ExtremeRavens

CINCINNATI – A half-filled Paycor Stadium grew quiet as the final seconds to the Ravens’ first shutout since 2018 ticked down. The visitors’ locker room was anything but. Rap lyrics leaked through the concrete walls, down the hallway and past security as players, coaches and team personnel yelled over one another. John Harbaugh’s celebratory message and the team’s resounding reply echoed into the tunnel. For a team that has spent much of the season navigating unease, this sounded like pure relief. On the field, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens played with the same levels of necessary urgency and physical dominance in a 24–0 shutout of the Bengals, a Sunday afternoon win that kept their playoff hopes alive and eliminated Cincinnati from postseason contention with three regular-season games remaining. At last, the embattled offense leaned into its roots. “I believe all of us on offense had good rhythm,” Jackson said. “It felt like us. We just have to keep pushing the envelope.” Excluding three end-of-game kneel-downs from backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, Baltimore ran the ball on 21 of its 37 offensive plays, representing 56.7% of coordinator Todd Monken’s play calls. Lead tailback Derrick Henry averaged an impressive 9.1 yards per carry, while speedy backup Keaton Mitchell averaged an equally impressive 8.3 yards per rush. While the Ravens dictated a majority of the AFC North contest with their physicality, they did so without needing to dominate time of possession. Both scoring drives lasted just five plays. Ten snaps total, spanning 159 combined yards. Explosive gains replaced the slow bleed, incomplete drives and red-zone stalls that have hampered the offense for much of the season. The Ravens finished the Week 15 contest with just one three-and-out. Yup. Just one. “We really don’t get a lot of explosive plays like that,” wideout DeAndre Hopkins said. “So just kind of getting back to our ball, Zay [Flowers] making plays, Lamar doing his thing on the ground, and not turning the ball over.” The Ravens did have one turnover, but that was more so a byproduct of a drop from Flowers that resulted in a lucky interception for Bengals safety Jordan Battle. The conditions Sunday weren’t forgiving. The Ravens’ second meeting with the Bengals ranked among the coldest games in franchise history, a numbing afternoon that stiffened fingers and increased overall soreness. Jackson wore a glove on his non-throwing hand to help manage the cold temperatures (minus-1 degree at kickoff). During Baltimore’s first touchdown drive, Jackson scrambled for 14 yards, cutting up the middle and accelerating without much hesitation. It was the fastest he’s looked in weeks after dealing with multiple lower-body injuries. The drive also featured a 32-yard Jackson strike to Hopkins down the right hash. A few plays later came perhaps Jackson’s most impressive sequence of the chilly afternoon. Cincinnati showed a zero-blitz look, but Jackson quickly recognized the pressure and smartly flipped the ball to Rasheen Ali in the flat. The third-string halfback sprinted untouched 30 yards to the end zone, capturing the first touchdown of his career. Jackson completed 8 of 12 passes for 150 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He was sacked four times, but the pocket never looked overwhelmingly chaotic. His passer rating of 114.7 marked his highest since Oct. 30 against Miami, a notable swing after a stretch of uneven performances that dragged his numbers down in recent weeks. “One thing about Lamar, he will take some sacks sometimes,” coach John Harbaugh said. “But I also think it’s a function of Lamar having a pretty good feel for the fact that he can make some plays. So he held the ball in there a couple of times, a little longer than maybe he’s going to make you comfortable — and yet found receivers.” Related Articles Mike Preston: Ravens finally play with identity in Bengals win | COMMENTARY The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 24-0 win over Bengals Ravens put it all together, keep playoff hopes alive with 24-0 win over Bengals Instant analysis from Ravens’ 24-0 win over Bengals in Week 15 Ravens vs. Bengals, Dec. 14, 2025 | PHOTOS Late in the second quarter, Jackson delivered one of his cleanest end-of-half sequences this season, capped by a 28-yard touchdown completion to Flowers in the left corner of the end zone. Jackson and his teammates said that the Ravens had some of their most intense and detail-oriented practices of the season leading into the Bengals game. That urgency was apparent throughout. Baltimore recorded its first shutout since 2018, overwhelming a Joe Burrow-led offense that failed to establish rhythm, despite nearly doubling the Ravens in time of possession (20:41 vs. 39:19). The Ravens controlled the line of scrimmage and with their backs against the wall, protected their season. Across the way, the Bengals were mathematically done. “We just wanted to attack,” defensive end Dre’Mont Jones said. “We knew we had [the Bengals] on their heels, based on how they looked, how they were calling it, their demeanor. They didn’t feel lively to me. I felt it from play No. 1 that they weren’t ready to play. It was too cold for them. “Everyone in [our locker room] is ear to ear, smiling.” Said Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase: “Sometimes you just get your butt whipped.” Indeed. The Ravens kept pressing and swarming their opponent. There was no late-game collapse this time around. The overall operation under Harbaugh was clean, too, with the Ravens committing a season-low two penalties. Jackson improved to 5–0 at Paycor Stadium, now owning an incredible 17-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio in Cincinnati. No matter how bad things are going, some places just suit the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player like South Florida, or in this instance chilly Southeast Ohio. “I say we played better than a playoff team,” Jackson said. “Hats off to everybody, but I feel like we can still do more.” Inside the concrete walls of the visiting locker room, the sound kept rising. From an up-close view, it sounded and felt like a team that prepared with urgency, played fast and sensed early that this day belonged to them. By the time the music and the Harbaugh-led cheers concluded, Cincinnati’s stadium was quiet again. The Ravens, for at least one more week, felt very much alive. Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. Ravens coach John Harbaugh arrives before Sunday's win over Cincinnati. He was equally happy after the convincing result. (Carolyn Kaster/AP) View the full article

CINCINNATI — Soon after the Ravens had beaten the Bengals, Baltimore coach John Harbaugh declared it was the team’s most complete game of the season. How do you take that? It was indeed the Ravens’ best game of the 2025 season, the first shutout since 2018, but it came against the Bengals who have the worst defense in the NFL, allowing 410.5 yards a game including an average of 155.5 rushing. So, which one is it? It’s either the glass is half full or half empty. Let’s quickly settle the dispute and reach this conclusion: the Ravens won, and are now 7-7 with most of the eyes in Baltimore focused on Monday night’s game with Pittsburgh taking on the Miami Dolphins. And they showed some passion. Finally. In several ways, the Ravens did improve. They rushed for 189 yards on 24 carries as Derrick Henry had 11 carries for 100 yards, and change-of-pace back Keaton Mitchell had eight attempts for 66 and came close to breaking two long runs. There is still doubt about what has taken offensive coordinator Todd Monken so long to get Mitchell into the mix, but at least the Ravens played to their strengths as opposed to having pass protection problems. The wide receivers seemed interested, and quarterback Lamar Jackson did enough to spread the ball around. Four receivers had receptions, including a perfectly lofted pass from Jackson over two defenders to slot receiver Zay Flowers, which resulted in a 28-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. A 30-yard check down from Jackson to Rasheen Ali resulted in a touchdown from the right flat about four minutes earlier. And that defense? Oh my. They sacked quarterback Joe Burrow three times and hit him on 10 other occasions. Cincinnati’s offensive tackles are terrible, but there is no complaining at this point. Baltimore even made tackles on the back end. Safeties Alohi Gilman, Kyle Hamilton and cornerback Nate Wiggins each finished with eight. That’s not a misprint. Wiggins had eight. But even more than the improved tackling, the Ravens’ ability to at least keep track of Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase showed they had a tough guy attitude. They haven’t had it all year. There were some borderline cheap shots and late hits on Burrow, but there were no penalties. Until the referees call one, stay the course and keep banging Burrow. There was left offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley going after defensive end Joseph Ossai on what Stanley perceived as a cheap shot on Jackson in the third quarter. Football is about tackling, blocking and execution, but also about fights, emotion and passion. That’s what has been missing from this team. They need more tough guys, more players with that “crazed dog” personality that former New York Giants and Hall of Fame outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor used to talk about. Related Articles The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 24-0 win over Bengals Ravens put it all together, keep playoff hopes alive with 24-0 win over Bengals Instant analysis from Ravens’ 24-0 win over Bengals in Week 15 Ravens vs. Bengals, Dec. 14, 2025 | PHOTOS Sources: Ravens fear LB Teddye Buchanan suffers torn ACL vs. Bengals “I think we’re pissed off we lost to them the first time, I’m not going to lie,” said Gilman, who helped return an interception for an 84-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. “So, that’s kind of where I came from. But at the end of the day, it’s about us. It’s about our defense, it’s about our team. December football, that’s what we preached. How can we get better in December and be the best, be at our peak?” That’s a goal, and it’s realistic, but it was the Bengals. They are a sorry bunch. Paycor Stadium was half-filled, and there was no excitement or any buzz in the stadium. In fact, once the Ravens got a 14-0 lead at halftime, this game was virtually over. Earlier on Wednesday leading up to the game, Burrow was quoted as saying he was not having fun playing football. That came days after the Bengals lost, 39-34, to Buffalo. So much for inspiring your teammates. As for the Ravens, the offense had moments but it wasn’t like they dominated Cincinnati for four quarters. Of their two scoring drives, one was for 79 yards on five plays and the other was five plays for 80 yards. That’s it, folks. Baltimore had 317 yards of total offense compared to 298 for Cincinnati. Quarterback Lamar Jackson completed 8 of 12 passes for 150 yards, and the touchdown pass he threw to Flowers was his best of the season. He also had a 12-yard run around the left end where he looked like the Jackson of old. But Jackson was also sacked four times and again looked indecisive as far as running or throwing the football. He took one sack in the last minute of the third quarter where he had both center Tyler Linderbaum and right guard Daniel Faalele out in front of him, but he held the ball and was eventually sacked by linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. There were a lot of highs and lows in this game, and you came away wondering if this team really got its act together Sunday in Cincinnati. They had a running game. They had a pass rush. Players in the secondary actually made tackles, and kept everything in front of them. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson hands off the ball to running back Derrick Henry in Baltimore's 24-0 win over Cincinnati. The Ravens rushed for 189 yards in the victory. (Kareem Elgazzar/AP) Yet at the same time, it was the Bengals. If the Ravens didn’t have five turnovers, they probably would have beaten them on Thanksgiving night. Maybe this was a turning point for the Ravens or maybe both teams should be banned by the NFL from making the postseason. Regardless, it was the best game the Ravens have played this season. “That is our identity, and we have been playing that way,” Harbaugh said. “We’ve been playing with physicality. To see it come together with some fruits of our labor, it was really good to see today. But yes, that’s a big part of December football.” We will see. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

