ExtremeRavens

The Cleveland Browns have requested to interview Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken for their head coach opening, a source with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Baltimore Sun on Tuesday. The news comes less than 48 hours after Baltimore’s season ended in a crushing 26-24 Week 18 defeat to the Steelers in Pittsburgh that eliminated the Ravens from playoff contention. It’s also the second straight offseason that Monken, 59, has drawn interest from other teams. Last season, after Baltimore became the first team in NFL history to throw for at least 4,000 yards and rush for 3,000 in the same season, he interviewed with the Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars. Monken was the Browns’ offensive coordinator in 2019. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Related Articles Watch Episode 19 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law Ravens grapple with expected offseason roster shakeup: ‘Gotta go get a job’ Ravens players reflect on shocking playoff-less season: ‘Hard to process’ Ravens mock draft roundup: Early expert predictions for No. 14 pick READER POLL: Should the Ravens bring back coach John Harbaugh? View the full article

Episode 19 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 Baltimore’s season-ending loss to Pittsburgh. What’s next for the Ravens? 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

Locker room clean-out day can feel like a haze. Players – some, not all – bustle through a luxurious room filled with trash bags. They exchange jerseys and autographs alongside heartfelt goodbyes because when a season ends, there’s no telling how different that room might look in six months. Particularly for this Ravens team, which cobbled together what was once believed to be a Super Bowl contending roster and instead missed the playoffs altogether. Nearly every player who spoke was asked some form of the same question: Do you plan to be back in Baltimore next year? All-Pro center Tyler Linderbaum, the team’s top pending free agent, said he “absolutely” wants to return. He’ll take a bit of time off first, then worry about his contract situation “at a later time.” Over four years in Baltimore, Linderbaum blossomed into one of the NFL’s top centers. The Ravens did not pick up his fifth-year option last offseason, putting Linderbaum in a contract year. Monday was the first locker room clean-out where he was a centerpiece of impending offseason discourse. “To see a guy like that walk would really hurt,” right tackle Roger Rosengarten said. “This offensive line runs through him and he’s the tip of the spear.” Rosengarten said he has every intention of hounding Linderbaum in the coming months the same way he did (successfully) with All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley this time last year. Truth is, this team is destined for turnover. Although, no player who showed up Monday and spoke with reporters specifically voiced any interest in leaving. Fullback Patrick Ricard, an undrafted rookie in 2017, said he’d love to come back and eventually retire as a Raven. Pass rusher Dre’Mont Jones loved his short time as a Raven. He was acquired before the trade deadline and said “it would be great if that continued” if the money’s right and the situation is beneficial to both parties. Kyle Van Noy was a bit more direct. Asked what he hopes to accomplish this offseason, the veteran pass rusher was quick to respond, “come back to the Ravens.” Van Noy is 34 years old having just finished his third season in Baltimore. He’s not ready to contemplate retirement, despite sinking from 12 1/2 sacks in 2024 to two in 2025. Monday afternoon’s clean-out session included plenty of reflection about a season gone wrong. Having finished 8-9, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021, there will be plenty done this spring to address the disappointment that lingered like a foul stench in Owings Mills. “It just hurts,” Ricard said. “I feel for the fans of the city, just the heartaches after years after years, and it always seems like to start the year, we always have a great group that I feel like we underperform just with the talent that we have. I feel like the fans deserve better, and it’s just hard.” General manager Eric DeCosta’s job will be to again assemble a roster that keeps the Ravens’ Super Bowl window cracked open. That task starts with addressing Lamar Jackson’s contract situation in some fashion. His cap number rises to $74.5 million each of the next two seasons. Dedicating that kind of cheddar to one player makes it nearly impossible to build out a playoff contender. So there’s Jackson, who spoke Sunday night but was not available the following afternoon (which is common), then everybody else. Those who requested signed footballs or an extra minute to tug on a veteran’s ear know change is afoot. Tight end Charlie Kolar did some quick calculations. He estimated about 40% of a roster looks different year over year. In Baltimore, that number was closer to 30% between 2024 and 2025. It was roughly the same the year prior, according to OverTheCap.com. Kolar’s rookie contract concluded Sunday night in Pittsburgh but if Baltimore will have him, after already extending Mark Andrews, Kolar said he’d “love to be back as a Raven.” That process could come closer to March, shortly before his April wedding. “Personally, I’ll take some time off, get healthy and get back to training,” Kolar said. “I’m unemployed now. Gotta go get a job.” The other pending free agent tight end who did not sign a mid-season extension, Isaiah Likely, said he’ll leave the negotiating to his agent. “I feel like everybody says a vanilla answer like that,” Likely said, “but it’s honestly my first time ever not knowing [where I’ll be].” Related Articles Ravens players reflect on shocking playoff-less season: ‘Hard to process’ Ravens mock draft roundup: Early expert predictions for No. 14 pick READER POLL: Should the Ravens bring back coach John Harbaugh? Josh Tolentino: Ravens’ nightmare season is over. Change must follow. | COMMENTARY Mike Preston: Ravens’ Tyler Loop misses the moment | COMMENTARY Over the summer, Likely was the odds-on favorite to be Baltimore’s tight end of the future. He toiled through a brutal season, low-lighted by a goal-line fumble in a loss to the Bengals and a disallowed game-winning touchdown versus Pittsburgh a week later. The Ravens extended Andrews in early December, part of a slew of extensions that included defensive linemen Travis Jones and John Jenkins as well as long snapper Nick Moore. There were plenty of prognosticating questions left about Likely and Kolar. “You just never know,” Ricard said. “Especially Isaiah and Charlie, I feel like they played really well. I feel like they’ve had great careers here. Hopefully they sign back, but I think they’re all going to have a good market when they hit free agency, and I’m excited for them.” These conversations kickstarted far sooner than any Raven might have imagined six months ago. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article

The sound of losing: It is silence, save for the rough edges of cardboard boxes sliding against each other as they are packed up, the crinkle of plastic garbage bags, the faint thud of a small locker door closing. There are monotone voices and sighs. This is the cacophony of the Ravens this time of year. Again. After another stunning and dispiriting defeat, this time to the Steelers in Pittsburgh, where rookie kicker Tyler Loop sliced a 44-yard game-winning field goal attempt wide right as time expired in a de facto playoff game during the final week of the regular season, the agony feels familiar. Last year, it was a dropped 2-point conversion and trio of costly turnovers in the divisional round. In 2023, a fumble at the goal line in the AFC championship game. This was worse, of course. “I don’t think it gets any easier,” fullback Pat Ricard said Monday in Owings Mills, where players cleaned out their lockers and headed home with no more football to play for months. “It kind of just shocks you. The whole season comes down to one play, and just especially this year how we started out 1-5 and so many guys dealt with injuries early on in the year, and we were able to put ourselves in the position to make the playoffs to the last game, the last play of the game. “It just hurts. I feel for the fans of the city. Just the heartaches after just years after years, and it always seems like the start of the year, we always have a great group that I feel like we underperform just with the talent that we have, and I feel like the fans deserve better. It’s just hard, it’s just hard to … Just seemed like it’s just one play that ends up just defining our season. But I mean it’s not, it’s never just one play. There’s 17 games that we felt like we should have won the majority of.” Instead, Baltimore finished 8-9 for its worst record since 2021, which is also the last time the Ravens failed to reach the postseason. It was a stunning end for a team that opened the year as the favorite to win the Super Bowl, never mind just get to it for the first time since 2013. For some, there was no reason to revisit the seared in missteps of another wasted opportunity. There was no Lamar Jackson. No Ronnie Stanley. No Zay Flowers. No Marlon Humphrey. No Loop. All spoke late Sunday evening. No need to relive it again perhaps. Fourth-year tight end and free-agent-in-waiting Charlie Kolar did, though, letting the moment wash over his sleepless eyes and sagging cheekbones. “It’s hard to process the day after,” he said. “Just didn’t do enough things consistently to win games this year. “I feel like the last game is kind of like the encapsulation of the whole season. You know the saying, good teams find a way to win? We just didn’t do that enough this year. All three phases gotta find a way to play complementary football, help each other out.” He added that it “hurts” and that it was “a tough year.” He carried the pain for Loop, too. “Obviously we’re all hurting for Tyler right now,” he said. “You never want a season to end like that, especially for a guy who works so hard.” The sting was real for Kolar as well. Related Articles Ravens mock draft roundup: Early expert predictions for No. 14 pick READER POLL: Should the Ravens bring back coach John Harbaugh? Josh Tolentino: Ravens’ nightmare season is over. Change must follow. | COMMENTARY Mike Preston: Ravens’ Tyler Loop misses the moment | COMMENTARY Ravens offseason guide: Draft picks, free agents, biggest questions “There’s no real word to put into it,” he continued. “It’s really hard to process. We all thought we were gonna win that game. Twelve hours later, team meeting, season’s over. “We believed that we could contend and we didn’t do that. … Of course we underperformed. We were preseason Super Bowl favorites and we don’t make the playoffs. It’s hard to swallow.” That was the feeling across the spacious but mostly desolate locker room. Tight end Isaiah Likely — also scheduled to be a free agent this offseason — signed some jerseys for teammates. Center Tyler Linderbaum — another potential free agent — gathered up a few bottles of wine. Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, 34, searched for answers, about what went wrong and the possibility of a football-less future, at least on the field. “For me, it’s not exactly a fun journey going through,” Van Noy said. “Just because we’ve been battling from just the standpoint all season, just behind-the-scenes stuff that no one sees and different things like that. If you don’t win the last game, it’s a failure, especially with expectations that we have for ourselves.” He also said he’d like to continue to play and do so for Baltimore if the situation allows, something that seems unlikely. “I don’t want to make any decisions right now, it’s too early to say, especially after an emotional game like that was last night, to say, ‘I’m retiring, or I’m going to keep playing,’” he said. “I think I’m just going to keep my options open and keep an open mind. Just have conversations, but I definitely would like to be back with the Ravens if that was a possibility. Hopefully, it will be. Conversations will be had.” The mood, though, was the same as it has always been these past few years, soured even more by a regression from one to the next. “We’ve been through a lot,” Linderbaum said. “Obviously, it’s not the season that we wanted.” Added second-year right tackle and locker mate Roger Rosengarten: “It was definitely surreal going to sleep last night, but definitely waking up in the morning — this morning — it definitely hurt. It stung a little bit more, not getting another opportunity on a Sunday to get after it with the boys. That’s the worst part.” So is the scar tissue. Will the Ravens ever get over that proverbial hump? “I guess it depends on the person,” Ricard said. “If anything, you just have to look at it as a lesson, something to fuel you [and] to drive you to improve so that when you get in those moments again, it doesn’t happen. But I think it depends on the person. Some people take it way harder. Some people need time. Some people might need therapy. Some people might need God. “We all want a Super Bowl, and when we fall short, you have to look in the mirror and [at] yourself and try to think of what you could have done better.” Perhaps one day that answer will come. For now, though, the Ravens’ locker room is silent again. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush cleans out his locker Monday, a day after the team’s 26–24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night ended its playoff hopes. (Kevin Richardson/Staff)Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely, left, and quarterback Cooper Rush clean out their lockers Monday, a day after the team’s 26–24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night ended its playoff hopes. (Kevin Richardson/Staff)Baltimore Ravens safety Alohi Gilman signs a jersey after cleaning out his locker Monday, a day after the team’s 26–24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night ended its playoff hopes. (Kevin Richardson/Staff)Baltimore Ravens rookie linebackers Teddy Buchanan, left, and Mike Green clean out their lockers Monday, a day after the team’s 26–24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night ended its playoff hopes. (Kevin Richardson/Staff)Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely signs a jersey for a teammate after cleaning out his locker Monday, a day after the team’s 26–24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night ended its playoff hopes. (Kevin Richardson/Staff)Show Caption1 of 5Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush cleans out his locker Monday, a day after the team’s 26–24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night ended its playoff hopes. (Kevin Richardson/Staff)Expand View the full article

