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On the injury front, the Ravens are surprisingly healthy for this stage of the year. But the Owings Mills facility hasn’t sidestepped seasonal sickness in preparing for a Week 18 matchup with the Cleveland Browns that could give Baltimore the AFC North title with a win. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley and defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike both returned to practice in a limited capacity after missing Tuesday’s session because of illness. Guard Patrick Mekari (illness) and running back Justice Hill (concussion/illness) were both sidelined for a second straight day. Coach John Harbaugh summed up the absences as “flu-like symptoms and sickness-type stuff” on Monday. All signs point to their availability for the Ravens’ (11-5) regular-season finale at 4:30 p.m. Saturday against the Browns (3-13) at M&T Bank Stadium. That includes Hill, who suffered a scary concussion against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 21. The dynamic backfield threat got upended and took a hard fall before halftime. He was immediately tended to by trainers and swiftly ruled out. Harbaugh said his absence this week is because he’s sick but that Hill will play. That potentially means a crowded Ravens backfield heading into Week 18 and the playoffs behind a healthy Derrick Henry, Hill, Keaton Mitchell and Rasheen Ali (who returned to the fold Wednesday from a hip injury) — a good problem to have at this juncture. Wide receiver Nelson Agholor (concussion) and tight end Charlie Kolar (forearm) haven’t missed practice this week. Cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring) was bumped up to limited participant Wednesday. Cleveland is a little more banged up, on top of the secrecy in who might start at quarterback. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who replaced Jameis Winston as the starter each of their past two games but has been a limited practice participant this week with a calf injury, told local reporters Wednesday that he doesn’t know if he’ll get the start in three days. Third-stringer Bailey Zappe said he’s in the dark too, but it’s nothing new having previously played for the mastermind of football mirage Bill Belichick in New England. There’s a chance both see time under center Saturday. “We’re obviously familiar with Thompson-Robinson and now we’re doing some work on Zappe,” Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr said. “Our game plan really won’t change much in how we approach these guys, the system’s gonna be the same. We expect a little bit more QB runs with Thompson-Robinson in there but we’re gonna do what we do. … no matter who the quarterback is.” Added Harbaugh: “Maybe they’ll try to keep it under wraps, but whichever way it goes, we’re playing the Browns, the Browns are playing the Ravens, and we’ll be ready to go.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson closing in on another NFL record Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Browns scouting report for Week 18: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 5 recap: Ravens make best of rapid preparations for Christmas game Baltimore Ravens | 4 Ravens miss practice Tuesday with illness; Browns QBs dealing with injuries Baltimore Ravens | Ravens kicker Justin Tucker might be ‘back to normal’ The Ravens are playing the Browns, but the Cleveland might look a bit different — or depleted — come Saturday compared with when these teams met in October. Defensive end and NFL sacks leader Myles Garrett (thigh), tight end David Njoku (knee), cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder), running back Jerome Ford (ankle), linebacker Jordan Hicks (concussion) and running back Pierre Strong (concussion) were all out for the second consecutive day. Defensive end Cameron Thomas (back) returned after his Tuesday absence. Ward, who is a three-time Pro Bowl selection, told local reporters he is “pushing” to play Saturday. Meanwhile, Winston (right shoulder) spent both days this week practicing in a limited capacity. Same goes for safety Grant Delpit (shoulder/knee), tight end Blake Whiteheart (knee), defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (knee) and receiver Michael Woods. Defensive tackle Dalvin Thompson was a new addition to Cleveland’s injury report with a knee injury. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Lamar Jackson has already broken one record this season, surpassing Michael Vick for the all-time mark in rushing yards by a quarterback. Now, another mark is within reach. With one week left in the regular season, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player’s passer rating of 121.6 is just behind the single-season NFL record of 122.5 set by then-Packers signal caller Aaron Rodgers in 2011. But Jackson’s sights of course are on a much bigger goal — getting to and winning a Super Bowl. “If in my childhood mindset and breaking a record, yeah [it would mean a lot],” he said Tuesday. “But I’m trying to win games, so it really don’t matter. If it happens, it happens. If it don’t, it probably will happen sometime down the line.” For now, the immediate goal for Jackson and the Ravens is beating the Cleveland Browns on Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium. A win would lock up the AFC North title for a second straight year and secure the No. 3 seed in the conference for the playoffs, guaranteeing Baltimore at least a wild-card game at home against either the Los Angeles Chargers or Pittsburgh Steelers. A loss coupled with a Steelers win over the Cincinnati Bengals would mean hitting the road for a rematch with the AFC South champion Houston Texans. Still, it wouldn’t take anything extraordinary for Jackson to add his name to another record. After completing 21 of 25 passes for 290 yards and five touchdowns in a blowout of the New York Giants in Week 15, his season-long passer rating climbed to 120.7, the fourth-highest mark in league history. The following week, in a win over the Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium, he completed 15 of 23 attempts for 207 yards and three touchdowns with one interception, good for a relatively modest rating of 115.4. Then, in a 31-2 drubbing of the Texans in Houston on Christmas, Jackson completed 10 of 15 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns for a rating of 143.9. Already, Jackson has had one game this season in which he had a perfect passer rating (158.3) after completing 16 of 19 for 280 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-10 rout of the Denver Broncos in Week 9. That gave him five for his career, also an NFL record, breaking a tie with Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner and Ben Roethlisberger. Jackson nearly had one in Week 7, too, when he completed 17 of 22 passes for 281 yards and five touchdowns in a 41-31 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Lamar Jackson has thrown a career-high 39 touchdown passes this season. (David J. Phillip/AP) Now in his seventh season, Jackson, 27, has often said this year that the game has slowed down for him. Unsurprisingly, his numbers have sped up as a result. With 3,955 passing yards, he’s on the precipice of breaking the 4,000-yard mark for the first time in his career. His 39 touchdown passes are also a career high and tied for the second-most in the NFL behind only the Bengals’ Joe Burrow, and his 8.9 yards per attempt are the most of his career by nearly a full yard and also lead the league. He has also continued to be a threat with his legs — despite rushing at a lower rate than any previous season, he has still tallied 852 yards, just 12 yards behind Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels, and four touchdowns. But the Ravens aren’t concerned with any of those numbers right now. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Browns scouting report for Week 18: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 5 recap: Ravens make best of rapid preparations for Christmas game Baltimore Ravens | 4 Ravens miss practice Tuesday with illness; Browns QBs dealing with injuries Baltimore Ravens | Ravens kicker Justin Tucker might be ‘back to normal’ Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens coach John Harbaugh deserves our praise, not ire | COMMENTARY “People that study football history in the National Football League I’m sure will have these conversations and write about all of these things and all that, but right now, it’s just a matter of trying to make that history,” coach John Harbaugh said earlier this week. “[We’re] trying to do what we can do to try to do what we do and try to win the next game and carry it forward from there.” Yet, critics remain, of Jackson, his ability as a passer and his candidacy for a third MVP this year with Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen the favorite for the award. It still motivates him, too, he said, and that could be problematic for those trying to defend him. “It’s really nothing to talk about,” Jackson said. “Just let us play football. It is what it is. When you playing sports there’s gonna always be talk of how good a player is, how bad a player is, he should be this, he should be that. There’s gonna always be that type of talk. “Just keep it up for me. It helps.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Week 18 Browns at Ravens Saturday, 4:30 p.m. TV: ABC, ESPN Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 17 1/2 View the full article

The Ravens hammered the Texans, 31-2, on Christmas to move within a win of an AFC North repeat. The Browns put up little fight in a 20-3 loss to the Dolphins. Who will have the advantage in the last game of the regular season Saturday afternoon in Baltimore? Ravens passing game vs. Browns pass defense Lamar Jackson will try to put the finishing touches on the greatest passing season of his career against a Cleveland defense that hounded him into one of his lesser outings in a 29-24 Browns upset on Oct. 27. Jackson leads the league in yards per attempt, passer rating and ESPN’s QBR, with a career-high 39 touchdown passes and a career-low four interceptions. He leads an offense that ranks first in yards per play, yards per play, DVOA and red-zone efficiency. Jackson needed just 15 attempts to throw for 168 yards and two touchdowns against the Texans’ fearsome pass rush, using his scrambling ability to buy extra time for several of his biggest strikes. His pecking order of targets still begins with wide receiver Zay Flowers (73 catches, 1,047 yards) and tight end Mark Andrews (51 catches on 61 targets, 10 touchdowns). The Ravens’ pass protection held up against Houston’s elite edge rushers, with Jackson taking just one sack and five hits. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley and left guard Patrick Mekari played particularly well. They’ll be tested again by a Cleveland front that still gets to the quarterback, no matter what’s wrong with the rest of the roster. That starts with defensive end Myles Garrett (14 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, 28 quarterback hits), who’s wrapping up another All-Pro-caliber season. Garrett will hunt matchups, and the Ravens will likely counter by throwing multiple blockers at him. They’ll hope to have third-down back Justice Hill returning from a concussion to aid in that group project. Shelby Harris on the interior and Isaiah McGuire on the other edge complement the Browns’ best player. Cleveland’s other defensive superstar, cornerback Denzel Ward, has also played at a Pro Bowl level, leading the league with 19 passes defended. Linebacker Jordan Hicks is good enough in coverage to match up with Andrews. For all their talent, the Browns have allowed 6.5 yards per attempt and rank 30th in takeaways. Former Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley posted a 115.5 passer rating against them on Sunday. EDGE: Ravens Browns passing game vs. Ravens pass defense Cleveland’s offense went from ragged with Jameis Winston at quarterback to inert with Dorian Thompson-Robinson in his place. The Browns have scored nine points total in Thompson-Robinson’s two starts. He has one touchdown pass and 10 interceptions in 14 career games. The Ravens could also see Bailey Zappe, who threw 11 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions in 14 games for the Patriots in 2022 and 2023. The Browns have wasted a very good season from wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (84 catches, 1,166 yards). Their other top threat, tight end David Njoku, missed the Dolphins game with a knee injury. Their once-great offensive line has allowed four sacks per game. Cleveland ranks last in third-down efficiency and 27th in the red zone. This is a bad, bad offense. The Browns will face a Baltimore pass defense that has gotten its act together since these teams met two months ago. Winston threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns in that game, but the Ravens haven’t allowed more than 202 passing yards in any of their past six games. Coordinator Zach Orr found the key when he pulled his best player, safety Kyle Hamilton, back from the line of scrimmage and benched Marcus Williams in favor of Ar’Darius Washington. Hamilton and Washington have clamped down on the explosive plays that killed the Ravens, and they created essential turnovers in wins over Houston and Pittsburgh. Orr has also found the right formula at cornerback, playing Marlon Humphrey (six interceptions, four passes defended) in the slot and rapidly improving rookie Nate Wiggins on the outside. Led by edge rushers Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh, the Ravens also rank second in the league with 52 sacks. EDGE: Ravens Ravens running back Derrick Henry ran for 73 yards on 11 carries against the Browns on Oct. 27. (Sue Ogrocki/AP) Ravens running game vs. Browns run defense The Ravens ran for 251 yards against the Texans and 220 against the Steelers and lead the league in yards per attempt and rush DVOA. Derrick Henry ran for 309 yards in the victories over Houston and Pittsburgh and would need 217 against Cleveland to reach 2,000 for the season. He’s averaging a career-high 5.8 yards per carry as he approaches his 31st birthday (the day of the Browns game), evidence of his remarkable durability and of the space Jackson creates with his gravitational pull. Jackson passed Michael Vick to become the most prolific running quarterback in league history, carrying four times for 87 yards against the Texans. He hit a career-best 21.2 mph on a 48-yard touchdown run, evidence that he’s fit as can be going into the playoffs. The Browns held the Ravens to 124 rushing yards in October and have played solid run defense, allowing 4.4 yards per carry and ranking 13th in DVOA. Cleveland is without its top run defender in linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, but fellow linebackers Hicks and Devin Bush have played well. Garrett and McGuire are very good on the edges, where Henry does a lot of his damage. EDGE: Ravens Browns running game vs. Ravens run defense Cleveland’s ground attack is also in shambles. Running back Nick Chubb is on injured reserve. Replacement starter Jerome Ford hurt his ankle against the Dolphins. D’Onta Foreman, averaging 3,4 yards per carry, would be next in line if Ford can’t go. This is one area where Thompson-Robinson has been good, with 119 yards on 19 carries. The Ravens have allowed the fewest yards per game and per attempt in the league. They have all their key run defenders back in the lineup, with Michael Pierce at nose tackle, linebacker Roquan Smith playing at a high level and a rotation of Chris Board, Malik Harrison and Trenton Simpson performing well beside him. It’s difficult to imagine one of the Browns’ running backs going off, but Baltimore’s linebackers and defensive backs will need to be alert to Thompson-Robinson breaking past the line of scrimmage. EDGE: Ravens Ravens special teams vs. Browns special teams Justin Tucker hasn’t missed since the Ravens’ bye week, nailing two attempts from beyond 50 yards and quieting critics who said the team should look for his replacement. The Ravens are still looking for the right combination with their returners after they inserted waiver claim Steven Sims to field punts against Houston. They still rank an uncharacteristic 23rd in special teams DVOA. The Browns are even worse at 30th in DVOA, dragged down by dreadful kicking and below-average performance in every other facet of special teams. Dustin Hopkins has made just 17 of 26 field-goal attempts and 16 of 19 extra-point attempts. Cleveland has allowed 13.9 yards per punt return, so this could be a week for the Ravens to break one. EDGE: Ravens Ravens intangibles vs. Browns intangibles Ravens coach John Harbaugh and his players masterfully handled their stretch of three games in 11 days, going undefeated with a plus-67 scoring margin to snatch control of the AFC North. The Ravens will face the Browns coming off 10 days’ rest with a largely healthy roster and plenty of incentive to finish strong. Despite being huge favorites, they’re unlikely to look past a team that upset them earlier in the season. Harbaugh’s team again seems to be peaking late with good reason to believe in its Super Bowl chances. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson closing in on another NFL record Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 5 recap: Ravens make best of rapid preparations for Christmas game Baltimore Ravens | 4 Ravens miss practice Tuesday with illness; Browns QBs dealing with injuries Baltimore Ravens | Ravens kicker Justin Tucker might be ‘back to normal’ Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens coach John Harbaugh deserves our praise, not ire | COMMENTARY The Browns, meanwhile, are dragging to the end of a disastrous season with no long-term solution at quarterback and buzz that their best player, Garrett, might want out if losing persists. Coach Kevin Stefanski has demonstrated he can lead Cleveland to the playoffs, and he might get another chance in 2025. For now, his team’s fans would probably be happier with a top-three draft pick than another win over the Ravens. EDGE: Ravens Prediction The Ravens want another AFC North title. The Browns would be best off losing to lock in a top-three pick. One team is a Super Bowl contender peaking on the cusp of the playoffs. The other has lost five straight, scoring a total of 30 points over the past four of those. The sportsbooks say this might be the greatest mismatch of the year (Baltimore is favored by 17 1/2 points), and who are we to disagree? Even if Garrett and friends put up some resistance to Jackson and the league’s most efficient offense, there’s no reason to believe the Browns will score against a reborn Baltimore defense. This one won’t get complicated. Ravens 27, Browns 3 Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