Here’s how the Ravens graded out at every position in their 24-0 win over the Bengals: Quarterback Lamar Jackson played his best game since late October. There are still some things lacking, but he threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to receiver Zay Flowers in stride in the second quarter, and there were times when he ran and made quicker decisions. His 12-yard scamper around the left end in the second quarter was exceptional, and it was his most electrifying run of the season. But Jackson still took four sacks and was indecisive at times about when to run, especially going around right end with two offensive linemen in front of him in the third quarter. But Jackson 8 of 12 passes for 150 yards and finished with a passer rating of 114.6. He is still fluttering too many passes. Grade B- Running backs Baltimore did what it needed to do, and it punished the worst run defense in the NFL (155.5 yards allowed per game) as the Ravens finished with 189 yards on just 24 carries. Derrick Henry finished with 100 yards on 11 attempts and backup Keaton Mitchell ran eight times for 66 yards, and came close to breaking a couple of long runs. The Ravens also got a touchdown reception on a short pass to Rasheen Ali in the second quarter, which was an audible by Jackson. After a slow first quarter, Baltimore dominated Cincinnati. Grade: B Offensive line The Ravens did what they do best, and that’s run block. They have had the best run blocking group in the NFL for the past two seasons, and they punished Cincinnati almost every way possible. They ran inside the tackles and used tosses as well as pitches around the corner. A lot of those runs were behind left tackle Ronnie Stanley and guard Andrew Vorhees. This was a total beatdown and something Baltimore needed. It still gives up too much ground on twists and stunts in pass protection, but the game plan was catered to their strength, and that’s knocking the defensive line off the ball. Grade: B Receivers At least the Ravens appeared interested, unlike the past two weeks. It appeared Jackson made a conscious effort to get the receivers involved with Zay Flowers, the slot receiver, becoming the top weapon. Besides his touchdown catch down the left side, and in between two defenders, Flowers finished with three catches for 68 yards. Tight end Mark Andrews also had two catches for 18 yards, and outplayed any Cincinnati player that tried to cover him one on one in the second half. Even veteran DeAndre Hopkins contributed with a 32-yard reception. Overall, a solid performance by this group on a day when the Ravens dominated with a strong running game. Grade: C Defensive line The Bengals had absolutely no running game. None. They finished with 100 yards rushing on 29 carries, but Cincinnati’s running game was an attempt to keep the Ravens off Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. In all honesty, the Ravens had no respect for Cincinnati’s run offense or their two top rushers, Chase Brown and Samaje Perine. The Ravens dominated the Bengals up front with tackles Travis Jones and John Jenkins, who each had four tackles. Also, Bengals offensive tackles Orlando Brown Jr. and Amarius Mims couldn’t contain any of Baltimore’s outside pass rushers. The Bengals finished with 298 yards of total offense, and Burrow had no places to run or to hide from the consistent pressure up front, even deep down in the trenches. Grade: B+ Linebackers The Ravens kept pressure on Burrow for most of the game by beating the two weak tackles. Outside linebackers Mike Green, a rookie, and Dre’Mont Jones were consistently in the face of Burrow, forcing him to move. Baltimore had three sacks and finished with 10 hits on Burrow. Even strong side linebacker Kyle Van Noy had a good day, but not quite as impressive outside linebacker Tavius Robinson who had a sack and two pressures. He forced Burrow to move several times, and that happens when a player has been out of the lineup for a substantial period of time. Robinson has been on injured reserve since Week 6. Middle linebacker Roquan Smith led the team in tackles with 14, but a serious knee injury to rookie weakside linebacker Teddye Buchanan could be costly. Looks like third-year player Trenton Simpson has to step in and up. Grade: B Secondary The Ravens finally made tackles on the back end. There were no whiffs and no dropping of the heads. They kept everything in front of them, and that’s easier to do when playing with a lead instead of from behind. They found a way to neutralize Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who seemed uninterested from the start of the game. Without receiver Tee Higgins, out from a concussion suffered last week against Buffalo, Cincinnati had no other weapons and tried to throw short to intermediate passes over the middle. The Ravens smothered most of those, and all three cornerbacks, Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins and Chidobe Awuzie, covered well. Baltimore had a good rotation on the back end to provide ample support. Grade: B+ Special teams Reserved tight end Charlie Kolar had three assisted tackles on special teams and linebacker Jake Hummel had two assisted tackles as well. Baltimore did slow Cincinnati’s kickoff return game and the Bengals’ punt return game was nonexistent. Well, they had one for minus-2 yards. Jordan Stout punted three times with a long of 53. There wasn’t much to the kicking game, but the coverage units played well. Grade: B Coaching That’s all you want in these games. It’s called style points and they banged around the Bengals, something they should have done on Thanksgiving night, but they didn’t because of five turnovers. The Ravens worked the offensive game plan to perfection pounding Cincinnati’s defense, and the Bengals had no answers for Baltimore’s zone defenses which allowed the short passes, but the tackling was the best it has been in recent games. Baltimore came out slowly but conquered and went home victorious. Case closed. Grade: B Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. Related Articles Ravens put it all together, keep playoff hopes alive with 24-0 win over Bengals Instant analysis from Ravens’ 24-0 win over Bengals in Week 15 Ravens vs. Bengals, Dec. 14, 2025 | PHOTOS Sources: Ravens fear LB Teddye Buchanan suffers torn ACL vs. Bengals Ravens vs. Bengals live updates: Postgame reaction, analysis from 24-0 win View the full article