It’s officially draft season in Baltimore. The Ravens’ roller-coaster campaign came to a stunning end Sunday night in a wild 26-24 loss to the Steelers that gave Pittsburgh its first AFC North title since 2020, ending Baltimore’s quest for a record three-peat in the division. The Steelers will host the Houston Texans on Monday night in the wild-card round, while the Ravens are left to pick up the pieces from another heartbreaking finish. This offseason will be another crucial one for Baltimore to retool its roster around two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson, who himself faces his own contract questions heading into his ninth NFL season. There’s also the uncertain status of coach John Harbaugh after 18 years in charge, as well as the murky future of his top assistants. With a few key players hitting free agency and lingering questions about the status of other starters, the Ravens and general manager Eric DeCosta must decide how best to address those areas to return the franchise to Super Bowl contention. The lifeblood of the organization has long been the draft, and it figures to be just as important again this year. Baltimore is expected to have 11 draft picks in April, including a projected four compensatory selections. That includes the No. 14 overall pick, the team’s highest since also finishing 8-9 in 2021. Here’s an early look at what draft experts think the Ravens will do in the first round: Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa CBS Sports’ Mike Renner: “Francis Mauigoa would likely start at guard early in his career, with the option to kick out to tackle when Ronnie Stanley retires. The Ravens simply have to get better at guard, and Mauigoa is exactly the kind of butt-kicker who could make the switch.” Penn State guard/center Olaivavega Ioane The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner: “Ioane is the exact type of behemoth Baltimore’s offense has been missing in the middle. Re-sign Tyler Linderbaum, put Ioane next to him, and Baltimore’s offensive line would be rocking again.” Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema: “From a traits perspective, the former four-star recruit moves exceptionally well for a 6-foot-3, 315-pound defensive lineman and flashes top-10 talent. While his week-to-week impact dipped this season, he still posted run-defense and pass-rush grades above 70.0 and previously earned overall grades north of 83.0 as both a freshman and sophomore. With the Ravens’ defensive line lacking the same punch since Nnamdi Madubuike went down and his long-term future uncertain, Woods could be a good fit alongside Travis Jones.” Related Articles READER POLL: Should the Ravens bring back coach John Harbaugh? Josh Tolentino: Ravens’ nightmare season is over. Change must follow. | COMMENTARY Mike Preston: Ravens’ Tyler Loop misses the moment | COMMENTARY Ravens offseason guide: Draft picks, free agents, biggest questions 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ season-ending 26-24 loss to the Steelers Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder: “Woods entered this season as a potential top-five talent. Though he wasn’t the dominant presence many expected during his final season on campus. Instead, he can land with the Ravens, where the coaching staff has a long history of getting the most out of high-upside prospects. “‘Woods didn’t live up to the preseason hype this past season,” Holder said. “He definitely left something to be desired as a pass-rusher. But no one can deny how impactful he can be as run defender and the natural traits to be a quality interior pass-rusher in the right situation.'” “The first-team All-ACC performer’s addition may be critical depending on Nnamdi Madubuike’s long-term prognosis with his current neck injury.” Miami edge defender Rueben Bain Jr. FOX Sports’ Rob Rang: “While Lamar Jackson’s health certainly generated most of the criticism of the Ravens’ 2025 season, a disappointing defense was also to blame. Routinely one of the NFL’s fiercest defenses throughout the John Harbaugh era, Baltimore was one of the league’s worst when it came to sacking opposing quarterbacks in 2025, finishing 30th in the NFL. The Ravens have long capitalized on drafting falling stars that other clubs overthought. Bain’s stubby arms (reportedly 31 inches) threaten his draft stock, but he plays with the violence and tenacity that the Ravens have always prioritized.” Texas Tech edge defender David Bailey The Score’s Dan Wilkins: “The Ravens will hope that Mike Green’s development takes off in Year 2, but finding him a bookend should be a priority in order to solve their edge-rush issues once and for all. Bailey was a sensational transfer-portal addition for Texas Tech, leading the FBS with 12.5 sacks in the regular season.” LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane The Ringer’s Todd McShay: “Delane took his game to another level and was one of the few bright spots for an otherwise disappointing Tigers program in 2025. Edge is a bigger need for Baltimore, as Dre’Mont Jones, Kyle Van Noy, and David Ojabo are all free agents this offseason, but the Ravens are looking for scheme-versatile defensive backs and Delane more than impressed me with his ability to excel in both man and zone coverage at LSU. “He totaled 138 man-coverage snaps and 176 zone-coverage snaps in 2025. You won’t see many college CBs have that kind of man-zone split, let alone someone who was as effective as he was in both areas.” Have a news tip? Contact C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

The Ravens’ season came to a disappointing end Sunday night in Pittsburgh. Tyler Loop missed a 44-yard field goal attempt as time expired in a 26-24 defeat that gave the Steelers the AFC North crown. Baltimore entered the 2025 season as the favorite to win the Super Bowl. Now, its season has ended before the postseason could even begin. Will John Harbaugh return next season for his 19th year as the Ravens’ coach? 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

PITTSBURGH — It’s OK to open your eyes now. The Ravens’ nightmare season is finally over. The brutal ending Sunday night felt all too familiar. So familiar that rookie kicker Tyler Loop’s missed 44-yard field goal attempt on the game’s final play felt predictable. Baltimore’s season-ending 26-24 loss to the Steelers wasn’t shocking or cruel. It was actually the picturesque conclusion to a forgettable season that repeatedly warned that it could end this way. Wide right. Season over. Time to pack your bags and head home before the dance even begins. It wasn’t supposed to end like this. Baltimore entered the season widely viewed as a Super Bowl favorite. The Ravens returned two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, armed with a roster designed to compete for the franchise’s third Lombardi trophy. But when a season that begins with championship expectations quickly falls off the rails before abruptly ending without a playoff berth, the result is an indictment of preparation, execution and decisions made across the entire organization. And as the first-place Steelers bounced the Ravens in front of a national audience, change, in some form or fashion, feels inevitable. “It’s disappointing. I think our guys fought,” 18th-year coach John Harbaugh said. “We were that close to winning the [AFC] North, and we didn’t get a chance to get it done. So, all that other stuff is history. We had a chance to do it; we didn’t do it. We’re disappointed, and we’ll move on. “ Loop’s miss might be the most remembered moment, but it was merely the final snapshot in a season-long album of disappointment, penalties, blown assignments, missed opportunities, injuries and lost composure. Sure enough, all of those issues resurfaced in the Week 18 defeat. Baltimore committed a season-high nine penalties for 78 yards Sunday night, avoidable self-inflicted wounds that stalled drives and extended others. Still, Jackson refused to let the season slip away. He was brilliant in the fourth quarter, bailing out his much-maligned defense again and again. Jackson chucked a pair of high-arcing go-ahead touchdown passes to Zay Flowers that should have been more than enough. He finished with a nearly perfect 156.3 passer rating in the final frame. So much for that two-man rescue mission. Much like it has all season, Baltimore’s 30th-ranked defense showed its true colors, allowing 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers to dice through its secondary, which lost star safety Kyle Hamilton to a concussion earlier in the game. The pass rush was notably toothless, registering just one true sack of Rodgers, who finished with more than 50 dropbacks. The lack of beef in the trenches was a glaring issue all season, and it flared up under the spotlight at Acrisure Stadium. Once again, the Ravens couldn’t close. It was their third and final collapse in the fourth quarter this season. The ending was chaotic, but it wasn’t unfamiliar. It mirrored the entire campaign, with flashes of jaw-dropping moments that ultimately were swallowed by lapses in execution at the worst possible time. “Oh my [bleeping] God,” Flowers repeatedly yelled as he exited the field in disbelief. He was the second player to depart behind veteran cornerback Marlon Humphrey. Related Articles Mike Preston: Ravens’ Tyler Loop misses the moment | COMMENTARY Ravens offseason guide: Draft picks, free agents, biggest questions 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ season-ending 26-24 loss to the Steelers Tyler Loop’s miss puts spotlight on Ravens’ checkered kicking history NFL pundits react to Ravens’ stunning 26-24 loss to Steelers: ‘MVP Lamar’ Loop followed shortly after, accompanied and consoled by Harbaugh as he walked off the field. When the locker room doors opened, the rookie kicker stood frozen at his locker, staring at his notebook, which included his pregame prayer. “I took my steps, took over. I visualized what the ball looks like when it’s held down,” Loop reflected on his missed kick. “Jordan [Stout] picked up his fingers, and that was my cue to go. I saw the ball, tried to visualize the ball going through the uprights where I wanted it, swung, and the result didn’t match my process. “I caught a little bit [of the ground]. The operation was great. It was a great situation, exactly what we wanted, and unfortunately, I just mishit the ball. We call it hitting it thin. It spins fast and goes off to the right.” Off to the right and off to the abyss went Baltimore’s season. The 2025 Ravens will be remembered as a team that never consistently matched its talent with execution. Additionally, it was a team whose depth turned out to be flawed and unreliable. General manager Eric DeCosta had several personnel misfires from the offseason and he ultimately failed to supply the team with necessary in-season reinforcements. “I felt like we were in really good calls, and it was about the players actually executing the call and not getting lackadaisical [or] complacent,” linebacker Roquan Smith said. “I don’t know what it is, personally, but it’s something. I’m searching for those answers, as well, where it’s just like the mental intensity and carrying that over, play-in and play-out, until the echo of the whistle. “Because we have to do that if we want to ever get somewhere, and it sucks.” Sunday night’s exit now marks three consecutive seasons of regression. From losing to the Chiefs at home in the AFC championship game in the 2023 season, to falling in the divisional round at Buffalo last year, to not even reaching the playoffs this season. Owner Steve Bisciotti, who hasn’t spoken to local media since 2022, will face evaluations of staff and personnel over the coming days and weeks, and maybe he’ll realize that he employs folks in charge of this downward trend. Will that be enough for him to make changes at key spots? Does defensive coordinator Zach Orr deserve to be back for Year 3? What about Todd Monken, who reportedly interviewed for the then-vacant Michigan opening last month? Change feels inevitable across the coaching staff, considering how the vast majority of position groups either regressed or failed to meet expectation. The big variable, of course, remains Harbaugh, who just last offseason signed a contract extension. Changes are coming. At what degree remains to be seen. It was a miserable year for a team that was believed to be destined for so much more. The season ended with a ball spinning wide right into the Pittsburgh night. “It think it only gets harder [to absorb these types of losses],” veteran offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley said. “Coming up short with the type of team that we have, it doesn’t feel good.” Two years ago, the Ravens stood one win away from the Super Bowl. Now they’ll be watching playoff football from home. The nightmare is finally over. The embarrassment and questions hovering a franchise with much higher standards will linger far into the offseason. Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. Ravens kicker Tyler Loop reacts after missing a potential game-winning field goal against the Steelers. Baltimore's 2025-26 season ends with a disappointing 8-9 record. (Matt Durisko/AP) View the full article