The Ravens are back on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” for the first time since the venerable series’ 2001 premiere season, this time sharing each hour with their AFC North neighbors. The fifth episode of this in-season look at the division debuted Tuesday night, showcasing the Ravens and Steelers managing the four-day turnaround to Christmas games and the Bengals clinging to postseason life with a dramatic win. From now until the end of the season, we’ll recap each episode, highlighting striking moments, memorable characters and tasty Ravens-related nuggets. Key Ravens scene If the Ravens had been given the power to design their schedule, they would not have opted to play three games in 11 days, with the last of those in Houston on Christmas. But “Hard Knocks” showed them making the best of a difficult scenario. “Look at the teams that are playing this schedule,” offensive coordinator Todd Monken told his players. “It means you’re really good.” Monken recalled how he went from 11-5 in his first season as an NFL assistant to 5-11 the next year. He joked that he put an addition on his house one year only to realize his job security was nonexistent the next. “Easy to get spoiled making the playoffs,” he said, urging the Ravens not to take their enduring success for granted. At a subsequent practice, Monken’s boss, John Harbaugh, took obvious delight in how quickly his team was bouncing back from its 34-17 victory over the Steelers. “They recover so fast,” he enthused to senior special teams coach Randy Brown. Later, he sidled up to wide receiver Rashod Bateman. “Bate, is it my imagination or are you moving really good?” Harbaugh said. Data from that day’s session confirmed what Harbaugh’s eyes told him. “Wait until you see the speeds from today,” Sam Rosengarten, the Ravens’ director of high performance, told the coach. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Harbaugh said as he surveyed the speed figures. “They are flying around,” Rosengarten said. These sequences effectively set the table for the Ravens’ overpowering victory over the Texans. Lamar Jackson’s dazzling moves on Christmas against the Texans were on full display on the latest episode of “Hard Knocks.” (Eric Christian Smith/AP) Other Ravens tidbits The team’s top pass rusher, 33-year-old Kyle Van Noy, did not mince words describing the toll of preparing for a third game in 11 days. “I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to play this game,” he said to defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike early in the episode. Fatigue did not stop Van Noy from pushing his sack total to a career-high 11 1/2. Ravens defenders played a game of Texans Jeopardy as they prepared for the AFC South champions, and linebacker Roquan Smith lost a chunk of change when he guessed Texas is the “Longhorn State” rather than the Lone Star State. Perhaps he was dreaming ahead to a possible College Football Playoff matchup between his Georgia Bulldogs and the Texas Longhorns. If you wanted to relive Lamar Jackson’s astonishing Christmas highlight reel, this was your episode. The NFL Films cameras didn’t capture much that we didn’t see during the Netflix broadcast, but Jackson’s moves will never not dazzle. He reacted to breaking Michael Vick’s record for career rushing yards by a quarterback with typical nonchalance. “Appreciate you, man,” he said after Harbaugh pulled him into a congratulatory embrace. Harbaugh couldn’t resist a gentle poke at his quarterback’s stated plan to watch Beyoncé’s halftime performance. “Lamar will not be in the locker room for that,” he told his players when he reminded them the break would last five minutes longer than usual. “That’s a pretty great Christmas present,” Harbaugh said to safety Kyle Hamilton at the end of a blissfully unstressful holiday. Best non-Ravens scene “Hard Knocks” featured plenty of action from Cincinnati’s absurd, sublime season-saving victory over the Denver Broncos but did little to mine further drama from behind-the-scenes Bengals footage. As usual with this series, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin did the best job summing up his team’s circumstances, even in a week in which Pittsburgh lost its season-long grip on the AFC North. “How do you learn and grow from failure?” he asked his players as they gathered a day after losing to the Ravens. “First, own it. It requires some self-awareness.” Like Monken, Tomlin put a positive spin on his team’s holiday assignment. “LeBron [James] done worked Christmas for 20 years,” he said. “It’s a beautiful thing. That’s the way I look at it.” He was just as quotable after turnovers and missed opportunities doomed the Steelers to a third straight loss. “You know, that sucked, to be blunt,” Tomlin said. “It’s junior varsity. It’s not good enough. I’m less concerned about control of the division. I’m more concerned about our performance.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson closing in on another NFL record Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Browns scouting report for Week 18: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | 4 Ravens miss practice Tuesday with illness; Browns QBs dealing with injuries Baltimore Ravens | Ravens kicker Justin Tucker might be ‘back to normal’ Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens coach John Harbaugh deserves our praise, not ire | COMMENTARY Perhaps that’s a forecast of how he’ll treat his team’s next game against the Bengals, even if the Ravens clinch the AFC North earlier on Saturday. Some have speculated Tomlin might rest his starters, but he sounded like a man who just wants to see the Steelers play good football again. Episode MVP Monken showed little enthusiasm for “Hard Knocks” before the series started airing, so perhaps it’s no surprise that the Ravens’ most quotable (and amusingly profane) coach has been a minor character. But viewers got a taste of him early in this episode with his joke about hastily building an addition after his first glimpse of NFL success and his suggestion that the Ravens take playing on Christmas as a high compliment. Monken has seen it all at every level of the sport, and his offbeat flourishes of wisdom are always welcome. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

The biggest concern for the Ravens entering the final week of the regular season is illness. That’s what kept four players out of practice on Tuesday, with left tackle Ronnie Stanley, left guard Patrick Mekari and defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike all absent from the final practice of the calendar year. Running back Justice Hill, who hasn’t practiced or played since suffering a concussion in a Dec. 21 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, also was not in attendance with illness added to his line on the first injury report of the week. Wide receiver Nelson Agholor (concussion) and running back Rasheen Ali (hip) both returned, however, with Agholor a full participant and Ali limited. Tight end Charlie Kolar (forearm), who was designated to return from injured reserve on Monday, was also a full participant, while cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring) did not practice again. That means Baltimore (11-5) should be in good shape for its Week 18 game Saturday against the Browns (3-13) at M&T Bank Stadium. A win would clinch the AFC North title and secure the Ravens the No. 3 seed in the conference going into the postseason, guaranteeing them at least a home wild-card game. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens kicker Justin Tucker might be ‘back to normal’ Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens coach John Harbaugh deserves our praise, not ire | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 17: Cue the Ravens’ rest vs. rust debate once again Baltimore Ravens | TE Charlie Kolar designated to return from IR as Ravens get healthier Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who would you prefer the Ravens face in the wild-card round? Cleveland, on the other hand, is at the opposite end of the spectrum health-wise. Running backs Jerome Ford (ankle) and Pierre Strong (concussion), defensive ends Myles Garrett (thigh) and Cameron Thomas (back), linebacker Jordan Hicks (concussion), tight end David Njoku (knee) and cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder) all missed practice Tuesday. Six others were limited for the Browns: quarterbacks Dorian Thompson-Robinson (calf) and Jameis Winston (right shoulder), safety Grant Delpit (shoulder/knee), defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (knee), tight end Blake Whiteheart (knee) and wide receiver Michael Woods (knee). Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Justin Tucker is so back. Or at least it feels that way, considering how well the Ravens kicker is swinging his leg this side of the early December bye week. Tucker entered that late break in the schedule having missed eight field goal attempts and a pair of extra-point tries. Ten errant kicks handily set a career high; he’s never missed more than seven combined in a single season. In Year 13, he sliced one and hooked nine, leaving Tucker dizzy walking off the tee box. Something wasn’t clicking for the most accurate kicker in NFL history. Coach John Harbaugh tempered outside noise that suggested they bring in a challenger at the position. “I believe it will [get fixed],” he said. “It has to.” Tucker told his coach heading into the bye that he knew what he had to do. It was just a matter of going out and doing it. Since then, Tucker has been nails. He didn’t get the chance to kick a field goal in a 35-14 beatdown against the lowly New York Giants, but he made all five extra-point tries. He came back a week later to make two field goals (one from 51 yards) versus Pittsburgh. And on Christmas Day in Houston, he calmly split the uprights from 52 yards. “He’s making great ball contact. The ball’s flying straight. He’s doing everything right,” punter and holder Jordan Stout said. “It’s just like back to normal. Whatever that was that happened is over now and we’re ready to move on.” That’s all following what Tucker called an “excruciating” bye week, largely spent at the team’s Owings Mills facility. Stout said it helped to take a short breath away from football but doubled down explaining the meticulous efforts of the bye week. The longest-tenured Raven is a creature of routine, Stout said, so they didn’t change anything. “We hyper fixated on everything,” Stout said. “Everything. From the hold to the snap to the lean of the hold. His foot placement, his lean off, how tall he is. Everything. And maybe that’s part of it. But also part of that could have been, we were overthinking it, too. But maybe the reason we’re back to where we are is because we did that. So, it’s like, no one will ever know.” Prisoners of the moment beware, this isn’t Tucker’s first flawless stretch this season. He was perfect against Buffalo, Cincinnati, Washington then Tampa Bay. After that, he unraveled to the point some outsiders were calling for his replacement. In an interview with SBNation, Fresno State special teams coordinator John Baxter, who has coached colleges for 35 years and has known Harbaugh for decades, postulated the notorious power in his kick meant a fraction off the point of impact resulted in a significant hook. “The margin of error is so minuscule,” Stout said. “So just hyperfixating on the sweet spot is the best thing to do.” Even in the slump, Tucker claimed to never lose confidence. He spoke with an even-keeled assuredness that he’d get back on track. There also seemed to be a devil and angel on either shoulder. “In the wise words of Terrell Suggs, ‘Sometimes it just be like that,’” Tucker said after beating Pittsburgh on Dec. 21. “The ball comes off your foot, and it does not go exactly where you want it every single time.” Moments later, he acknowledged how quickly his mind can veer into the curb. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 4 Ravens miss practice Tuesday with illness; Browns QBs dealing with injuries Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens coach John Harbaugh deserves our praise, not ire | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 17: Cue the Ravens’ rest vs. rust debate once again Baltimore Ravens | TE Charlie Kolar designated to return from IR as Ravens get healthier Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who would you prefer the Ravens face in the wild-card round? “I tell myself, like, ‘You have to make this kick if you are worth anything to this team, if you’re worth anything to your teammates — all the work that you put in — you have to make this kick. You don’t have a choice,’” Tucker said. “I’m kind of trying to toe that line and just remain the same, which is easier said than done, given the nature of the pressures that come with playing in this league.” His body of work was enough reason to think Tucker, at some point, might get here. He’s a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time All-Pro with a Super Bowl ring. Stout spends every day with him and won’t hear arguments against Tucker being the greatest ever or that some fans called him washed during the unprecedented stretch. “The craziest part about the whole thing was Justin had never done that before and everyone was confused as to why or how,” Stout said. “I knew he was gonna come out of it.” Is he completely out of it? That might not be answered until the season is complete. But since the bye week, Tucker’s bewildering hook shot has straightened out as footballs off his foot have sailed straight again and through the uprights. Just like the good times. “I’m thankful that we had this opportunity to get put in a kiln and maybe we can come out the other side as a beautiful little vase,” Tucker said earlier this month. “That was not a very good metaphor but it’s the best I got right now.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. Week 18 Browns at Ravens Saturday, 4:30 p.m. TV: ABC, ESPN Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 17 1/2 View the full article