CINCINNATI — In the coldest game in Ravens’ history and with the season hanging in the balance, Baltimore finally heated up on both sides of the ball Sunday afternoon. An icy chill danced off the banks of the Ohio River and down through Paycor Stadium, the actual temperature at kickoff 10 degrees with a feels-like of minus-1, surpassing the frigid 2013 “Mile High Miracle” playoff game in Denver. There was no need for divine intervention this time. Behind a defense that held the Bengals to 298 total yards, including just 225 yards passing from quarterback Joe Burrow, who was also intercepted twice, and an offense that finally found a once-familiar form with a string of chunk plays, the Ravens coasted to a 24-0 win over Cincinnati. It was Baltimore’s first shutout since 2018 against the Tennessee Titans. The victory also ended a two-game losing streak for Baltimore (7-7) after embarrassing losses in two straight division games. More importantly, it keeps playoff hopes alive with the Ravens just a half-game behind the AFC North-leading Steelers, who will play the Miami Dolphins on Monday night in Pittsburgh. And even if the weather didn’t feel good, the victory had to. Lamar Jackson completed 8 of just 12 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns, while Derrick Henry got rolling in the second half, battering the Bengals for 100 yards rushing on 11 carries. Keaton Mitchell added 66 rushing yards on eight touches. The Ravens also avoided being swept by the Bengals (4-10) in the regular season for the first time 2021 — coincidentally also the last time Baltimore missed the playoffs — and avoided dropping three straight games to division opponents for the first time in Jackson’s tenure. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player also remained perfect at Paycor Stadium, where he came in with a 4-0 mark and 15-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. On Sunday and unlike during a Thanksgiving night debacle in Baltimore two weeks ago in which the Ravens turned the ball over a season-high five times, the offense got rolling in the second quarter and never looked back. Jackson scrambled up the middle for 14 yards. Then he hit DeAndre Hopkins for a 32-yard gain. Three plays later, Baltimore cashed in. Seeing Cincinnati was blitzing, Jackson appeared to check out of a play and dumped a short pass off to wide-open running back Rasheen Ali, who raced untouched up the right sideline for a 30-yard score and the first touchdown of his career. Jackson and center Tyler Linderbaum celebrated the play afterward. On their next possession and in the final minute of the first half, left tackle Ronnie Stanley took umbrage with a Bengals defender and was flagged for unnecessary roughness as things started to get chippy between the two teams. But the penalty was offset by defensive holding and was only a momentary hiccup. Flowers made a spectacular adjustment, twisting to secure a pass up the right sideline for 26 yards. Then Jackson scrambled for a dozen more yards. Three plays later, Jackson found Andrews for 14 yards and then hit Flowers in stride with a 28-yard dart to the back left corner of the end zone for a 14-0 lead. Tyler Loop then tacked on a 27-yard field goal in the third quarter, while the defense continued to zero in on Burrow and the Bengals’ offense. Related Articles Instant analysis from Ravens’ 24-0 win over Bengals in Week 15 Ravens vs. Bengals, Dec. 14, 2025 | PHOTOS Sources: Ravens fear LB Teddye Buchanan suffers torn ACL vs. Bengals Ravens vs. Bengals live updates: Postgame reaction, analysis from 24-0 win Ravens defense gets boost with Ar’Darius Washington, Tavius Robinson returns Burrow was sacked three times, including once by outside linebacker Tavius Robinson, who returned after suffering a broken foot in Week 6. He was also intercepted first by cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who caught the ball at Baltimore’s 14-yard line as it bounced off receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s hands in the second quarter to end a scoring threat. Then, Kyle Van Noy sealed the victory with a fourth-quarter interception that he quickly handed to safety Alohi Gilman, who raced 84 yards untouched down the right sideline for a touchdown that ended Cincinnati’s faint playoff hopes. Baltimore had its moments, too — most notably when Jackson’s pass to Flowers in the middle of the second quarter went through the receiver’s hands and was intercepted by Jordan Battle. But Cincinnati went three-and-out, and the Bengals threatened only once more the rest of the game. The Ravens will now return home to face the New England Patriots next Sunday night in what again will be another crucial game. 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’ 24-0 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 15 of the NFL season on Sunday at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati: Brian Wacker, reporter The Ravens (7-7) have talked for weeks — months really — about the need to play complementary football, and on a frosty day in Cincinnati finally did just that. It took a little while to warm up, but once they did they showed they had more fight than the hapless Bengals (4-10). Unlike earlier contests, Baltimore’s defense never allowed Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase to find a rhythm, while its offense found some of its own with the passing and running of Lamar Jackson along with the bruising power of Derrick Henry. It wasn’t a perfect performance by the Ravens, but this was a game they couldn’t afford to be sloppy in. Baltimore had just two penalties, played smart when it had the football and took care of business. Now they’ll return home for another critical game against the New England Patriots next Sunday night with the playoffs still very much in reach. Mike Preston, columnist At sometime during the second half, some of the Bengals players pulled up the U-Haul trucks and started moving out some of their apartment or home furnishings. Paycor Stadium was only half-filled and Cincinnati played with little inspiration or momentum. Actually, the Bengals played like the worst defense in the NFL. But let’s not throw away the Ravens’ team effort. Baltimore played its best game since back-to-back wins against Chicago and Miami in late October. They ran the ball well with running backs Derrick Henry and Keaton Mitchell, and the defensive players actually kept everything in front of them and came up to make tackles. And the Ravens actually had a pass rush. Wow. They were pretty consistent with pressure on Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who at times had no answers for the zone looks the Ravens kept presenting him. The Ravens are still far from being a good, solid football team, but at least they took advantage of Cincinnati. After two straight losses, this franchise has to take whatever it can get. Josh Tolentino, columnist The Ravens survived Sunday’s bitter cold temperatures and escaped Paycor Stadium with a needed victory that ended their two-game skid. Their exact playoff odds remain in flux; first-place Pittsburgh is scheduled to host Miami on Monday night. For now, cue the Bee Gees. Baltimore’s playoff hopes are staying alive with three critical regular-season games remaining. Lamar Jackson was sacked four times but looked more like a two-time Most Valuable Player rather than the sub-par version of himself that was on display the past five weeks. He led a near-perfect end-of-half sequence that concluded with his 28-yard touchdown completion to wideout Zay Flowers. Jackson should’ve finished with three touchdown passes, but Flowers was unable to high-point a toss near the right corner of the end zone in the third quarter. Flowers also played a detrimental role in Jackson’s lone interception, again unable to haul in a ball that hit him in the hands before it was snatched midair by Cincinnati safety Jordan Battle. The defense, which lost rookie linebacker Teddye Buchanan to a suspected torn ACL injury, impressively shutout embattled Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, highlighted by interceptions from Kyle Van Noy and Marlon Humphrey. After the Ravens recorded just one sack over their past two games, Travis Jones, Tavius Robinson and Mike Green finished with a combined three sacks of Burrow. More pressure and takeaways will be key ingredients if the Ravens aspire to pull off a memorable stretch to close the season. Sam Cohn, reporter This performance came two weeks too late. Jackson was sharp through the air. And the Ravens’ defense beat up Burrow. The ensuing discourse would sound different had they won the initial Thanksgiving meeting. Blowing out this Cincinnati team doesn’t prove Baltimore to be a January-ready team. But the Ravens survived and thus they advance to another week with a playoff berth still possible. Their playoff odds climbed from 27% to 41%, per The New York Times’ playoff simulator. The next three games will all be tougher: vs. New England, at Green Bay, vs. Pittsburgh. Credit to the imperfect Ravens. They didn’t roll over with the season on the line this time. Also: Front runner for funniest play of the year goes to Kyle Van Noy. Tavius Robinson got pressure on Burrow, who threw a bad interception right to Van Noy. The veteran linebacker ran about four steps and looked for someone to give the ball to. He handed it over to Alohi Gilman, who took it 84 yards for a touchdown. One of those, “no, no, no, oh nice” plays. Related Articles Ravens put it all together, keep playoff hopes alive with 24-0 win over Bengals Ravens vs. Bengals, Dec. 14, 2025 | PHOTOS Sources: Ravens fear LB Teddye Buchanan suffers torn ACL vs. Bengals Ravens vs. Bengals live updates: Postgame reaction, analysis from 24-0 win Ravens defense gets boost with Ar’Darius Washington, Tavius Robinson returns C.J. Doon, editor That game felt like a trip to the dentist: Cold, dreary and occasionally painful but something you just have to take care of to avoid future problems. (Kyle Van Noy’s handoff to Alohi Gilman for the game-sealing pick-six was a nice lollipop on the way out the door.) Credit to Todd Monken for pounding the rock with Derrick Henry and Keaton Mitchell early and often. We finally saw some glimpses of vintage Lamar Jackson as well, especially that beautiful touchdown pass to Zay Flowers to end the first half. That felt like Jackson’s best throw in a while. Outside of an airmailed pass to Mark Andrews that DJ Turner should have intercepted, the star QB appeared to be in total control — at least until he took a few too many sacks late in the third quarter. He can’t afford to be on the turf too often giving how many injuries he’s had to battle so far this season. Speaking of injuries, they are a big concern right now after linebacker Teddye Buchanan (knee) and cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie (foot) and Marlon Humphrey (knee) went down. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley and outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones were shaken up as well. On the day safety Ar’Darius Washington and defensive end Tavius Robinson came back, it felt like one step forward and two steps backward in the health department. At the end of the day, the Ravens are still alive. In fact, if the Steelers falter on Monday night (a very realistic possibility with the Dolphins playing well in recent weeks and star pass rusher T.J. Watt being ruled out), Baltimore is right back in the hunt for the AFC North title. Keeping the winning streak going against the Patriots, Packers and Steelers is asking for a lot, but you need to beat good teams on the path to becoming a Super Bowl champion. That’s a great test to get ready for January football. Tim Schwartz, editor Baltimore’s roller coaster season continues to be unpredictable. Barely two weeks after losing to the Bengals at home, the Ravens went into a frozen Paycor Stadium and crushed Cincinnati in all three phases. The Bengals looked to be sleepwalking through this one, at least offensively, while Baltimore focused on what it does best: run the ball. Derrick Henry carried the ball the first three plays of the game to set the tone, and he started breaking off longer runs as the game progressed. Keaton Mitchell looked healthy, gaining 66 yards on eight carries, and Lamar Jackson had a timely 14-yard run, too. This is Baltimore’s recipe for success. Count on the defense to have a good day and ride Henry and Mitchell (and Rasheen Ali, because why not?) to victory. Bennett Conlin, editor Baltimore’s playoff dreams are alive. The Ravens’ defense delivered perhaps its best game of the season in a must-win moment. Running back Derrick Henry took over in the second half, with Zay Flowers acting as a perfect offensive complement at wide receiver. There’s a lot to like about Baltimore’s team-wide showing, including Lamar Jackson showing improved burst as a runner. The Bengals, however, are now 4-10. Even with Joe Burrow back, Cincinnati isn’t New England nor Green Bay. The Ravens gave their fans reason for renewed optimism with a comfortable win Sunday, but it won’t matter much if they fall back against the Patriots, Packers and even the Steelers in Week 18. Baltimore showed they still have fight left in them, delivering a knockout blow to Cincinnati’s slim playoff hopes. How many haymakers do the Ravens have left? They didn’t look like a team ready to quietly drift into the offseason Sunday. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) signs fan merch while leaving the field after a win over the Cincinnati Bengals in an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle van Noy (53), with safety Alohi Gilman (12) running next to him, returns an interception during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle van Noy (53) returns an interception during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) breaks up a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley (82) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle van Noy (53) celebrates with Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Travis Jones (98) and safety Kyle Hamilton (14) after an interception that he handed off to safety Alohi Gilman for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton (14) reacts after an interception by linebacker Kyle van Noy against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) is pushed out of bounds by Baltimore Ravens safety Malaki Starks (24) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens safety Alohi Gilman, right, tackles Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (30) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. (44) sacks Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens place kicker Tyler Loop, right, with punter Jordan Stout (11) holding, kicks an extra point during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Baltimore Ravens safety Alohi Gilman (12) celebrates with cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) and safety Ar'Darius Washington (29) after breaking up a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tanner Hudson during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) looks to throw against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers, left, makes a catch for a touchdown past Cincinnati Bengals safety Geno Stone (22) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) makes a catch for a touchdown past Cincinnati Bengals safety Geno Stone (22) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8), right, hands the ball off to running back Derrick Henry (22), left, during of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8), center, carries the ball during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8), center, carries the ball during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) celebrates with quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) A Baltimore Ravens fan adjusts his Santa Claus hat during an NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers, right, celebrates with tight end Mark Andrews, left, after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens running back Rasheen Ali (26) runs the ball toward the end zone for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Deandre Hopkins (10) runs the ball after a reception during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Deandre Hopkins (10) is tackled by Cincinnati Bengals safety Jordan Battle (27) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens safety Malaki Starks (24) breaks up a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas (80) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (30) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith (0), cornerback Nate Wiggins (2) and defensive end Dre'Mont Jones (41) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) is sacked by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. (44) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) scrambles during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) is sacked by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. (44) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) is sacked by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr., left, during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. (44) celebrates after a sack against Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) looks to throw as Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. (44) approaches during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens defensive end Dre'Mont Jones (41) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, right, throws against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) throws against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, right, is sacked by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Tavius Robinson (95) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) reacts after being sacked by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Tavius Robinson during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell (34) runs the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) intercepts a pass and runs the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) View the full article

CINCINNATI — Ravens rookie linebacker Teddye Buchanan is feared to have suffered a torn ACL during the first half of the team’s Week 15 game Sunday against the Bengals, two league sources familiar with the situation told The Baltimore Sun. Buchanan suffered the non-contact injury to his right leg while he appeared on punt coverage near end of the first quarter of divisional contest. The expected season-ending injury halts a promising rookie campaign for Buchanan. The fourth-round draft pick out of California, was named a Week 2 starter at inside linebacker, and has starred all season as a fixture across Baltimore’s middle level alongside veteran linebacker Roquan Smith. Buchanan ranks fifth on the Ravens with 639 defensive snaps and third in special teams snaps (233). Buchanan’s 93 tackles are second behind Smith. He was named the NFL’s Rookie of the Month in October. Buchanan, 23, was initially helped off the field by trainers. Shortly after he reached the visitors sideline, Buchanan was then carted off the field and into the locker room at Paycor Stadium. Buchanan, was ruled out immediately with a knee injury, and replaced at linebacker by reserve Trenton Simpson. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. Related Articles Ravens put it all together, keep playoff hopes alive with 24-0 win over Bengals Instant analysis from Ravens’ 24-0 win over Bengals in Week 15 Ravens vs. Bengals, Dec. 14, 2025 | PHOTOS Ravens vs. Bengals live updates: Postgame reaction, analysis from 24-0 win Ravens defense gets boost with Ar’Darius Washington, Tavius Robinson returns View the full article

