and the Week 18 game in Pittsburgh meaningless. For a season that started with Super Bowl expectations, it is a cold and crushing reality. Those championship hopes took a series of body blows with a 1-5 start that included a squandered 15-point fourth-quarter lead to the Buffalo Bills in upstate New York in Week 1 — a defeat that lingered long beyond on the final whistle. An embarrassing 44-10 beatdown at home by the Houston Texans followed a few weeks later. But long before the Steelers’ wild last-second victory and Baltimore’s incomprehensible sixth loss at M&T Bank Stadium (and fourth in prime time), the crushing 1-2 punches were home losses in Weeks 13 and 14 to the Bengals on Thanksgiving night and then nine days later to the Steelers. The Steelers and Ravens are both deeply flawed teams, but in the end Pittsburgh found ways to win when it had to. The Ravens did not. Jobs will undoubtedly be lost over it, but that’s a story for another day in the not-too-distant future. This latest loss was as brutal as it was familiar, with the Ravens unable to finish another game they had in their grasp. Related Articles Instant analysis from Ravens’ 28-24 loss to Patriots in Week 16 Ravens QB Lamar Jackson suffers back injury, ruled out vs. Patriots Packers monitoring QBs Jordan Love, Malik Willis ahead of game vs. Ravens Ravens vs. Patriots, December 21, 2025 | PHOTOS Steelers edge Lions, 29-24, in wild finish when penalty negates winning TD Leading 7-0 late in the first quarter and with the ball on the Patriots’ 27 and marching toward what looked like would be another score, Derrick Henry (18 carries, 128 yards, two touchdowns) fumbled, with safety Jaylinn Hawkins punching the ball out at the end of a 5-yard run. It was his first fumble since Week 3 but fourth of the season — and a costly one. Then Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey was flagged for defensive holding, negating a stop on third-and-4 that kept the Patriots’ drive alive. Unsurprisingly, New England took advantage. On third-and-13 from Baltimore’s 47, the Ravens got zero pressure — a common theme this season and all night — against New England’s two backup tackles, and Maye found Mack Hollins wide-open in the middle of the field for 20 yards. Then it was Austin Hooper’s turn with a 26-yard catch before Maye floated an easy 1-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Hunter Henry to tie the score at 7 at the 11:22 mark of the second quarter. Baltimore then went three-and-out on its next possession with New England adding a 45-yard field goal after a 33-yard completion to Diggs on a third-and-3 in which the Ravens again gave Maye way too much time. Tied at 10 as the second half began, Baltimore surged ahead on touchdowns by Flowers and Henry, but that was the last time the Ravens found the end zone. 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

Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 28-24 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 16 of the NFL season on Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore: Brian Wacker, reporter Like so many games this season, the Ravens (7-8) had a grasp of victory until they didn’t. Without injured quarterback Lamar Jackson for the second half, the game was always going to be an uphill climb. Still, they forged a two-score lead into the fourth quarter, thanks mostly to Derrick Henry and for bits and pieces backup quarterback Tyler Huntley. But it wasn’t enough. Drake Maye continued to pick apart what has been an average-at-best defense and with little worry of the Ravens being able to consistently move the ball. It also felt apropos that the Ravens’ final last gasp effort ended with Zay Flowers fumbling. Like the Eminem song “Lose Yourself” that blared through the stadium as Ravens players took the field, the words were foreboding: “Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted, in one moment, would you capture it or just let it slip?” Mike Preston, columnist The Ravens got upset by New England on Sunday night and that pretty much sealed their playoff aspirations. It’s basically Pittsburgh’s AFC North championship to lose, but the Ravens played well enough to win Sunday, especially with a strong running game. But the Ravens couldn’t get enough pressure on Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who sliced up their secondary, especially cornerback Marlon Humphrey. The Ravens’ weaknesses were exposed again, mainly problems in the secondary and no pass rush. The Ravens were also without quarterback Lamar Jackson, who left after taking a knee to the back with two minutes left in the first half. Jackson has left open to speculation that his days might be numbered in Baltimore. Josh Tolentino, columnist While the controversial ending of the Steelers’ win over the Lions was being displayed on one of the big screens at M&T Bank Stadium, an adjacent screen showed Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers amid pregame warmups celebrating what he initially thought was a Lions’ victory. Flowers’ celebration was a bit premature. The