John Harbaugh has been the Ravens’ coach since 2008, so, understandably, he is the focus of angry fans after each loss. They send emails to reporters asking if he has lost the locker room. They call into radio talk shows questioning his gameday decisions, wondering if the team lacks leadership, asking loudly if he will be fired if they don’t go deep into the playoffs. But Harbaugh, now 62, has done well. The Ravens can clinch the AFC North for the second straight year with a win Saturday at home against the Browns. They have some questionable losses to Las Vegas, Cleveland and Pittsburgh, but Baltimore is still among the favorites in the AFC to deny the Kansas City Chiefs a chance at becoming the first team to win three straight Super Bowls. Of course, you can question Harbaugh’s gameday decisions — his challenges, or when he called two timeouts to draw a penalty. You can question his desire to go for a fourth-and-1 deep in Ravens territory in the first half of the Los Angeles Chargers in late November. But here is a fact: The Ravens are going to the playoffs for the third straight year with a fairly balanced team. Here are more facts: Since becoming coach, Harbaugh’s Ravens have failed to make the playoffs only five times and he has an 183-114 record with a Super Bowl title in 2012. That’s not to say things can’t fall apart, especially if the Ravens falter early or get blown out in the postseason. But overall, his managing skills have been impressive. There were the deaths of former wide receiver Jacoby Jones, one of the team’s most popular figures of the previous decade, and Joe D’ Alessandris, the Ravens’ beloved offensive line coach, in late August. There were also the private meetings he had with his offensive assistants shortly after last season’s 17-10 loss to Kansas City in the AFC championship game to retool the offense, not to mention having first-year coordinator Zach Orr, 32, run what was the NFL’s best defense a year ago but is without three top assistants as teams plundered Baltimore in the offseason. There was also an unfavorable schedule that was ranked the fourth toughest by Sharp Football Analysts before the season started and included two stretches of games in which the Ravens played three games in 15 days and another three in 11. Whew, it’s been a whirlwind of a season. Coach John Harbaugh has led the Ravens over some significant hurdles this year. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) At least the Ravens had the foresight to reshape the offense around quarterback Lamar Jackson’s needs, but the death of D’Alessandris was devastating. It’s hard to replace a friend and a fellow coach most of the other assistants confided in. His memories and expressions and plays are tough to forget. The Ravens brought in George Warhop as D’Alessandris’ replacement, and many questions about the line have disappeared despite having rookie Roger Rosengarten starting at right tackle, third-year player Daniel Faalele starting at right guard and Patrick Mekari moving from a swing tackle to starting left guard. The Ravens still struggle in pass protection, especially when trailing and in obvious passing situations, but they are No. 2 in the NFL in rushing yards behind the never-aging Derrick Henry, who has rushed for 1,783 yards this season. As for Orr, it’s all about perspective. The Ravens lost coordinator Mike Macdonald (Seattle’s coach) and defensive assistants Anthony Weaver (Miami’s defensive coordinator) and Dennard Wilson (Tennessee’s defensive coordinator). Because of the influx of new assistants and changing personnel, it was always going to take time to get the defense to perform at a high level. There are still questions about this group, particularly defending passes over the middle. The Ravens haven’t faced a strong passing team in a month and won’t on Saturday versus Cleveland. But the bottom line is that the Ravens’ defense has gotten better. Much better. After being the NFL’s worst passing defense the first 10 weeks of the season, they made some key moves. They put Ar’Darius Washington at safety and put Marcus Williams on the bench. They moved safety Kyle Hamilton from near the line of scrimmage to help out more on the back end. Linebackers Chris Board and Malik Harrison started taking more time away from second-year weakside linebacker Trenton Simpson. A lot of the credit will go to Orr but Harbaugh had to sign off on those changes. That’s what head coaches do. But being an NFL coach isn’t just about schemes and designing X’s and O’s. It’s also about monitoring social media and managing relationships. It’s interesting how Harbaugh handles Jackson. Regardless of how he plays, he always says good things about his seventh-year star. The Ravens have planned training camp practices around Jackson’s behaviors, and even this year allowed him to skip two straight Wednesday practices. That would not have happened in the early Harbaugh years, but it’s nothing unusual for star players in the NFL. As long as their on-the-field contributions outweigh their personality and possible off-the-field distractions, there will always be a star system. There aren’t any more questions about Orr. Bringing in former Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees has apparently worked out, yet there will always be Harbaugh critics. Some say he has gotten outcoached previously by the likes of former New England coach Bill Belichick, and some will say it will happen again if he meets Kansas City’s Andy Reid. My question is: who hasn’t gotten outcoached by those guys? They are legends. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 4 Ravens miss practice Tuesday with illness; Browns QBs dealing with injuries Baltimore Ravens | Ravens kicker Justin Tucker might be ‘back to normal’ Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 17: Cue the Ravens’ rest vs. rust debate once again Baltimore Ravens | TE Charlie Kolar designated to return from IR as Ravens get healthier Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who would you prefer the Ravens face in the wild-card round? I’ve never subscribed to the theory that a good coach can’t be replaced. It really comes down to the organization. If they have the right front office personnel in place, that group will find the right new coach. Look at Pittsburgh, where Mike Tomlin replaced Bill Cowher, and even here in Baltimore, where Harbaugh replaced Brian Billick. But right now, it will be fascinating to see how this season plays out. So far, Harbaugh has made all the right moves, even replacing his trainers three years ago with new ones to reduce the amount of injuries. Perhaps it was forced by owner Steve Bisciotti, but again, Harbaugh had to sign off. “Up to this point, we’re really happy [with] where we’re at with that,” Harbaugh said Monday. “I do think a lot of work has gone into it. You have to give the players a lot of credit, too, for the work they’ve put in, and then all of the people involved in that have done a great job, but it’s definitely fueled our success, for sure. It’s something that’s a big deal in the National Football League. So, we’re happy with it, but hopefully, we can keep it going here.” That’s the attitude the Ravens should have with Harbaugh right now. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

Each week of the NFL season, The Baltimore Sun will recap the best and worst from around the league. Here are our winners and losers from Week 17: Winner: Armchair quarterbacks The final week of the NFL regular season is always fascinating. By waiting until Sunday night to release the Week 18 schedule, the league builds suspense for the final games that will determine the playoff field and the eventual Super Bowl champion. This year, the weekend begins with an all-AFC North showdown on Saturday, with Ravens vs. Browns kicking off at 4:30 p.m. and Steelers vs. Bengals following at 8 p.m. Given the Ravens just need a win over the hapless Browns — who lost their fifth straight Sunday and fell to 3-13 on the season — to clinch a second straight AFC North title, it would seem a bit anticlimactic. Baltimore (11-5) is a 17 1/2-point favorite, so assuming it doesn’t collapse, Pittsburgh (10-6) would enter its game against Cincinnati with nothing to play for but playoff positioning. But that playoff positioning could be mighty important. Consider the Texans, who are locked into the No. 4 seed as the AFC South champions. Houston (9-7) has lost two straight and five of its past eight games as it deals with injuries, a shaky offensive line and a worsening defense. After losing wide receiver Tank Dell for the season in Week 16, the Texans were blown out at home, 31-2, by the Ravens on Christmas Day. C.J. Stroud looks like a shell of the brilliant quarterback who dazzled as a rookie. It’s funny, then, that the consolation prize for the AFC North runner-up could be a wild-card game in Houston. Sure, it isn’t a home playoff game, but a matchup against the reeling Texans is very favorable. If you gave coaches John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin truth serum, they’d almost certainly agree. So why, then, would the Ravens or Steelers want to win the AFC North? Flags fly forever, but wouldn’t an opportunity to rest key starters ahead of a first-round matchup against a team on the ropes be more beneficial than, say, suffering an injury or two before facing a tougher opponent? The Bengals, who need to win Saturday to keep their faint playoff hopes alive, are also 2 1/2-point favorites against the Steelers, so the Ravens could even afford to lose to the Browns with their backups and still win the division title. Winning the AFC North and the No. 3 seed could mean a home playoff game against the No. 6 seed Los Angeles Chargers, who have won 10 games, have one of the league’s best quarterbacks and a veteran coach who’s won a national championship and taken his team to the Super Bowl. Or, if the Steelers slip to the No. 6 seed, it could mean a rematch against a hated division rival that knows the Ravens’ strengths and weaknesses better than anybody. Not so easy, right? Lamar Jackson is no stranger to sitting out the regular-season finale, having missed it for injury or rest in all but two of his previous six seasons as the starter. The last time the star quarterback suited up for the Ravens’ final regular-season game was 2020, when Baltimore came back from a midseason COVID-19 outbreak to win its final five games and clinch a wild-card spot. Jackson is 1-1 in the wild-card round when he plays the week before the game. When he rests during the regular-season finale, as he did in 2019 and 2023, he is 1-1 in his first playoff game. So when it comes to rest vs. rust, there’s not much evidence it really matters for the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player. That makes it all the more curious how the Ravens decide to treat this week. Their playoff berth is already secured; it’s just a matter of who they play and where. To recap: An AFC North title and No. 3 seed means a home wild-card game vs. the Chargers or Steelers, then a potential divisional-round game at No. 2 seed Buffalo (who the Ravens crushed, 35-10 in Week 4). A loss to the Browns and a Steelers win means the No. 5 seed and a wild-card game in Houston, then a potential trip to top-seeded Kansas City (who beat the Ravens, 27-20, in the season opener) in the divisional round. Which path would you choose? Let the debate begin. Coach John Harbaugh could rest the Ravens’ starters in Week 18 and still face a manageable playoff path. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Loser: The Colts and Giants It’s rare that both teams’ fan bases leave a game feeling terrible. The Colts entered Sunday needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, while the Giants were two more losses away from securing the No. 1 overall draft pick for just the third time in franchise history. An Indianapolis victory would be best for both sides. So it came as a shock when the Giants took a 28-13 lead on Ihmir Smith-Marsette’s 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half — and even bigger surprise when New York held on to that lead and secured a 45-33 victory, officially eliminating the Colts (7-9) from playoff contention. Even with Joe Flacco at quarterback, it was expected that Indy would waltz to victory over a hapless team that was one defeat away from becoming the first in NFL history to go 0-9 at home. The Giants had lost a franchise-record 10 straight games and had been outscored by nearly 150 points. Somebody forgot to tell Drew Lock, who finished with a nearly perfect passer rating while accounting for five touchdowns, including two scoring passes to rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers. Whenever the Colts threatened to come back, the Giants made a huge play to extend the lead. It’s a horrible finish for Colts coach Shane Steichen, who waffled between second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson and Flacco during the season and then face-planted in a must-win game against perhaps the league’s worst team. It’s hard to build much confidence when a season ends that way, no matter how promising Richardson’s flashes are. For the Giants (3-13), it could be yet another misstep for a franchise that missed out on last year’s impressive quarterback class largely because of a meaningless late-season winning streak led by Tommy DeVito. New York can still finish with the No. 1 pick, but a chance to draft either Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward might have vanished Sunday in an ultimately hollow victory. The Vikings are the NFL’s biggest surprise this season, and they are one win away from winning the NFC North and clinching the No. 1 seed in the conference and a first-round bye in the postseason. (Abbie Parr/AP) Winner: Minnesota Vikings It’s Sam Darnold’s world. We’re all just living in it. The one-time bust now has a chance to clinch the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC after Sunday’s 27-25 win over the Packers in which he threw for 377 yards and three touchdown passes. Minnesota is 14-2 entering a Week 18 matchup against the Detroit Lions that will decide the NFC North champion and the first-round bye that comes with the conference’s best record. It’s a stunning journey for the 2018 No. 3 overall draft pick, whose career was on life support after failed stints with the Jets and Panthers before getting an opportunity to start in Minnesota after rookie J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | TE Charlie Kolar designated to return from IR as Ravens get healthier Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who would you prefer the Ravens face in the wild-card round? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens, Lamar Jackson have sights on AFC North title after dramatic turnaround Baltimore Ravens | Ravens to play Browns at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Week 18 in Baltimore Baltimore Ravens | Bills clinch the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the undisciplined Jets Darnold got a hero’s welcome in the locker room after Sunday’s win, with proud coach Kevin O’Connell looking on as the 27-year-old former Southern California star was showered with water and lifted onto his teammates’ shoulders. It’s the first time that a quarterback has won 14 games in his first season with a new team, a feat we might not see again for some time. It sets up another first, as the finale between Minnesota and Detroit will be the first regular-season meeting between teams with 13 or more wins in league history. For a player who was written off by so many, the opportunity to not only start a playoff game for the first time but perhaps make a run to the Super Bowl is special and shouldn’t be taken for granted. In an NFL world so often dominated by living legends and young prodigies at the most glamorous position in sports, it’s refreshing to see a journeyman get a chance to shine. 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