The Ravens visited the Bengals in a crucial AFC North clash and came away victorious. Baltimore defeated Cincinnati, 24-0, for the team’s first shutout victory since 2018. Follow along here for postgame coverage and analysis. View the full article

CINCINNATI — The Ravens’ defense is getting reinforcements. Baltimore officially activated safety Ar’Darius Washington and outside linebacker Tavius Robinson from the physically unable to perform list and injured reserve, respectively, on Saturday. After both practiced all week, the moves clears the way for them to play in Sunday’s crucial AFC North showdown against the division rival Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Washington, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon during an offseason workout in May and was once thought potentially lost for the season, hasn’t played since last season. Robinson has been out since suffering a broken foot in a Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Their returns should help against a Cincinnati offense led by quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase that scored 32 points in a blowout of the Ravens on Thanksgiving night in Baltimore. They also come at a critical time for Baltimore (6-7), which is a game back of the division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers with only four games remaining in the regular season. A third-straight AFC North title for the Ravens is the most likely path to the playoffs. Washington had a breakout season in 2024, starting 10 games and helping spark a defensive turnaround for a unit that was one of the worst in the NFL until he was inserted into the starting lineup. How he fits into the rotation remains to be seen, but the expectation is Washington will play. In October, the Ravens traded outside linebacker Odafe Oweh to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for safety Alohi Gilman along with a swap of draft picks. That allowed Baltimore to move All-Pro safety and its most versatile and talented defender Kyle Hamilton closer to the line of scrimmage while utilizing Gilman and first-round rookie safety Malaki Starks on the back end to shore up what again was a struggling defense. Washington has the versatility to play both safety and in the nickel. “I’m ready to go,” Washington said earlier this week. “Whenever [they] give me the call, whenever they put me out there on the field, I’m going to be ready to go. I didn’t come back early to not play at all.” Related Articles Ravens 2025 High School Coaches of the Year: Sparrows Point’s Nick Burkhardt, Linganore’s Brian Sweene honored Ravens WR Rashod Bateman questionable; Bengals without 2 key starters Ravens vs. Bengals scouting report for Week 15: Who has the edge? Ravens vs. Bengals staff picks: Who will win Sunday in Cincinnati? Josh Tolentino: Ravens’ biggest flaw isn’t an easy fix | COMMENTARY Robinson, meanwhile, has developed into a solid and dependable defender, particularly against the run, in what is his third season. “It feels so good to get back out there,” Robinson said this week. “It was really tough at the start, especially the first couple weeks not be able to do much, watching at home, definitely sucked. There was two ways I could look at it. I could either be frustrated and mad at it, or just attack rehab, and really that’s kind of what I did. Just put my head down and did everything I could to get back as fast as possible.” He now rejoins a group that includes veteran Kyle Van Noy, second-round rookie Mike Green, the recently acquired Dre’Mont Jones and David Ojabo. Before getting injured, Robinson had 17 tackles, including one for loss, and two sacks. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Sparrows Point football coach Nick Burkhardt and Linganore girls flag football coach Brian Sweene were named the 2025 Ravens High School Coaches of the Year, John Harbaugh announced Friday afternoon. Burkhardt, who is also an alum of Sparrows Point, is the first coach from the school to receive the honor in the 29-year history of the award. He did so in what was just his second year at the helm after leading the Pointers to a 10-1 record, the best in school history. “It means everything,” Burkhardt said. “Our community truly is one of kind down in Sparrows Point and to be able to not just for me but bring this spotlight down to our school and our community truly does mean the world to us.” Sweene also said that the honor “means the world.” He is the second recipient of the award after Boonsboro coach Chad Hartman took home the inaugural honor last year. Sweene led Linganore to the Class 2A/1A state title, knocking off No. 1 seed Calvert along the way, with the defense only allowing an average of 8.6 points in five games in the state tournament. Sweene credited the Ravens for helping the sport get off the ground in the state and said that it wouldn’t have happened without their assistance. The NFL also recently announced plans to launch professional men’s and women’s flag football leagues, something that the current generation of high school players can now aim for. Said Sweene: “The fact that they get to play a sport that they cheered on for boys for years is amazing.” Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. Linganore girls flag football coach Brian Sweene, posing with Ravens coach John Harbaugh, is the 2025 Ravens High School Flag Coach of the Year. (Courtesy of Ravens) View the full article

With time running out on the Ravens’ chances to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021, Baltimore will head into its critical AFC North showdown against the Bengals in Cincinnati about as healthy as it has been all season. Quarterback Lamar Jackson was not listed on the injury report with any afflictions for the first time in over a month, with his only absence this week for a rest day on Wednesday. The only other player on the Ravens’ roster with an injury designation for Sunday’s game is wide receiver Rashod Bateman (ankle), who is listed as questionable. “It’s just a nagging thing,” coach John Harbaugh said of Bateman’s ankle sprain. “You fight through it, you fight through it, and you can annoy it, I guess is the best way to say it. He has probably just been annoying it.” If Bateman can’t play, that could mean a much bigger role for DeAndre Hopkins, something Harbaugh said that he’d like to do anyway. “I’d like to be using DeAndre more,” he said earlier this week. I don’t think he’s at the stage of his career where he is going to play every play. When he’s out there, you really want to — and we’ve talked a lot about this — trying to be intentional about him being out there for specific purposes and to do the things that he does well, which we all kind of know what those things are. “He’s just become one of my favorite, favorite players ever. We are going to be friends for a long time, and he and I have had a lot of these conversations, but yes, this next game, and these next four games and into the playoffs, let’s get him involved more. We really need to try to do that. We have been trying to do it; we can do it.” Despite the uncertainty of Bateman’s status, the Ravens could also get a boost with the return of safety Ar’Darius Washington and outside linebacker Tavius Robinson, who are officially listed as questionable. Washington has been out since suffering a torn Achilles tendon in the spring, while Robinson has been sidelined since breaking his foot in Week 6. Both practiced fully all week and are likely to be activated from injured reserve on Saturday. The overall mostly good health is also good news for a group that has little margin for error and needs all the help it can get. Baltimore (6-7) has dropped two straight division games and trails the division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers by a game with four to play. The Steelers will play the Miami Dolphins on Monday night in Pittsburgh. Related Articles Ravens 2025 High School Coaches of the Year: Sparrows Point’s Nick Burkhardt, Linganore’s Brian Sweene honored Ravens vs. Bengals scouting report for Week 15: Who has the edge? Ravens vs. Bengals staff picks: Who will win Sunday in Cincinnati? Josh Tolentino: Ravens’ biggest flaw isn’t an easy fix | COMMENTARY Why Ravens QB Lamar Jackson continues to miss a practice each week The Ravens, who lost two weeks ago to the Bengals at home, haven’t been swept by Cincinnati since 2021. They have also never lost three straight division games with Jackson at quarterback. If the Bengals (4-9) are to pull off the sweep, though, they’ll have to do so without star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, who was placed on injured reserve this week because of a hip/pelvis injury that will require core muscle surgery, as well as standout wide receiver Tee Higgins (concussion), who was officially ruled out Friday. Of course, neither played the last time the two teams met, either. Meanwhile, rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart and safety PJ Jules (ankle) are listed as doubtful. Stewart, a first-round draft pick, has been on injured reserve since suffering a knee injury in Week 9 and is unlikely to come off IR before Sunday. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

