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Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson isn’t returning to the field — at least not yet. A statement released by the team Monday shared that both the Ravens and Johnson “mutually agreed” to allow the wide receiver to miss team activities this week. He won’t play in Saturday’s pivotal AFC North showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who hold a one-game lead over the Ravens. Johnson also missed Sunday’s win over the Giants, as he was serving a one-game suspension for refusing to enter the Ravens’ game against the Eagles on Dec. 1. Coach John Harbaugh’s played his comments close to the vest, as he has since this saga began. “All I’m really thinking about right now is Pittsburgh and getting our team ready for Pittsburgh,” Harbaugh said. “So he won’t be here this week and next week will take care of itself.” Asked why the Ravens opted to keep him out of team activities this week rather than release him entirely, Harbaugh said, “I’m really interested in the Pittsburgh Steelers, to be honest with you. I know you guys want to hear the story. There are a lot of moving parts. There are reasons for doing things and our front office had reasons. Do I want to sit here and get into all the different calculations that [general manager] Eric [DeCosta] makes? I really don’t. I want to think about Pittsburgh and the guys who are going to be here playing against Pittsburgh. That’s my focus, 100%.” If Johnson were to sign elsewhere in free agency after the season, the Ravens would receive a potential compensatory pick for the 2026 draft. Releasing Johnson would yield no return. Johnson, 28, began his contract year with Carolina before being traded to Baltimore in late October. He struggled to gain footing in the offense, as other wide receivers outperformed him. Johnson, who caught 30 passes for the Panthers and was featured regularly in their offense, has just one catch for Baltimore. There was some credence given to Baltimore’s first matchup in Pittsburgh, Johnson’s former team, being a chance to see an uptick in reps. He was targeted twice but finished without a catch. Then when Rashod Bateman was sidelined with knee soreness against the Philadelphia Eagles, that could have opened the door for Johnson. It did not and he was ultimately suspended by the team for one game for refusing to take the field. Johnson’s fellow receivers said the suspension would not be a distraction entering a pivotal stretch in the Ravens’ schedule, now through one of three games in 11 days. “He’s still one of my guys. He’s one of our guys,” Flowers said last week, adding, “Yeah, he’d be welcomed back.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who will win Saturday’s AFC North showdown between Ravens and Steelers? Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 35-14 win over the New York Giants Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Steelers battle for AFC North could come down to tiebreakers Baltimore Ravens | Steelers lose to Eagles, 27-13, but still clinch playoff spot; T.J. Watt injured Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 35-14 win over Giants “We all understand both sides,” Bateman said, last week. “There are consequences that come with this game. I know he’ll be back soon, and that’s all we worry about.” And Lamar Jackson vouched for Johnson after the Eagles loss, saying, “We want him out there. He’s a great receiver. We didn’t get him from the Panthers for nothing.” Sunday in a blowout win over New York, five receivers caught passes from Lamar Jackson. Rookie Devontez Walker even hauled in his first career catch, a 21-yard touchdown. Jackson has been quicker to look to Zay Flowers, Bateman, Nelson Agholor and Tylan Wallace in recent weeks. With Johnson’s role on Baltimore’s offense seemingly nonexistent, the veteran receiver who began his career in Pittsburgh won’t see action on game day for the third consecutive week. His future in Baltimore appears murky, at best. Bennett Conlin contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

There’s plenty at stake on Saturday when the Ravens host the Steelers in Week 16. Pittsburgh can win the AFC North crown with a victory, while Baltimore can take the division lead with a win. Tell us who you think will win the showdown. After you vote, tell us what you think 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

The overmatched New York Giants had no chance to keep up with the NFL’s most explosive offense as the Ravens rolled, 35-14, coming off their bye week. Here are five things we learned from the game: The Ravens’ offense is too much for the NFL’s bottom feeders How much could they really prove against a foe that started the season on its heels and has done nothing but lose games and key players over the past two months? We don’t often see an NFL team favored by more than two touchdowns on the road, but bookmakers didn’t have to look deep to see how little chance the Giants had to match the Ravens’ explosiveness. Only a disastrous performance that allowed New York to hang close or a catastrophic injury would make major headlines on this post-bye trip. The Ravens messed around briefly with the former possibility. They started with a 59-yard kickoff return from Justice Hill and gains of 10 and 15 yards on their first two plays from scrimmage, but Lamar Jackson fumbled away near-certain points on that opening drive. Then, they invited the Giants to cut the lead to 14-7 with a remarkable 41 penalty yards on an 80-yard scoring drive in the second quarter. Could this obvious mismatch have gone pear-shaped from that point? We saw it in an early-season loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. But the Ravens have a much greater sense of their offensive capacity than they did three months ago, and their defense is less prone to fall apart on the back end. In any event, they never let this game get dicey, scoring touchdowns on five straight drives as Jackson struck with deadly accuracy on third down (9 of 11) and whenever he even sniffed the goal line. Explosive plays set the Ravens apart, especially from stuck-in-the-mud opponents such as the Giants. There was no way on earth for New York to answer such steady fire, not with Tommy DeVito and Tim Boyle at quarterback. Jackson played with obvious joy two weeks after he raged against himself in the wake of a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He made a statistical case to stick close to Josh Allen in the Most Valuable Player race. He threw a strike to Mark Andrews to get his favorite target the franchise record for touchdowns. He turned a third-and-short into the first catch and touchdown of rookie Devontez Walker’s career. Sure, the Giants had played terribly for months, but no offense had torched them quite like this. On a day when they couldn’t teach us anything new, Jackson and his teammates at least reminded us why their upside is special. Rashod Bateman showed that the past need not be the prologue Bateman left the loss to the Eagles with knee soreness, having failed to mark the box score even once. Fans have learned to fret after the 2021 first-round draft pick endures these empty afternoons. This season has been his most productive and promising, but could he still be in danger of drifting off course? Bateman rejected this notion when the Ravens returned to work after their bye. “I got a little banged up [in the] Eagles game, but the bye week was big for me,” he said. “I was able to get healthy. I got back on the practice field, felt good, so I’m looking forward to finishing the season strong.” Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman caught a pair of touchdown passes in a blowout win over the Giants. (Seth Wenig/AP) He backed up those words with one of his finest games as a Raven. Early in the second quarter, Bateman spun his defender the wrong way with an ultra-fluid fake to the inside, and a rolling Jackson found him all by himself for a 49-yard score. Moments later in the two-minute drill, Bateman glided free in the back of the end zone and dragged his toes inside the back line for a 20-yard score that put the Ravens up 21-7. On a day when explosiveness gave the Ravens a commanding advantage, Bateman was their most explosive playmaker. He might’ve had a third touchdown if Jackson hadn’t underthrown him on a play-action bomb in the third quarter. “I think I’ve definitely shown myself that I am what I say I am,” he said afterward. “And hopefully, I’ve shown the Ravens fans, this organization, coach ‘Harbs’ [coach John Harbaugh], ‘Monk’ [offensive coordinator Todd Monken] — whoever — that I am a playmaker.” Jackson has made a point of saying there is no substance to past perceptions that he did not fully trust Bateman. They have combined to make a convincing case this season, with Jackson regularly looking for No. 7 as his big-play option when he scrambles to create extra time. “Yes, ’Bate’ is that guy,” Jackson said after the first two-score game of the wide receiver’s Ravens career. It was essential for Bateman to rebound from his most frustrating week of the year, and he was outstanding. This was another day to remind us how fresh faces have lifted the secondary Despite losses to the Steelers and Eagles, first-year coordinator Zach Orr’s defense found its footing as the weather turned chilly, streamlining its tactics on the back end and embracing a culture of (sometimes) harsh accountability. New York wasn’t armed to present much of a test to Baltimore’s reinvigorated secondary, but the Ravens did their part, stopping the Giants on 10 of 12 third downs and holding them to 3.9 yards per play. Safety Ar’Darius Washington and cornerback Nate Wiggins starred in the effort, and it’s worth reminding ourselves that they played significantly smaller roles back when the Ravens were struggling to hold leads against mediocre offenses. Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins performed well in coverage against Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers. (Seth Wenig/AP) We’ve covered the positive changes that not so coincidentally began when the Ravens released Eddie Jackson, benched Marcus Williams and installed the undersized Washington as a starting safety. After he didn’t travel with the team Saturday because of a personal matter, Washington played another excellent game against the Giants, picking off a pass late and earning one of the top coverage grades on the team from Pro Football Focus. We’ve talked less about Wiggins, but the 2024 first-round pick will be every bit as important going forward. The Ravens’ growing trust that the rookie will lock up outside receivers — Wiggins allowed just two catches on six targets against the Giants and his sticky coverage thwarted them in the red zone — allows Orr to play Marlon Humphrey primarily in the slot and send the veteran on blitzes. The secondary makes more sense with Wiggins on the field, as he was for the vast majority of snaps against New York. There are rare seasons when a team’s best lineup is obvious from Week 1, and perhaps we thought that would be the case for the Ravens’ star-studded defense in 2024. Instead, this has become a story of adaptability, with Orr learning to trust his instincts on whom to play. Washington and Wiggins are turning out to be major parts of the solution. The Ravens practically had to score for the Giants with their familiar foible, the penalty The Giants were advancing at an anemic 3.9 yards per play. They had not scored and faced second-and-17 after a Kyle Van Noy sack on DeVito. And then the Ravens, the NFL’s most penalized team, did their darnedest to usher an overmatched foe back into the game. First, Nnamdi Madubuike drew a 15-yard roughing penalty for landing on DeVito. Yes, it’s maddening for longtime fans to watch a flag fly after a pass rusher simply follows through on a hit. But that’s the way the modern game is officiated. Madubuike has to know better. Next, cornerback Brandon Stephens drew a pass interference flag for gripping Malik Nabers’ shoulder. A close call? Sure, but it highlighted Stephens’ inconsistent feel in tight coverage and more importantly, handed the Giants first-and-goal at the 3-yard line. The Ravens seemed on the verge of keeping them out of the end zone anyway, but one last penalty, a third-down illegal use of hands by Odafe Oweh, gave New York a fresh shot to score seven. On an 80-yard scoring drive, the Giants’ offense accounted for 39; Ravens penalties accounted for 41. Maddening stuff. “Their drives were penalty-inspired,” said Harbaugh, who has said the buck for his team’s errors has to stop with him. “If it wasn’t for the penalties, those drives wouldn’t have happened, so it’s obviously something that’s very important.” Penalties were about the only negative for the Ravens in a dominant showing against the overmatched Giants. (Seth Wenig/AP) That touchdown drive wasn’t the end of their yellow-flagged hijinks. Stephens again handed the Giants first-and-goal late in the third quarter when he dragged Nabers to the ground while defending a pass that seemed headed out of bounds. Too often, we see Stephens fight for excellent position in man coverage only to blow it by losing his radar lock on the ball. He was a terrific developmental story last season but has taken a step back with free agency looming. Again and again, we hear players say that only the Ravens can beat the Ravens. Again and again, they feed this gloomy prophecy. Now comes the game that could define the Ravens’ season There wasn’t a lot to learn about the Ravens against an opponent as injury-depleted and devoid of hope as the Giants. We already knew that their offensive firepower puts them in a different class than the NFL’s bottom feeders, especially at this advanced point in the season. A fine showing and no debilitating injuries would be sufficient payoff for their quick trip up I-95. They checked those boxes. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Steelers battle for AFC North could come down to tiebreakers Baltimore Ravens | Steelers lose to Eagles, 27-13, but still clinch playoff spot; T.J. Watt injured Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 35-14 win over Giants Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson lights up Giants with 5 TDs in Ravens’ 35-14 win Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 35-14 win over New York Giants Now, the tension returns to their season as they prepare to host their archrival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, with a Christmas trip to AFC South-leading Houston on tap four days after that. These games will determine the Ravens’ playoff path and tell us whether they’ve grown up. The Pittsburgh rematch Saturday in Baltimore is the AFC North game of the year. Win and the Ravens will be right back in the hunt for a repeat divisional crown. Lose and they’ll be left to fight for wild-card positioning. Beyond such obvious stakes, this feels like the Ravens’ chance to prove there’s real mettle underneath all their offensive flash. The Steelers have won eight of the past nine matchups in one of the league’s signature rivalries, not one of those decided by more than a touchdown. With their disciplined pass rush and aggressive coverage, they knock Jackson out of sorts more regularly than any other opponent. They did it again in an 18-16 win in Pittsburgh last month, picking Jackson off, harassing him into 16-for-33 inefficiency and outclassing the Ravens on special teams. Mike Tomlin’s team goes in 100% confident it will outplay Baltimore on the margins, a narrative that will hold until the Ravens reverse it. Does Jackson have to break through against the Steelers for his team to get where it wants to go in the playoffs? No. But there would be no greater way for the Ravens to convince themselves they have what it takes. If they win Saturday, then we’ll talk about the toll of three games in 11 days, Houston’s validity as an AFC contender and all the possibilities ahead in January. For now, there’s a roadblock of black and gold granite anchored directly in the Ravens’ path. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. Week 16 Steelers at Ravens Saturday, 4:30 p.m. TV: FOX Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 6 1/2 View the full article

It’s all on the line Saturday. The Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4) come to Baltimore to face the Ravens (9-5) at 4:30 p.m. at M&T Bank Stadium with first place in the AFC North up for grabs. A win by the Steelers would clinch the division title since Pittsburgh could not finish worse than 11-6 and would own the head-to-head tiebreaker with a season sweep of its archrival. However, a win by the Ravens opens the door for an exciting finish to the regular season. Pittsburgh has already clinched a playoff spot, while Baltimore is a virtual lock to make it at 99%, according to Next Gen Stats. So although this matchup does not carry the weight of an elimination game, winning the division guarantees a home game in the wild-card round of the playoffs, likely against either the Denver Broncos or Los Angeles Chargers. With a Baltimore win Saturday, the Ravens and Steelers would split the season series and have identical 10-5 records entering the final two games of the regular season. If both teams finish with the same record, the next tiebreaker would be best win-loss-tied percentage in games played within the division. Pittsburgh ends its season with home games against the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals, while the Ravens play at the Houston Texans and host the Cleveland Browns. There’s the added twist of both Baltimore and Pittsburgh playing on Christmas Day, with Steelers vs. Chiefs kicking off at 1 p.m. and Ravens vs. Texans to follow at 4:30 p.m. in a first-of-its-kind doubleheader on Netflix. Entering Week 16, the Ravens are 2-2 against AFC North opponents while the Steelers are 3-1. So if Baltimore beats Pittsburgh on Saturday, they would both be 3-2 in the division heading into their final AFC North matchup in Week 18. The third tiebreaker is best win-loss-tied percentage in common games. Their common opponents are