Week 18 is typically not the time of year when NFL teams are at their strongest health-wise. But that’s where the Ravens are as they returned to work Monday and began preparations for their regular-season finale against the Cleveland Browns on Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore designated Charlie Kolar to return from injured reserve on Monday, clearing the way for the tight end who broke his forearm in late November to potentially play this week or possibly for the first round of the playoffs. “This was kind of the target game when it happened,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We’ll see how he looks this week. Hopefully, he’s feeling good and ready to go.” The Ravens have 21 days to activate Kolar or he would revert to season-ending injured reserve. Baltimore’s top in-line tight end, Kolar also contributed in the passing game before getting injured in Baltimore’s Nov. 25 win over the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. In 12 games (three starts), he has nine catches for 131 yards and a touchdown while averaging just over 19 snaps per game on offense and playing a key role on special teams. He’s not the only player the Ravens will be getting back, either. Running back Justice Hill, who has been out since suffering a concussion in Baltimore’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 21, missed Monday’s practice because of illness but is expected to be back Tuesday and will play against the Browns, Harbaugh said. Baltimore was briefly down to two running backs — Derrick Henry and Keaton Mitchell — during last week’s game against the Texans after rookie Rasheen Ali left with a hip injury. Meanwhile, left tackle Ronnie Stanley and left guard Patrick Mekari were absent from Monday’s practice because they had “flu-like” symptoms, according to Harbaugh, but likewise are expected to return Tuesday. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who would you prefer the Ravens face in the wild-card round? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens, Lamar Jackson have sights on AFC North title after dramatic turnaround Baltimore Ravens | Ravens to play Browns at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Week 18 in Baltimore Baltimore Ravens | Bills clinch the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the undisciplined Jets Baltimore Ravens | Joe Flacco to start must-win game for Colts with Anthony Richardson injured “Up to this point we’re really happy with where we’re at with that,” Harbaugh said about the team’s health. “I do think a lot of work has gone into it. “It’s definitely fueled our success, for sure. It’s something that’s a big deal in the National Football League, so we’re happy with it. Hopefully, we can keep it going.” Still, they’ll have to navigate one more win — and a short week of practice — to clinch the AFC North title for the second straight year and secure the No. 3 seed in the conference going into the postseason. Saturday’s game comes after the Ravens played three games in 11 days — all wins. The NFL did not announce the Week 18 schedule until late Sunday night and Ravens players reported back to the team facility on Monday. Harbaugh said it was an organizational effort when it came to getting through that gantlet. “Everybody’s involved in that,” Harbaugh said. “Team effort, for sure.” Week 18 Browns at Ravens Saturday, 4:30 p.m. TV: ABC, ESPN Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 17 1/2 View the full article

The Ravens are heading to the playoffs. But who they might face in the wild-card round and whether it will be in Baltimore is still up in the air. We know, however, that the Ravens’ first postseason opponent will be the Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans or Los Angeles Chargers. Among those three teams, which would you prefer Baltimore play? After you vote, tell us why by clicking the comments button and we might publish your take in The Baltimore Sun. The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To read the results of previous reader polls, click here. View the full article

Ravens coach John Harbaugh has preached ad nauseam this season that the NFL is a week-to-week league and the goal is to go 1-0 each week. By that maxim, the present goal is simple: If Baltimore beats the Cleveland Browns (3-13) on Saturday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium, the Ravens will be AFC North champs for a second straight year and clinch the No. 3 seed in the conference behind the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills. Doing so would also guarantee them at least a wild-card playoff game at home, likely against the Los Angeles Chargers, who they beat last month, or the Pittsburgh Steelers for a third time this season after the teams split against each other at home. After an 0-2 start and major questions about defensive coordinator Zach Orr and his floundering unit, among other early shortcomings, it’s an enviable position that not all that long felt unattainable. “There were some tough conversations,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said after the Ravens’ 31-2 blowout of the Texans in Houston on Christmas Day. “We still believed, but it did seem far away, because it just seemed like every single guy was having a mishap at just the wrong time. It seemed like every time we were out of position, not called right, we were getting hit on. “The good thing is earlier in the season, we kept being like, ‘What are we doing wrong? What are we doing wrong?’ And it was simple. We just needed to get all 11 guys doing their job.” It took plenty of adjustments, too. On defense, that meant moving safety Ar’Darius Washington into the starting lineup for Marcus Williams and jettisoning Eddie Jackson. Safety Kyle Hamilton was deployed deeper on the field to help clean up the back end and inside linebacker Trenton Simpson was benched in favor of a rotation of veterans Malik Harrison and Chris Board. Orr also simplified some of the scheme and dialed back his substitution packages. Offensively, quarterback Lamar Jackson continued to elevate his game in every facet from last season, when he was the league’s Most Valuable Player. Harbaugh settled on his three new starters along the offensive line and future Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Derrick Henry unsurprisingly found his footing in coordinator Todd Monken’s offense. Baltimore also avoided having its failed Diontae Johnson experiment implode the locker room by cutting ties with the disgruntled receiver sooner than later. All of it has added up to wins in four of the last five and six of eight with the Ravens playing their best football at the time of year that it starts to matter most and looking capable of a deep postseason run. Perhaps that’s why Harbaugh strode through the visiting locker room at NRG Stadium chest out, smile wide and feeling his oats, at least in the moment, after Baltimore’s dominance of AFC South champion Houston. The Ravens had entered their span of three games in 11 days two games back of the Steelers in the division and came out of it with a one-game lead after three straight victories, including two on the road (albeit one of those was against the lowly New York Giants). Ravens running back Derrick Henry, right, is second in the NFL with 1,783 rushing yards. (David J. Phillip/AP) “It says so much,” Harbaugh said when asked what the turnaround means. “It says we’re not done yet, because it’s been done, and the next thing is going to be the next game. We need to be 1-0 to win the AFC North, and that will be our focus after we get some rest.” It has helped, too, that Baltimore has remained remarkably healthy for much of the season and especially down the stretch. Now, all the Ravens need is one more win to accomplish their first goal of winning the division. While the Browns beat Baltimore in Cleveland in Week 8, that was a time when both teams were operating much differently. The Browns had 17 players on injured reserve entering Week 17, including running back Nick Chubb and linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and could be down to third-string quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson if Jameis Winston — who threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns in that win over the Ravens — remains out with a shoulder injury. A win by the Ravens presents the most favorable path, but there are of course others. If the Ravens lose and the Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Pittsburgh, then the Steelers would win the division and be the No. 3 seed, while Baltimore would slip to No. 5 with a return trip to Houston in the wild-card round. If the Ravens win, Pittsburgh loses and the Chargers beat the Raiders in Las Vegas, the Steelers would be the No. 6 seed. And if the inverse happens, the Chargers would be the No. 6 seed. But Jackson has said he isn’t worried about all of those machinations. Nor does he care about what happened earlier this season. “I believe how our season has gone — the regular season — it just explains how the NFL is,” he said. “It really doesn’t matter how you start off. It’s about how you finish, and I believe we’re finishing pretty well right now.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. UP NEXT Week 18 Browns at Ravens TBA TV: TBA Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 4 1/2 View the full article

Just one more hill remains for the Ravens to clinch their second straight AFC North title. Baltimore (11-5) will host the Cleveland Browns (3-13) in the regular-season finale, and the NFL announced Sunday night that the game will be played at 4:30 p.m. Saturday and broadcast on ABC and ESPN. The league had not announced dates and kickoff times for Week 18 games as it waited to see which ones would have playoff implications and be played in prime-time. The Pittsburgh Steelers, who are a game back of the Ravens in the division, will host the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday night at 8 p.m., also on ABC and ESPN. . If the Ravens win, they capture the division title and clinch the No. 3 seed in the AFC and will host a wild-card game, while the Steelers would be the No. 5 or 6 seed. If the Ravens lose and the Steelers win, however, Pittsburgh would be AFC North champs and would be the No. 3 seed, while the Ravens would be locked into the No. 5 seed. The Bengals’ playoff hopes also hinge on beating the Steelers and the Broncos beating the Kansas City Chiefs in Denver in their 4:25 p.m. showdown Sunday. If the Broncos beat the top-seeded Chiefs, who are likely to rest at least some of their starters with their spot secured, then Denver, currently the No. 7 seed, would get in. If the Broncos lose, however, the Bengals would be the No. 7 seed with a win by virtue of their wild overtime win over Denver on Saturday. The Los Angeles Chargers, who will play the Raiders in Las Vegas at 4:25 p.m. Sunday, are also vying for playoff seeding. If the Steelers win, the Chargers will be locked in as the No. 6 seed. But if Pittsburgh loses and the Chargers win, L.A. would be the No. 5 seed. As for the Browns, their playoff hopes expired long ago, but they could play the role of spoiler for the Ravens’ hopes of a division title. The last time the teams met, in Week 8 in Cleveland, Jameis Winston completed 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards and three touchdowns, including a 38-yarder to a wide-open Cedric Tillman with 59 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to lift Cleveland to a stunning 29-24 upset. Baltimore had won five in a row going into the game, but its much-maligned pass defense got eviscerated while also dropping at least three would-be interceptions. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens, Lamar Jackson have sights on AFC North title after dramatic turnaround Baltimore Ravens | Bills clinch the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the undisciplined Jets Baltimore Ravens | Joe Flacco to start must-win game for Colts with Anthony Richardson injured Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens stars Terrell Suggs, Marshal Yanda among Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists Baltimore Ravens | NFL playoff picture: Who could Ravens face in wild-card round? Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns and drove Baltimore to the Browns’ 24-yard line in the closing seconds, but his last-ditch heave into the end zone fell incomplete and the quarterback spiked his helmet afterward. Running back Derrick Henry also had just 11 carries for 73 yards, while Jackson was sacked three times. However, Baltimore has won six of eight games since, including four of its past five. That included three straight in the span of just 11 days with victories over the New York Giants, Steelers and Houston Texans on Christmas Day. The Ravens are 17 1/2-point favorites over Cleveland. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

By JOHN WAWROW ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, and the Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the unraveling and undisciplined New York Jets on Sunday. The Bills put the game away by capitalizing on two Jets turnovers and scoring three touchdowns over a 5:01 span in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Buffalo’s defense forced three takeaways overall and sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, including a 2-yard loss for a safety in the second quarter. Allen had a short and efficient outing, finishing 16 of 27 for 182 yards with a 30-yard TD pass to Amari Cooper and a 14-yarder to Keon Coleman before giving way to backup Mitchell Trubisky with Buffalo leading 33-0 through three quarters. And Trubisky piled on by completing a 69-yard touchdown pass to practice squad call-up Tyrell Shavers 2:23 into the fourth quarter. Allen’s two-TD passing outing was the 64th of his career to match Peyton Manning for the third most in a player’s first seven NFL seasons. Patrick Mahomes holds the record with 67 two-TD outings in that span, followed by Dan Marino’s 65. Allen also became the NFL’s first player with five consecutive 40-TD seasons, while his 1-yard score was the 65th rushing TD of his career, matching the team record held by Thurman Thomas. The five-time defending AFC East champion Bills improved to 13-3 to match a franchise single-season record, and will open the playoffs hosting the conference’s seventh-seeded team in two weeks. The outing was a meltdown for Rodgers and the Jets (4-12), who will finish with five or fewer wins for the seventh time over a 14-season playoff drought — the NFL’s longest active streak. Rodgers, who entered the game with 499 career TD passes and looking to become just the fifth player to reach 500, instead was shut out and replaced by Tyrod Taylor with 12:37 remaining. Discipline was an issue for a Jets team that fell to 2-9 since Jeff Ulbrich took over as interim coach. New York finished with 16 accepted penalties for 120 yards. Taylor accounted for New York’s only points with a 9-yard TD pass to Garrett Wilson and a 20-yarder to Tyler Conklin in a game played in blustery, unseasonably warm conditions, with temperatures in the mid-50s Farenheit (10 Celsius) and winds gusting up to 35 mph (56 kmph). Rodgers finished 12 of 18 for 112 yards with two interceptions after entering the game having thrown only one in his past eight outings. He was also sacked four times, pushing his career total to 568, moving ahead of Tom Brady (565) and into first place on the NFL list. The outing became a comedy of errors for the Jets. Trailing 7-0 after Allen’s 1-yard run, New York’s three possession of the first half ended with turning the ball over on downs Buffalo’s 24; Rodgers being intercepted at his own 17 by defensive tackle Jordan Phillips; and being sacked for a safety by A.J. Epenesa. The bottom fell out to close the third quarter when Rodgers’ being intercepted by Christian Benford led to Cooper’s leaping TD grab put Buffalo up 19-0. James Cook scored on a 1-yard run on Buffalo’s next possession with 1:15 left, and Coleman’s touchdown with 12 seconds left in the third was set up after Wilson lost a fumble. Home cooking The Bills finished their third season with a perfect record, and first since 1990, by going 8-0 at home. They’ve won 11 straight regular-season home games dating to last season since dropping a 24-22 decision to Denver on Nov. 13. Injuries Jets CB Sauce Gardner aggravated a hamstring injury in the first half and was ruled out in the third quarter. Up next Jets: Close the season hosting the Miami Dolphins. Bills: Play their regular-season finale at the New England Patriots. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl View the full article

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Indianapolis quarterback Anthony Richardson has been ruled out for the Colts’ big game at the New York Giants on Sunday. Richardson missed practice on Thursday and Friday because of back and foot injuries. He was listed as questionable before he was downgraded to out on Saturday. Indianapolis (7-8) has a slim chance of making the playoffs. The Colts need to win out and get some help. Richardson’s absence likely means Joe Flacco will start against New York. Flacco, a former Ravens star and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, has passed for 1,167 yards and nine touchdowns in six games this season, including four starts. He also has thrown five interceptions. The New Jersey native, who turns 40 on Jan. 16, has given no indication he plans to retire. “I just try to stay in the moment,” Flacco said, via Joel Erickson of the Indy Star. “People ask me all the time, ‘How long do you want to play?’ and I don’t have an answer for them.” The 22-year-old Richardson was selected by Indianapolis with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft. He has passed for 1,814 yards and eight touchdowns with 12 interceptions this year. View the full article