That Ravens’ winning streak is falling further into the rearview mirror. They’ve now dropped two straight, both crucial matchups to division opponents, and the only obvious path to the playoffs requires winning out. Baltimore’s uphill climb starts Sunday afternoon at Paycor Stadium for a rematch against the Bengals. The forecast calls for wool socks and mittens. Who will have the advantage? Ravens passing game vs. Bengals pass defense In Lamar Jackson’s first six games, he threw 15 touchdown passes and one interception. The Ravens were 1-5, toiling through tempestuous waters, but the quarterback play was expectedly sharp. In four games since returning from a hamstring injury, while dealing with a host of other lower body pains, Jackson has thrown only one touchdown pass compared with four interceptions. He has played shockingly subpar football. At least below the ridiculously high bar we judge a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player on. He’s the centerpiece of a wider inefficient offense that’s forgivable in wins against lesser teams and plagued Baltimore in losses against decent clubs. When the Ravens and Bengals met on Thanksgiving, Cincinnati owned, by some metrics, the worst defense of the last half-century. But that group held Baltimore to 14 points and forced five turnovers. Three of them were from Jackson. The Ravens weren’t much better 10 days later. Mark Andrews said this week that he’s excited to “start being the team that we are.” But it’s Week 15. This might just be who they are this year. EDGE: Bengals Bengals passing game vs. Ravens pass defense After the bye week, the Ravens reeled off five straight wins by holding opponents to less than 20 points. Here were the quarterbacks they muted: Chicago’s Caleb Williams, Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa, Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy, Cleveland’s Dillon Gabriel (then Shedeur Sanders) and the New York Jets’ Tyrod Taylor. Not exactly a menacing list. But the Pro Bowl-caliber passers have picked apart the Ravens. Such was the case early in the year; the likes of Josh Allen, Jared Goff, Patrick Mahomes, C.J. Stroud and Matthew Stafford. It’s happening again, with the schedule feeding Baltimore a healthy Joe Burrow, who passed for 261 yards and two touchdowns in their first meeting. EDGE: Bengals Ravens running game vs. Bengals run defense Two things can be true: Derrick Henry hasn’t burst into space the way we’ve become accustomed to over his Hall of Fame career and the Bengals aren’t the team to keep it that way. According to Next Gen Stats, Henry has forced a missed tackle on only 17.1% of his carries this season. That’s the second lowest rate among 41 running backs with at least 100 carries. It’s also his lowest since at least 2018. Henry has been hit behind the line of scrimmage on half of his carries this year, the seventh-highest rate among that same group. He’s still top-four in the NFL in generating yards after contact. Meanwhile, the Bengals rank last in the NFL in contacting running backs in the backfield, about one-third of attempts. On Thanksgiving, Henry touched the ball just 10 times. An extensive line of questioning followed about his lack of involvement in the loss considering that he scored Baltimore’s first touchdown. Harbaugh fairly explained that it was a product of how the game unfolded. Against Pittsburgh, Henry went 94 yards on a season-high 25 carries, his most in a game since late 2023. This matchup could be a beneficial one for Henry if he gets more than 10 touches and the offense stays on schedule. EDGE: Ravens Related Articles Ravens vs. Bengals staff picks: Who will win Sunday in Cincinnati? Josh Tolentino: Ravens’ biggest flaw isn’t an easy fix | COMMENTARY Why Ravens QB Lamar Jackson continues to miss a practice each week Ravens QB Lamar Jackson returns to practice; 2 pass catchers limited Ravens DT Travis Jones agrees to 3-year, $40.5 million contract extension Bengals running game vs. Ravens run defense The Bengals don’t run the ball much. Who can blame them? They have one of the best receiving duos in the NFL and, when healthy, a dynamite quarterback to deliver them the ball. Chase Brown and Samaje Perine are no backfield slouches, but Cincinnati play callers won’t lean on them to decide a game, as evidenced by their combined four rushing touchdowns this season. There’s one outlier on the list. Two weeks ago, the Bengals ran the ball 33 times, 10 more carries than their next most in a single game. Cincinnati’s 128 yards on the ground were the most Baltimore’s front has let up since Week 5, when an injury-riddled defense did nothing to slow down Houston. EDGE: Bengals Ravens special teams vs. Bengals special teams Tyler Loop missed an extra point attempt in Pittsburgh, something he hadn’t done since Week 1. But he’s been perfect on all nine field goal attempts, all within 50 yards, over the past four games. The rookie isn’t being called upon to win games or show off his boot to save a drive, but he’s been admirably consistent when the Ravens get down near the red zone and stall out. Can’t ask for much more than that. Cincinnati could be a daunting task for the Texas native who kicked at the University of Arizona. Special teams coordinator Chris Horton said they “won’t be able to replicate the things that you see up in this [AFC North]. It’s different. When that wind gets to howling, and it’s really cold, it’s a lot different. But, he’ll be fine, man. He’s a young guy, and he’s on the right track. I think he’s playing his butt off.” The Bengals own the fifth-best special teams expected points added per play in the NFL (20.6) — far better than Baltimore’s 15th place mark (2.7). While it’s been a strong year for the Ravens’ third phase, the edge goes to Cincinnati, particularly for a chilly home game. EDGE: Bengals Ravens intangibles vs. Bengals intangibles Well, the Ravens are playing for their lives and the Bengals are essentially playing for pride — the pride of crushing Baltimore’s playoff hopes. Here’s how the two sides spoke about this week, this matchup and the vibes umbrella over each team. Burrow spent his 29th birthday reflecting. His team’s playoff odds, by percentage points, can be counted on one hand. After missing a chunk of this season because injury, he waxed eloquently about his desire to have fun. “I’ve been through a lot and if it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for? So that’s the mindset I’m trying to bring to the table.” Winning is included in that calculation. But that’s the mindset of someone who knows he won’t be playing deep into January. On the other hand, Kyle Hamilton, knowing that the Ravens are on the ropes, invoked some of the best Cinderella stories in recent memory. Like Carlos Alcaraz’s miraculous French Open comeback. Or Rory McIlroy leaving short his would-be winning putt on the 18th green at The Masters, only to win it on the first playoff hole. Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen had an impressive second-half turnaround this year. So did LeBron James’ Cavaliers, famously climbing back from down 3-1 to win the 2016 NBA Finals. Conversely, Hamilton pointed out, the Patriots went undefeated in 2007 and lost in the Super Bowl. “So, it’s not about how you get there, it’s just a matter of you getting there; I think the mindset that we have to have is kind of like that,” he said. “It’s going to be a heck of a story; that’s what we’re telling ourselves.” EDGE: Ravens Prediction What have the Ravens done to give anyone confidence that a turnaround is imminent? Two weeks ago, they scored 14 points against a bad Bengals defense and let Joe Burrow torch them for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Last week, Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers picked apart their defense and the Ravens missed out on three chances at lead-changing, fourth-quarter touchdowns. It’s possible Baltimore proves us wrong and flips a switch with the kind of dominant showing it’s capable of. But we haven’t seen that version in weeks. The Ravens seem destined to watch their playoff odds shrivel up in Sunday’s frost at the hands of a team whose only motivation is spoiling Baltimore’s year. Bengals 27, Ravens 21. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article

Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Sunday’s Week 15 game between the Ravens and Bengals at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati: Brian Wacker, reporter Bengals 31, Ravens 17: Joe Burrow might not be having any fun, as he said earlier this week, but the Ravens have too often been a welcome tonic for those searching for a cure. The Bengals quarterback is also too good and would like to do nothing more than put a dagger in Baltimore’s season, which feels like it’s hanging by the thinnest of strings. The Ravens’ own offense, meanwhile, has been oft discombobulated and far too allergic to touchdowns once it gets in the red zone, even against struggling defenses. Cincinnati hasn’t swept Baltimore since 2021, but that’s where this is headed. That was also the last time the Ravens missed the playoffs. Sam Cohn, reporter Bengals 27, Ravens 21: What have the Ravens done to give anyone confidence that a turnaround is imminent? Two weeks ago, they scored 14 points against a bad Bengals defense and let Joe Burrow torch them for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Last week, Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers picked apart their defense and the Ravens missed out on three chances at lead-changing, fourth-quarter touchdowns. It’s possible that Baltimore proves us wrong and flips a switch with the kind of dominant showing it’s capable of, but we haven’t seen that version in weeks. The Ravens seem destined to watch their playoff odds shrivel up in Sunday’s frost at the hands of a team whose only motivation is spoiling Baltimore’s season. Mike Preston, columnist Bengals 24, Ravens 21: I am not picking the Ravens until they prove that they can beat a top-caliber quarterback. Cincinnati is ranked No. 32 in overall defense, allowing 410.5 yards per game. Its run defense is also last, giving up 155.5 yards per game. But the Ravens won five straight earlier this season by beating up on rookie or inexperienced quarterbacks, and the Bengals have some top playmakers in quarterback Joe Burrow and receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Josh Tolentino, columnist Bengals 27, Ravens: 21: The Bengals deploy the NFL’s 32nd-ranked defense and 30th-ranked rushing offense. Does any of that matter against the visiting Ravens? Baltimore’s offense is riding a season-long funk, while its defense has struggled against quality passers. During the team’s two-game losing streak, the Ravens’ defensive line has generated zero(!) sacks and just 11 pressures across 85 dropbacks from Joe Burrow and Aaron Rodgers. The five-game win streak was commendable, but now the real pressure is on. Until the Ravens put together a complete offensive showing, reminiscent of the first three quarters in the season opener at Buffalo, it’ll be difficult to trust Lamar Jackson and company over the season’s final stretch. C.J. Doon, editor Ravens 26, Bengals 23: This can’t be how the season ends, right? Those upcoming matchups against the Patriots, Packers and Steelers are far too juicy for Baltimore to slip two games below .500 and be all but eliminated from postseason contention with a loss this weekend. Some fans might already be thinking about 2026 and the potential upgrades across the roster, but the story of this season has yet to be written. That Week 18 trip to Pittsburgh seems all but destined to be a winner-take-all showdown for the AFC North. The Ravens have a long way to go before that becomes a reality, but they’ll find a way to escape Cincinnati with a win on a last-second field goal and keep their faint hopes alive a little bit longer. Related Articles Ravens vs. Bengals scouting report for Week 15: Who has the edge? Josh Tolentino: Ravens’ biggest flaw isn’t an easy fix | COMMENTARY Why Ravens QB Lamar Jackson continues to miss a practice each week Ravens QB Lamar Jackson returns to practice; 2 pass catchers limited Ravens DT Travis Jones agrees to 3-year, $40.5 million contract extension Bennett Conlin, editor Ravens 34, Bengals 28: I’m going back to the well one more time. If the Ravens lose again, I will have officially lost hope in their 2025 season. Baltimore averaged more yards per play than Cincinnati in a loss two weeks ago, but five turnovers ruined its chance of winning. In the loss to the Steelers, the Ravens outplayed Pittsburgh between the 20s. They stunk in the red zone and lost by five, in part because of questionable officiating. The Ravens are not that far off from playing winning football, and in a weak AFC North, that means they still have a chance. If they lose Sunday, however, it’s time to call it. I think they keep hope alive for another week, and Miami upsets Pittsburgh on Monday to make the AFC North race even spicier. Tim Schwartz, editor Bengals 28, Ravens 24: The Ravens’ season is hanging by a thread, and I haven’t seen anything from them over the past few weeks that makes me believe they are going to turn it around and win the AFC North. The Bengals, despite having the leakiest defense in football, look like a better team than the Ravens right now. That says a lot. Baltimore’s offense looked better against the Steelers last weekend, but it’s still a shell of what we expected it to be with a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player under center. The good news for the Ravens is that the Steelers play a fairly difficult schedule the rest of the way, too, so it’s still possible that the division is decided in Pittsburgh in Week 18. Patrice Sanders, FOX45 Morning News anchor Ravens 37, Bengals 31: The Ravens are struggling to get into the playoffs. Looking at the road ahead and the games left to play, if Baltimore can’t get past this game with a win, it has no chance. View the full article