the Browns, Bengals, Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers, Broncos, Cowboys, Giants, Commanders and Eagles. The Ravens are 7-4 against that group with a game against Cleveland remaining, while the Steelers are 7-3 with the Chiefs and Bengals still to come. Here’s a look at the other tiebreakers and where each team stands, according to the NFL’s official standings: Best win-loss-tied percentage in games played within the conference Ravens: 5-4 (.555) Steelers: 7-2 (.777) Strength of victory in all games (combined record of all teams beaten) Ravens: .516 Steelers: .420 Strength of schedule in all games (combined record of all opponents) Ravens: .538 Steelers: .438 Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games Ravens: 12th Steelers: 8th Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games Ravens: 25th Steelers: 16th Best net points in common games TBD Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Steelers lose to Eagles, 27-13, but still clinch playoff spot; T.J. Watt injured Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 35-14 win over Giants Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson lights up Giants with 5 TDs in Ravens’ 35-14 win Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 35-14 win over New York Giants Baltimore Ravens | Mark Andrews becomes Ravens’ all-time touchdown leader Best net points in all games Ravens: +86 Steelers: +71 Best net touchdowns in all games Ravens: +16 Steelers: +2 Coin toss That’s right. Heads or tails? 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

PHILADELPHIA — The Steelers had every reason to fear the worst. T.J. Watt’s pursuit of Jalen Hurts ended with the star linebacker briefly hopping before he crumbled to the turf in the fourth quarter against the Eagles and clutched his left ankle. A highly anticipated cross-state matchup with Philadelphia had already turned into a dud for Pittsburgh on Sunday. Losing Watt for an extended stretch with the AFC North still at stake would have been a brutal blow — especially with a matchup against division rival Baltimore looming next weekend. Watt said after the game he was in “wait-and-see” mode for that game. The 30-year-old former defensive player of the year came away with a rolled ankle that he didn’t necessarily believe was a serious injury. Watt, who leads the Steelers with 11 1/2 sacks, was checked out in the medical tent and did not return. Watt and the rest of the Steelers’ defense couldn’t put enough pressure on Hurts or slow down DeVonta Smith and A.J Brown — each of whom topped 100 yards receiving — in a 27-13 loss to the Eagles. The Steelers (10-4) clinched a playoff berth thanks to losses by Indianapolis and Miami. “No consolation,” Watt said. The Ravens trail their division rivals by one game, and the teams play Saturday at Baltimore. Russell Wilson led the Steelers to the division lead thanks in part to six wins against teams that currently have losing records. The schedule toughens up down the stretch and the first test was a disaster. “We need to find ways to get off” the field, Watt said. “We’ve been pretty good all year long on three-and-outs and getting off the field on third downs. We weren’t good enough today. There were a lot of long, sustained drives.” Wilson threw for a season-low 128 yards and fell to 6-1 lifetime against the Eagles. After facing the Ravens, the Steelers then host Kansas City and finish the season at home against Cincinnati. Playoff seeding and a division title remain in the balance. “It is a loss. I mean, let’s not get dramatic,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. But it wasn’t pretty. Wilson botched a pitch to Najee Harris in the third quarter and the Eagles recovered. That led to Hurts’ score on a 1-yard tush push for a 27-13 lead. “That was the play we had going on. It just unfortunately didn’t work out,” Wilson said. It was clear the Steelers missed receiver George Pickens, who leads the team in receptions (55) and yards receiving (850) by a wide margin. He missed a second straight game with a hamstring injury. Related Articles NFL | Ravens vs. Steelers battle for AFC North could come down to tiebreakers NFL | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 35-14 win over Giants NFL | Mahomes throws 2 TD passes, leaves with ankle injury in Chiefs’ 21-7 win. X-rays negative on star QB NFL | Lamar Jackson lights up Giants with 5 TDs in Ravens’ 35-14 win NFL | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 35-14 win over New York Giants “Having George Pickens out there on the field is a good thing for the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Wilson said. “But either way, we still have to respond and find ways to make plays.” The Steelers also lost backup quarterback Justin Fields when took a hard hit to the abdomen from safety Reed Blankenship, and cornerback Donte Jackson suffered a back injury. The injuries made it hard for some Steelers — such as Watt — to appreciate making the playoffs. However, the team’s fourth playoff appearances in the last five seasons did soothe some feelings inside the locker room. “It’s a great thing for us. That’s our expectation,” Wilson said. “But we want to win this division, that’s our goal. It’s our first goal, to win the division. We’ve got to go take it. Got to go take it. We’ve got to go find a way on the road in Baltimore, which we know is going to be a great football game.” It would be better for the Steelers if Watt and Pickens were along for the ride. View the full article

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Here’s how the Ravens (9-5) graded out at every position after a 35-14 win over the Giants (2-12) on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium: Quarterback Lamar Jackson completed his first eight passes and, besides his fumble on the opening possession, this was more of a 7-on-7 drill for the seventh-year quarterback. There were times when Jackson held onto the ball too long, but it was clear he wanted to run more Sunday compared with two weeks ago against the Philadelphia Eagles. Jackson completed 21 of 25 passes for 290 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed six times for 65 yards and avoided pressure several times by scrambling. Grade: A Running backs The Ravens didn’t use halfback Derrick Henry much in the first half and that was to be expected with the Giants crowding the line of scrimmage. But it was clear in the second half that Henry was going to be the focus of the offense and he grinded the Giants down in the final two quarters. Henry finished the game with 67 yards on 14 carries, including 42 yards in the second half. Backup Justice Hill had two carries for 7 yards and five catches for 61 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown off a screen pass in the fourth quarter. Grade: B Offensive line The Ravens finished with 445 yards of total offense, and this group dominated up front from the start of the Ravens’ second possession until they were ahead 28-7 late in the third quarter. The Ravens did a good job of working on combination blocks and provided Henry with lanes both inside and outside. Tackles Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten allowed too much pressure from the outside and Jackson made both look better with his elusiveness. Grade: B Receivers The Ravens picked apart a secondary that has been ravaged by injuries. In fact, New York was down to using developmental players as starters, and it showed. Ravens receivers were open most of the game on short to long patterns. Rashod Bateman had three catches for 80 yards, including two touchdowns in the first half. Zay Flowers also had six catches for 53 yards, and tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely combined for four catches for 41 yards and a score. Andrews’ touchdown early in the first quarter was the 48th of his career, setting the Ravens’ all-time record. Flowers, though, needs to work on his run blocking. He stood around too much during the game. Grade: A Defensive line This was another area in which the Ravens dominated. The Giants had virtually no running game and finished with only 55 yards on 20 carries. It was a strong showing by all four tackles, including Michael Pierce, Broderick Washington, Travis Jones and Nnamdi Madubuike. Even in short-yardage situations, they all got good push and shut down running plays on the inside. Jones led this group with four tackles while Madubuike, Pierce and Washington contributed a combined five tackles. Neither of the Giants’ two starting quarterbacks had room to step up and throw in the pocket. Grade: A Linebackers Middle linebacker Roquan Smith had five tackles and his teammates did a good job of keeping offensive linemen off of him for most of the game. Smith didn’t have that same burst he showed two weeks ago against the Eagles, but he was still all over the field and even made one tackle 30 yards down the field on a passing play. The Ravens’ other inside linebacker, Malik Harrison, finished with eight tackles, six of those assisted. Kyle Van Noy and Chris Board had three tackles each, and