Former Ravens stars Terrell Suggs and Marshal Yanda are one step closer to becoming first-ballot Hall of Famers. Suggs, a linebacker who spent 15 years in Baltimore (2003 to 2018), and Yanda, an offensive lineman who spent his entire career as a Raven (2007 to 2019), were among the nine 2025 Modern-Era Player finalists, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Saturday. That list has been whittled down from 167 nominees. The selection committee can choose up to five Modern-Era Players to be immortalized with a bust in Canton, Ohio. The inductees will be announced Feb. 6 from the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans during Super Bowl weekend — whether the current Ravens get there or not. The show will air on Fox and NFL Network, starting at 9 p.m. ET. “My thoughts are both of those guys should be first-ballot Hall of Famers,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said when Suggs and Yanda were initially nominated in September. “There’s no question in my mind that they both deserve that honor. I’ll be rooting for them.” Should Suggs and Yanda be inducted, they would join a starry cast of former Ravens to be voted first-ballot Hall of Famers. That short list includes left tackle Jonathan Ogden, linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | NFL playoff picture: Who could Ravens face in wild-card round? Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s the Baltimore athlete fans think had the best 2024 Baltimore Ravens | Michael Vick discusses Ravens QB Lamar Jackson breaking his rushing record Baltimore Ravens | Beyoncé’s halftime performance has Baltimore flavor, but no Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Let’s just skip to Ravens vs. Chiefs rematch now | COMMENTARY In a recent video message posted on the team’s website for their Hall of Fame nod, Lewis called Yanda one of the toughest football players he’s ever seen and Harbaugh tipped his cap to Suggs, saying, “The history of the Ravens in so many ways is built on Terrell Suggs.” Two other short-term Ravens made the most recent cut as well. Wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. played in Carolina from 2001 to 2013 but finished his career in Baltimore, catching passes from Joe Flacco from 2014 to 2016. Left tackle Willie Anderson spent 11 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals before finishing his career with the Ravens in 2008. Suggs and Yanda aren’t the only players vying for first-ballot Hall of Fame status. Five-time All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly, two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Eli Manning and kicker Adam Vinatieri, who is the NFL’s all-time points leader, are all also in their first year of eligibility. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

The Ravens can enjoy the weekend just like the rest of us: Kicking their feet up and watching football. After a convincing 31-2 win over the Houston Texans on Wednesday in front of an audience of 24.3 million on Netflix, Baltimore is on the cusp of a second straight AFC North title. With the Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs earlier on Christmas Day, the Ravens have a one-game lead in the division heading into the regular-season finale against the visiting Cleveland Browns, who have lost four straight and six of their past seven games. Assuming Lamar Jackson and company take care of business in Week 18 as 4 1/2-point favorites, the Ravens will secure a home playoff game in the wild-card round. But while Kansas City has already locked up the AFC’s top seed and a first-round bye, there is still much to be decided regarding playoff positioning. Therefore, it remains unclear who exactly Baltimore — currently the No. 3 seed — will host when wild-card weekend kicks off at the start of the new year. With that in mind, here’s a look at the Ravens’ possible wild-card opponents, ranked from most to least likely: Los Angeles Chargers Record: 9-6, 2nd in AFC West, No. 6 seed Previous meeting vs. Baltimore: Ravens won, 30-23, on Nov. 25 The Chargers have not clinched a playoff berth yet, but they can do so with a win Saturday over the New England Patriots or losses by both the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins. Los Angeles has improved dramatically under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh, who has exceeded expectations by turning a 5-12 team under Brandon Staley into a possible playoff contender. But as impressive as the Chargers have been at times, showing more grit and toughness on both sides of the ball to uplift promising quarterback Justin Herbert, they have often come up short against other AFC contenders. L.A. is a combined 0-4 against the Steelers, Chiefs and Ravens this season, though all those losses have been by an average of less than seven points. A playoff run would require the best football of Herbert’s young career and a masterclass from young defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, a former Ravens assistant who has seamlessly transitioned from Michigan to the NFL alongside Harbaugh. Running back J.K. Dobbins’ injury has robbed offensive coordinator Greg Roman of his most effective playmaker, but the Chargers have enough talent and a coach with a long track record of success to believe in an upset or two. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix has the Broncos on the verge of a playoff berth. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Denver Broncos Record: 9-6, 3rd in AFC West, No. 7 seed Previous meeting vs. Baltimore: Ravens won, 41-10, on Nov. 3 Like the division rival Chargers, the Broncos can sew up a playoff berth Saturday with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Denver is on the cusp of its first playoff game since winning the Super Bowl in February 2016 because of a standout defense and a productive partnership between quarterback Bo Nix and coach Sean Payton. The rookie has overcome some early growing pains to post respectable numbers while leading an offense that’s 10th in the league in scoring, averaging 24.2 points per game. But while Nix and Payton get most of the attention, it’s been the work of coordinator Vance Joseph’s defense that has Denver in position to compete in the postseason. The Broncos allow just 18.7 points per game, fourth in the NFL, and just recently fell one sack behind the Ravens for the league lead (51). Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss have formed one of the league’s top cornerback duos, while breakout star Nik Bonitto and unheralded veteran John Franklin-Myers lead a deep defensive line. The Broncos are unlikely to make a deep playoff run with a rookie quarterback at the helm, but for the first time in a while, there’s excitement about the future in Denver. Houston Texans Record: 9-7, 1st in AFC South, No. 4 seed Previous meeting vs. Baltimore: Ravens won, 31-2, on Dec. 25 We just saw what this matchup looks like, and it wasn’t pretty. Jackson and Derrick Henry steam-rollered their way over one of the league’s top defenses on Christmas, while Baltimore completely overwhelmed C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins and Joe Mixon in holding the Texans’ offense to 10 first downs and 3.9 yards per play. A wild-card matchup would be the teams’ fourth in two years, including Baltimore’s 34-10 demolition in the divisional round last season. The Ravens have won the past three meetings by an average of 23 points, and there’s not much to suggest the score would be any different in a rematch. However, because of the NFL’s playoff rules rewarding division champions, the Ravens would have to face Houston on the road if they miss out on the AFC North title and drop to the No. 5 seed. Pittsburgh Steelers Record: 10-6, 2nd in AFC North, No. 5 seed Previous meeting vs. Baltimore: Ravens won, 34-17, on Dec. 21 Coach Mike Tomlin’s Steelers have already clinched a playoff spot for the second consecutive year and fourth time in the past five seasons, but a recent swoon has raised concerns about their postseason viability. After going 10-3 to take control of the AFC North, a three-game losing streak has opened the door for the Ravens to swoop in and steal the division title. Now Pittsburgh needs a win over the Bengals and an unlikely Ravens loss to the Browns in Week 18 to claim the crown on the best division record tiebreaker. While quarterback Russell Wilson has seemingly revived his career in black and gold, the offense has sorely missed wide receiver George Pickens, averaging just 13.3 points per game during its current losing streak. The defense has been outstanding for most of the season, but injuries and poor play in the secondary have come back to haunt them in matchups against the league’s top offenses. T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and a formidable front can only do so much. Pittsburgh has long had Baltimore’s number, winning eight of the past 10 matchups, but the Ravens’ most recent win and ongoing surge to end the regular season has flipped the momentum. The Steelers no longer look like a team to be feared. Quarterback Anthony Richardson and the Colts need some help to reach the postseason. (Tony Gutierrez/AP) Indianapolis Colts Record: 7-8, 2nd in AFC South Previous meeting vs. Baltimore: Colts won, 22-19 (OT), on Sept. 24, 2023 It’s been a strange season for the Colts that might get even wackier if they somehow find a way to sneak into the playoffs. In November, Indianapolis benched second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson for former Ravens star Joe Flacco, only to reverse that decision after two games and elevate Richardson back into the starting role. The Colts have won three of their five games since, clinging to hope that a late-season surge can propel them into the AFC’s final wild-card spot. That path starts with wins over the Giants and Jaguars over the final two weeks of the regular season. Then, they need some help, either with the Chargers losing out or a more convoluted scenario involving the Broncos, Dolphins and Bengals. Either way, the Colts enter Week 17 with just a 14% chance to make the playoffs, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. Richardson has been among the most frustrating quarterbacks in the league this season because of his lapses in accuracy, but his combination of size, speed and arm strength remains a scary proposition for opposing defenses. Miami Dolphins Record: 7-8, 2nd in AFC East Previous meeting vs. Baltimore: Ravens won, 56-19, on Dec. 31, 2023 The Dolphins are improbably still in the hunt for a playoff spot, but they need plenty of help to get there. Winning out won’t be enough, which is why Next Gen Stats only gives Miami a 9% chance of making the field. While the Dolphins have recovered well from their 2-6 start — which included four games without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa after he suffered yet another concussion — it probably won’t be enough. And even if they did find a way to extend their season, recent playoff performances suggest that Miami would likely be one-and-done anyway. Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, De’Von Achane and Jonnu Smith might look intimidating on paper, but in practice, coach Mike McDaniel’s offense has suffered a steady decline since the beginning of last season. No AFC playoff team would want to see quarterback Joe Burrow and the Bengals in the postseason. (Kareem Elgazzar/AP) Cincinnati Bengals Record: 7-8, 3rd in AFC North Previous meeting vs. Baltimore: Ravens won, 35-34, on Nov. 7 This is the classic “nobody wants to see them in the playoffs” team. The Ravens certainly don’t. Baltimore had to fight tooth and nail to beat the Bengals in both matchups this season, winning the first in overtime after staging a late comeback and prevailing in the second after stopping a 2-point conversion attempt in the final seconds. Jackson and the Ravens might be salivating at another opportunity to play Cincinnati’s beleaguered defense, which has ranked among the league’s worst this season, but the offense has been incredible when Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are all healthy. Burrow is putting up MVP-type numbers and has already thrown for 820 yards and nine touchdowns in two matchups against the Ravens. Baltimore has since overhauled its defense to great effect, notably starting safety Ar’Darius Washington over Marcus Williams, but it would be tested in a potential wild-card matchup against its division rival. Fortunately, the Bengals have just a 7% chance to make the playoffs. 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

We asked readers which prominent Baltimore athlete had the best 2024. Here are the results from our online poll, Instagram and X: Lamar Jackson — 66 votes (61.7%) Gunnar Henderson — 20 votes (18.7%) Other — 12 votes (11.2%) Angel Reese — nine votes (8.4%) Here’s what some fans told us about their pick (answers have been edited for clarity and grammar): It has to be Angel Reese. She’s is the only true “Baltimorean,” per se, on the list. She went from S.I. swimsuit model to lifting the WNBA to new heights. She was a media favorite and along with Caitlin Clark, she helped propel the WNBA and women’s basketball to new levels that’s never been seen. 2024 had to be the year of the “Baltimore Barbie.” No other true Baltimorean had a better year in 2024. — Kenneth Anderson Corbin Burnes. — Randolph Katie Ledecky. — Peter Schlehr I think [wrestlers] Aaron Brooks and Helen Maroulis should be on there considering they won medals at the Olympics. — Giacomo Restivo Gotta be Lamar! — Mark Rembold Other — the milkman [Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser] ripped off on Rookie of the Year. — John Lanahan The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To see results from previous sports polls, go to baltimoresun.com/sportspoll View the full article