PITTSBURGH — It’s hard to replace a legend, and it’s even harder when you are a rookie kicker and a miss costs the team a chance to make the playoffs. Tyler Loop, the Ravens’ sixth-round draft pick last April out of Arizona, missed a 44-yard field goal attempt as time expired in the Ravens’ 26-24 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday night before a crowd of 65,400 at Acrisure Stadium. The winner of the game would go on to secure the No. 4 seed in the seven-team AFC playoffs, and the Ravens seemed on course to play the Houston Texans on Jan. 12 in Baltimore. But Loop’s kick went wide right, and it touched off wild celebration by the Pittsburgh partisan crowd. The Ravens weren’t so happy. “You know the emotion, like that’s we did all that, man, to come up short bro, you know? Devastated,” Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson said. “Furious. All types of. I don’t know. I’m everywhere with it right now.” Loop was having a strong season, having converted on 29 of 33 field goal attempts and 41 of 43 extra point tries. But regardless of his success, the final verdict of a kicker is determined in the postseason in windy, wintry conditions in places such as Denver, Buffalo or even Pittsburgh. Loop finally faced those conditions and postseason pressure against the Steelers and failed. “Just for it to end like that sucks, and I do want to do better,” Loop said. “Unfortunately, the nature of the kicker’s job is you have makes, and those are awesome, and unfortunately you have misses, and for that to happen tonight sucks. “Those guys have my back and I want to try my best to have theirs. It’s disappointing, and it sucks, but also the nature of the job is I have to move on, and I have to get ready for the next kicks. I’ll spend the offseason and the rest of the time getting ready for that. I love this team and I love these guys, and I wish it had ended differently.” Of the kick, Loop said he caught a little bit of the ground but the operation was great. “I just mishit the ball. We call it hitting it thin,” Loop added. Loop followed a legend in Baltimore. The Ravens had Justin Tucker for 13 seasons, but waived him in May after he violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy stemming from allegations of sexual misconduct by Baltimore-area massage therapists. Tucker was Mr. Automatic on the field. He was a five-time All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection. He converted on 417 of 468 field goal attempts which put him around 90% for his career, among the best marks in league history. When the game was on the line, you wanted Tucker on your team. But Loop struggled Sunday night. He not only failed on the game-winning field goal attempt, but also had a kickoff miss the landing zone, his eighth kickoff penalty, which is three more than any other kicker in the NFL. His poor kickoff led to Pittsburgh getting the ball on its own 40-yard line and scoring on a 2-yard run by Kenneth Gainwell to complete an eight-play, 60-yard drive with 3:49 remaining. The score gave Pittsburgh a 20-17 lead. It just wasn’t Loop’s day. “I talked to him during the game because I kind of was livid at him when he kicked the ball out of bounds,” Jackson said. “But I told him, you know, I’m just hype because of the emotions of the game right now. I felt like it was going to come down to him to win the game for us because of how the game was going. He’s a rookie. It’s all good, Just leave it in the past, man.” Ravens coach John Harbaugh used to be the special teams coach in Philadelphia for years. He talked to Loop after the game. “I don’t remember what I said,” Harbaugh said. “I had him. I talked to him and walked with him and just had a conversation with him, between him and me.” Related Articles Josh Tolentino: Ravens’ nightmare season is over. Change must follow. | COMMENTARY Ravens offseason guide: Draft picks, free agents, biggest questions 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ season-ending 26-24 loss to the Steelers Tyler Loop’s miss puts spotlight on Ravens’ checkered kicking history NFL pundits react to Ravens’ stunning 26-24 loss to Steelers: ‘MVP Lamar’ You feel sympathy for Loop. When he converted a 40-yard field goal with 13:33 left in the second quarter to push the Ravens ahead, 10-0, there were the usual chants of “Loop” coming from Ravens fanatics. But the Ravens need to get those directional kickoffs under control this offseason, and Loop won’t become “The Guy” until he converts field goals in crunch time in the postseason. That’s the way it goes in the NFL, especially for kickers. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

Just like that, the season is over. The Ravens were eliminated from playoff contention after a wild 26-24 loss to the Steelers on Sunday night that clinched the AFC North title for Pittsburgh. After rallying from a 1-5 start to the season and getting an upset win from the Cleveland Browns over the Steelers in Week 17 to keep their hopes alive, Baltimore failed to take advantage of the golden opportunity in a must-win game against its biggest rival. Now, a long offseason awaits. Here’s a look at what to expect: Draft picks After finishing 8-9, the Ravens will have the No. 14 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. It’s the first time since 2022 that the Ravens will pick 14th, when they selected All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton from Notre Dame. The Ravens are expected to have 11 total selections, including four compensatory picks — the maximum number — for the players they lost in free agency last offseason. Their top needs are along the offensive and defensive lines, as well as cornerback and wide receiver. Here are some of the top prospects to watch, according to Pro Football Focus’ big board: Edge defender Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (No. 6 overall) David Bailey, Texas Tech (No. 7) Keldric Faulk, Auburn (No. 14) Cashius Howell, Texas A&M (No. 16) Romello Height, Texas Tech (No. 23) T.J. Parker, Clemson (No. 25) Defensive line Peter Woods, Clemson (No. 10) Caleb Banks, Florida (No. 17) Kayden McDonald, Ohio State (No. 22) Offensive line Spencer Fano, Utah (No. 18) Francis Mauigoa, Miami (No. 20) Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State (No. 24) Kadyn Proctor, Alabama (No. 27) Wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State (No. 8) Carnell Tate, Ohio State (No. 9) Makai Lemon, USC (No. 12) Denzel Boston, Washington (No. 21) Cornerback Jermod McCoy, Tennessee (No. 13) Mansoor Delane, LSU (No. 15) Avieon Terrell, Clemson (No. 19) Free agents The Ravens are currently projected to have $31.4 million in cap space, according to Over the Cap. They have a big class of pending free agents, including some notable names. Unrestricted free agents (17) C Tyler Linderbaum CB Chidobe Awuzie EDGE Dre’Mont Jones QB Tyler Huntley FB Patrick Ricard S Alohi Gilman S Ar’Darius Washington OL Daniel Faalele EDGE Kyle Van Noy TE Isaiah Likely P Jordan Stout TE Charlie Kolar LT Joseph Noteboom EDGE David Ojabo DL Taven Bryan DT Brent Urban LB Jake Hummel Contract void (2) WR DeAndre Hopkins WR Tylan Wallace Restricted free agent (1) RB Keaton Mitchell Exclusive rights free agents (4) C Corey Bullock EDGE Carl Jones Jr. DL CJ Okoye WR Dayton Wade Re-signed (3) DT Travis Jones DT John Jenkins LS Nick Moore Biggest questions What happens with QB Lamar Jackson’s contract situation? Under the terms of the five-year, $260 million extension with $185 million guaranteed that Jackson signed ahead of the 2023 season, he carries salary cap hits of $74.5 million in each of the next two seasons. That’s untenable from a roster-building standpoint, so the Ravens either need to give Jackson a new deal or renegotiate the terms of the existing one. Related Articles 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ season-ending 26-24 loss to the Steelers Tyler Loop’s miss puts spotlight on Ravens’ checkered kicking history NFL pundits react to Ravens’ stunning 26-24 loss to Steelers: ‘MVP Lamar’ The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 26-24 loss to Steelers Ravens 2026 schedule: Home vs. Chargers, road vs. Cowboys highlight slate As a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, even coming off a disappointing season by his own standards, Jackson would almost certainly command top-of-the-market money. The four-year, $240 million extension that Dak Prescott signed with the Dallas Cowboys before the 2024 season is the current benchmark, averaging $60 million per season. The Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen, the Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence and the Green Bay Packers’ Jordan Love all average $55 million per season on their recent extensions. On his current deal, Jackson averages $51.2 million in base salary in each of the next two seasons. The last round of negotiations with Jackson included a trade request and a business partner named Ken Francis, whom the league said might have been contacting teams on Jackson’s behalf despite not being an NFL Players Association-certified agent. Jackson still doesn’t have an agent as general manager Eric DeCosta and owner Steve Bisciotti navigate what’s expected to be a new round of contract talks. Is John Harbaugh coming back? Harbaugh said after Sunday night’s loss that he wants to return next season. Whether the franchise feels the same way is yet to be determined. In March, the longtime coach signed a three-year extension through the 2028 season. That doesn’t mean he can’t be fired, as Brian Billick was dismissed in 2007, soon after signing his own new deal. There’s also the possibility of a rare coach trade if another team is interested in parting with draft picks and paying Harbaugh top-of-the-market money. Harbaugh is the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL behind Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, and his .686 winning percentage ranks eighth all-time. But the Ravens haven’t reached the Super Bowl since winning it in 2012 and have advanced past the divisional round just once in that span. The growing discontent about second-half collapses and late-season failures could push the franchise in a new direction. John Harbaugh is under contract to coach the Ravens through 2028. (Justin Berl/AP) Will the coaching staff have drastic changes? The Ravens are already set to lose tight ends coach George Godsey to Georgia Tech, kicking off an inevitable round of coaching turnover. But how deep will the changes be? Defensive coordinator Zach Orr and offensive coordinator Todd Monken will be under the microscope after disappointing seasons on their respective sides of the ball, particularly in big moments. Orr faced scrutiny about his job security early in the season before helping the defense turn into a slightly-above-average unit near the end of the year, according to Defense-adjusted Value Over Average. Monken dealt with Jackson missing four games and relied more heavily on Derrick Henry down the stretch to get the offense near the top 10 in DVOA, but it fell woefully short of preseason expectations. Dismissing one or both coordinators would be an acknowledgement that something needs to change for the Ravens to recapture their form as Super Bowl contenders. The question is whether there are any internal or external candidates who could be an immediate upgrade for a win-now team that values continuity. What happens with Nnamdi Madubuike? Since the star defensive lineman was ruled out for the season with a neck injury in late September, there have been few updates about his status. How long will the two-time Pro Bowl selection be out, and does the injury threaten his career? The 2020 third-round draft pick signed a four-year, $98 million contract extension before the 2024 season. It’s unclear what kind of salary cap relief, if any, the Ravens would receive if Madubuike, 28, is forced to retire. But as long as he’s out, the Ravens will be missing a key piece in the middle of their defense that they have struggled to fill since his departure. Will the Ravens invest in a pass rusher? Dre’Mont Jones led the Ravens with seven sacks this season. Just 2 1/2 of those came in Baltimore after he was acquired at the trade deadline from the Tennessee Titans. Baltimore’s long search for a star pass rusher will continue this offseason. But just how aggressive will they be in getting one? The 14th overall pick is a nice consolation prize to land an impact player in a class that’s already being heralded for its depth among the edge rushers. There are also some big names to consider in the trade pool, such as the Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby, the Miami Dolphins’ Bradley Chubb and the New York Giants’ Kayvon Thibodeaux. Trey Hendrickson and Jaelan Phillips will be at the top of the free agent market. Veterans Von Miller (9 sacks) and Jadeveon Clowney (8 1/2 sacks) might not be ready to retire yet, either. Will Tyler Linderbaum and Marlon Humphrey return? Linderbaum has turned into a three-time Pro Bowl selection, which means that the 2022 first-round draft pick will be a highly sought after free agent. Spotrac projects his average annual value at $17.7 million, which would rank among the highest on the Ravens’ roster. After giving new deals to Madubuike, linebacker Roquan Smith, Henry, tight end Mark Andrews, safety Kyle Hamilton, defensive tackle Travis Jones and left tackle Ronnie Stanley in recent years, and with Jackson’s contract clogging up the salary cap at the moment, there might not be enough money left to secure one of the league’s best centers. That creates more uncertainty on an offensive line that also needs to decide what to do with starting guards Daniel Faalele, a pending free agent, and Andrew Vorhees. Both rated below average by Pro Football Focus’ grading and often drew the ire of fans for their lowlights. Emery Jones Jr., a 2025 third-round draft pick, is the heir apparent after getting some playing time near the end of the season, including when both Faalele and Vorhees were banged up Sunday night. Then there’s Humphrey, who has one year and $19.25 million left on his contract and is due a $4 million roster bonus on the fifth day of the 2026 league year. That’s among the top salaries at the position for a player who turns 30 years old in July and is not as fast and athletic as he once was. The Ravens could let him play out the final year of his deal (perhaps on a lower salary) or move on. Either way, his situation is worth watching. Have a news tip? Contact C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