On Thursday, the Ravens celebrated defensive tackle Travis Jones, a 2022 third-round draft pick who signed a three-year extension worth up to $40.5 million with $25 million in guaranteed salary. Jones’ new deal is considered relatively team-friendly for a productive interior lineman with respectable numbers this season. Solid work, Eric DeCosta. Let’s not escape reality, though. Too often this season, the Ravens’ offensive and defensive lines have been pushed around. The lack of beef is perhaps Baltimore’s most glaring flaw. Quarterback Lamar Jackson already has surpassed his 2024 season sack total, up to 29 from 23, despite playing in seven fewer games. During the team’s recent two-game skid, Baltimore defensive linemen have produced zero sacks and a measly 11 pressures over 85 combined dropbacks (12.9% pressure rate) by quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Aaron Rodgers. Yikes. Here comes Burrow again on Sunday. “We know that when you’re playing a quarterback of this caliber, any misstep, any wrong hesitation, [Burrow] is going to make you pay more times than not,” defensive coordinator Zach Orr said. “We have to execute, and then we have to get the football…we have to execute better on third down and then we have to get more takeaways.” All fine teaching points. The Ravens, though, desperately need help in the trenches. It’s difficult to imagine them correcting their season-long issues over the next month. Let’s play the hypothetical game for a second. Related Articles Why Ravens QB Lamar Jackson continues to miss a practice each week Ravens QB Lamar Jackson returns to practice; 2 pass catchers limited Ravens DT Travis Jones agrees to 3-year, $40.5 million contract extension Staff picks for Week 15 of 2025 NFL season: Bills vs. Patriots, Lions vs. Rams and more Mike Preston: Talk is cheap. The Ravens need better defense. | COMMENTARY What if the Ravens reel off four consecutive wins to close the season and clinch the AFC North title, along with a playoff berth? What if the Steelers collapse, and provide a postseason path for Baltimore? What if? Can you really trust the defensive and offensive lines in high-stakes January football? Behind Jones, the Ravens rely on 36-year-old John Jenkins (4,464 career defensive snaps), 34-year-old Brent Urban (2,655 snaps), and rookie CJ Okoye as primary depth. The lack of pressure up front has forced safety Kyle Hamilton into a three-level defender. Super Bowl-winning teams often have elite offensive and defensive lines, armed with pass-rush dominance. The Ravens have an outside shot at making the playoffs, but if they somehow reach that stage, will it be because of elite trench play? It’s OK to be realistic. The Zach Orr-led defense, at least, deserves slight grace. Losing pressure leader Nnamdi Madubuike, a $98 million defensive tackle, in Week 2 was gut-wrenching. His season-ending neck injury has caused an assortment of personnel issues with Baltimore consistently struggling to generate pressure, especially from the interior. There were more than a handful of options, albeit at hefty price tags, available around the trade deadline to help with Madubuike’s loss, but Baltimore only added safety Alohi Gilman and defensive end Dre’Mont Jones. Both have been productive pieces, but the defense still lacks game-wrecking pressure. Once touted as the NFL’s best roster, DeCosta’s group has been exposed. Elite pass rush and pass protection requires hardcore investment. Since taking over Ozzie Newsome’s post as general manager in 2019, DeCosta has overseen seven NFL drafts. During that span, DeCosta has made 13 premium selections (first- or second-round picks), with five (38.4%) of those picks dedicated to the offensive and defensive lines: defensive end Odafe Oweh (2021 first round), center Tyler Linderbaum (2022 first round), outside linebacker David Ojabo (2022 second round), right tackle Roger Rosengarten (2024 second round) and outside linebacker Mike Green (2025 second round). Among that group, only Linderbaum and Rosengarten have developed into full-time starters still with the team. Oweh started and produced a career-high 10 sacks in 2024, but he had zero sacks through his first five games this season, and the Ravens bid him farewell in an Oct. 7 trade that sent Oweh to the Chargers in exchange for Gilman. Ojabo has just 4 1/2 career sacks, including just a 1/2 sack in 2025 over 554 defensive snaps across four seasons. The jury is still deliberating on Green, who leads the team with 2 1/2 sacks as a rookie. The 2024 FBS leader in sacks (17 at Marshall) experienced a quick accession into the starting lineup because of Oweh’s trade, plus a midseason injury to fellow pass rusher Tavius Robinson. DeCosta has hit on a couple of mid-round selections dedicated to the trenches such as Jones and Madubuike, a 2020 third-round pick, but he’s also whiffed on plenty others. Newsome, meanwhile, often struck gold with finding productive pass rushers in the middle of the draft (see: Pernell McPhee, Za’Darius Smith, Matthew Judon, Paul Kruger, etc.) At some point in the near future, it’ll be time for DeCosta and company to get back to the drawing board. Free agency and the NFL draft will present opportunities to rebound once more. The Ravens on Thursday at least secured one important piece to the future. Extending Jones was sensible business. He’s earned it, and he’s one of the few interior linemen investments that has paid off. But Sunday’s matchup against Burrow in Cincinnati, along with the month ahead against consecutive above-average passers, will more than likely continue to expose the truth Baltimore currently faces. No matter how this wild season concludes, the Ravens need help and more beef in the trenches. 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

Lamar Jackson stepped out of the field house, jogged down the turf ramp and onto the practice field on a chilly Thursday afternoon in Owings Mills. It’s his new normal, returning to action after missing the previous day’s session, something that has occurred for five straight weeks and shows no signs of changing as the Ravens’ season hangs in the balance. At this point in the year and after a succession of injuries — hamstring, knee, ankle, toe — he views the weekly day off as a necessity for his 6-foot-2, 208-pound frame. “I feel like rest days are one of the most important things when you’re recovering from any injury,” Jackson said Thursday. Asked if he thinks the missed practices have impacted his play or led to a rash of turnovers of late, he said no, instead pointing to some of them being the result of tipped passes. Over the past month in particular, however, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player has endured the worst stretch of his career. Jackson hasn’t reached a 60% completion rate in any of his past four outings. He has also thrown four interceptions, fumbled three times and at one point went three straight games without producing a touchdown — the longest span of his career — before ending that drought with one passing and one rushing touchdown last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also had an interception in that game, completed just 54.3% of his passes, struggled in the red zone and in the final two minutes of the game and the Ravens lost for the second week in a row after getting blown out on Thanksgiving night at home by the Bengals. Have Jackson’s absences made things more challenging for what has been an incongruous offense, particularly in those critical situational moments? “I think any time a player, especially your quarterback, is not able to practice — you’re talking not only the mental side of it but the timing with the receivers and then the physical part of it — there are some challenges with that,” offensive coordinator Todd Monken said Thursday. “It’s not just Lamar, it’s any player that misses time, and you’ve got to find a way to overcome that.” That’s been an insoluble constant for the quarterback and consequently the offense. It has also been something Baltimore has needed to balance. “There’s no science to it,” coach John Harbaugh said earlier this week. “You want to have everybody practicing every day; that’s your goal as a coach, but it’s a long season. These guys go through a lot; Lamar as much as anybody. “He has the ball in his hand every play; he is making plays; he’s doing what he does; he’s competing like crazy. So, there are going to be times when he is just not going to be up for practice. It’s just not going to be the best way to go about doing it, and that’s a conversation between Lamar [and] the trainers. We’re involved in that to some degree, but what’s best for him to be ready to play his best on Sunday, that’s really what matters. So sure, you’d rather have everybody practicing all the time, but if it’s not the best thing to practice, because you want to get your body right, I think you have to respect that as a coach. I know you have to respect that as a coach, so I respect Lamar and his judgment.” Related Articles Ravens QB Lamar Jackson returns to practice; 2 pass catchers limited Ravens DT Travis Jones agrees to 3-year, $40.5 million contract extension Staff picks for Week 15 of 2025 NFL season: Bills vs. Patriots, Lions vs. Rams and more Mike Preston: Talk is cheap. The Ravens need better defense. | COMMENTARY Date and time of Ravens-Packers Week 17 game at Lambeau Field announced Jackson, meanwhile, hasn’t blamed his performance this season on injuries, saying that if he’s in a game he should be able to do all the requisite and typically exceptional things he usually does. Still, he needs to rest when he can get it, he said. When he’s not at practice, he said, he looks at film afterward. During practices he is not participating in, he said he sometimes watches from the team’s adjacent treatment room, which looks out on the practice fields. Now comes a trip to Cincinnati for a rematch. A game back of the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers and the likely path to the playoffs being through a division title, the Ravens (6-7) know little-to-no room for error and can’t afford another loss, particularly in the division. The last time the two teams met, Jackson completed just 17 of 32 passes with no touchdowns, one interception and two fumbles against what has been one of the worst defenses in the NFL all season. He said this time that the Ravens have to avoid turnovers and put more than 14 points on the board. “I feel like we just played them yesterday, but looking forward to new results, different ending,” Jackson said. He also said he feels healthy, perhaps buoyed by the extra days off over the past five weeks. Said Jackson: “I feel good.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson returned to practice Thursday, one day after missing his usual reps for a rest day. It marked the fifth straight week that he has missed one midweek practice. The Ravens won the first three games and have lost the past two, now facing an all-important divisional foe in the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday while trailing the Pittsburgh Steelers by one game for the AFC North lead. As coach John Harbaugh put it, “To say we control our own destiny, that’s only if we win.” The Ravens (6-7) figure to be near full strength. Jackson was a full practice participant. He’s battled various lower body injuries this season but this was the first week in a month that he was listed without a specific ailment. Jackson said that when he’s not on the field, he’s still watching closely while getting treatment or ensuring he’s not missing mental reps. “I have eyes everywhere,” he joked. Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, who missed Wednesday’s practice with a shoulder injury, appeared to move comfortably in limited reps a day later. He wore an obvious wrap under his pads. The Ravens’ stickiest defensive back is a crucial chess piece heading into a matchup against one of the NFL’s best quarterback-receiver duos. Wide receiver Rashod Bateman (ankle) and tight end Mark Andrews (glute) were each limited participants Thursday. The severity of each injury and their availability for Sunday will become clear by Friday afternoon. Two established defenders could each return this weekend: outside linebacker Tavius Robinson broke his foot in Week 6, while safety Ar’Darius Washington is awaiting his season debut in his return from a torn Achilles tendon. Both Robinson and Washington practiced uninhibited Thursday and said that they’re ready to play this weekend. Meanwhile, running back Keaton Mitchell and cornerback Nate Wiggins seem to have avoided major injuries. Mitchell looked a bit gimpy after an explosive run against the Steelers. Two years removed from major knee surgery, Mitchell heading to the medical tent was an unnerving scene. But tests came back negative. He was back on the field this week, ramping up to full participation. Wiggins suffered a foot injury during a Thanksgiving loss to the Bengals. He did not play the second half but was limited through most of last week. Wiggins played in 94% of the team’s snaps last weekend, was limited Wednesday and was a full go by Thursday. Related Articles Ravens DT Travis Jones agrees to 3-year, $40.5 million contract extension Staff picks for Week 15 of 2025 NFL season: Bills vs. Patriots, Lions vs. Rams and more Mike Preston: Talk is cheap. The Ravens need better defense. | COMMENTARY Date and time of Ravens-Packers Week 17 game at Lambeau Field announced Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton unwavering in title belief: ‘Gonna be a heck of a story’ The Bengals, nearing mathematical elimination from the postseason, officially placed star defensive end Trey Hendrickson on the injured reserve after he had core muscle surgery. Safety PJ Jules (ankle) was the only other absentee Thursday. Wide receiver Tee Higgins (concussion) was limited for a second consecutive day. Each of the three other players listed on the injury report — linebacker Shaka Heyward (fibula), defensive end Joseph Ossai (shin) and defensive end Shemar Stewart (knee) — were full participants again. Stewart hasn’t been on the practice field since Week 9. Cincinnati’s first-round draft pick, if healthy enough to go Sunday, would be a notable boost for that defensive front. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article