HOUSTON — When Michael Vick was a young boy growing up in the Ridley Circle housing project in the impoverished East End neighborhood of Newport News, Virginia, he spent endless hours playing what he called “hot ball.” “Playing football in the backyard, you’d throw the ball up in the air and you gotta dodge like 12 people,” the former NFL quarterback told The Baltimore Sun. “I got used to playing with no cleats and in tennis shoes and slides and learned to be balanced and time out where people are going.” It took Vick all the way to the top of the sport and made him a generational star. His career spanned 13 seasons from 2001 to 2015 (interrupted for two years by his imprisonment over his involvement in a dogfighting ring) with the Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers. Along the way, he was selected to the Pro Bowl four times, became a video game icon and cultural phenom and set the NFL record for career rushing yards by a quarterback with 6,109. On Wednesday, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson broke that mark, running for 87 yards in a Christmas Day blowout of the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium, where a 6-yard scramble in the third quarter pushed him past his childhood idol by a yard. “It feels unreal, to be honest with you,” Jackson, 27, said. “I’m grateful because that’s a record that’s been there for a long time. Michael Vick is one of my favorite players. That’s just dope.” The man whose mark he was chasing agreed. “It’s really cool knowing that guys like Lamar looked up to me and so many kids is looking up to Lamar,” Vick, 44, told The Sun. “We’ll always be connected, intertwined. It’s a credit to all his success and how hard he’s worked. Certainly the Baltimore Ravens, who put the right people around him to get the most out of what Lamar Jackson could do, from [offensive coordinators] Greg Roman to Todd Monken now. [Former Jets and Ravens offensive coordinator] Marty Mornhinweg as well, drafting him. I told Marty, ‘You gotta get him!’ I seen what he could become years ago.” Vick, who held the record for 13 years after surpassing Randall Cunningham in October 2011, needed 143 games to reach his total. Astonishingly, Jackson surpassed him in only 102 over seven seasons. Jackson also did it in a season in which he is running less often than in the past with 8.4 attempts per game, the first time he has averaged fewer than nine carries a game in his career. He was even chided by his mother for not running more in a Dec. 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. But on Wednesday he showed that he can break opponents with quality over quantity. He ran just four times, but his electrifying 48-yard touchdown run on the Ravens’ second play of the second half helped blow the game open. It was the third-longest run of Jackson’s career and he reached 21.25 mph, per NextGen Stats, for the fastest speed of any run he’s had in the NFL. It was also his fourth rushing scores of at least 40 yards, tying him with Kordell Stewart for the most by any quarterback since 1950. None of it comes as a surprise to Vick, who sees shades of himself in the reigning and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player but sees the differences, too. Former Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, shown in 2004, says he trusts Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson running the ball as much as he trusted himself when he played in the NFL. (Ric Feld/AP) “I was doing it at a time when you never really seen it,” he told The Sun. “It was the evolution of the position. “My style was a little more make you miss. I think Lamar make you miss as well, but it’s just different how he gains ground. Lamar, once he gets to that second level, it’s different. I think Lamar’s got better long speed than me as well.” Yet, that is not the skillset that impresses Vick the most. “He’s playing the game the way he should be playing it — pass first then be running it,” Vick told The Sun. “I think he’s a better passer than runner. “Lamar’s always been able to run — that’s a natural instinct. The passing game is something you have to learn, and it has to be coordinated with timing and receivers and routes and you got to be on the same page and thinking on the same page. “He’s accurate, threading the needle, seeing the field. And understanding what the defense is doing supersedes any throw that you can make.” In that sense, Jackson is having the best year of his career with highs in completion percentage (67.9), passing yards (3,955) and touchdowns (39), with the latter also tops in the league. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Beyoncé’s halftime performance has Baltimore flavor, but no Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Let’s just skip to Ravens vs. Chiefs rematch now | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 31-2 win over the Houston Texans Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 31-2 win over Texans Baltimore Ravens | Ravens, MVP hopeful Lamar Jackson crush Texans, 31-2, to take AFC North lead He has thrown just four interceptions, his 8.9 yards per attempt is a career-high and leads the NFL; ditto his passer rating of 121.6. “That kind of speaks for itself,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “Sometimes, I just shake my head and say, ‘That was really a great play. That was a great play.’ I’ve seen a lot of great plays from Lamar Jackson. I told him I was proud of him. I’m not just proud of him just because he makes great plays. I’m proud of him for all the things that go into making great plays and also for all the things he’s overcome along the way.” And as for who would win in a game of “hot ball” between Vick in his prime and Jackson now? “I trust Lamar Jackson on a QB run as much as I trust myself,” Vick said. “It comes down to vision. What lane are you willing to take, because there’s different paths that you can take.” Now it’s Jackson’s that everyone else is chasing. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Lamar Jackson did not sneak a peek at Beyoncé’s halftime show during the Ravens and Houston Texans game on Christmas, but most of Baltimore did. The last time Beyoncé performed at a Ravens game was the Super Bowl on Feb. 3, 2013, where the team defeated the San Francisco 49ers in one of the greatest games in franchise history. That same dazzling energy that guided the team to victory almost 12 years ago once again set the tone for the dominant 31-2 victory over the Texans Wednesday. In an oversized white cowboy hat, Beyoncé performed hits from her latest album, “Cowboy Carter,” during halftime of the Christmas game. Equipped with sparkling costumes, cowboy boots, cameos from other artists and of course, dancing, Beyoncé delivered a performance that could have served as a Christmas gift for fans across the globe — but not Jackson and the rest of the players. Jackson joked after practice last week that he was going to watch some of Beyoncé’s performance despite being in the middle of the game. “[It’ll be my] first time seeing Beyoncé perform, and it’s at our game — that’s dope,” Jackson told reporters. “I’m going to go out and watch. Sorry, Harbaugh, sorry. Sorry, fellas.” When asked after the game Wednesday whether he watched some of the show, Jackson replied, “No, I was locked in. That was just for you all. I was in here, in the locker room preparing for the second half.” Joining Beyoncé on the field were A-list guests including Post Malone and Shaboozey, who were featured on Beyoncé’s most recent album. She also brought in country singers Reyna Roberts, Tanner Addlell and Tiera Kennedy. Performer and Baltimore native Brittney Spencer represented her hometown Wednesday during the big game, singing and dancing with Queen B on the field. Spencer also sang on Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” album, released in March 2024 in yet another solid showing for the city. Alongside Beyoncé was her 12-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy, who has performed with the Grammy award-winning artist in 2023 as a dancer during Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour. Whether it was fate, luck, skill or the Beyoncé effect, the Ravens delivered a win that some may call Déjà Vu. Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@baltsun.com or on X as @ToddKarpovich. View the full article

The NFL should do all of us a favor and fast-forward to the Ravens playing in Kansas City for the AFC championship. All of the bettors and the oddsmakers in Las Vegas would have a problem with that idea, but that’s a conclusion I reached after the Ravens lost to the Chiefs, 27-20, in the season opener, and nothing has changed. The NFC appears to be wide-open. Philadelphia and Green Bay look to be at the top because both teams can run the ball and play defense, and the Packers have quarterback Jordan Love. But the same can’t be said about the starting quarterbacks for both Minnesota (Sam Darnold) and Detroit (Jared Goff), and the Lions’ defense has been decimated by injuries. Over in the AFC, it’s just Baltimore and Kansas City. Those Christmas Day games were very revealing because the Chiefs blew out Pittsburgh, 29-10, and the Ravens crushed Houston, 31-2. In case anyone has forgotten, the Steelers were challenging the Ravens for first place in the AFC North and the Texans were battling the Ravens for a possible No. 3 seed in the AFC. So much for competition. The Steelers, who have lost three straight, quit in the fourth quarter Wednesday and Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who looked like he was about to cry before the game, was so fearful of the Ravens that he was afraid to step up in the pocket on several occasions. So, bring on the Ravens and the Chiefs. Let’s see if Kansas City can become the first team in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowl titles or whether the Ravens can go into Arrowhead Stadium and rob Kansas City of a conference title like the Chiefs did a year ago in Baltimore. There is really nothing else to see, except for maybe K.C. Wolf, who might be the best dancing mascot in pro sports history. If you thought Lamar Jackson was entertaining, then check out Mr. Wolf. Now, back to the AFC. There is all this talk about the NFL Most Valuable Player Award and the competition between Jackson and Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen. If the MVP is given to the league’s best player with the most dominant statistics, then it’s Jackson. If it’s given to the league’s or a team’s most valuable player, then it’s Allen. With the way Lamar Jackson, pictured, and Ravens and Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs dismantled their respective opponents on Christmas, the NFL might as well fast-forward to the two teams playing in the AFC championship, columnist Mike Preston writes. (Charlie Riedel/AP) Without Allen, the Bills would be the New York Giants. At least Jackson has tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, running back Derrick Henry, receiver Zay Flowers, middle linebacker Roquan Smith, safety Kyle Hamiton and cornerback Marlon Humphrey. Besides Allen, the Bills have running back James Cook. That’s all, folks. They don’t have a dynamic receiver except for Amari Cooper, who can’t adjust to the cold in Buffalo after spending three years in Cleveland. The Bills can’t stop the run, which is why Henry ran Buffalo over in a 35-10 win Sept. 29. Please, bring on the Bills. Those other teams on the outside looking in, like the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals, don’t generate much fear either. All of them are soft. It’s time to go back to Kansas City, not just for the barbecue, but also because of the Chiefs. They have tight end Travis Kelce and his girlfriend, Taylor Swift. They also have Patrick Mahomes, the best all-around quarterback to ever play the game. It’s Mahomes versus Jackson. Jackson, like Mahomes, has won two MVP Awards, but Mahomes has led his team to three Super Bowl titles since becoming the Chiefs’ starting quarterback in 2018. Maybe it’s Jackson’s turn. He has yet to appear in a Super Bowl after seven years in the NFL. It’s fascinating that Kansas City, once on cruise control, has appeared to turn it on again — at least it did Sunday against the Steelers. Mahomes completed 29 of 38 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns. He seemed in rhythm despite Kansas City’s problems with pass blocking at offensive tackle. Mahomes went to the short passing attack using receivers Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kelce and DeAndre Hopkins. As far as the Chiefs’ problems in the secondary with young cornerbacks, it’s hard to evaluate because of Pittsburgh’s small-ball passing game and quarterback Russell Wilson being so stiff. On the flip side are the Ravens. They’ve run up some big offensive numbers lately against the Giants, Steelers and Texans, but those teams weren’t much of a challenge. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 31-2 win over the Houston Texans Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 31-2 win over Texans Baltimore Ravens | Ravens, MVP hopeful Lamar Jackson crush Texans, 31-2, to take AFC North lead Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 31-2 win over Houston Texans Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Lamar Jackson sets NFL QB rushing record, eclipsing Michael Vick Were the Ravens really that good? No one knows for sure, but it presents an interesting matchup. The Ravens have their own stars. Offensively, when they are on, they have as much firepower as Kansas City. Defensively, the Ravens still have a lot to prove, but they’ve made significant improvement in the past month. It doesn’t get any better than Mahomes versus Jackson. One is the all-around best ever, and the other is the best runner at his position to ever play the game. In the past two seasons, he has shown he can throw just as well as almost any quarterback in the NFL. So, let’s skip the shenanigans and the charades. We all know where this was headed, and it’s been that way since Day 1 of the 2024 season. It’s Chiefs versus Ravens. Let’s move forward as fast as possible. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. Week 18 Browns at Ravens TBA TV: TBA Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM View the full article