Van Noy finished with one sack and one pressure. The group might have had more, but New York threw a lot of quick passes and screens. Grade: A- Secondary The Giants passed for only 181 yards but had receivers open several times. Early in the game, the Ravens’ tackling was poor, led by cornerback Tre’Davious White. When White went out and the Ravens brought in Brandon Stephens, New York went after him and Stephens was called for two pass interference penalties. There were also times when he failed to turn and look for the ball in an effort to recover and regain steps on the receiver. Despite the limitations of Giants quarterbacks Tommy DeVito and Tim Boyle, the Ravens still gave up a lot of big plays on the back end. They should be thankful they were playing the Giants, not a high-octane offense like the one in Detroit. Grade: C- Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson lights up Giants with 5 TDs in Ravens’ 35-14 win Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 35-14 win over New York Giants Baltimore Ravens | Mark Andrews becomes Ravens’ all-time touchdown leader Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants live updates: Postgame reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 35-14 win Baltimore Ravens | Ravens S Ar’Darius Washington won’t travel with team; DT Michael Pierce activated Special teams Hill had a kickoff return of 59 yards and Desmond King had a punt return of 22 yards to give the Ravens good field position. Jordan Stout had two punts for an average of 46 yards and Harrison made a special teams tackle. New York, though, did have two kickoff returns for an average of 27 yards, including a 30-yarder. Struggling kicker Justin Tucker made all of his extra point attempts but did not try a field goal as the Ravens scored touchdowns on five straight possessions at one point. Grade: B+ Coaching The Ravens were up to the task and dominated an inferior team, something they had struggled to do earlier this season. The Giants had no answers for the Ravens’ offense and were ill-equipped to challenge Baltimore’s defense with two inferior quarterbacks. Overall, the game went as expected. The Ravens came, conquered and went home with a win. But it will be a different game Saturday when the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers come to Baltimore. Certainly, the challenge will be more daunting and certainly more physical. The Ravens, though, can’t afford to keep piling up the penalties after committing a season-high 12 for 112 yards against the Giants. This team needs some discipline. Grade: B Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — On to the Pittsburgh Steelers. That’s who the Ravens will play Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium, where any hopes of an AFC North title will hang in the balance in a game that will likely define Baltimore’s season. Sunday’s contest against a woefully bad and injury-ravaged New York Giants team sure wasn’t going to. The Ravens’ biggest concern against New York — which entered losers of eight straight — was escaping without any serious injuries, getting back into rhythm off a bye week, and, of course, a victory to keep pace with the division-leading Steelers. Check, check and check. Quarterback Lamar Jackson completed 21 of 25 passes for 290 yards and five touchdowns and a fumble before being pulled in the fourth quarter, tight end Mark Andrews became the franchise’s all-time leading touchdown scorer and wide receiver Rashod Bateman had the first multi-score game of his career as Baltimore rolled over the Giants, 35-14. The Ravens improved to 9-5 with the win and are 1 1/2 games back of Pittsburgh (10-3), which plays the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon, with three games left in the regular season. The biggest point of interest for Giants fans took place long before kickoff, with a plane flying a banner overhead for the second straight game directed at owner John Mara, this one reading: “Mr Mara enough — we won’t stop until you fire everyone.” Things only went downhill from there for New York (2-12), which tied a franchise record with its ninth straight defeat. When Ravens running back Justice Hill returned the opening kickoff 59 yards to New York’s 37-yard line, the crowd cheered sardonically. On Baltimore’s second possession, cornerback and practice squad call-up Desmond King set up the offense at the Giants’ 32 after a nifty 23-yard punt return. Six plays later, the Ravens found the end zone, with Jackson connecting with his favorite target, Andrews, over the middle for a touchdown on third-and-goal from the 13. The score was the 48th of Andrews’ career, breaking former running back Jamal Lewis’ franchise record for career touchdowns. Baltimore kept things rolling on its next possession, covering 70 yards in five plays, highlighted by a 49-yard bomb to a wide-open Bateman, who side-stepped two defenders and waltzed into the end zone to put Baltimore up 14-0 less than five minutes into the second quarter. It marked the receiver’s third touchdown of at least 40 yards and fifth score of the season after having just four in his first three seasons. Still, some of the same old problems cropped up for Baltimore. The Giants’ first score — a 2-yard run by Devin Singletary to cap a 13-play, 80-yard drive late in the first half — came largely because of a string of boneheaded penalties. First, cornerback Marlon Humphrey was flagged for holding rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers on a third-down incompletion. On a second-and-17 later in the drive, it was Nnamdi Madubuike’s turn with a roughing the passer penalty. One play later, cornerback Brandon Stephens knocked a would-be touchdown pass away from Nabers but was flagged for pass interference. Then, on third-and-goal from the 5, outside linebacker Odafe Oweh breathed life back into New York with a penalty for illegal hands to the face, wiping out a sack of quarterback Tommy DeVito to set up Singletary’s score. Their 12 penalties for 112 yards in the game marked a season high for the Ravens, who lead the NFL in penalties. It also marked the fourth time this season they have topped 100 yards in penalties. Ravens running back Justice Hill jogs into the end zone for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. (Frank Franklin II/AP) Still, there was little hope the Giants would be able to keep pace or slow the league’s top offense. Just before halftime, Baltimore swiftly moved 80 yards in nine plays with Bateman hauling in a 20-yard touchdown catch in the back corner of the end zone, extending the lead to 21-7 at the break. The Ravens then tacked on two more touchdowns, with Jackson hitting Devontez Walker for a 21-yard score in the third quarter for the first catch and touchdown of the rookie receiver’s career, followed by a short pass to Justice Hill that went for a 27-yard touchdown early in the fourth. Meanwhile, things continued to spiral for the Giants. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 35-14 win over New York Giants Baltimore Ravens | Mark Andrews becomes Ravens’ all-time touchdown leader Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants live updates: Postgame reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 35-14 win Baltimore Ravens | Ravens S Ar’Darius Washington won’t travel with team; DT Michael Pierce activated Baltimore Ravens | Ravens remarkably healthy entering stretch of 3 games in 11 days Though DeVito completed 10 of 13 passes in the first half, he managed just 60 yards with New York gaining just 96 total yards in the first 30 minutes. The Giants also converted just one first down in the first half and averaged a meager 3.3 yards per play. With DeVito ruled out of the game with a concussion to start the second half, third-string quarterback Tim Boyle hit Nabers for a 23-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. With the outcome in hand, backup Josh Johnson relieved Jackson and the Ravens could turn their attention to their showdown with the Steelers. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Week 16 Steelers at Ravens Saturday, 4:30 p.m. TV: FOX Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike bears down on Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito in the first half. (Adam Hunger/AP) View the full article

Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 35-14 win over the New York Giants in Sunday’s Week 15 game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Brian Wacker, reporter: This game was as much about escaping without serious injury and getting back into a rhythm as much as it was about winning. The Giants (2-12) are a hapless, injury-ravaged team and didn’t have a chance of keeping up with the league’s top offense. Lamar Jackson knew the assignment and mostly delivered. Still, the same old penalty problems popped up for the Ravens (9-5), which is more concerning given they were coming off a bye. They could afford that against New York, but they won’t be able to get away with that in next week’s massive AFC North showdown against the Steelers. Childs Walker, reporter: This was the mismatch forecasted — the NFL’s most explosive offense against one of its least explosive. The Ravens goofed away chances to make their victory even more emphatic. Justice Hill ran the opening kickoff back 59 yards, but Lamar Jackson fumbled away a near-certain scoring drive. They basically handed the Giants a touchdown with 41 penalty yards on an 80-yard drive in the second quarter. New York simply wasn’t equipped to punish them for their mishaps, not on an afternoon when Jackson was deadly accurate with the downfield throws that create first downs and touchdowns. Yes, the injury-ravaged Giants were easy pickings, but no other offense had shredded them so casually. Aside from the penalties, the Ravens’ defense also did its job on third down and in the red zone. Now comes the real test against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who disorient Jackson more consistently than any other opponent. What we saw against the Giants didn’t tell us much about what we’ll see Saturday in the AFC North’s game of the year. Mike Preston, columnist: As expected, the Ravens dominated a Giants team that has been hit hard by injuries. With four of New York’s defensive front seven on the injured reserve list, Baltimore easily took control and dominated offensively. Lamar Jackson had a relatively easy day, passing for nearly 300 yards and five touchdowns. Defensively, though, the Ravens struggled and missed quite a few tackles early from players in the secondary. Those mishaps, along with poor coverage and penalties, were disturbing because the Ravens have a big showdown coming up Saturday with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have won eight of their past nine games against Baltimore. Despite having a week off from the bye last Sunday, the Ravens still show signs of a team that needs improvement. C.J. Doon, editor: Lamar Jackson looks playoff ready. Will the rest of the Ravens follow suit? There’s not too much we can learn from a game against perhaps the league’s worst team (especially with journeyman Tim Boyle under center), but Jackson certainly didn’t take the Giants lightly. He was nearly perfect in the first half, completing 13 of 14 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 55 yards on four carries. He took what the defense gave him on the ground and delivered pinpoint throws from the pocket, including a 20-yard strike to Rashod Bateman in the back of the end zone. He was in complete command. Might it be enough to push Jackson back into the MVP conversation? Remember, it was this time last year when he and the Ravens dominated to secure the top spot in the AFC. The AFC North race is far from over. For the defense, there are still plenty of concerns. During the Giants’ 13-play, 80-yard touchdown march in the second quarter, the Ravens were flagged four times, including a defensive holding penalty on Marlon Humphrey, a roughing the passer penalty on Nnamdi Madubuike, a (questionable) pass interference penalty on Brandon Stephens and an illegal hands to the face penalty on Odafe Oweh that helped extend the drive. Stephens committed another pass interference penalty on fourth down in the third quarter that extended a drive in the red zone, and Nate Wiggins earned one in the fourth quarter. Recently signed cornerback Desmond King couldn’t find the ball on Boyle’s touchdown pass to Malik Nabers and then joined the party with a pass interference penalty late in the fourth quarter, the Ravens’ 13th such infraction this season. The secondary can ill-afford such mistakes in bigger games against better opponents. Baltimore finished the game with a season-high 12 penalties for 112 yards, adding to their league-worst total. When they aren’t shooting themselves in the foot, this is a good team, perhaps even great. But seeing the same sloppiness after the bye week is frustrating for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mark Andrews becomes Ravens’ all-time touchdown leader Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants live updates: Postgame reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 35-14 win Baltimore Ravens | Ravens S Ar’Darius Washington won’t travel with team; DT Michael Pierce activated Baltimore Ravens | Ravens remarkably healthy entering stretch of 3 games in 11 days Baltimore Ravens | Arundel’s Jack Walsh, Boonsboro’s Chad Hartman named Ravens High School Coaches of the Year Tim Schwartz, editor: Ho hum. That was pretty much what we expected. Lamar Jackson was dominant and took his mom’s advice by running more. The defense had no issues against whoever was under center for New York. But the biggest takeaway for me is that the Ravens did not use the bye week to focus on being more disciplined. They are committing way too many penalties — still. It won’t hurt them against bad teams like the Giants, but Saturday against the Steelers and the playoffs will be a different animal. Cornerbacks aren’t finding the ball. Offensive linemen are committing presnap infractions. At some point it needs to be an indictment on the coaching staff. Nobody will be surprised at this rate if a penalty in a key moment dooms their season. Bennett Conlin, editor: Baltimore is one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL because Lamar Jackson is the best player in the league. Jackson’s efficient performance highlighted a strong showing against a bad team, and Rashod Bateman’s emergence as well as successful punt and kickoff returns were other obvious positives. There were also frustrating plays against an overmatched opponent. Jackson turned the ball over on a promising opening drive, and coach John Harbaugh opted to punt on fourth-and-1 at midfield the next possession despite having Derrick Henry and Jackson in the backfield. Defensive penalties handed the Giants their first touchdown of the game. Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh will tell us a lot about whether the Ravens are ready for a late-season surge or if the same issues that plagued the team in Weeks 1 and 2 are going to linger into January. The Ravens are a Super Bowl contender when they’re clicking. It’s one thing to click against the Giants. It’s another to deliver a strong showing against Pittsburgh. Next weekend’s game will tell us much more about Baltimore’s postseason prospects. View the full article

It didn’t take long for Mark Andrews to write his name into the Ravens’ record book. The seventh-year tight end and three-time Pro Bowl selection caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Lamar Jackson in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the New York Giants, surpassing running back Jamal Lewis for the most touchdowns in franchise history with the 48th of his career. The 29-year-old Andrews is the only tight end in NFL history to lead his franchise in career touchdowns. Former Chargers star Antonio Gates has the most touchdown receptions by a tight end in league history with 116 across his 16-year career. Andrews, a third-round pick in the Ravens’ 2018 draft that also landed Jackson, has eight touchdown catches in his past nine games after getting off to a slow start this season. He has long been a team leader, drawing praise for his work ethic and selflessness. “From the moment he steps in the building to the moment he leaves, there is a purpose with everything that he does,” Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said earlier this season. “He’s just super intentional about everything he does. He’s in Year 7, but yes, you can tell that it didn’t just happen overnight. So, he’s built like that, and I feel like he kind of rubs off on everybody.” Andrews, who entered Sunday with 424 career receptions for 5,347 yards, returned this season after suffering a severe ankle injury last November against the Cincinnati Bengals. “Mark Andrews is just one of a kind. … He’s all ball all the time,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said earlier this season. “You can just tell he thinks about [football] driving home [and] driving into work, probably while he’s sleeping. He probably dreams about it. He eats football [and] sleeps football for breakfast, lunch and dinner. That’s really who he is.” This article will be updated. 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 Ravens (8-5) return from their bye week to face the New York Giants (2-11) on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Kickoff is 1 p.m. and the game will be televised on CBS. Follow along here for live coverage and analysis. View the full article