With around two dozen Ravens players slated to hit free agency this offseason, Baltimore addressed one of its biggest needs on Thursday. Defensive tackle Travis Jones has agreed to a three-year extension, the team said Thursday. The deal is worth $40.5 million and includes $25 million guaranteed, a source with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Baltimore Sun, and keeps Jones in Baltimore through 2028. “‘Big Trav’ is an ascending player and having him continue to man the middle of our defense is very exciting,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. The signing is also notable not just because Jones has been one of Baltimore’s top players this season and a foundational part of the defense, but because of the uncertainty surrounding Nnamdi Madubuike, whose future is unclear because of a season-ending neck injury. Jones, a 2022 third-round draft pick from Connecticut, has ascended into one of the league’s better young nose tackles. A two-year starter, he has 34 tackles, including six for loss, 1 1/2 sacks and a fumble recovery in 12 games this season. The signing comes after Baltimore signed tight end Mark Andrews to a three-year extension last week after signing safety Kyle Hamilton, running back Derrick Henry and receiver Rashod Bateman to extensions over the past handful of months. Jones’ situation was also unique. According to ESPN, the NFL Players Association had filed a grievance over Jones’ contract status and the hearing was slated for Thursday. Jones reportedly would not have been an unrestricted free agent because of failure to report to training camp by the mandatory date, which led to him not accruing a full season. Had Jones lost the grievance, he would have been a restricted free agent and Baltimore could have used a second-round restricted free agent tender, which would have been worth about $6 million. Instead, the new deal got done and the grievance was dropped. Still, there are several items DeCosta still has to do deal with. Related Articles Staff picks for Week 15 of 2025 NFL season: Bills vs. Patriots, Lions vs. Rams and more Mike Preston: Talk is cheap. The Ravens need better defense. | COMMENTARY Date and time of Ravens-Packers Week 17 game at Lambeau Field announced Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton unwavering in title belief: ‘Gonna be a heck of a story’ Ravens QB Lamar Jackson absent from another midweek practice Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar, Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard, outside linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Dre’Mont Jones, safety Alohi Gilman and right guard Daniel Faalele are just some of the notable players who are scheduled to be free agents in 2026. There is also, of course, quarterback Lamar Jackson’s contract. Jackson’s salary cap number will rise to $74.5 million next season, unless the deal can be reworked or he is signed to an extension. But at least for now, one item is off the checklist in what figures to be a busy next few months for DeCosta and the Ravens. 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

Baltimore Sun staff writers and FOX45’s Patrice Sanders pick every game of the NFL season. Here’s who they have winning in Week 15: Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m.) Brian Wacker (7-7 last week, 139-67-1 overall): Buccaneers Sam Cohn (8-6 last week, 138-68-1 overall): Buccaneers Mike Preston (6-8 last week, 134-72-1 overall): Buccaneers Josh Tolentino (7-7 last week, 139-67-1 overall): Buccaneers C.J. Doon (5-9 last week, 128-78-1 overall): Buccaneers Bennett Conlin (9-5 last week, 138-68-1 overall): Buccaneers Tim Schwartz (6-8 last week, 124-82-1 overall): Buccaneers Patrice Sanders (7-7 last week, 129-77-1 overall): Buccaneers Cleveland Browns vs. Chicago Bears (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Bears Cohn: Bears Preston: Bears Tolentino: Bears Doon: Bears Conlin: Bears Schwartz: Bears Sanders: Bears Arizona Cardinals vs. Houston Texans (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Texans Cohn: Texans Preston: Texans Tolentino: Texans Doon: Texans Conlin: Texans Schwartz: Texans Sanders: Texans New York Jets vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Jaguars Cohn: Jaguars Preston: Jaguars Tolentino: Jaguars Doon: Jaguars Conlin: Jaguars Schwartz: Jaguars Sanders: Jaguars Related Articles Mike Preston: Talk is cheap. The Ravens need better defense. | COMMENTARY Date and time of Ravens-Packers Week 17 game at Lambeau Field announced Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton unwavering in title belief: ‘Gonna be a heck of a story’ Ravens QB Lamar Jackson absent from another midweek practice Army-Navy Game arrives in Baltimore with Ravens who lived its stakes Los Angeles Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Chiefs Cohn: Chargers Preston: Chiefs Tolentino: Chargers Doon: Chargers Conlin: Chiefs Schwartz: Chargers Sanders: Chargers Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Bills Cohn: Patriots Preston: Patriots Tolentino: Patriots Doon: Bills Conlin: Bills Schwartz: Bills Sanders: Patriots Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Giants Cohn: Giants Preston: Commanders Tolentino: Commanders Doon: Commanders Conlin: Giants Schwartz: Giants Sanders: Giants Las Vegas Raiders vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Eagles Cohn: Eagles Preston: Eagles Tolentino: Eagles Doon: Eagles Conlin: Eagles Schwartz: Eagles Sanders: Eagles Green Bay Packers vs. Denver Broncos (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: Broncos Cohn: Broncos Preston: Broncos Tolentino: Broncos Doon: Packers Conlin: Packers Schwartz: Packers Sanders: Packers Detroit Lions vs. Los Angeles Rams (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: Rams Cohn: Rams Preston: Rams Tolentino: Rams Doon: Lions Conlin: Lions Schwartz: Rams Sanders: Rams Carolina Panthers vs. New Orleans Saints (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: Panthers Cohn: Panthers Preston: Panthers Tolentino: Panthers Doon: Panthers Conlin: Panthers Schwartz: Panthers Sanders: Panthers Indianapolis Colts vs. Seattle Seahawks (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: Seahawks Cohn: Seahawks Preston: Seahawks Tolentino: Seahawks Doon: Seahawks Conlin: Seahawks Schwartz: Seahawks Sanders: Seahawks Tennessee Titans vs. San Francisco 49ers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: 49ers Cohn: 49ers Preston: 49ers Tolentino: 49ers Doon: 49ers Conlin: 49ers Schwartz: 49ers Sanders: 49ers Minnesota Vikings vs. Dallas Cowboys (Sunday, 8:20 p.m.) Wacker: Cowboys Cohn: Cowboys Preston: Cowboys Tolentino: Cowboys Doon: Vikings Conlin: Cowboys Schwartz: Cowboys Sanders: Cowboys Miami Dolphins vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (Monday, 8:15 p.m.) Wacker: Steelers Cohn: Steelers Preston: Steelers Tolentino: Steelers Doon: Steelers Conlin: Dolphins Schwartz: Dolphins Sanders: Dolphins View the full article

The two most glaring numbers for the Ravens’ defense so far this season are passing yards allowed and sacks. The Ravens are ranked No. 26 in pass defense, allowing 236 yards per game, and rookie outside linebacker Mike Green leads the team in sacks with 2 1/2, as well as 11 quarterback hurries. A rookie? That pretty much tells the story of the success, or the lack of it. For the past two seasons, there is always this speculation, more of a myth, that the Ravens’ defense has improved during the year, particularly in the second half, but that hasn’t been the case. It’s more talk than anything else. But instead of yapping so much, the Ravens need to start playing better — stacking wins and getting prepared to play a list of impressive quarterbacks in the final four games of the regular season. “But it’s not hard, but it’s a little annoying — not from you guys, but for myself having to get up here every week and be like, ‘We need to turn it on. We need to turn it on.’ It’s been like that ever since Week 1,” Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said Wednesday. “It’s time that we go out and do it, and there’s no excuses that are to be made at this point.” Preach, brother. “But like I said, it is a lot of talk,” Hamilton said. “We can stand up here and tell you our plan every week, but it’s a matter of us going out there and actually executing it.” The Ravens have the Bengals and Joe Burrow on Sunday in Cincinnati followed by New England’s Drake Maye, an NFL Most Valuable Player award candidate, then Green Bay’s Jordan Love. They finish with a season-ending second altercation with 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers, who completed 23 of 34 passes for 284 yards in Pittsburgh’s 27-22 win in Baltimore on Sunday. It wasn’t exactly a vintage performance from Rodgers, who has won four NFL MVP Awards, but you get the picture. Top-tier quarterbacks have had their way with the Ravens this season. Buffalo’s Josh Allen passed for almost 400 yards in the season opener and Detroit’s Jared Goff and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes each had passer ratings above 100 against Baltimore. Houston’s C.J. Stroud completed 23 of 27 attempts and had four touchdown passes in the Texans’ rout of the Ravens on Oct. 4, and Detroit’s Matthew Stafford was 17 of 26 for 181 yards in the Rams’ win in Baltimore a week later. Pessimism is one thing, but so is realism. The Ravens’ defense improved a year ago because it was playing against quarterbacks such as Cleveland’s Bailey Zappe, the New York Giants’ Tommy DeVito and Tim Boyle and Pittsburgh’s Russell Wilson (twice). The Ravens went on a five-game winning streak this season going against the likes of Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa, Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy, Cleveland’s Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders and the New York Jets’ Tyrod Taylor. That’s not exactly a group that produces fear in NFL circles. The worst part is that the Ravens still look lost in coverages at times. Opposing teams are running free in the flats and it’s been that way since the start of the season. Remember Kansas City’s Isiah Pacheco catching an 8-yard touchdown pass in the left flat in the second quarter? Or Houston receiver Nico Collins catching a 10-yard touchdown pass from Stroud in the same quarter in the right flat? How about Pittsburgh’s Jaylen Warren hauling in a 38-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter in the right flat of Sunday’s game as he went untouched? That shouldn’t be happening this late in the season. Everybody at M&T Bank Stadium knows that once a receiver like the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase or Pittsburgh’s DK Metcalf draws cornerback Marlon Humphrey to the outside, opposing quarterbacks will likely throw deep. Chase had seven catches for 110 yards in Week 13, and Metcalf had seven catches for 148 yards last Sunday. Isn’t there some way that the Ravens can rotate a safety to that side of the field, or are they still concerned about any possible threat over the middle? At least the Bengals deserve some credit. They put Chase in the slot and he might motion anywhere. Bengals wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley tries to catch a pass while Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey defends. Opposing teams have tested Humphrey in recent weeks, throwing deep against the Baltimore cornerback. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) “We do match up sometimes in the slot,” Hamilton said of Chase. “They move around so much and that’s part of the reason why they have success, you never know where he is going to be at. You try to scheme your offense and scheme your defense, or whatever it may be, so your best players can shine, and that’s what they do very well.” It’s pretty amazing to watch what goes on during games. What’s even more befuddling is that the Ravens can’t come up with any answers. They still have tackling problems (see cornerback Nate Wiggins) and both inside linebackers, Roquan Smith and rookie Teddye Buchanan, struggle in pass coverage. A lot of it, though not all of it, comes down to rushing the passer. Regardless of whether a team has Deion Sanders or Richard Sherman at cornerback, they can only cover so much space in a limited time. Defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike is tied for second on the team in sacks (two) despite playing in only two games. It just shows how far the Ravens need to go to get this defense back on track. They can come up with all the assortments of exotic blitzes against rookies like Sanders and Gabriel, but that doesn’t work versus veterans like Rodgers and Stafford. Been there. Seen that. Related Articles Date and time of Ravens-Packers Week 17 game at Lambeau Field announced Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton unwavering in title belief: ‘Gonna be a heck of a story’ Ravens QB Lamar Jackson absent from another midweek practice Army-Navy Game arrives in Baltimore with Ravens who lived its stakes Ravens film study: Missed opportunities hurt Lamar Jackson in Steelers loss The last time the Ravens saw Burrow was on Thanksgiving. The Bengals won, 32-14, as Burrow completed 24 of 46 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Maye is only 23, but he’s a major story in the NFL this season, guiding the Patriots to an 11-2 record while completing 71.5% of his passes with 23 touchdowns and six interceptions. Love is 9-3-1 with Green Bay this season with 22 touchdown passes to just four interceptions. And then there is Rodgers, who worked the game clock to perfection Sunday, draining it down to every second before the snap of the ball. He controlled the tempo of the game for Pittsburgh. It’s an uphill climb for the Ravens. Can they pull it off and win the AFC North title? Of course, especially with some help from the Steelers. But they won’t get any help from the upcoming slate of quarterbacks. It’s a good upcoming group, not like the inexperienced signal callers the Ravens faced earlier in the season. The quarterbacks have changed, and so have the parameters. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