The Ravens crushed the AFC South champion Houston Texans in all facets to grab control of the AFC North with one week to go in the NFL regular season. Here are five things we learned from the game, a 31-2 Ravens win: The Ravens again looked like the NFL’s best in a Christmas massacre Pittsburgh was the stress test. Could the Ravens stand up to gut-churning moments against the eternal rival that has tormented them like no other opponent in recent years? Four days before Christmas, they shed that albatross. They returned to work the next afternoon, a trip to Houston already bearing down on them. With a holiday audience watching on Netflix, how would they respond to prosperity? The Ravens received just the gift they needed earlier on Christmas Day when the Chiefs thwacked the Steelers, putting Pittsburgh at a disadvantage in the AFC North for the first time all season. Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and a formidable Baltimore defense (seriously, look at their numbers since mid-November) took it from there, leaving no doubt that Kansas City and Buffalo have company in the AFC’s top tier. Jackson hinted that he might prefer not to play on Christmas next season, but perhaps he should rethink that impulse given the results. A year ago, the Ravens thrashed the Super Bowl-bound 49ers in San Francisco, minting themselves as contenders. This time, they outclassed Houston in all phases, pushing their scoring margin in three post-bye victories to plus-67. All they have to do is beat lowly Cleveland on the last weekend of the season to secure a repeat AFC North title, a No. 3 seed and home-field advantage in the wild-card round of the playoffs. The Texans haven’t played up to lofty expectations this year, losing to most of the top-tier opponents they’ve faced. But they had not been blown out since the Minnesota Vikings beat them, 34-7, three months ago. The Ravens stomped them about as convincingly as one playoff team can stomp another. Houston came in No. 1 in defensive DVOA, allowing 5 yards per play and just 107 rushing yards per game. The Ravens ran 13 times for 115 yards in the first quarter and averaged 7.1 yards per play despite easing off the throttle for most of the fourth quarter. Houston averaged a meager 3.9 yards per play, took five sacks and was shut out save for a safety in the second quarter. Ravens running back Derrick Henry, left, and quarterback Lamar Jackson had plenty to celebrate Wednesday against the Texans. (Alex Slitz/Getty) Jackson managed to burnish his Most Valuable Player case while attempting all of 15 passes and four runs. He finished the game exchanging gifts with a young fan in the stands and laughing with coaches and teammates on the sideline. As Jackson noted Monday, the Ravens can’t afford to think they’ll win playoff games simply because they look fantastic right now. “I feel like that went out the window last year,” he said. He and his team could not have peaked any higher last December, and still they failed to put their best foot forward in the AFC championship game. At the same time, we can applaud these Ravens for building the finest offense in franchise history, fixing many of the flaws that held them back and making mincemeat of three opponents in 11 days. “I’d say we’ve come full circle,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. He was talking about the defense’s rapid evolution, fueled by personnel changes and a refreshed culture of accountability. But he could have been talking about the Ravens’ big picture. They celebrated another Christmas as arguably the best all-around team in football. And again, they’ll be judged on what comes next. Lamar Jackson might not care about a third MVP, but that needn’t stop us from relishing his chase Much was made of Jackson’s opportunity to regain his lead in the MVP race in this holiday showcase. He essentially locked up the 2023 award when he carved up the 49ers on Christmas night. The man himself seems utterly disinterested in this angle. “That’s never been my goal,” he said Monday. “Even the first or second one, never been my goal. I always want to finish with the championship, but I’ve been falling short.” Nonetheless, it was hard not to think of Buffalo’s MVP favorite Josh Allen when Jackson donned his magician’s hat on a 99-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter. Deep in Baltimore territory, he bent space and time to evade a sack and saw that Mark Andrews had slipped behind the Houston defense. Jackson flicked the ball to his old reliable, who took it 67 yards to put the Ravens in the red zone. Two plays later, Jackson glided to his right, looking for a tear in the Texans’ blanket coverage. He lured world-class pass rusher Danielle Hunter into a deadly dance, moving back toward his left as he continued to probe for a free teammate. Finally, Isaiah Likely dumped his defender, and Jackson dumped him the ball. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, left, only threw 15 passes against the Texans, but he still bolstered his MVP case. (Tim Warner/Getty) A defensive coordinator has to bury his face in the desk watching that. You scheme it right, play it tight and Jackson simply changes the terms of the engagement by keeping you on his hook. Jackson slipped on another guise for the Ravens’ first drive of the second half. He faked a handoff to Henry and darted right with blockers in front of him. The Texans never came close to dropping him as he reached a peak speed of 21.2 mph on a 48-yard touchdown gallop that felt straight out of 2019. “Sometimes I just shake my head and say, ‘That was really a great play. That was a great play,'” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “I’ve seen a lot of great plays from Lamar Jackson. I told him I was proud of him. I’m not just proud of him just because he makes great plays. I’m proud of him for all the things that go into making great plays and also for all the things he’s overcome along the way.” So what you got, Josh? Allen is magical in his own right, perhaps the most physically powerful quarterback we’ve ever seen whereas the slighter Jackson dances on air. The Bills superstar won’t have the greatest canvas this week when Buffalo faces the woeful Jets with no chance to catch the Chiefs for the AFC’s No. 1 seed. But we all win, watching these majestic talents vie back and forth for a trophy neither man wants as much as that first Lombardi. The Ravens’ pass rush is peaking at the right time Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy looped inside of Nnamdi Madubuike to drop quarterback C.J. Stroud for an 11-yard loss to end Houston’s first drive. He pushed his sack total to a career-high 11 1/2, for which he has already earned $500,000 in contract bonuses. It was difficult to argue when the Ravens re-signed Van Noy to a modest two-year deal in April after he gave them such excellent value last season. At the same time, most of us thought they would struggle to replace Jadeveon Clowney’s production. But the 33-year-old Van Noy told anyone who asked that he was just coming into his own as an edge rusher because he had not been asked to play that role for most of his career. It’s exceedingly rare for a player Van Noy’s age to reach new sack frontiers in consecutive seasons, but when you hear him talk about it so matter-of-factly, it makes sense. “He really finds a way,” Harbaugh said. “He just has a good knack for the game. He has a sense of where the quarterback’s going to go.” Van Noy’s sack Wednesday was the first of five, along with nine quarterback hits, for the Ravens’ surging defense. The team’s secondary — Ar’Darius Washington’s clutch fourth-down hit at the goal line stalled Houston’s only real rally, and Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton made a spectacular diving interception on the Texans’ first drive after halftime — has deservedly received much of the credit for a drastic defensive turnaround over the past six weeks. But coaches always say pressure and coverage work hand in glove, and we’ve seen that in the Ravens’ past two victories. Van Noy might be headed for the first Pro Bowl of his career. Madubuike and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh have also played significant roles in the Ravens’ dominance coming off their late bye week. Ravens outside linebacker Odafe Oweh, middle, celebrates a sack with Marlon Humphrey, right, and Nnamdi Madubuike in the second quarter Wednesday. (Tim Warner/Getty) With their ferocious pursuit of Stroud, they momentarily leapfrogged the Denver Broncos to lead the league in sacks. That probably wasn’t a stat any of us envisioned back in August when edge rusher was routinely described as one of the Ravens’ thinnest positions. They’re approaching last year’s NFL-best sack total without an overpowering season from Madubuike, their top interior rusher. That story doesn’t end with Van Noy, but it does start with him. Another elite defense’s track record flew out the window On Saturday, the Ravens ran for 63 more yards than any previous opponent had against Pittsburgh’s proud defense. Similarly, the Texans had not given up more than 163 rushing yards in their first 15 games. They came in third in DVOA against the run, suggesting their efficiency in context was even better than their raw numbers. The Ravens rumbled for 251 yards, and that was with Jackson shutting it down for most of the fourth quarter. They destroy context, because they have a generational running talent at quarterback and another one taking handoffs from him. There’s simply no way for a defense, even a terrific one, to pay proper attention to both Jackson and Henry. That was the dream when general manager Eric DeCosta signed Henry in the offseason. For six seasons, Jackson had guaranteed an elite ground game no matter who lined up behind him. But what might that look like with a Hall of Fame running back? There were skeptics. Would Henry’s style fit the franchise quarterback’s shotgun drops and read-option handoffs? Would he continue to spit in the eye of old age at the sport’s most debilitating position? With one week to go in the regular season, Jackson and Henry have rendered those doubts absurd. Instead, it’s increasingly clear that we underestimated what it would mean to pair the greatest running quarterback of all time — Jackson passed his childhood hero Michael Vick’s career yardage record on Wednesday — with one of the 10 or 15 best running backs in NFL history. We’ve never seen anything like this. Ravens running back Derrick Henry rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown in Wednesday’s win over the Texans. (David J. Phillip/AP) The Ravens have quietly cleaned up the smaller failings that held them back The recipe for a Ravens disappointment became brutally familiar. A Justin Tucker miss here, a spate of penalties there, a fourth-quarter coverage lapse to make you tear out your hair. We’ve already talked plenty about the Ravens’ defensive transformation, from a group that gave up the most explosive plays in the league to top three in DVOA since Week 11. Coordinator Zach Orr deserves a crown of tinsel and holly after his guys pitched a shutout (can’t hold them responsible for the safety) in his native Texas on Christmas. But what about penalties and special teams? Well, the Ravens still arrived in Houston leading the league in penalty yards, even after they were flagged just twice for 10 yards in beating the Steelers on Saturday. But we can officially say they’re headed in the right direction after they were penalized just three times for 30 yards against the Texans. The most significant yellow flag against the Ravens — a 20-yard pass interference on Humphrey that set Houston up at the Baltimore 10-yard line — was one of the worst calls you’ll see. Humphrey put himself in superb position against Robert Woods and whipped his head around to play the ball. Punishing that is punishing textbook football. They made sure the play didn’t bite them by stonewalling Houston at the goal line, and from there, they played about as clean a game as you could want. Meanwhile, Tucker, the most debated athlete in Baltimore a month ago, split the uprights with a 52-yard field goal and four extra points. He was also perfect against Pittsburgh, not raising the blood pressure once on four extra points and two field goals, one of those from 51 yards in a swirling wind. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 31-2 win over Texans Baltimore Ravens | Ravens, MVP hopeful Lamar Jackson crush Texans, 31-2, to take AFC North lead Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 31-2 win over Houston Texans Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Lamar Jackson sets NFL QB rushing record, eclipsing Michael Vick Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Josh Johnson, Texans RB Joe Mixon separated during warmups Has the greatest kicker in NFL history discovered the antidote to what ailed him as his success rate plummeted to 70% through the first 13 games? It’s premature to go that far, but over the past three games, we’ve seen none of the wide-left hooks that haunted Tucker. At his nadir, he seemed exhausted by questions he couldn’t answer to anyone’s satisfaction. But in recent days, he has bounced around the team facility without an obvious care in the world, issuing his familiar high-pitch warning call when reporters enter the team’s locker room after practice. Though a clutch miss in the playoffs would bring uncomfortable questions flooding back, the Tucker of now suddenly looks and sounds a lot like the Tucker of old. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. Week 18 Browns at Ravens TBA TV: TBA Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM View the full article

Here’s how the Ravens (11-5) graded out at every position after a 31-2 win over the Texans (9-7) on Wednesday at NRG Stadium in Houston: Quarterback Lamar Jackson took over the second quarter with a couple of scrambles, which extended scoring drives. He finished 10-for-15 for 168 yards and two touchdown passes and also had a 48-yard touchdown run on an option play to start the third quarter. Jackson broke the NFL record for most career rushing yards by a quarterback. Grade: A Running backs Derrick Henry finished with 147 yards rushing — including a 2-yard touchdown run in the first quarter — on 27 carries. The Texans didn’t help themselves by playing often with a four-man front, which the Ravens beat up and wore down. Henry averaged 5.4 yards per carry. The Ravens did get backup Keaton Mitchell some time filling in for Justice Hill (concussion protocol), though he didn’t appear as quick or as fast as a year ago. But he showed more burst as the game went on, running for 20 yards and catching a pass for a 28-yard gain. Grade: A Offensive line The Ravens simply overpowered Houston up front from the beginning of the game until coach John Harbaugh decided to pull some of his starters early in the fourth quarter. The Ravens did an excellent job of working and getting blocking angles on the Texans. The Ravens ran wham and trap blocks to perfection and were also able to get into the second level with guards Daniel Faalele and Patrick Mekari. The Ravens struggled some in pass protection, but Jackson avoided the pressure in the second quarter. Grade: B+ Receivers The Ravens’ running game was so dominant that it cleared the way for the play-action passing game. One of the best things the Ravens do, especially their tight ends, is to stay active and keep moving once the designed play falls apart. Mark Andrews had two catches for 68 yards and a touchdown and fellow tight end Isaiah Likely also had a 9-yard touchdown reception. Receiver Zay Flowers, who was questionable before the game with a shoulder injury, had two catches for 31 yards. Grade: B+ Defensive line Once the Ravens got the big lead after Jackson’s touchdown run in the third quarter, it was basically a feeding frenzy for the defensive line, which had nine pressures and five sacks. The Ravens took running back Joe Mixon out of the game early and made Houston one-dimensional. The Texans had only 58 yards rushing, 26 by Mixon. The Ravens were a brick wall up front, led by tackles Nnamdi Madubuike, Travis Jones and Michael Pierce. This group also did a good job of occupying linemen and allowing linebackers to win one-on-one battles on the outside. Grade: A Linebackers The Ravens were dominant both inside and outside. Middle linebackers Roquan Smith (eight tackles, Malik Harrison and Chris Board played well, and the Ravens got consistent pressure from outside linebackers Odafe Oweh, Kyle Van Noy, David Ojabo and Tavius Robinson. The Ravens put so much fear into Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and his horrendous offensive line that Stroud wouldn’t even step up in the pocket. Stroud wanted no part of this defense. Grade: A Secondary Again, the Ravens gave up yardage in the middle of the field and Stroud’s accuracy was absolutely horrible. But the Ravens have been solid on the back end with safety Kyle Hamilton and Ar’Darius Washington. One thing about Washington is that he isn’t afraid to hit at 5-foot-8 and 180 pounds, unlike the player he replaced, Marcus Williams. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey (seven tackles) played well despite the bogus pass interference call against him in the first half. Overall, the secondary is playing well and it has gotten better with the pass rush. It’s not coincidental. Grade: B+ Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens, MVP hopeful Lamar Jackson crush Texans, 31-2, to take AFC North lead Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 31-2 win over Houston Texans Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Lamar Jackson sets NFL QB rushing record, eclipsing Michael Vick Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Josh Johnson, Texans RB Joe Mixon separated during warmups Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Texans, December 25, 2024 | PHOTOS Special teams Justin Tucker connected on a 52-yard field goal to quiet all criticisms of him. Jordan Stout averaged 41.3 yards a punt but put two inside the 20-yard line. Steven Sims looked indecisive and shaky on punt returns but overall it was a pretty clean game for special teams. Grade: B Coaching Critics can say whatever they want about Harbaugh, but it’s hard to prepare a team and have it ready to play three games in 11 days. Granted, the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans have struggled at various points during the season, but the Ravens dominated all three. Grade: A Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. Week 18 Browns at Ravens TBA TV: TBA Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Coach John Harbaugh and the Ravens won three games in 11 days. (David J. Phillip/AP) View the full article