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Ravens will be playing against the varsity next week. Actually, they’ve had two straight weeks off. On Dec. 8, they had their bye and Sunday they beat the New York Giants, 35-14. Bye, bye Giants. This game was as ugly as most of us predicted, and of course the Ravens celebrated Sunday night on their trip back to Baltimore, but don’t party too hard. The Pittsburgh Steelers will be in Baltimore on Saturday for a game that will have definite playoff ramifications. The last time we checked, Pittsburgh had beaten the Ravens in eight of their past nine matchups. Yes, those Steelers, the bully boys coached by Mike Tomlin. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson toasted the Giants on Sunday, completing 21 of 25 passes for 290 yards and five touchdowns. Offensively, the Ravens dominated New York, at one time scoring touchdowns on five straight possessions. But that’s unlikely to happen against the Steelers, especially if the Ravens continue to lead the league in penalties. They had 12 for 112 yards Sunday. On a 12-play, 80-yard scoring drive by the Giants in the second quarter, the Ravens committed four. The drive resulted in a 2-yard touchdown run by Devin Singletary just before halftime. That’s OK when the opposition is the Giants or New York’s other loser, the Jets, but not in the postseason or when the Steelers are coming to town. Oh, heck no. There were other troubling signs. The Ravens missed a lot of tackles, particularly cornerbacks Tre’Davious White and Brandon Stephens. And while we’re on the subject of Stephens, why doesn’t he ever turn around to find the ball? Twice he was called for pass interference Sunday in matchups with Giants rookie receiver Malik Nabers, which made me wonder why the Giants didn’t keep throwing at him for the entire game? The one time he did get caught looking at the quarterback, Nabers blew right by him for a 20-yard completion to open the third quarter. Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, catching a touchdown pass in front of Ravens cornerback Desmond King, was a mismatch for the Ravens’ secondary. (Frank Franklin II/AP) “Well, the biggest thing was the pass interference calls,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “I don’t know about the one late against ‘Des’ [Desmond King II]. I’ll have to see that one. The other ones, [we] just [have to] get our head around quicker, play the ball [and] play the ball sooner. One time we were playing the ball, but there was a grab. They called it tight. Those are tight, tight called plays there in terms of pass interference, so we have to adjust. “[For] roughing the passer, you have to find a way to get off to the side. You have to find a way to do it, so we’ll be drilling it. We’ll be working on those. Those are kind of technique things that we just have to do a good job of working on because that’s really … Their drives were penalty inspired. If it wasn’t for the penalties, those drives wouldn’t have happened, so it’s obviously something that’s very important.” It’s not a good matchup with Stephens against Pittsburgh receiver George Pickens (55 receptions, 850 yards) next week, even though Pickens claims to be bothered by hamstring issues which have forced him to miss the past two weeks. Pittsburgh quarterback Russell Wilson doesn’t remind anyone of his gunslinging days when he won a Super Bowl with Seattle in 2013, but he still is very accurate on short passes and can chuck up those long bombs that are so high they have dew on them when they come down. Plus, Pittsburgh has a formidable running game in Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. They aren’t great, but effective and certainly better than the Giants, who couldn’t push the tush on their two “Brotherly Shove” quarterback sneak attempts Sunday. Gosh, that was a bad football team. It was good to see Jackson throwing the ball all over the field. His passer rating was somewhat misleading because his receivers were wide open. On Rashod Bateman’s 49-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter, Bateman had time to make a reservation, eat lunch, burp and then run to the men’s room before one of the Giants came into the same vicinity. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 35-14 win over Giants Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson lights up Giants with 5 TDs in Ravens’ 35-14 win Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 35-14 win over New York Giants Baltimore Ravens | Mark Andrews becomes Ravens’ all-time touchdown leader Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants live updates: Postgame reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 35-14 win There were times when the Ravens’ offensive tackles, veteran Ronnie Stanley and rookie Roger Rosengarten, were beat to the outside, but Jackson was elusive and able to find more time to either connect with receivers or run down field. That worked against the Giants, but it won’t so much against Pittsburgh with edge rushers Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt. The Steelers are allowing only 7.7 yards a catch. It’s not like Pittsburgh is unbeatable. The Steelers probably aren’t even the best team in the AFC. But when it comes to playing against the Ravens, they have owned this franchise lately. It will be much different than Sunday. Once the coin flip was over, there was no longer any suspense about the outcome of the game. It was just a matter of determining the degree of the beatdown. Pittsburgh is different. The bye weeks are over. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

The Ravens could be without one of their starters Sunday against the New York Giants. Safety Ar’Darius Washington will not travel with the team to New Jersey and is questionable to play because of an undisclosed personal matter, the team announced Saturday. Washington took over as the starting safety in Week 8 against the Cleveland Browns, replacing struggling veteran Marcus Williams. The fourth-year defensive back has started every game since, recording 34 tackles, four pass breakups and an interception. The Ravens (8-5) are otherwise healthy coming off their bye week to face the last-place Giants (2-11), which marks the first of three games in 11 days. However, rookie safety Sanoussi Kane is questionable with a hamstring injury, which might force Williams or undrafted rookie Beau Brade into the lineup Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, if Washington can’t play. Washington’s emergence has coincided with a dramatic turnaround by the Ravens’ defense, particularly in the secondary. Over its past three games, Baltimore is allowing 21.7 points and 280 yards per game and has surrendered just one passing touchdown. The Ravens also activated defensive tackle Michael Pierce off injured reserve. Sunday’s game will be his first since injuring his calf in Week 8 against the Browns. Pierce has 15 tackles, three quarterback hits and one sack in seven games this season. Meanwhile, cornerback Desmond King and linebacker William Kwenkeu have been promoted from the practice squad. King, 29, was an All-Pro as a defensive back and punt returner in 2018 for the Los Angeles Chargers. 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 final practice of Week 15 is atypical to have a roster flush with healthy players, but alas that’s the joyous position the Ravens find themselves in coming off a bye week ahead of Sunday’s game against the New York Giants. Other than suspended wide receiver Diontae Johnson, everyone on the active roster practiced Friday, with rookie outside linebacker Adisa Isaac (hamstring) and rookie safety Sanoussi Kane (hamstring) both returning in a limited capacity. They are questionable for Sunday. Nose tackle Michael Pierce (calf) and rookie cornerback T.J. Tampa (ankle) are also questionable after being designated to return from injured reserve, though both were full participants all week. They would need to be activated Saturday to play this week. Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who missed Baltimore’s most recent game Dec. 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles with hamstring and neck injuries, meanwhile, does not have an injury designation after practicing fully all week and will play Sunday. “It’s always good to have Kyle out there,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Friday. “He’s healthy; he’s played a lot of plays all year [and has] played very well. Definitely, the week off and then the bye [week] has really probably helped him, in terms of being fully ready to roll, so he’s ready to go.” With a pretty full arsenal at its disposal, Baltimore (8-5) should be able to easily handle the woefully bad — and injured — Giants (2-11), who have lost eight straight. The key for the Ravens, of course, will be to get through the game the way they entered it — with very little in the way of injuries. For one, it’s the first of three games in 11 days. For another, a monumentally important AFC North showdown against the first-place Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium on Dec. 21 that will significantly impact Baltimore’s postseason path awaits behind it. As for the Giants, they enter the game wounded, to say the least. Earlier this month, they put star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence on injured reserve with an elbow injury. This week, it was rookie starting safety Tyler Nubin, whose season is over after an ankle injury. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Arundel’s Jack Walsh, Boonsboro’s Chad Hartman named Ravens High School Coaches of the Year Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants staff picks: Who will win Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium? Baltimore Ravens | Why new-look Ravens RB Derrick Henry could be about to heat up Baltimore Ravens | Ravens react to Bill Belichick taking North Carolina job: ‘It’s kind of crazy’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants Week 15 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds New York also ruled out guard Jon Runyan (ankle), linebacker Bobby Okereke (back), defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches (neck/shoulder) and rookie cornerback Dru Phillips (shoulder) for Sunday. The Giants are starting backup quarterback Tommy DeVito, with starter Drew Lock listed as doubtful with heel and left elbow injuries, though he is out of the walking boot that he had on earlier this week and has a chance to be the third/emergency quarterback. Cornerback Cor’Dale Flott (quad) is also doubtful. Four others for the Giants are questionable: cornerback and former Maryland standout Tae Banks (rib), offensive tackle Chris Hubbard (knee), linebacker Dyontae Johnson (ankle) and center Austin Schlottman (fibula). Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Arundel football coach Jack Walsh and Boonsboro girls flag football coach Chad Hartman were named the 2024 Ravens High School Coaches of the Year, John Harbaugh announced Friday afternoon. This is the first time the Ravens included girls flag football in the annual award, which dates 27 years. Hartman’s recognition for a 10-0 season, county championship and trip to the state final also comes on the heels of the inaugural season for the sport in Washington County, Montgomery County and Baltimore City. Frederick County was the first school system to break the seal last fall. “It’s crazy to see some of the athletic ability of some of the young ladies in the state of Maryland,” Hartman said. “Some of the games we’ve played against some of the coaches out here, just unbelievable. And I can’t wait for it to grow. We’re short like 30-something teams to make it an official state sport in Maryland. We’re really hoping Baltimore County, Carroll County jump on board and kind of make this something that’s gonna last a long time to come.” The Warriors — representing the smallest school in the state tournament’s final field of eight — were undefeated until the state championship game Nov. 8, falling to Clarksburg, 21-12, under the lights at M&T Bank Stadium. That game came less than 24 hours after the Ravens’ “Thursday Night Football” win over the Cincinnati Bengals. On Friday, with Hartman standing behind the microphone generally reserved for Ravens players and coaches, Harbaugh jumped in with a softball question: “What is it about flag football that attracts the girls to play and what are the benefits of it?” he asked. “Why is it so great?” Hartman said because his players spent so many years watching football on TV, there’s an allure to finally breaking the barrier of being able to compete themselves, against their peers. He added it’s been a joy to be able to sit on the couch with his daughters and watch football on Sundays as they’re becoming more invested in the sport. “Twenty-three girls have all become my daughters now because of what y’all [Ravens] have helped me put together,” Hartman said. Walsh broke another kind of glass ceiling. In his sixth year as varsity coach, he led the Wildcats to their first state championship in 49 years. They were also the first Anne Arundel County school to win a football state title since 2011. “Thank you to the Ravens and Coach Harbaugh for having us out today and letting us tour the facility, it’s been fantastic,” Walsh said. “And thank you to Arundel, we’ve been waiting 49 years and we did it.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants staff picks: Who will win Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium? Baltimore Ravens | Why new-look Ravens RB Derrick Henry could be about to heat up Baltimore Ravens | Ravens react to Bill Belichick taking North Carolina job: ‘It’s kind of crazy’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants Week 15 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants scouting report for Week 15: Who has the edge? Arundel had a dominant 12-1 season. In five of those wins, the Wildcats scored at least 60 points. They averaged 46 points per game while holding opponents to 11 per game. In their second state final appearance in three seasons, they routed Linganore, 35-7, to finally get over the hump, handily ending a generation-long drought. Aside from his wedding day and the birth of his daughter, Walsh said holding that MPSSAA Class 3A trophy up to the home fans at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium was “second to none.” Walsh will be the Ravens’ nominee for the NFL’s Don Shula Coach of the Year program. Each week during the 2024 season, the Ravens honored a high school coach who made a significant impact on his student-athletes. Here’s the list of those recipients this fall: Week 1: Anthony Burgos, Franklin High School Week 2: Rob Harris, Breakneck High School Week 3: David Cunningham, Francis Scott Key Week 4: Steve Crounse, Patuxent Week 5: Jake Coleman, Stephen Decatur Week 6: Patrick Nixon, Mervo Week 7: Brad Hunt, Harford Tech Week 8: Reggie White, Milford Mill Week 9: Jack Walsh, Arundel Week 10: Ross Hannon, Howard View the full article

Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Sunday’s Week 15 game between the Ravens (8-5) and Giants (2-11) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey: Brian Wacker, reporter Ravens 30, Giants 10: This one should be in hand by halftime. The Giants have lost eight in a row, are without star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and are starting backup quarterback Tommy DeVito. New York also has the worst offense in the NFL in terms of points per game (14.9) and a defense that, while middle of the pack, is now devoid of its best player. The only way this one is close in the second half is if the Ravens revert to the kind of self-inflicted wounds that have held them back and cost them games, which shouldn’t be a problem coming off a bye week. Childs Walker, reporter Ravens 31, Giants 14: The Giants simply aren’t equipped to keep up with a Ravens team that will be rested coming off its bye and eager to wash away the sour taste from a loss to the Eagles. The Giants have a few good pass rushers, but they’re without their best defender, Dexter Lawrence, and they don’t stop the run. That’s not the formula you want against Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. On the other side of the ball, New York doesn’t have the playmakers to match touchdowns with the league’s most efficient offense. This might be the Ravens’ last relatively easy game of the year, but they will cruise. Mike Preston, columnist Ravens 38, Giants 10: Pick a score, any score. The Ravens might win by 20 something or 30 something, but the Giants aren’t in the Ravens’ class. In fact, New York is in a class by itself of being the worst team in the NFL and is on track to get the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft. The Giants are ranked No. 26 in total offense, averaging only 301.1 yards per game. They are No. 16 in total defense, but No. 29 against the rush, allowing 141.7 yards per game. After the game, all the TV commentators and network analysts will have Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry as the favorites to win the NFL MVP Award again. C.J. Doon, editor Ravens 41, Giants 3: Lamar Jackson is antsy to get back on the field after the bye week, and the Giants are starting third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito. That’s really all you need to know. Even if New York had a fully healthy roster, this would be a lopsided affair, but the Giants are dealing with a laundry list of injuries that includes linebacker Bobby Okereke, rookie cornerback Dru Phillips and nearly the entire offensive line. Star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence would at least have been a good test for the interior of the Ravens’ offense line, but he’s out, too. There’s no Wink Martindale to save the Giants this time, either. Hopefully you have Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews in your fantasy lineups for the playoffs, because this should be a blowout. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Why new-look Ravens RB Derrick Henry could be about to heat up Baltimore Ravens | Ravens react to Bill Belichick taking North Carolina job: ‘It’s kind of crazy’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants Week 15 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants scouting report for Week 15: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Will Bill Belichick replicate his NFL success at North Carolina? Tim Schwartz, editor Ravens 38, Giants 6: There hasn’t been a bigger home underdog in decades — and for good reason. The Giants are simply awful. There was a report Thursday that they had 17 straight incompletions at practice. Yes, we talkin’ bout practice, man, but the hard evidence is on the field on Sundays. Especially at this point in the season, New York is in full tank-for-the-first-overall-pick mode. Baltimore is fresh after its bye week and we heard how hungry Lamar Jackson is to get back on the field. It’s a recipe for a beatdown at The Meadowlands, and it would be stunning (and telling) if this game were close after three quarters. Bennett Conlin, editor Ravens 34, Giants 13: The Giants stink, while the Ravens are among the NFL’s best and want to prove it after a tough loss to the Eagles and a subsequent bye week. The outcome of this game shouldn’t be in jeopardy, although the Giants could save embarrassment by covering the two-touchdown betting spread. I don’t see that happening, with Tommy DeVito expected to start at quarterback against an improving Ravens defense. A fired-up Lamar Jackson is a scary proposition for any defense, and the MVP candidate was none too pleased after the Philadelphia setback. Baltimore rolls before facing much stiffer competition the following two weeks. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