PITTSBURGH —The win probability in the final three minutes Sunday night flickered by more than 40 percentage points before the Ravens let slip what would have been a third straight AFC North crown. They lost to the Steelers, 26-24, in heart-breaking fashion at Acrisure Stadium. Here are five things we learned from the game: Sunday night’s fourth quarter epitomizes Ravens shortcomings Was there a more fittingly cruel way for this season to end than that fourth quarter? It was an incredible show of theater. Just when you were ready to count the Ravens out, they gave you a reason to believe. Then, as they have repeatedly this time of year, fell short in a critical moment. The final stanza ping-ponged in the way Baltimore’s season did, with incompatible phases of the football, one giving another a chance but the three never neatly tethering together. “This sucks. This moment sucks,” linebacker Roquan Smith said. “We had the game right there, right there in our grasps, and it slipped away.” Sunday night proved one of the craziest games in a lengthy rivalry. The Ravens and Steelers duked it out for three hours. They traded body blows in the fourth quarter, scoring a combined 27 points. Ultimately, Pittsburgh clinched its first division title since 2020 and sent home the Ravens, who hadn’t missed the playoffs since 2021. The Ravens’ postgame locker room was a cocktail of frustration and confoundment. They were supposed to be a Super Bowl contender. They weren’t supposed to be 1-5. They were supposed to be the kind of team who could rally and make the playoffs. They weren’t supposed to slip in December and rally before the new year only to face plant in January. Lamar Jackson was equal parts “devastated” and “furious” for how it ended. “It’s disappointing,” coach John Harbaugh said. “I think our guys fought. We were that close to winning the [AFC] North, and we didn’t get a chance to get it done. So, all that other stuff is history. We had a chance to do it; we didn’t do it. We’re disappointed, and we’ll move on.” Tyler Loop misfires season’s final bullet There he sat, still in full uniform while most others had already showered. Loop cupped his head between his hands. At one point, he pulled a Bible out from his bag and peered at a passage. A few teammates walked over to show support. As holder Jordan Stout said, most of those messages fell on deaf ears in the immediate aftermath. What can you say to a 24-year-old rookie kicker who just missed the biggest kick of his life? “I honestly don’t know,” veteran long snapper Nick Moore said. “It’s a very difficult situation to be in. Obviously, we practice for that all season. We spend every single day, every single week working for that moment. At the end of the day, all you can do is do your best. It just didn’t work out for us there. The truth of the matter is that it was a nearly impossible situation to thrust an untested rookie into. Before Sunday night, Loop had only attempted three second-half field goals to tie or take the lead. He made a go-ahead chip shot in the third quarter against Minnesota, nailed a game-tying 44-yard attempt in the fourth quarter against Cleveland and missed a 56-yard try that would have broken a tie with the Patriots. That’s not very many opportunities to prepare for the pressure of shouldering a season-on-the-line kick while many of the 65,400 fans swirled yellow towels in his peripheral. Whether Loop could be ready for a moment like this was a question going back to August. Baltimore hadn’t had that problem in years, relying on Justin Tucker, perhaps the greatest kicker ever, whose Ravens tenure ended during an NFL investigation into allegations by more than a dozen local massage therapists of sexual misconduct. Three months later, the Ravens drafted his successor. Loop showed a powerful swinging leg and confident stroke, but could the kid be trusted in a moment like that for a team that believed it had Super Bowl potential? “I feel for Tyler,” running back Derrick Henry said. “I talked to him. I just told him just to keep his spirits up, deal with it tonight, and then tomorrow, the sun rises again.” Related Articles Ravens offseason guide: Draft picks, free agents, biggest questions Tyler Loop’s miss puts spotlight on Ravens’ checkered kicking history NFL pundits react to Ravens’ stunning 26-24 loss to Steelers: ‘MVP Lamar’ The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 26-24 loss to Steelers Ravens 2026 schedule: Home vs. Chargers, road vs. Cowboys highlight slate Loop said he knew right as his foot struck the ball that it was a misfire. “We call it hitting it thin. It spins fast and goes off to the right,” he said, with Stout and Moore standing over each shoulder. Loop admirably answered 11 questions about the most disappointing moment of his football life. He explained further that when he kicks a football, he aims for the fourth lace of the shoe but that strike felt a little low. His toe scraped a few blades of grass on the downswing, too. Harbaugh ushered Loop off the field and into the locker room. The longtime coach had a private conversation with his first-year kicker, held an arm behind Loop’s back and consoled him on the way inside. In the visiting locker room, a few seats to Loop’s left, sat one of the few Ravens who knew what Loop was going through Sunday night. Mark Andrews dropped the ball at the goal line in the final play of last year’s season. “It’s tough to be in that position. I know that,” Andrews said. “Football’s like life. It’s about how you bounce back. How hard is he gonna work to be in moments like that? I love Tyler and everything he stands for. I know that he’s gonna carry through and be great.” Added Stout: “They’re going to make a movie about him one day. Ten years down the line when he’s the best in the league, I think he’ll look back on it as the moment that made him.” Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson played one of his best games of the season Sunday night in Pittsburgh. It still wasn't enough. (Matt Durisko/AP) It took 18 weeks, but Lamar Jackson finally played at the MVP level we’re used to Doubting Jackson is a futile exercise. Eventually, at some point, no matter how long it takes, he will make you eat your words. This season has been a trying one for Jackson. He toiled through injuries to half his body. For two months, he failed to log a full week of practice. There were questions about his relationship with his coach and accusations levied against his work ethic. “You’ve got to be calm in the storm,” Jackson responded last week. That he was. Although it will almost certainly be lost in the annals of a storied rivalry and rocky season. Baltimore’s first drive was as smooth as we’ve seen all year, capped by a 38-yard pass to a wide-open Devontez Walker. The offense sputtered from there. Stout punted on four of the next six Ravens drives. Loop hit one field goal then Jackson had a pass tipped into the arms of defensive lineman T.J. Watt for the game’s only interception. Jackson took three sacks, and the offense could barely cross midfield. Then came the fourth quarter. The two-time Most Valuable Player flashed the sort of illogical mastery we’ve come to expect. He escaped two free rushers, held onto the ball for more than five seconds and lofted a deep ball to Zay Flowers for a go-ahead touchdown. Then, when Pittsburgh responded with a go-ahead drive, leaving less than four minutes on the clock, Jackson did it again. He silenced Acrisure Stadium flinging a third-down touchdown pass to Flowers, who on this night, shed the criticism of being a Pro Bowler who couldn’t deliver in the clutch. Trailing again on the final drive, Jackson did it again with a fourth-down rocket to Isaiah Likely that got them into field goal range. “I thought that the plays that were made were incredible,” Harbaugh said. “The sad thing is some of that will get overshadowed now a little bit, but Lamar made some phenomenal plays.” Jackson had a perfect passer rating in the fourth quarter. In the final frame alone, he completed 6 of 8 passes for 171 yards. That was Jackson taking the reins from Derrick Henry, who shouldered much of the offensive burden in the game’s middle half. He ran for 126 yards on 20 carries. Even Pittsburgh’s league-best run defense over the past month had a hard time corralling the 32-year-old future Hall of Famer. It was Jackson who gave his team a chance late Sunday night. He stormed up and down the sideline telling his team, “Let’s be legendary. Let’s put the drive together [in] 55 seconds. We practiced this — 55 seconds and three timeouts.” He came back from injury and, although inconsistent throughout the night, executed at a high level in crunch time. At the twilight of this bristly year, that served as a reminder of who Jackson is. Kyle Hamilton was the Jenga piece that kept the Ravens defense standing this year It was bleak. And it happened rather quickly. Kyle Hamilton and Alohi Gilman collided on an innocuous, incomplete second-down throw. Both Baltimore safeties were shaken up. Gilman stepped into the blue medical tent first to be evaluated for a concussion. He was back on the field three plays later. Hamilton stepped in next. At that moment, it felt more pressing to lock eyes on the visiting sideline rather than track the driving Steelers. Hamilton eventually emerged between blue cloth doors. He didn’t put a helmet on. Baltimore’s highly paid defensive centerpiece joined medical staffers on a cart aimed toward the locker room. The last thing Hamilton saw was Steelers fullback Connor Heyward punch in a tush-push touchdown that tied the game at 10 apiece. With Hamilton on the field, the Steelers offense averaged 3.9 yards per play on 38 plays. They had a 37% success rate, according to analyst Warren Sharp. Without Hamilton, Aaron Rodgers’ offense picked Baltimore apart for 6.9 yards per play on 35 plays at a 60% success clip. Even Harbaugh had a tough time quantifying Hamilton’s impact. “It was definitely not a good thing,” he said. Baltimore’s quintessential Swiss Army knife has fit into every corner of Zach Orr’’s defensive scheme and masked issues at every level. “He is not a guy that you could just plug and play somebody and play the same way,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. “It made us adjust how we were calling our defense, and we, obviously, tried to fill the gaps, but we just weren’t able to get it done down the stretch.” The same defense that bowed up before halftime, keeping Pittsburgh from scoring six feet from the end zone, floundered late. In the fourth quarter, Rodgers connected with tight end Pat Freiermuth on a critical third-and-8 that set Pittsburgh up inside the 5-yard line. Kenneth Gainwell scored two plays later. On the next Steelers drive, Rodgers, who didn’t have his top receiver, DK Metcalf, had no issues operating a two-minute drill that ended in a long toss up the left sideline to Calvin Austin. Austin stutter-stepped Chidobe Awuzie and found green grass. Rodgers finished the night with 294 yards passing. He completed 31 of 47 passes and a touchdown. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said after the game, as he has in recent weeks, this was Pittsburgh’s vision when they recruited Rodgers in the spring. “They made some really good plays, and we didn’t do as well as we needed to do,” Harbaugh said. “We really didn’t get enough sacks. I think we had one sack, maybe, two sacks. You want to get there, and you want to get to [Rodgers] a little more. “It’s the chunk plays that have gotten us, and they came up again in this game, and yes, it’s really disappointing. It’s not something that should happen as much as it did. They gave up some chunk plays, too, in the back end, so it’s football, and it happens, but we don’t want that to happen.” John Harbaugh and the Ravens will watch this year's NFL postseason from home. (Matt Durisko/AP) Decisions will need to be made It’s natural when a season ends this way — far short of expectations in such gut-wrenching fashion — that questions arise about personnel and leadership roles. This was the third season in Harbaugh’s 18-year tenure the Ravens finished with a losing record. As there have been all year, there will be calls for a coaching change. Only owner Steve Bisciotti can make that decision. But players in the locker room backed their coach as Sunday night turned into Monday. “I love Coach Harbaugh. I would love to see him at this organization,” Henry said. “As far as those decisions, that’s out of my pay grade. I don’t make those decisions, but yes, I love everybody in this organization. I tried my best this year, but just didn’t do enough to get it done.” Added Andrews: “I love Coach Harbaugh and Lamar. The type of men that they are and the type of leaders that they are. I couldn’t ask for a better organization and better people to be able to come to work every day and just try to compete and win with.” And Smith: “I hear, ‘Coach this. Coach that.’ But at the end of the day, yes, Coach can be here and there, but it’s the players that make the plays on the field, and [it’s] the players who go out there on the field. When I turn on the film, even play in and play out, I felt like we were in really good calls, and it was about the players actually executing the call and not getting lackadaisical [or] complacent. I feel like that’s something that we have to work on. I don’t know what it is, personally, but it’s something.” However, the Ravens stumbled in the AFC championship game two years ago, lost to the Bills in the AFC divisional round a season ago and failed to make the playoffs this year. So something is bound to change — whatever that is. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article