HOUSTON — A security guard outside NRG stadium greeted fans joyously Wednesday afternoon, bellowing, “We got the greatest QB nationwide … Merry Christmas!” as fans made their way inside for what was billed as a blockbuster showdown between AFC division leaders, the Ravens and Texans. He was referring to the home team’s C.J. Stroud, but by the time the lights went dark for Beyoncé’s sparkling halftime performance, it was Lamar Jackson who dimmed and then turned out the lights on Houston’s chances. “Alien Superstar” wasn’t one of the hits she played, but its lyrics seemed apropos: “I’m number one. I’m the only one. Don’t even waste your time trying to compete with me.” Already leading 17-2 on the Ravens’ opening possession of the second half, Jackson kept the ball on a run-pass option, raced through a gaping hole in the right side of the line and ran untouched into the end zone 48 yards later. It was his fastest recorded run of the season, per NextGen Stats, at 21.25 mph. He said he was “jogging.” Then, a few carries into the Ravens’ next series, he dashed into history, eclipsing Michael Vick’s NFL record of 6,109 career rushing yards for a quarterback. “It feels unreal, to be honest with you,” Jackson said of breaking the mark. “I just give God all the glory. I’m grateful, man, because that’s a record that’s been held for a long time with Michael Vick, one of my favorite players. That’s just dope.” Jackson finished 10 of 15 passing for 168 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 87 yards and one score on four carries before giving way to backup Josh Johnson in the fourth quarter as visiting Baltimore blew out Houston, 31-2. “What could you say that would parallel what he did?” coach John Harbaugh said. “It’s just another phenomenal performance. “It’s kind of what he does every week.” The game only looked easy for the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player, who is a candidate to win the award for a third time. “I’m just playing football,” Jackson said. “I’m trying to win. “I’m just having fun. It’s not easy. I don’t care what nobody say. It looks easy, but it’s not.” Most importantly for the Ravens (11-5), the victory puts them alone atop the AFC North with one game left in the regular season after the Kansas City Chiefs beat the suddenly floundering Pittsburgh Steelers earlier in the day. Remarkably, Baltimore has gone from two games back of Pittsburgh coming off its bye week earlier this month to a game in front. And the Ravens did it with three victories in just 11 days, outscoring opponents 100-33 in the span, winning all three by double digits. “Great win. Proud of our guys,” Harbaugh said. “These guys took these three games in 11 days and smashed it, obliterated it, tore it up and made it into a bunch of smithereens laying around everywhere.” Their latest victory was their most impressive. Facing a Texans defense that came into the game No. 1 in the league in defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA), third in sacks and led by star edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, the Ravens leaned early on running back Derrick Henry (147 yards, one touchdown on 27 carries), who carried five times for 26 yards on the game’s first series, including from 2 yards out for his first touchdown in four games. It was also his 16th of the season, breaking the single-season franchise record set by Ray Rice (2011) and Mark Ingram II (2019). “Yeah definitely [a tone-setter],” left tackle Ronnie Stanley said. “We started the game fast and that’s what we wanna do. We haven’t done that every game, come out with a touchdown drive and we did this week and that’s how we want to start every week.” Ravens tight end Mark Andrews, left, catches a 1-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. (David J. Phillip/AP) It had been a long while, with Week 5 against the Cincinnati Bengals being the last time Baltimore had opened a game with a touchdown on its first possession. It was also a sign of things to come — for the Ravens’ NFL-best ground game and its NFL Most Valuable Player candidate at quarterback. Baltimore’s next drive stalled at the Texans’ 34-yard line, but it didn’t matter, with kicker Justin Tucker looking like his old self as he easily made a 52-yard field goal for a 10-0 first-quarter lead. The Ravens dominated the opening stanza in just about every way possible but especially on the ground, with Henry accounting for 86 of the Ravens’ 143 total yards as the offensive line blew open one big hole after another. Houston, meanwhile, was held to just 27 yards for a woeful 2.9 yards per play to Baltimore’s 8.4. Things only got worse from there for the Texans. After Henry was dropped in the end zone by defensive back Kamari Lassiter for a safety early in the second quarter, it looked like momentum was about to shift. But on fourth-and-goal from Baltimore’s 4-yard line on the next series, cornerback Tre’Davious White and safety Ar’Darius Washington converged on Houston running back Joe Mixon and drilled him out of bounds at the 1, snuffing out any chance of a potential game-tying score. “I seen him throw the ball and I was like there was no way I’m gonna let him get in here,” said Washington, who collided with Zach Orr in celebration on the sideline, knocking the defensive coordinator to the ground. “So I just broke on the ball.” Then the Ravens’ offense did what it always seems to do of late — move the ball by the chunk with Jackson leading the way. Henry ran for 7 yards. Rashod Bateman caught a 12-yard pass. Jackson scrambled away from pressure and hit Zay Flowers for a gain of 16. Henry ran for 5 more. Then Jackson eluded more pressure and found his security blanket, Mark Andrews, on a lob down the right sideline, with the tight end stiff-arming a defender and rumbling 67 yards before being dragged down at the Texans’ 13. Ravens outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, middle, celebrates with teammates Odafe Oweh, left, and Nnamdi Madubuike after a sack in the first half Wednesday. (David J. Phillip/AP) Two plays later, Jackson did it again, eluding the defense, rolling right and throwing back to his left — perhaps an appropriate ode to the halftime act — for a touchdown pass to tight end Isaiah Likely to put the Ravens up 17-2. The Texans got the ball back but on a fourth-and-2 from the Ravens’ 43 with 1:18 remaining in the half, they opted to punt, drawing a chorus of boos from the crowd. Both teams had run 31 plays in the first half, but that’s where the similarities ended. The Ravens outgained the Texans, 261 yards to 125. They averaged 8.4 yards per play to their 4.0. They had 117 rushing yards to Houston’s 28. Jackson threw for 144 yards to Stroud’s 97. Baltimore was perfect in the red zone, scoring twice, while the Texans were 0-for-1. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 31-2 win over Texans Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 31-2 win over Houston Texans Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Lamar Jackson sets NFL QB rushing record, eclipsing Michael Vick Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Josh Johnson, Texans RB Joe Mixon separated during warmups Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Texans, December 25, 2024 | PHOTOS Then, less than two minutes into the second half, Jackson put the game out of reach before he put the cherry on top, capping a 10-play, 62-yard drive with another touchdown strike to Andrews. Baltimore’s ascendant defense, meanwhile, stifled the Texans all game, holding Stroud to 17 of 31 passing for 185 yards while sacking him five times. The Ravens’ run defense, which came into the game No. 1 in the league in yards allowed and yards allowed per attempt, also completely shut down Mixon (26 yards on nine carries). “I’m not gonna lie, I would say we’ve come full circle,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said of the once-maligned defense. “It felt good. “When I had conversations with some of the guys one-on-one, two-on-two, it was some tough conversations. We still believed [but] it did seem far away. It seemed every single guy was having a mishap at the wrong time. … Early in the season we kept being like ‘What are we doing wrong?’ It was simple. You just got to get all 11 guys doing their job. The coaching hasn’t necessarily changed; a couple pieces have shifted and that’s been there, just getting all 11 guys doing their job. When we do that, we’re really tough defense. When we’re not, we look average.” Now the Ravens will get a few days off before preparing for their regular-season finale against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium on either Jan. 4 or 5. They are acutely aware of the stakes. If they win, it will wrap up another AFC North title and likely the No. 3 seed in the playoffs, which would guarantee a wild-card game at home in the first round of the postseason. “I want that AFC North,” Humphrey said. “It feels good to get that hat and T-shirt.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Week 18 Browns at Ravens TBA TV: TBA Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Ravens running back Derrick Henry, right, runs while Texans safety Eric Murray tries to tackle him in the first half Wednesday. (David J. Phillip/AP) View the full article

Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 31-2 win over the Houston Texans in Wednesday’s Week 17 game at NRG Stadium: Brian Wacker, reporter: The Ravens set the tone on the first drive of the game, running Derrick Henry down the Texans’ throat and running the home team out of its own building. Then Lamar Jackson continued to show why he’s worthy of another NFL Most Valuable Player Award, directing an offense that moved the ball at will against a Texans defense that came into the game No. 1 in the league in DVOA. He also proved how unique his talents are, with his arm and his legs as he continuously left defenders grasping at air while he found open receivers or raced through the secondary. Perhaps most impressive, though, was the Ravens’ defense, which flustered and pestered quarterback C.J. Stroud all game and gave the Texans little in the way of oxygen, even when it looked like they found some after tackling Henry for a safety. Childs Walker, reporter: Lamar Jackson showed off all the gifts in his deep bag as the Ravens played one of their best all-around games of the season to seize first place in the AFC North. The Texans have lost to a string of top-tier opponents, but those games were close. This one wasn’t as Houston’s excellent defense found few answers for Jackson or Derrick Henry, and Baltimore’s defense continued its second-half renaissance. The Ravens fired out of the chute with a perfect drive: eight plays, seven on the ground, covering 75 yards to put them up 7-0. After the Ravens scored again on their next possession and stopped the Texans three straight times to start the game, it seemed a rout might be on. Houston reversed the tide in the second quarter, penetrating into the Baltimore backfield consistently and dropping Henry for a safety. The Ravens reversed it back with a goal-line stand and 99-yard touchdown drive. Jackson dipped into his magician’s hat on that one, slipping out of a sack to dump the ball to Mark Andrews for a 67-yard catch-and-run, then buying an absurd amount of time for Isaiah Likely to pop open in the end zone. Jackson then started the second half faking a handoff to Henry and running away from the Houston defense to make it 24-2. That one felt straight out of 2019. Jackson might not care about winning a third MVP Award, but he’s making his case. Mike Preston, columnist: The Ravens embarrassed the Texans on Christmas, and it really wasn’t much of a contest. The Ravens overpowered Houston with stars Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson and then dominated on the defensive side as well. The Ravens made Houston one-dimensional by shutting down running back Joe Mixon. It was surprising that Houston thought it could contain Baltimore’s running game with a four-man front. Maybe bigger and better defensive teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns and even the Pittsburgh Steelers can at times, but not Houston. The Texans came into the game with a highly rated defense, but few teams play good defense in the NFL anymore. Houston was whipped soundly on both sides of the ball, and the NFL might as well forget the rest of the AFC schedule, and let Baltimore play Kansas City again for the AFC title. Sam Cohn, reporter: Oh, how quickly a divisional race can tilt. Both the Ravens and Steelers were scheduled for a grueling three games in 11 days this late in the season. The former went undefeated. The latter finished winless. And now Baltimore is in the driver’s seat for the AFC North divisional race after thumping Houston during a Beyoncé concert on Netflix. It might be naive to shrink the win to one sequence. But it’s hard not to focus in on that second quarter. Baltimore led 10-0 when Texans punter Tommy Townsend impressively pinned the Ravens at their own 4-yard line. Derrick Henry’s greediness on that first play resulted in a safety. Any life birthed from that two-play sequence flatlined when the Ravens’ defense walled up at the goal line, taking back possession and keeping Houston off the board. It was smooth sailing from there and Baltimore couldn’t lose on the night Lamar Jackson passed Michael Vick for the NFL’s QB rushing crown. C.J. Doon, editor: Lamar Jackson is officially the greatest rushing quarterback in NFL history, but we knew that already. In fact, calling him a rushing quarterback is a disservice to his overall body of work. That’s only part of his game now, a trump card he can play whenever he needs to. At this rate, Jackson is aiming higher. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre … that’s the company he’s going to keep if he wins a second straight and third overall NFL Most Valuable Player Award. And he probably won’t stop there. Like LeBron James, he could have the best statistical resume of anyone in the sport when he’s all said and done. And like James for the longest time, the only thing missing on his resume is a championship ring. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Lamar Jackson sets NFL QB rushing record, eclipsing Michael Vick Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Josh Johnson, Texans RB Joe Mixon separated during warmups Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Texans, December 25, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Texans live updates: Baltimore leads 31-2 in 4th quarter Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers ‘questionable,’ Texans without multiple key starters This season feels like his best chance to get one. Kansas City is 15-1, yes, but the Chiefs can’t keep getting away with this one-score magic … right? You can make an argument Baltimore should have won last year’s AFC championship game against Patrick Mahomes and company, and that was without the league’s second-leading rusher, Derrick Henry, in the backfield. Buffalo has Josh Allen, the biggest challenger to Jackson’s MVP case, but the Bills’ defense has been extremely vulnerable. If Jackson and Henry continue to play like this, and the defense continues to make steady improvements week after week, I’d take the Ravens over the field right now when it comes to winning the Super Bowl. That includes Philadelphia and the rest of the NFC, too. Bennett Conlin, editor: The Ravens are 11-3 since starting 0-2, and they’re a home win against the lowly Browns away from winning the AFC North for a second straight season. That’s impressive, as was Wednesday’s beatdown of the AFC South champions. The Texans had no answers for Baltimore’s rushing attack, and the Ravens’ defense continued its late-season improvement. It looks like the Ravens are playing their best football of the season at the most important time. Lamar Jackson made a serious case that he’s more deserving than Buffalo’s Josh Allen to win the MVP Award. Jackson looked like the best version of himself Wednesday, racing untouched for a 48-yard touchdown run and dissecting Houston’s defense with pinpoint passing efficiency. It was a nearly flawless performance from Baltimore, with even Justin Tucker connecting on a 52-yard field goal. With the defense trending in the right direction and Derrick Henry running well, it’s hard to think of a more dangerous team with January looming. 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

The record Lamar Jackson has long seemed destined for is now his. With a masterful outing Wednesday evening against the Houston Texans, the Ravens quarterback became the NFL’s all-time rushing leader among quarterbacks. He dashed past legendary dual-threat quarterback Michael Vick’s mark of 6,109 yards. Jackson reached the threshold in 41 fewer games and six fewer seasons than Vick. In the Ravens’ third game in 11 days, this one played on Christmas, Jackson tied his second best single-game rushing total this season and best since Week 3. Jackson entered Wednesday needing 86 yards to tie Vick. He was pulled early in the fourth quarter after notching 87 yards on four carries, complementing 168 yards and two passing touchdowns. Early in the third quarter, he faked a handoff to Derrick Henry and took off toward his right for a 48-yard rushing touchdown. He eclipsed Vick on his final carry of the day, an 8-yard run on the following drive, which ended with him throwing his second of two touchdown passes to tight end Mark Andrews. It likely bolstered his resume for a third NFL Most Valuable Player Award. It definitely cements his legacy as the league’s best-rushing quarterback ever. Jackson entered the league shouldering mountainous amounts of criticism. Some (wrongly) thought he was better suited to play running back. Every milestone achievement — rushing, passing or elsewhere — has been met with the years-old tagline, “Not bad for a running back.” After finally beating the archrival Steelers last week, there was an early Christmas gift sitting in the locker room for Jackson: a painted canvas with those six words. Jackson earned the record in what is unmistakably his best season as a passer. “I think as a passer he’s taken leaps and bounds from where we started in the offseason last year [around] spring training camp last season and then picking up where he left off,” quarterbacks coach Tee Martin said earlier this month. “Pass technique-wise, being more accurate at all of the throws at all field zones. We made a key point to work on throws outside the numbers, into deeper field zones, outside the numbers, post routes, go routes [and] things of that nature [as well as] on the run [and] scramble throws.” It’s all been evident in his campaign for a third career MVP honor. And it has made the magic he can spark with his legs all the more valuable. Harder to defend, too. The record comes two weeks after Jackson revealed his mother, Felicia Jones, gave him grief for what she deemed a passive rushing performance. Jones cussed out her son after a 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in which Jackson rushed for 79 yards. She thought he should have had more. Now, no quarterback has more. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Josh Johnson, Texans RB Joe Mixon separated during warmups Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Texans, December 25, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Texans live updates: Baltimore leads 31-2 in 4th quarter Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers ‘questionable,’ Texans without multiple key starters Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Texans staff picks: Who wins on Christmas in Houston? Not all former players are willing to pass down their records with such grace. Even fewer empower their successors. Vick has done both, cheering on Jackson with a smile. “We knew it was coming, man. Like I said, you was the guy for the job,” Vick said, in a 2019 video message when Jackson broke his single-season rushing record (1,206). “Appreciate everything you do for the game.” Then on a FanDuel show in 2022, Vick was introduced as the all-time record holder. He cut off the interview: “That’s temporary,” he said. “Lamar Jackson is on my trail!” Two years later, Vick’s once unthinkable rushing total is squarely in Jackson’s rearview mirror. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article