If the Ravens are going to make the playoffs — a thought four months ago that some might have considered absurd — they are likely going to have to win most if not all of their remaining four games. Among them is a showdown against the surging Green Bay Packers. That Week 17 game at Lambeau Field will take place on Saturday, Dec. 27 at 8 p.m., it was announced on Wednesday. The game will be exclusively streamed on Peacock with Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst) and Kathryn Tappen (sideline reporter) on the call. It will be broadcast locally on NBC (WBAL). The time and date of the game, along with a handful of others, had not been previously released by the league to allow for flexible scheduling of contests with the most compelling matchups with playoff implications. It will also be Jackson’s first game at Lambeau. That maiden visit also comes at a critical time. The Packers (9-3-1) have won four straight and have a slim lead over the Chicago Bears in the NFC North. Baltimore (6-7) has dropped two in a row, is a game back of the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers and travels to Cincinnati to face the Bengals and quarterback Joe Burrow on Sunday. A loss to the Bengals, who beat the Ravens just two weeks ago on Thanksgiving night in Baltimore, would be a significant blow to the Ravens’ playoff chances. It’s also feasible that they could be out of it entirely by the time they get to Wisconsin, though much of that of course depends on the Steelers. Baltimore’s most likely path to the postseason is as division champs, and the Steelers will play the Ravens in Pittsburgh in Week 18. Related Articles Ravens QB Lamar Jackson absent from another midweek practice Army-Navy Game arrives in Baltimore with Ravens who lived its stakes Ravens film study: Missed opportunities hurt Lamar Jackson in Steelers loss Watch Episode 15 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law The Ravens can still make the NFL playoffs. Here’s the path. Whatever happens between now and then, it will mark the Ravens’ first game at Lambeau since November 2017. Baltimore won, 23-0, against Packers backup quarterback Brett Hundley on the strength of the five turnovers it forced along with Joe Flacco throwing for 183 yards and one touchdown with one interception. The Ravens’ most recent game against the Packers, however, was in December 2021 when then-Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes in a 31-30 victory at M&T Bank Stadium that clinched a division title for the Packers. Jackson did not play in that game because of a sprained ankle, while Tyler Huntley nearly lead the Ravens back from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit with an 8-yard touchdown run with 42 seconds remaining before his 2-point conversion pass fell incomplete. That loss was the third of what ended up being six straight for the Ravens. It was also the last time they failed to make the playoffs. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens’ season has been a roller coaster of emotions and thought exercises. A 1-5 start followed by five straight wins and then two straight losses for a team once thought to be a Super Bowl contender will do that. An NFL season lasts but only so long, though. Each of the past two weeks, players have talked about that particular game being a “must-win” or having a “playoff” feel. Then they went out and botched both, first with five turnovers in a Thanksgiving night debacle against the Cincinnati Bengals then with an offensive and defensive meltdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. All of it has brought Baltimore to its current conundrum and chilly reality. With only four games remaining, the Ravens are a game back of the AFC North-leading Steelers and could very well have to win out in order to capture the division title, which is almost certainly their only path to the postseason. So now what about this week’s rematch with the Bengals being a must-win? All of it got Ravens safety and the team’s most introspective thinker probing a new approach as he laid awake in bed. Kyle Hamilton then invoked a string of recent champions in a variety of sports and went off on an aside during lunch. “Our perspective changes every time we win or lose a game,” he said Wednesday. “I’m probably gonna go off on a tangent here a little bit. “I was thinking just about all the sports and champions I’ve seen recently and how they got there, and it kind of put things in perspective for me.” He then invoked the near-fall and rise of some of the all-time greats. First, he brought up Carlos Alcaraz, who was down three match points to Jannik Sinner in the fourth set of this year’s French Open final before rallying to force a fifth set and eventual five-plus hour victory for a second straight title at Roland Garros. Then he pointed to Rory McIlroy missing a pair of short par putts to lose last year’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst and a putt on the 72nd hole of this year’s Masters before winning in a playoff for his first Green Jacket to complete the career Grand Slam. Also on the list were Max Verstappen, who looked like he wouldn’t even finish in the top 3 or 4 of F1’s championship and now has a chance to win the title, and LeBron James, whose Cleveland Cavaliers rallied from a 3-1 NBA Finals deficit against the Golden State Warriors to win the 2016 title. “It never really is this Cinderella, fairy-tale season that it’s gonna be,” Hamilton said, noting each of the victor’s tribulations along the way. “The Patriots won all those games [in 2007] and lost in the Super Bowl and nobody really cares about the undefeated record up until that point. “It’s not about how you get there. It’s just a matter of you getting there.” Of course getting there could be Baltimore’s primary problem. Especially for a defense that ranks 22nd in points (24.6) and 25th in yards (349.3) per game and is coming off giving up a season-high 284 passing yards to 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers and what up until last week had been a largely listless offense. Instead, Baltimore’s once league-best defense that is largely intact from two years ago has this season been a welcome antidote for opponents’ ailments. Offensively, things have been even more stunning. Quarterback Lamar Jackson, who missed another Wednesday practice this week, has gone five straight without topping 58.6% passing. He also hasn’t been the same dynamic and explosive threat with his legs, averaging a career-low 30.7 yards rushing and 5.2 yards per carry, his lowest mark since his rookie year. The offensive line has been below average and consequently so have the Ravens, who rank 19th in yards (325.9) and 13th in points (23.9) per game. “We’re still not playing our best football by any means,” tight end Mark Andrews said Wednesday. “The type of games we’re playing in are winnable games. We’re very close to doing our thing and we have so much talent, it’s just about coming together, doing our job, offense scoring points, defense balling out and special teams doing their job.” Andrews also dismissed the notion that Baltimore’s offense is still searching for its identity. “Throughout the games there’s been mistakes,” he said. “It’s everybody. I think we just clean those up and good things are gonna happen. At times I think we’re moving the ball really, really well. “I think we haven’t played our best ball, and that’s gonna come.” Related Articles Ravens QB Lamar Jackson absent from another midweek practice Army-Navy Game arrives in Baltimore with Ravens who lived its stakes Ravens film study: Missed opportunities hurt Lamar Jackson in Steelers loss Watch Episode 15 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law The Ravens can still make the NFL playoffs. Here’s the path. Time is running out, though. Still, Hamilton believes they can turn things around, the way Alcaraz, McIlroy, Verstappen and James did. “I think the mindset we have to have is kind of like that,” he said. “All these great sports feats have come with challenge and we could be another story along that road. “That’s kind of the mindset I feel like we’ve taken upon ourselves right now. It’s kind of the mindset we need to have, have to have to have in order to get where we want to go. It’s gonna be a heck of a story, as we were telling ourselves.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

This has become the norm in Owings Mills: Lamar Jackson did not practice Wednesday for the Ravens. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player and superstar quarterback has popped up on the injury report each week for the past five with various lower-body injuries. At one point, Jackson acknowledged he might regularly forgo one midweek practice. “There’s no science to it,” coach John Harbaugh said earlier this week. “You want to have everybody practicing every day; that’s your goal as a coach, but it’s a long season. These guys go through a lot; Lamar as much as anybody.” Jackson’s status for Sunday’s game in Cincinnati will become clearer later this week. In a loss to the Steelers on Sunday, which dropped Baltimore to 6-7, Jackson threw for 219 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Harbaugh thought he looked more nimble in the win. Jackson thought so, too. Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie was the only other player absent on a gloomy Wednesday afternoon. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. Related Articles Army-Navy Game arrives in Baltimore with Ravens who lived its stakes Ravens film study: Missed opportunities hurt Lamar Jackson in Steelers loss Watch Episode 15 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law The Ravens can still make the NFL playoffs. Here’s the path. Ravens’ John Harbaugh laments poor 4th-quarter execution in Steelers loss View the full article

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

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

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