It all came down to a kick. On a night that served as the de facto AFC North championship game, the Ravens faced the moment without the certainty that they had relied on for more than a decade. After an offseason in which the Ravens released franchise legend Justin Tucker — who spent 13 seasons with the team and established himself as one of the greatest kickers in NFL history before more than a dozen sexual misconduct allegations ended his tenure — there was a new kicker in Baltimore. The team drafted Tyler Loop in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft to lock down the position for the next decade. So, of course, a division title and a playoff berth came down to a kick. One directly over the end zone that a Pittsburgh priest had blessed with “holy water” before the game. It ended with Loop’s head down, both hands gripping his facemask as the Steelers’ sideline rushed onto the field to celebrate. Lamar Jackson hopped in anticipation, then stopped. A blank stare overcame him as he congratulated players from the opposing team. A missed 44-yard field goal attempt, wide right. Season over. “Devastating. Furious,” Jackson said after the 26-24 defeat. “I’m everywhere with it right now.” The 26-24 loss echoed the end of the 2011 season, when Billy Cundiff missed a potential game-tying kick in the AFC championship game with 11 seconds left. Tucker was brought in as an undrafted free agent the ensuing offseason. He was transformative. Thirteen years of near-automatic kicks erased any potential fear that Cundiff created. He turned the franchise’s most painful memory into its greatest certainty. And for more than a decade, even when everything else faltered, the kick rarely did. Until Sunday night. Loop said that he knew the moment the ball left his foot that he missed it. The Ravens coach him to strike the ball on the fourth lace, he said, but he missed too low. Related Articles Ravens offseason guide: Draft picks, free agents, biggest questions 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ season-ending 26-24 loss to the Steelers NFL pundits react to Ravens’ stunning 26-24 loss to Steelers: ‘MVP Lamar’ The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 26-24 loss to Steelers Ravens 2026 schedule: Home vs. Chargers, road vs. Cowboys highlight slate “Unfortunately, I just mishit the ball,” Loop said. “We call it hitting it thin. It spins fast and goes off to the right.” The miss was set up by Jackson’s 26-yard completion to tight end Isaiah Likely on fourth-and-7, which moved the Ravens into field goal range with 21 seconds left. Pittsburgh had made the go-ahead opportunity even possible a drive earlier when kicker Chris Boswell missed an extra point attempt after Calvin Austin III’s go-ahead touchdown catch, keeping it a two-point game with 55 seconds to go. Boswell had made 89 extra points in a row before his crucial miss. Asked what he would have done if Loop’s kick had gone in, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin offered a blunt response. “If my aunt had male parts, she’d be my uncle,” Tomlin said. Loop said after he was drafted that he welcomed the chance to follow in Tucker’s footsteps. He said he wanted “to be chasing perfection.” NBC analyst Rodney Harrison said that it looked like Loop was doing exactly that in his warmup kicks — and that it worked against him. Harrison said Loop appeared uncomfortable, like someone who had never been in that moment before. He hadn’t. It was Loop’s first kick all season in that situation. His latest attempt to tie or take the lead before Sunday came from 44 yards with 4:59 remaining at Cleveland on Nov. 16. Coach John Harbaugh walked with Loop after the game, an arm around his waist. Loop later sat at his locker and read a prayer he had written before kickoff. Jackson later reposted a video on X suggesting a leveraging penalty should have been called on Steelers receiver Ben Skowronek, though no flag was thrown and the TV broadcast never suggested a missed call. Baltimore Ravens place kicker Tyler Loop (33) reacts after missing a field goal during an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)Baltimore Ravens place kicker Tyler Loop (33) attempts a field goal as time expires during an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) misses a field goal attempt during the second half an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) misses a field goal attempt during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) walks off the field with offensive tackle Carson Vinson (71) after an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) reacts after missing a field goal in the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) misses a field goal attempt during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) watches his missed field goal attempt during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) attempts to kick a field goal that was missed during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)Show Caption1 of 10Baltimore Ravens place kicker Tyler Loop (33) reacts after missing a field goal during an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)Expand Loop said that his phone was filled with encouraging messages from family and friends. Loop spoke with reporters for more than seven minutes, repeatedly emphasizing how much the season meant to him. “I’m super grateful to Baltimore — the organization, the city — just how they’ve embraced me this year is incredible,” he said. “Just for it to end like that sucks.” The team stood by him. Long snapper Nick Moore and holder Jordan Stout remained at his side as he spoke with reporters. Jackson said Loop should just “leave it in the past.” The quarterback said that he had spoken to Loop earlier in the fourth quarter and was “livid” after the kicker sent a kickoff out of bounds — a penalty that gave the Steelers possession at the 40-yard line — with 8:42 remaining, just after Jackson connected with Zay Flowers on the first of two deep fourth-quarter touchdown passes. Pittsburgh scored a go-ahead touchdown on the ensuing drive as part of a wild back-and-forth ending. On the final play before the missed kick, Jackson took a knee — losing 2 yards — to center the ball for Loop, a decision Harbaugh later defended. “It was a close kick. You want to center the ball,” Harbaugh said. “We wanted to make sure we got the kick. We didn’t want something bad to happen on the run.” Loop finished his rookie season converting 30 of 34 field goal attempts, the 12th-highest percentage in the NFL. This was his first missed field goal attempt inside 50 yards all season. Stout said that he told Loop that the moment did not define him. He added that even if Loop couldn’t absorb the message immediately, he planned to keep supporting him and being there in the days ahead. “No one should have to start out their rookie year like this, especially at the end of the year. He doesn’t get another chance to show people what he’s capable of,” Stout said. “Ten years down the line when he’s the best in the league, I think he’ll look back on it as the moment that made him.” Meanwhile, Tucker — who owns the third-best field goal percentage in league history and once held the record for the longest field goal — remains a free agent eligible to sign with a team after serving a 10-game suspension imposed by the NFL. And despite a promising rookie campaign that suggested Loop could fill those shoes, it will be remembered for one kick. The final one. It’ll lead to only more questions about the futures of Harbaugh and Jackson with the Ravens. And it resurrects a familiar ending to a season in Baltimore. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, or x.com/Mikephowes. View the full article

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson did just about everything he could Sunday to lead his team to the postseason. It didn’t work out that way. Despite the quarterback’s fourth-quarter heroics, Baltimore’s defensive struggles and a missed kick by Tyler Loop doomed its season. The Steelers beat the Ravens, 26-24, to win the AFC North and make the postseason. Here’s what national pundits had to say about Baltimore’s heartbreaking defeat in Week 18 of the NFL season: Bill Simmons, The Ringer Simmons focused some of his postgame analysis on Baltimore’s 10-0 lead. Early in the game, it looked as if the Ravens were going to run away with a victory, only for the Steelers to slowly crawl back into the game and then keep pace offensively in the final 15 minutes. “I do think this is one of those games that if they played it 20 times, I think the Ravens probably win 16 of the 20,” he said. “There’s a version of this game where they’re just up 20-3 in the second quarter … it just felt like a bunch of those moments where they couldn’t get over the hump. And then Pittsburgh, as soon as Hamilton — who’s the best guy on the defense — goes out, Pittsburgh starts moving. You got to give them credit, though, they’ve won a few of these.” Tim Hasselbeck, ESPN Hasselbeck says that Jackson delivered on the big stage, but his struggles throughout the season as he battled injuries was part of why Sunday’s game even mattered at all. “Lamar was MVP Lamar tonight,” the former NFL quarterback said. When you needed it the most, a negative play turned into a go-ahead, winning touchdown pass to Zay Flowers. He was MVP Lamar, but you find yourself in this situation because he wasn’t for the season.” Mina Kimes, ESPN “I don’t even know what you say about the Ravens at this point, man. If it isn’t one thing it’s another,” the analyst posted on X. It’s been a series of heartbreaks for Baltimore during Jackson’s tenure. The 2023 and 2024 seasons included narrow playoff losses to AFC rivals, and the 2025 season ended with a two-point defeat to a bitter rival because of a missed 44-yard field goal attempt. It’s been a challenging few seasons for Ravens fans hoping for a Super Bowl title. Jonathan Jones, CBS Sports Jones shared a few thoughts about John Harbaugh’s future in Baltimore. Some fans want the Ravens to move on from Harbaugh. “We’ll see what happens over these next couple of months,” Jones said. “It’s a heart-wrenching loss. Do I think that Harbaugh will not be the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens in 2026? Not right now. If they had gotten run out of the building, then we could have a different conversation … I do think Harbaugh is back in 2026.” Bryant McFadden, CBS Sports The former Steelers defensive back thinks that the Ravens’ defense doesn’t meet the franchise standard. “When I look at the Baltimore Ravens when I played with the Pittsburgh Steelers, one thing we knew they were going to have? Pass rushers or a pass rusher that would initiate all the success,” McFadden said. “They don’t have that guy right now. Kyle Van Noy is that guy, but he’s a bit older. What happened to the Terrell Suggs, the Peter Boulware’s of the world?” Baltimore sacked Rodgers twice in the game, but Pittsburgh’s quarterback largely played from a clean pocket. He passed for 294 yards Sunday, marking only the second time all season he eclipsed 275 passing yards. The other time? Dec. 7 against the Ravens. Related Articles Ravens offseason guide: Draft picks, free agents, biggest questions 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ season-ending 26-24 loss to the Steelers Tyler Loop’s miss puts spotlight on Ravens’ checkered kicking history The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 26-24 loss to Steelers Ravens 2026 schedule: Home vs. Chargers, road vs. Cowboys highlight slate Patrick Peterson, CBS Sports Peterson, a former NFL cornerback, took a forward-looking approach to analyzing the defeat. He’s not sold on Baltimore’s roster construction. “They need a prolific pass catcher,” Peterson said. “The Baltimore Ravens haven’t had a prolific pass catcher since Steve Smith? Anquan Boldin? Derrick Mason? They need to go out and find some prolific pass catchers, and 100%, they need pass rushers. They have the interior linebacker, but they don’t have that pass rusher that can get to the passer on a consistent basis.” Mike Tomlin, Steelers coach Not a pundit, of course, Tomlin delivered a notable one-liner in Sunday’s aftermath. Asked about a hypothetical scenario where the Ravens instead made the last-second field goal to beat his team, Tomlin had a quick reply. “If my aunt had male parts, she’d be my uncle,” he said. Pittsburgh, not Baltimore, advances to the playoffs. The Steelers host the Texans next week in the AFC wild-card round, as Ravens fans will be left wondering, “What if?” until September. Have a news tip? Contact Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

PITTSBURGH — Here’s how the Ravens graded out at every position in their 26-24 loss to the Steelers in Pittsburgh in Week 18: Quarterback Lamar Jackson played well, especially in the second half when the Ravens fell behind. Jackson completed 11 of 18 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns and had touchdown passes of 50 and 64 yards in the fourth quarter. He also completed a 26-yard pass over the middle to tight end Isaiah Likely, which set up rookie Tyler Loop’s missed 44-yard field goal as time expired. Jackson had a rough start, but came through in crunch time. Grade: A Running backs Derrick Henry rushed 20 times for 126 yards and the Ravens stayed with his power most of the game, and that in itself should have been enough. Henry had a long run of 41 yards, but the Ravens need help in finding a pass-blocking running back because Rasheen Ali isn’t quite good enough. Also, backup running back Keaton Mitchell looked tired during the game and had little acceleration, even though he had a big kickoff return late in the game. Grade: B Offensive line Baltimore finished with 137 yards rushing and averaged 5.1 yards per carry. As a unit, they did fairly well in the first half, but the Steelers started cramming the line of scrimmage in the second half to slow down Henry, which worked. The Ravens have struggled pass blocking all season and their best play has always been Jackson running around and improvising. Pittsburgh finished with three sacks and five hits on the quarterback. The Ravens finished with 359 yards of total offense, but Jackson made this group look better than it played. Grade: C+ Receivers Zay Flowers had a big game and had four catches for 138 yards with touchdown receptions of 50 and 64 yards in the fourth period. It still remains to be seen why linebacker Patrick Queen was covering Flowers on the 50-yard touchdown pass. The rest of the group was complementary as usual and the Ravens got ample production from tight ends Mark Andrews and Likely, who each had two catches. Grade: C Defensive line The Steelers got enough from their running game to offset some of the pressure on quarterback Aaron Rodgers. In fact, Pittsburgh running back Jaylen Warren rushed 14 times for 66 yards, and the Steelers appeared to wear down the Ravens’ defense in the second half. Pittsburgh had 390 yards of total offense, and the Ravens didn’t get much pressure in the final two quarters. Brent Urban played well in goal-to-go situations, and John Jenkins add three tackles as well to tie Urban. But the Ravens can’t get pressure from the interior line. That’s become the standard for this group. Grade: C Linebackers It was very strange but fitting that middle linebacker Roquan Smith finished with only three tackles. He was victimized over the middle by the Pittsburgh tight ends and receivers, where Rodgers kept hitting them with slant patterns. The Ravens played well in the first half, but the group seemed to tire in the second. Weakside linebacker Simpson finished with eight tackles and has played well since replacing injured fourth-round pick Teddye Buchanan. Tavius Robinson finished with six tackles including one sack and one hit on the quarterback, but the Ravens need a dominating force up front. Grade: C Secondary The Ravens tried to mix and match coverages but they still have one major weakness during the past two seasons. They can’t tackle. Safety Kyle Hamilton had nine tackles and fellow safety Alohi Gilman had eight, but the Ravens missed several opportunities and it was the usual suspects like cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins and safety Malaki Starks. Plus, Rodgers completed 31 of 47 passes for 294 yards and a touchdown, and he finished with a passer rating of 90.2. Worse part, he is 42 years old and beat up on the Ravens with a lot of short passes in the flat. Grade: D Special teams Rookie placekicker Tyler Loop had a good season, but it was only a matter of time before the final verdict was determined by attempting a game-winning field goal in the cold with postseason aspirations on the line. He failed, and let’s just hope the rookie can recover. Overall, he’s still a good kid who replaced Justin Tucker, the best kicker in NFL history. Punter Jordan Stout averaged 47.8 yards per punt and bailed Baltimore out with good field position in the first half as Jackson struggled. Keaton Mitchell had a 41-yard kickoff return to set up Loop’s failed attempt at the end. Grade: B Coaching The Ravens stayed with Henry, and that’s been a problem area the past two years. Jackson gave the offense a new dimension by doing what he does best, running around and making plays, but the Ravens need to find offensive linemen who can pass block. Defensively, the Ravens were lost again in the secondary, and the final 26-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Austin III was unacceptable. There needs to be some changes on both sides of the ball. Grade: C Related Articles Ravens 2026 schedule: Home vs. Chargers, road vs. Cowboys highlight slate Ravens’ season ends in heartbreak as Tyler Loop misses FG on last play of 26-24 loss to Steelers Instant analysis from Ravens’ 26-24 season-ending loss to Steelers Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton ruled out vs. Steelers; Nate Wiggins exits in 4th quarter Ravens vs. Steelers, January 4, 2026 | PHOTOS View the full article