third-year wide receiver was later involved in Baltimore’s own controversial ending as Flowers critically fumbled away a shot at a comeback victory in the game’s waning moments. The Ravens are still mathematically alive in the playoff hunt, but they no longer control their own destiny. Sunday represented a culmination of frustrations with quarterback Lamar Jackson’s early departure in the first half. His pain tolerance (Jackson was ruled out in the second half with a back injury) will be under the microscope this week as the team faces a short turnaround with another prime time matchup looming Saturday night at Green Bay (dealing with its own quarterback health issues). Even with a potential Week 17 win against the Packers, the Ravens would still need help from the Browns for their Week 18 date at Pittsburgh to hold any weight. Sunday night felt like the beginning of the end as Baltimore dropped to 3-6 at home. Sam Cohn, reporter The Ravens’ season seemingly vanished into a cloud of smoke Sunday night. First, when Lamar Jackson left before halftime with an injury that would hold him out for the rest of the night. Then again, when Snoop Huntley was called on to author a two-minute game-winning drive to save the season, but Zay Flowers fumbled. The climb to the playoffs is arduous, a long shot. The Ravens will have to win out and get some help from the Browns, who would need to beat the Steelers. As strange a game as it was, Baltimore gave itself a chance. But Sunday, when a blown lead gave way to MVP chants raining for the opposing quarterback, proved a fitting way for this season to plummet. Michael Howes, reporter A deflating loss. No other words to describe it. Any immediate thought that the Ravens were going to lose when Lamar Jackson went down were quelled for the majority of the second half with Tyler “Snoop” Huntley under center. Huntley did enough to allow the Ravens to win, managing the game and avoiding mistakes. That optimism was swiftly snatched away. The defense allowed New England to score 15 unanswered points in the final 12 minutes of the fourth quarter to steal the prime-time victory. It doesn’t feel like a new way to lose for the Ravens. They have dropped games with a similar script this year, and throughout coach John Harbaugh’s tenure. This loss, though, will likely cost them the playoffs. C.J. Doon, editor The Baltimore Ravens, everybody. We’ve seen enough. This is just who they are. Squandering late leads against quality opponents? You bet. Star players making huge mistakes in big moments? Yup. Lamar Jackson raising more questions about his legacy? Unfortunately, yes. I just don’t know what else to say anymore. This has been an amazing run of regular season success with Jackson that has led to just one AFC championship game appearance. But just when you think that the Ravens are turning the corner — that dominant opening drive, that 11-point fourth-quarter lead, that Week 1 avalanche in Buffalo — they falter. MVP chants rained down in late December at M&T Bank Stadium as a postseason berth was clinched. It was for the visiting quarterback and his playoff-bound team. Let that sink in. Related Articles Ravens squander late lead in 28-24 loss to Patriots, putting playoff hopes in serious peril Ravens QB Lamar Jackson suffers back injury, ruled out vs. Patriots Packers monitoring QBs Jordan Love, Malik Willis ahead of game vs. Ravens Ravens vs. Patriots, December 21, 2025 | PHOTOS Steelers edge Lions, 29-24, in wild finish when penalty negates winning TD Tim Schwartz, editor Yet another gut-wrenching loss for the Ravens. They have to be used to it by now, right? Down four with the season essentially on the line, Tyler Huntley trotted out with 2:03 left. Not Lamar Jackson, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, because he took a knee to the back late in the first half. It didn’t look like much, but it was enough to knock him out of Baltimore’s biggest game of the year. And just like another infamous playoff defeat, Zay Flowers fumbled the ball away when they desperately needed it. This, unfortunately, is in the Ravens’ DNA now. Change is necessary. Bennett Conlin, editor That’s all she wrote. The Steelers just need a win over the Browns next week to end Baltimore’s highly disappointing 2025 season. I’m betting they’ll make that happen. The Ravens’ hopes Sunday didn’t end when Lamar Jackson exited the game in the second quarter with a back injury. No, Tyler Huntley picked up the slack and then some offensively. It was Zach Orr’s defense that decided it would effectively end Baltimore’s season. The unit was spotted a double-digit fourth-quarter lead, and it coughed the lead up with two poor possessions in a row. That can’t happen at home in a must-win game. Zay Flowers then fumbled, a familiar sight in crunch time in recent years. Baltimore wasn’t good this season after having massive preseason expectations, even when Jackson was on the field. Expect significant offseason changes. This team needs them. Have a news tip? Contact C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article