The 2025 NFL regular season is over, which means the 2026 matchups are set. For the Ravens, who lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night to finish as the runner-up in the AFC North, that means playing a second-place schedule for the first time since 2022. In addition to their six games against the AFC North — three at home and three away against the Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals — the Ravens will face the AFC South, NFC South and the runners-up of the AFC East, AFC West and NFC East. Under the NFL’s scheduling rotation, the Ravens will host the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Chargers. They’ll play road games against the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys. NFC teams will have the extra home game in 2026. In finishing 8-9 this season after last-second heartbreak in Pittsburgh, Baltimore fell just short of becoming the fourth team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger and the first since the 2020 Washington Football Team to overcome a 1-5 start and make the playoffs. In a roller-coaster season, just two of the Ravens’ wins came against teams that made the postseason: the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley started both of those games for injured star Lamar Jackson. The Ravens also uncharacteristically struggled at home, going 3-6 at M&T Bank Stadium for their first losing record in Baltimore since 2015. Since coach John Harbaugh’s first season in 2008, the Ravens have won 102 home games, which ranks third-most in the NFL over that span behind only Green Bay and New England. Next season figures to be much easier in Charm City, with the Saints (6-11), Titans (3-14) and Buccaneers (8-9) all finishing below .500 in 2025. At the same time, the Jaguars (13-4) and Chargers (11-6) were among the top teams in the AFC and are the most likely bets for a prime-time home game in 2026, especially with the Harbaugh brothers connection between Baltimore and Los Angeles. The road slate also includes three teams that finished below .500 in the Falcons (7-10), Panthers (8-9) and Colts (8-9). But the Texans (12-5) and Bills (12-5) put together strong seasons and are likely to be Super Bowl contenders again. The Cowboys went a disappointing 7-9-1 but always draw attention. Those three matchups are likely to be appealing for the NFL’s schedule-makers when it comes to setting prime-time dates, too. Thanks to a pair of flexible scheduling games in Weeks 16, 17 and 18, the Ravens finished the 2025 season with seven prime-time games, going 2-5 in them. Even coming off a disappointing regular season, the Ravens are likely to command the spotlight once again next year when the full schedule is announced in May. Ravens 2026 opponents Home: Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Jaguars, Titans, Saints, Buccaneers, Chargers Away: Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Falcons, Panthers, Colts, Texans, Bills, Cowboys Have a news tip? Contact C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. Related Articles Ravens’ season ends in heartbreak as Tyler Loop misses FG on last play of 26-24 loss to Steelers Instant analysis from Ravens’ 26-24 season-ending loss to Steelers Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton ruled out vs. Steelers; Nate Wiggins exits in 4th quarter Ravens vs. Steelers, January 4, 2026 | PHOTOS Ravens vs. Steelers live updates: Postgame reaction, analysis from 26-24 loss View the full article

PITTSBURGH — A week ago, a watch party at Ravens coach John Harbaugh’s home for the Steelers’ loss to the Browns in Cleveland turned “uncorked,” the 18th-year coach said. By Sunday night, however, the mood had turned rightfully sour. In a win-or-go-home contest against its biggest rival, Baltimore’s season fizzled out like week-old champagne, at least when it mattered most. Trailing the Steelers 26-24 with 2 seconds remaining in a wild back-and-forth second half of back-and-forth lead changes down the stretch, rookie kicker Tyler Loop missed a 44-yard field goal attempt wide right as time expired. Super Bowl favorites at the start of the season, the Ravens’ championship hopes were officially extinguished at the convergence of the Ohio, Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, where so many of their dreams had died before and did so once again in familiarly excruciating fashion. Even when the Ravens looked like they’d find a way to win, they couldn’t. Leading 24-20 with just over two minutes remaining after Lamar Jackson (11 of 18 passing 238 yards, three touchdowns, one interception) connected on a 64-yard touchdown pass to Zay Flowers for the go-ahead score, 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers (31 of 47 passing, 294 yards, one touchdown) drove the Steelers 65 yards in six plays, connecting with a wide-open Calvin Austin III on a busted coverage for the game-clinching score. Still, Baltimore had a chance. Steelers kicker Chris Boswell missed the extra point, and Keaton Mitchell’s kick return gave the Ravens the ball just short of midfield. Faced with a fourth-and-7 from the 50, Jackson connected with tight end Isaiah Likely, who made a spectacular leaping catch to get the Ravens within field goal range. But like so many other opportunities, this was another missed one. The loss to Pittsburgh in the regular season’s final week officially eliminated Baltimore from playoff contention. The Steelers are AFC North champs for the first time since 2020 and will host a wild-card playoff game against the Houston Texans next Monday night. Ravens players will disperse on Monday after Baltimore failed to reach the postseason for the first time since 2021. The defeat was also the fifth in Baltimore’s past six trips to the Steel City. More notably, it brings an end to a year that began with so much promise and ended with a thud, with only frustration and questions that will echo across the weeks and months ahead. Questions about Harbaugh’s future, those of his offensive and defensive coordinators Todd Monken and Zach Orr, respectively, and even the franchise quarterback who eight years ago on draft night promised to bring a Vince Lombardi trophy to Charm City. Instead, it’s wait till next year — again. Related Articles Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton ruled out vs. Steelers with concussion Ravens vs. Steelers, January 4, 2026 | PHOTOS Ravens vs. Steelers live updates: Baltimore takes 17-13 lead in 4th quarter Texans clinch AFC’s No. 5 seed, will face Ravens or Steelers on road Ravens WR Rashod Bateman ruled out vs. Steelers; 2 players called up Whatever the fallout, these Ravens will almost certainly not look the same next season. As for this 30th anniversary campaign, it will go down as an abject disaster. It was just two years ago that the Ravens were on the precipice of the sport’s final and biggest game. Harbaugh and Jackson led the Ravens to the NFL’s best record at 13-4 and the AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium. But Baltimore did what it has done too often of late when the stakes are the biggest and came up small in a 17-10 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs, with questionable coaching decisions over play calling, missed scoring opportunities and three costly turnovers providing plenty of offseason fodder and fury. Last season, the Ravens stumbled early — the sting of the previous year perhaps still lingering — but bounced back. Facing a two-game deficit in the division with four to play, they won out, including against the nemesis Steelers, to capture a second straight AFC North crown. Yet, their postseason woes continued, losing 27-25 to the Buffalo Bills in a performance stained by three crucial turnovers, including two by Jackson, and a dropped would-be game-tying 2-point conversion pass by Mark Andrews with 93 seconds remaining. This time, and despite expectations, the Ravens didn’t come close to even making it that far. Five losses in their first six games — including squandering a 15-point fourth-quarter lead to the Bills in upstate New York — nearly torpedoed their chances from the start. Along the way, Jackson injured his hamstring and missed three games, two of them losses. Like previous years, though, the Ravens climbed their way out of the hole they’d dug themselves, rattling off five straight wins to climb to the top of the division. Turn the corner? It was all a tease. Baltimore dropped two straight division games at home, matching a franchise high with five turnovers in a Thanksgiving night debacle against the Cincinnati Bengals at home then getting bullied by the Steelers the next week. The first shutout of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s NFL career followed, then the Ravens blew another double-digit fourth-quarter lead, this time to the New England Patriots in Baltimore. With Jackson injured after suffering a back contusion in that defeat, the Ravens rode the long and strong legs of Derrick Henry to a victory over the Green Bay Packers last week to keep their faint playoff hopes alive. The Steelers breathed further life into them with a loss to the Browns a day later, setting up the first matchup for the division title in the season’s final week between the longtime foes. But like the rest of the year for the Ravens, it was one step forward, two steps back. Now the party is over. 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’ season-ending 26-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the final game of the 2025 NFL regular season on Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh: Brian Wacker, reporter Like so many games before the Ravens had victory within their grasp until they didn’t. Not even some late-game would-be heroics by Lamar Jackson and Isaiah Likely or Derrick Henry’s running could save them. Tyler Loop’s missed field goal to win the game epitomized Baltimore’s failings as a team and an organization this season. Now there will be a long offseason of questions that will linger deep into the night from the head coach on down. Mike Preston, columnist The Steelers and the Ravens created one of the craziest games in their history, and Pittsburgh was fortunate to come out on the victorious end and win the AFC North championship. With the win, the Steelers earned a No. 4 seed in the postseason and will play the Houston Texans on Monday night in Pittsburgh. It was a wild finish with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson throwing two long touchdown passes in the final four minutes and helping set up rookie Tyler Loop for the potential game-winning 44-yard field goal that was off the mark as time expired. Sam Cohn, reporter That’s about as gut-wrenching an ending to this Ravens season as we could’ve imagined. Season on the line, the Ravens had a chance. That fourth quarter pingponged in a show of unbelievable theater. Lamar Jackson and Zay Flowers had a legacy fourth quarter. These Ravens haven’t played complementary football all season. On the biggest stage, under twinkly January lights, a blown defensive coverage cost them. But the offense did its part. And Loop’s missed kick sent the Steelers sideline into a frenzy. A long offseason awaits. C.J. Doon, editor Every year, the same nightmare. Only this time it didn’t even come in the postseason. Not officially, anyway. The Ravens had this game won, it seemed, when they led 10-3 and bowed up to stop the Steelers at the goal line to end the first half. Then, Kyle Hamilton and Alohi Gilman collided. Hamilton left the game on a cart, bound for the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion. As NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth said, “I can’t tell you how much of the Ravens’ defense just went into the tent and off the field with Kyle Hamilton.” If that wasn’t bad enough, Lamar Jackson’s pass got tipped and picked off by — who else? — T.J. Watt. Another year, another backbreaking turnover at a critical moment. Need everyone be reminded of the Mark Andrews fumble last year? Jackson’s exasperated reaction, hands raised, said it all. “How is this happening again?” That wasn’t the worst of it. Far from it. To see Chris Boswell miss an extra point attempt — just his second missed PAT in four years –to give the Ravens life, only for it be snatched away by rookie Tyler Loop’s miss was a haunting sequence. I think it would be risky to fire John Harbaugh and bet on another coach coming in and leading the Ravens to greater heights. The injuries are enough of a reason to give him some grace for a disappointing season. But maybe there’s an argument that something drastic needs to change for Baltimore to rid itself of this curse when it comes to important games. It’s been a long time since the magic of 2012. Owner Steve Bisciotti and general manager Eric DeCosta have a lot to ponder this offseason, including a potential Jackson extension and how much that should cost. Trading him seems like the nuclear option that would only come with the belief that Jackson’s best days are behind him. That would be another huge bet. But what perhaps hurts the most is that it felt like this team, despite all the drama and frustration this season, had the potential to go on an amazing run in what’s shaping up to be a wide-open AFC. It’s a shame that we’ll never know for sure. Tim Schwartz, editor The Ravens went right down the field on their opening drive and scored a touchdown with ease. How did it go so wrong from there? Inexplicable, really. Derrick Henry had nearly three times as many rushing yards as the Steelers had yards in the first quarter. Baltimore was sticking to its script. It spiraled from there, as it has so many times over the past few years. Even with Lamar Jackson’s magical moment — a go-ahead 50-yard touchdown pass to Zay Flowers early in the fourth quarter — you could almost sense that Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers would answer. And they did. And even after Jackson and Flowers were given a gift with 2:20 left — a completely blown coverage for a wide-open 64-yard score — Pittsburgh had the answer. Again. This season was a flat-out disaster for the Ravens, so it’s fitting it ended this way, falling short with one final shot at redemption. A huge offseason awaits. Who survives it? Don the Ravens run it back with coach John Harbaugh and quarterback Lamar Jackson? Does either coordinator come back? Does Eric DeCosta’s seat start to get hot? Will owner Steve Bisciotti address any of this with the media for the first time in four years? We’re going to find out much sooner than any Ravens fan wanted to. Bennett Conlin, editor How did Baltimore lose that game?? The Ravens jumped out to a 10-0 lead and looked poised to demolish a short-handed Steelers squad. Even after an awful stretch in the middle of the game, Baltimore rallied to take a 17-13 lead in the fourth quarter. Then the Ravens led, 24-20, later in the quarter. All they needed at the end was a 44-yard field goal to win it. The Ravens couldn’t hold on, finding a way to lose a game it seemingly had in the bag at multiple points. It’s a fitting end to the 2025 season. Losing to an aging Aaron Rodgers and a middling Steelers team twice in one season? It’s inexcusable. Finishing 8-9 despite having one of the most talented rosters in the NFL? That’s also inexcusable, even considering injuries to Lamar Jackson. Baltimore needs an offseason shake-up. Whether that’s major changes to the roster or a coaching staff overhaul remains to be seen, but the Ravens can’t just run it back next season. This season was baffling. Have a news tip? Contact C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton exited Baltimore’s Sunday night game against Pittsburgh in the third quarter after an awkward collision. He was later ruled out with a concussion. Hamilton and safety Alohi Gilman hit helmets shortly after halftime while contesting a pass to Calvin Austin III. Both were evaluated for a concussion, but Gilman returned on the next play following a timeout. The secondary then took another hit when cornerback Nate Wiggins exited the game in the middle of the fourth. Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers offered Hamilton a fist bump as Hamilton walked to the sideline after the play. Hamilton was carted off as Steelers fullback Connor Heyward scored a touchdown to tie the game at 10 in the third quarter. Pittsburgh took a 13-10 lead one possession later on a 25-yard Chris Boswell field goal. The 2021 first-round pick is the centerpiece of Baltimore’s defense, totaling 53 tackles and two forced fumbles entering the game. He recorded nine tackles before exiting. The Ravens traded for Gilman on Oct. 7. The move allowed Hamilton to split time at linebacker, safety, slot corner and along the edge. He earned his third Pro Bowl selection and is Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded safety. Gilman, rookie Malaki Starks and Ar’Darius Washington will try to fill his void the rest of the game. Wiggins exited after his leg was rolled up on by Steelers running back Jaylen Warren with 8:05 remaining in the fourth quarter. He remained on the ground briefly before being helped off the field by trainers. Cornerback T.J. Tampa replaced him. The Steelers retook a 20-17 lead with 3:49 remaining. Wiggins recorded two pass deflections and four tackles before exiting. He had three interceptions entering the game. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, or x.com/Mikephowes. Related Articles Ravens vs. Steelers, January 4, 2026 | PHOTOS Ravens vs. Steelers live updates: Baltimore takes 17-13 lead in 4th quarter Texans clinch AFC’s No. 5 seed, will face Ravens or Steelers on road Ravens WR Rashod Bateman ruled out vs. Steelers; 2 players called up Ravens assistant to become Georgia Tech offensive coordinator: reports View the full article

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jabrill Peppers (40) reacts after Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop's missed field goal attempt in the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) watches his missed field goal attempt during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) attempts to kick a field goal that was missed during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Devontez Walker, top, celebrates with wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) after a touchdown by Flowers during the second half an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Adam Thielen (16) pulls in a catch during the second half an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl) Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Connor Heyward (83) pushes for a touchdown during the second half an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) carries the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) is tackled by Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl) Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) is stopped short of the endzone during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens safety Alohi Gilman (12) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko) Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) runs for yards during the second half an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) runs after a catch during the second half an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl) Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton (14) is looked at after a play during the second half an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell (34) carries the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl) Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) reacts after being stopped short of the endzone during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens safety Alohi Gilman, left, reacts after the Pittsburgh Steelers were stopped on fourth down during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, right, hands the ball off to running back Derrick Henry (22) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, center, is tackled by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Tavius Robinson, left, during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl) Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith (0) and safety Alohi Gilman (12) react after stopping Pittsburgh Steelers on fourth down during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl) Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) dives for yardage as Baltimore Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins (2) defends during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens guard Daniel Faalele reacts after a play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) runs with the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson runs out of bounds during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith, left, moves in to sack Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) looks to throw during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Devontez Walker (81) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Devontez Walker (81) runs in a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Devontez Walker (81) runs in a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) carries the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl) Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell (34) is unable to pull in a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson warms up prior to Sunday's game against the Steelers. (Gene J. Puskar/AP) View the full article

The Ravens visit the Steelers for a prime-time matchup Sunday. The winner secures the AFC North crown and makes the postseason, while the loser’s season will end. Follow along here for live coverage and analysis. View the full article

HOUSTON — C.J. Stroud accounted for two touchdowns and Ka’imi Fairbairn made a go-ahead field goal with 12 seconds left to lift the Houston Texans to a 38-30 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday that extended their winning streak to nine games. The victory gives the Texans (12-5) the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs. Defensive tackle Tommy Togiai scooped up a fumble on the final play and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown to pad the lead. The Texans clinched a third straight postseason berth last week and they had a chance to win the AFC South with a victory and a Jacksonville loss. But with the Jaguars up big over the Titans at halftime, coach DeMeco Ryans opted to rest quarterback Stroud, defensive stars Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter, Derek Stingley and several other starters after the break. The Colts led 30-29 after a field goal with about 2 1/2 minutes to go before Fairbairn’s 43-yard kick put the Texans on top 32-30 and gave him a career-high six field goals in the game. Rookie Riley Leonard had 270 yards passing with two TDs and he ran for another score. But he also lost a fumble and threw an interception in his first NFL start after the 44-year-old Philip Rivers started the past three games for the Colts after coming out of retirement. It’s the seventh straight loss for the Colts (8-9), who were eliminated from postseason contention with Houston’s win last week. Stroud had an 11-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and added a 2-yard run in the period to put the Texans up 20-10. The Texans trailed 27-26 early in the fourth when Alijah Huzzie picked off Leonard to give them great field position. They failed to move the ball and settled for a 44-yard field goal to take a 29-27 lead. Jonathan Taylor had 14 carries for just 26 yards to end the season with 1,585 yards and finish second in the NFL in yards rushing behind Buffalo’s James Cook. Alec Pierce had four receptions for a season-high 132 yards with two touchdowns before being ejected late in the third quarter for making contact with an official. He was ejected when he brushed an official with his arm as he was complaining about a flag not being thrown on a pass intended for him in the end zone. He was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and disqualified. The Colts took a 24-23 lead on a 1-yard TD scamper by Leonard on Indy’s first drive of the second half. That score was set up by a 53-yard reception by Pierce. Houston went back on top with a 43-yard field goal later in the third. After the penalty on Pierce, the Colts settled for a 39-yard field goal that put them up 27-26. Houston took a 13-10 lead when Stroud threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Higgins with about 9 ½ minutes left in the first half. About a minute later, Danielle Hunter sacked Leonard and caused a fumble which Henry To’oTo’o recovered on the 2-yard line. Stroud ran for the score on the next play to make it 20-10. Pierce’s second touchdown came on an 8-yard grab that capped a 92-yard drive and cut the lead to 20-17 with about 90 seconds until halftime. Fairbairn’s 29-yard field goal extended the lead to 23-17 at halftime. Leonard connected with Pierce on a 66-yard touchdown pass to put the Colts up 7-3 early in the first. Fairbairn’s second field goal of the game cut the lead to 7-6 later in the first. A 50-yard field goal by Blake Grupe pushed Indy’s lead to 10-6 near the end of the quarter. Injuries Houston RB Jawhar Jordan injured his ankle in the second quarter and didn’t return. Up next The Texans will hit the road for the playoffs next week with an opponent to be determined. View the full article

The Ravens will be without one of their top playmakers for Sunday’s must-win game. Wide receiver Rashod Bateman was ruled out Saturday with an illness for Sunday night’s de facto AFC North championship game against the host Pittsburgh Steelers. Bateman was initially listed as questionable Friday after missing practice all week. Coach John Harbaugh said Friday that Bateman “had a pretty serious flu situation all week” but that the wide receiver did some individual drills before Friday’s practice. Harbaugh said he expected the illness to “clear up by Sunday.” Cornerback Marlon Humphrey also missed Friday’s practice with an illness and was ruled questionable to play. “I think a lot of teams are dealing with this right now around the league,” Harbaugh said of the illnesses. If Humphrey can’t play, Chidobe Awuzie would likely step into a starting role on the outside. Awuzie has played 436 snaps at outside corner this season, allowing 23 catches for 259 yards and one touchdown. Bateman, 26, has just 19 catches for 224 yards this season. He missed two games with a high ankle sprain that he suffered in a win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 10. This past summer, the 2021 first-round draft pick signed a three-year contract extension worth $36.75 million, with $20 million guaranteed, making him the first wide receiver in the organization’s 30-year history to receive a third multiyear contract with the team. In other moves, the Ravens elevated wide receiver Keith Kirkwood and defensive back Amani Oruwariye from the practice squad for Sunday night’s game. Kirkwood, 32, has 24 catches for 294 yards and three touchdowns in his career with the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers but hasn’t played in an NFL game since late in the 2023 season. Oruwariye, a seven-year pro, has played one game with the Ravens this season, with all of his snaps coming on special teams. Defensive tackle Taven Bryan, who signed midseason to help bolster an injury-plagued front, was not activated from injured reserve and was downgraded to out for Sunday’s game. Have a news tip? Contact C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. Related Articles Ravens assistant to become Georgia Tech offensive coordinator: reports QB Joe Flacco appreciative of his chance to play for the Bengals Josh Tolentino: Ravens walk fine line of promise and frustration | COMMENTARY Ravens vs. Steelers staff picks: Who will win Sunday night in Pittsburgh? Ravens veteran NT John Jenkins ‘surprised’ by extension, his first in NFL View the full article

The Ravens’ season isn’t over yet, but the team’s coaching staff is already changing. Georgia Tech is finalizing a deal to make Ravens tight ends coach George Godsey the school’s new offensive coordinator, according to multiple reports Saturday, first by ESPN. Godsey, 47, is a graduate of Georgia Tech, where he played quarterback from 1998 to 2001 under coach George O’Leary and was teammates with current Yellow Jackets coach Brent Key. Godsey, the program’s record-holder for single-season passing yards (3,085), is set to replace Buster Faulkner, who left to take the same job at Florida under new coach Jon Sumrall last month. Godsey, 47, is a graduate of Georgia Tech, where he played quarterback from 1998 to 2001 under coach George O’Leary and was teammates with current Yellow Jackets coach Brent Key. Godsey, the program’s record holder for single-season passing yards (3,085), is set to replace Buster Faulkner, who left to take the same job at Florida under new coach Jon Sumrall last month. A North Carolina native, Godsey began his coaching career as an assistant at Central Florida from 2004 to 2010 before jumping to the NFL with the New England Patriots, Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins and Ravens from 2011 to 2025. He was the offensive coordinator with the Texans during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, calling plays under coach Bill O’Brien as Houston won back-to-back AFC South titles. Godsey served as co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach with the Dolphins under coach Brian Flores in 2021 before being hired by the Ravens in March 2022. He interviewed for the Ravens’ offensive coordinator position to replace Greg Roman at the end of the 2022 season, a job that eventually went to then-Georgia assistant Todd Monken. In Godsey’s three seasons in Baltimore, the Ravens’ tight ends have been among the most productive groups in the league led by three-time Pro Bowl selection Mark Andrews and fourth-year pro Isaiah Likely. Andrews recently agreed to a three-year contract extension through 2028 worth $39.3 million with $26 million guaranteed, while Likely and 2022 fourth-round draft pick Charlie Kolar are set to become free agents at the end of the season. Godsey also helps oversee six-time Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard. The Ravens enter a de facto AFC North championship game Sunday night against the host Pittsburgh Steelers, with the winner clinching a playoff berth and a home game as the No. 4 seed while the loser is eliminated from postseason contention. Have a news tip? Contact C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

CINCINNATI — After opening the season as the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns facing the Cincinnati Bengals, Joe Flacco will close the season as the backup for the Bengals as they face the Browns on Sunday. Flacco was dealt to the Bengals in October and made six starts for the Bengals while Joe Burrow was out with a toe injury. “I don’t really think about putting a label on it,” Flacco said. “It’s crazy. Seasons always go by quick once they’ve started. But the way that this one went, it seems like it flew by.” During the summer, in Cleveland Browns training camp, Flacco won a competition for the starting quarterback job and made four starts for Cleveland. In Week 1 against the Bengals, Flacco threw for 290 yards. He said that over the past 17 weeks, he has seen improvement from the Bengals defense. Now, he refers to the Bengals defense as his team’s defense. “We’re stopping the run,” Flacco said. “We’re getting more pressure on the quarterback. When you combine those two things, it’s going to help you out.” While Flacco went 1-5 as a starter in Cincinnati, the 40-year-old played well. He threw for at least 200 yards in four of his six starts, and the Bengals offense averaged more than 27 points per game. Flacco said that he developed a lot of respect for Bengals coach Zac Taylor. “He has a lot of strengths,” Flacco said. “He’s really good at what he does. His demeanor, his overall personality and the way he leads men is really good. The way he puts game plans together. Also, he’s willing to allow it to be collaborative. That’s a strength. His game day play-calling is also something he does really well.” Burrow took over as the starter when he returned on Thanksgiving, and Flacco has been the backup over the past month. Flacco will be a free agent again at the end of the season. As he evaluates his options, he’s hoping to find another chance to play and to start. “That’s always a priority,” Flacco said. “I’m somebody who wants to play football. You’ve got to assess and see whatever is thrown your way. You have to go from there and see what you can do about it.” He said that he’d be open to returning to the Bengals, but he’ll weigh several factors. “I haven’t really thought about it,” Flacco said. “I don’t hope to do anything. I have an idea of maybe of what some goals would be. I’ll go from there and see what happens.” View the full article

The Ravens have spent the entire season balancing a fine line between promise and frustration. They have taken advantage of timely breaks and won games that kept them within arm’s reach of the first-place Steelers. Baltimore also has endured collapses, injuries, coaching mishaps and personnel misfires that left little margin for comfort. Not much about this wild season has felt clean, and all that tension leads directly to Sunday night. For the first time in the franchise’s 30-year history, the Ravens and Steelers will meet in a winner-takes-all regular-season finale for the AFC North crown and a playoff berth. Consider the highly anticipated Game 272 as a determinator of whether this season will be remembered as flawed but resilient or talented but unreliable. Inside the Castle, the Ravens insist they are ready for the moment. “I see a team that’s high energy and ready to go,” coach John Harbaugh said Friday. “It was a great team meeting. It was a lot of fun, but it was also very focused and detailed. Guys are locked in for football. We have a bunch of guys that love football, and they love the opportunity that they have, and they want to go make the most of it.” That opportunity exists only because the Ravens survived their own inconsistency by returning to their run-first identity. They also received some outside help, of course. In a reflection of Baltimore’s rollercoaster season, there was the opener at Buffalo, in which they looked unstoppable before critical mistakes snowballed into an unforgettable collapse. The fallout from Baltimore’s Week 1 stumble bled into a 1-5 start, but the battered Ravens slowly rose from the mat, responding with a season-long five-game winning streak between Weeks 8 to 12. Since then, the Ravens have lost three of their past five games, including a Dec. 7 home defeat to the Steelers, setting up Sunday night’s finale at Acrisure Stadium. “It’s win or go home,” running back Derrick Henry said. “It’s basically like we’re in the playoffs. Going into Pittsburgh, they are a division rival who we both know each other very well. I feel like we’re the underdog going into this game. They came into our house and beat us. They have a better record, so I feel like they’re up on us. We have to execute this week and go in there with a great plan to go execute.” Execution, of course, has been the team’s recurring challenge. When they play clean football, the Ravens look like one of the league’s most dangerous teams. Unfortunately, those moments have been sparse and difficult to identify with much consistency. Related Articles Ravens vs. Steelers staff picks: Who will win Sunday night in Pittsburgh? Ravens veteran NT John Jenkins ‘surprised’ by extension, his first in NFL Ravens QB Lamar Jackson gets full week of practice; key defender missing Staff picks for Week 18 of 2025 NFL season: Panthers at Buccaneers, Seahawks at 49ers and more Ravens vs. Steelers scouting report for Week 18: Who has the edge? Despite the constant turbulence, the Ravens have at least traveled well. They enter Week 18 tied with the Chargers for the second-best road record in the AFC (5-2), a helpful reminder that when Baltimore operates with physicality and controls the line of scrimmage, it can handle hostile environments. After losing their first two road games at Buffalo and Kansas City, the Ravens have rattled off five consecutive wins away from M&T Bank Stadium. The regular season’s final road test: at Pittsburgh. “I just want to win,” quarterback Lamar Jackson said. “I don’t really care about the criticism, it’s going to be that way, especially with how the season was going. There is always noise. It’s the National Football League. We just have to focus on winning.” There is also the broader context that makes this opportunity feel palpable, despite all of Baltimore’s shortcomings. For the first time since 2014, the Chiefs, who’ve too often felt like the Ravens’ kryptonite, will miss the playoffs. Patrick Mahomes has advanced to at least the conference championship game in all seven of his seasons as Kansas City’s starting quarterback. Not this year, however. Will the Ravens be ready to take advantage of a Mahomes-less AFC field? Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson talks with offensive coordinator Todd Monken at practice Friday. "There is always noise. It’s the National Football League. We just have to focus on winning,” Jackson said. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) “It’s going to be a physical game, and it’s on the road. I think we need to play smart, but not play timid,” safety Kyle Hamilton said of the Steelers. “I think there’s a fine line there, especially in this game. You can’t go out there holding any of your bullets in your gun, because you have to let them all go; it’s win or go home … let it rip at the end of the day. Whoever loses the game, it’s their last game of the year. So, whatever the outcome, you don’t want to be sitting in the locker room saying you could have done more.” A postseason berth wouldn’t completely salvage the season, especially if a potential playoff run is short-lived. The Ravens entered the season widely considered as Super Bowl favorites, and quickly fell out of the picture. That should continue to serve as the backdrop to whatever ending comes to fruition in the near future. Will the Ravens finally be able to shed themselves from inconsistency that has plagued them far too long? “Potential is one thing that’s untapped,” veteran linebacker Roquan Smith said. “We’ve done it, but we haven’t done it on a consistent basis week-in and week-out, play-in and play-out. So, I just think it’s a great opportunity knowing the stakes that we have for this game to just come out and show who we are. “We are looking at this game as a part of the new season, so I’m very excited and very eager to get out there and show the world.” 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

Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Sunday night’s Week 18 game between the Ravens and Steelers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh that will decide the AFC North champion: Brian Wacker, reporter Steelers 20, Ravens 17: Receiver DK Metcalf not being available for the Steelers is significant, if not game-shifting. The Ravens’ defense is also not nearly as good as the Cleveland Browns’, so Aaron Rodgers, a masterful operator, should be able to have some success against cornerbacks Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey as well as linebacker Trenton Simpson underneath and over the middle. If the Ravens learned anything from last week’s win over the Green Bay Packers, it’s that moments like these are why they got Derrick Henry. The bruising back ran for 162 punishing yards against the Steelers in an easy and crucial win in Baltimore last December, though Pittsburgh didn’t have stout rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon then. The return of Lamar Jackson also bolsters the offense. But weird things happen in Pittsburgh, which has been a house of horrors for the Ravens’ quarterback and a few of his teammates in recent years. The longer this game stays close and the more discordant it is, the more that favors the Steelers. The Ravens, meanwhile, have been a tease all year. Why would this be any different? Sam Cohn, reporter Ravens 20, Steelers 17: A few factors that could help determine how this game goes intertwine like a loaf of challah. The Ravens have been much sharper on the road (5-2) than they are at home (3-6). They’ve also played worse in prime time games, compared with the afternoon slate. Both quarterbacks are in line for legacy games: Jackson, a quintessential final test for this bumpy regular season; and Rodgers, 42 years old looking to turn back the clock in what could be his final shot at a playoff run. The upward trend of the Ravens of late compared with the downward arrow in Pittsburgh gives me more confidence in Baltimore — by a smidge. It feels like a toss up between two teams unworthy of playoff contention. All that said, no DK Metcalf leaves a gaping hole in the Steelers’ offense. Metcalf torched the Ravens when these teams met a few weeks back. Expect Rodgers to play better than he did in Cleveland, but not by enough to overpower what is still a talented Ravens secondary. Mike Preston, columnist Ravens 24, Steelers 10: Unless the Ravens turn the ball over, they should win this game, and do it fairly easily. Pittsburgh is missing two of its top receivers and doesn’t have a long ball threat in the absence of DK Metcalf, who is serving the second of a two-game suspension. Pittsburgh’s run defense is good, but the Ravens should keep pounding the ball with Derrick Henry. Not only do they control the time of possession, but they also keep their No. 25 ranked defense off the field. Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers has to have a great game, but that doesn’t seem promising without a big-time receiver on the outside. Josh Tolentino, columnist Ravens 24, Steelers 21: Lamar Jackson returning to practice as a full participant in all three sessions for the first time in two months might be the headliner ahead of this fascinating Week 18 showdown, but the Ravens need to run the ball again and again with Derrick Henry, who will be celebrating his 32nd birthday Sunday night. The Steelers regain key cog Derrick Harmon, a stud rookie defensive tackle who missed the first meeting involving these two teams, and might sell out to stop King Henry. But Todd Monken must lean on the team’s identity and physicality in this win-or-go home matchup. When Jackson is asked to create explosive plays, the two-time NFL MVP must prioritize ball security and not gift Pittsburgh any free possessions. The Ravens lost their first two road games at Buffalo and Kansas City, but have since rattled off five straight wins away from M&T Bank Stadium. With Baltimore riding the shoulders of Henry, plus Jackson’s pending return, Sunday night figures to be road win No. 6. C.J. Doon, editor Ravens 20, Steelers 16: Lamar Jackson is available, and DK Metcalf isn’t. Need we say more? Sure, there’s a world in which Jackson is rusty and struggles against a Pittsburgh defense that has slowed him down many times before, but he has the luxury of handing it off to Derrick Henry. The Steelers’ best playmaker right now is Kenneth Gainwell. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Adam Thielen and Scotty Miller are too old, Calvin Austin III is banged up, and Roman Wilson is unproven. It would take a comedy of mistakes and missed opportunities for the Ravens to squander this opportunity that was handed to them on a silver platter thanks to the Browns’ surprising win over Pittsburgh last week. The real question to me isn’t whether the Ravens win this game, but how far they go after that. Some sportsbooks already make Baltimore a slight favorite at home against the Texans, the likely No. 5 seed, in the wild-card round. This game is a perfect test to see whether the Ravens can finally start to show that Super Bowl potential. Bennett Conlin, editor Ravens 23, Steelers 17: The Ravens’ biggest weakness is probably their secondary, but without DK Metcalf, can Pittsburgh really stress Baltimore’s corners? The Steelers’ injury and suspension situation looks more dire than Baltimore’s. A healthier Lamar Jackson obviously helps the Ravens, but offensive coordinator Todd Monken shouldn’t need to put the game in Jackson’s hands, especially if he’s less than 100% healthy. The plan for Baltimore should be simple: Give the ball to Derrick Henry and play decent defense against a short-handed Steelers offense. This is a de facto playoff game, but the Steelers don’t look like a playoff team with Metcalf sidelined. Tim Schwartz, reporter Ravens 28, Steelers 21: Lamar Jackson is back. Derrick Henry is rolling. The defense has turned a corner. Is that enough for the Ravens? It should be against a Steelers squad that has been reeling and looked totally lost last Sunday in Cleveland without wide receiver DK Metcalf. Baltimore rediscovered its identity without Jackson by running Henry over and over. This coaching staff should know by now that that is the Ravens’ recipe for success. Count on Jackson to manage the game and pick up some key third downs and Baltimore will win. A loss very well could spell the end of the Harbaugh-Jackson relationship, so they better show up. Patrice Sanders, FOX45 Morning News anchor Ravens 27, Steelers 24: The Ravens have come a long way since a 1-5 start to the season. It’s been a year of injuries and ups and downs, but here we are. It all comes down to this one game. If the Ravens have Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, I think they can do it. Baltimore needs to feed the ball to Henry and go for a division title. Have a news tip? Contact Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article