The temperature dipped into the 30s at the Ravens’ practice facility Thursday afternoon in Owings Mills. Typical December weather. And if history is any indication, Derrick Henry is just starting to warm up. For all of the 30-year-old’s accolades — four-time Pro Bowl selection, one-time All-Pro, two-time NFL rushing touchdowns and yardage champ — one of the more pronounced achievements in his growing list of them is his proclivity to save his best football for last. Over 31 career games he has played in December, Henry has rushed for 2,769 yards and 30 touchdowns on 545 carries (5.1 yards per carry), which are more than he’s produced in any other full month during the regular season in his eight-plus years in the league. He has also thrived in January, averaging 5.9 yards per carry with 144.3 rushing yards over four career games. On one hand, it might seem surprising that Henry’s best production has come after he has put substantial mileage on his otherwise statuesque physique. But there’s also the wear on those trying to tackle the 6-foot-3, 247-pound behemoth. Which is why with three games in 11 days beginning Sunday against the New York Giants, followed by a hugely important AFC North showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers and then wrapping up with a Christmas tilt against the Houston Texans, Henry should get plenty of opportunities. “Derrick hasn’t had a lot of carries, a lot of wear and tear on him this year, so I think it’s set up perfectly for him to finish the year like he’s capable of and what we expect out of him,” Ravens running backs coach Willie Taggart said. “Derrick is fresh right now. “I think the way he trains himself, the way he practices, the way he prepares, he’s going to be ready to finish the year like we need him to.” Already, Henry is second in the NFL with 1,407 rushing yards and tied for the league lead with 15 touchdowns. His 672 yards after contact, meanwhile, are best in the league, as are his 2.8 yards per attempt after contact and 28 broken tackles. His next score will also set a franchise record for touchdowns in a season, which he currently shares with Ray Rice (2011) and Mark Ingram II (2019). Yet, the Ravens have been mindful of not using him too much, too soon. The Ravens have been careful not to give running back Derrick Henry too much of a workload before the postseason. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Coach John Harbaugh made it clear at the beginning of the season that Henry would not be a back who carries the ball 30 times a game. With just 240 carries across 13 games, he’s held to that. Only once — in a Week 3 win over the Dallas Cowboys, when he rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns — has he carried the ball at least 25 times. In eight other games, he’s had 19 or fewer carries. Five of those occasions have come in the Ravens’ past seven games, including their most recent Dec. 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles in which he had 19 carries for 82 yards in a loss. Once on pace for a 2,000-yard season, Henry’s numbers have dipped of late, with 82 or fewer yards in three of the past four games, and he has played just 55% of the offensive snaps this season. But that likely won’t be the norm going forward. “We’re going to try to run the ball as much as we can, and so much of running the ball has to do with how many plays you get, and getting in a rhythm, and getting an opportunity to call more plays,” Harbaugh said before the Ravens’ bye last week. “Derrick is our lead back, no doubt, obviously, and he only gets stronger as the game goes on, so we want to run the ball.” Once Henry returned to work earlier this week, gone were his signature dreadlocks, shorn off in favor of corn rows. He said Thursday that it was something that he’s been wanting to do “for a while” and joked that it made him feel lighter. He also had no explanation for his late-season success. “The players I’ve played with [have done] a great job, and [they’ve made] my job easier,” he said. “For me to do my job, the guys up front have to do a great job, and credit that. “That’s happened in the past, but [I’m] just focused on the right now. I know there’s this December history, but I’m just focused on me playing better, being better and being the best player I can [be] to help this team.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens react to Bill Belichick taking North Carolina job: ‘It’s kind of crazy’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants Week 15 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants scouting report for Week 15: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Will Bill Belichick replicate his NFL success at North Carolina? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Is John Harbaugh’s game management poor? | COMMENTARY Which is why Baltimore would do well to lean on Henry as the weather gets colder, opponents get beat up and conditions get potentially tougher to throw the ball in. After all, it’s part of why the Ravens signed Henry to a two-year, $18 million deal this offseason. So it seems unlikely that he wouldn’t get the ball down the stretch and more importantly in the playoffs, especially after Baltimore backs infamously got just six carries in last season’s AFC championship game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Make no mistake, Henry didn’t come here for that, either. “He wants the ball,” Taggart said. “Derrick wants the ball whenever. Whether it’s the beginning of the game, at the end of the game, at halftime, after the game, he wants the ball.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

When Kyle Van Noy heard his former coach, Bill Belichick, was taking the head job at the University of North Carolina, the Ravens outside linebacker was excited. Then perplexed. “It’s kind of crazy that the NFL looks like it doesn’t want him,” said Van Noy, who won two Super Bowl titles under Belichick in New England. “I don’t know. I just think it’s crazy that his name wasn’t attached to any [openings].” Of the eight NFL teams with head coaching vacancies this past offseason, six chose not to interview the Annapolis High graduate and one was the team that fired him, the Patriots. So Belichick, the 72-year-old architect of perhaps the greatest dynasty in NFL history with six of his eight Super Bowl rings to show for it, took a job in the college ranks. Rumblings of the potential hire were first reported last week, then made official Wednesday, and Belichick was introduced in Chapel Hill on Thursday afternoon. Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement that the changing landscape of college football requires “new and innovative thinking.” That’s why they went after the surefire Hall of Famer. As for Belichick, the son of a former Tar Heels and Navy assistant, he called it “a dream come true.” Van Noy spent five seasons in New England between 2016 and 2021. He was part of two Super Bowl titles during that time, the miraculous comeback of 2017 against the Atlanta Falcons and defensive masterclass in 2019 against the Los Angeles Rams. He knows as well as anyone Belichick’s capabilities. “He’s a very good coach, best one I’ve had for sure,” Van Noy said. “And he’s gonna do great. I’m a big Belichick fan, not just him as a person but him as a coach. He knows football. He’s gonna teach and develop kids. I’m excited to see what he does down there.” After the Tar Heels play Dec. 28 in the Fenway Bowl against the University of Connecticut, Belichick will officially take the reins. In many ways the skeletal structure of college football is starting to resemble the NFL. Think the ease of the transfer portal leading to more player empowerment; name, image and likeness (NIL) allowing student athletes to get paid; and revenue sharing on the horizon. How might Belichick’s approach translate to a younger crop of football talent in this brave new world? “I think he’s gonna coach everybody the same,” Van Noy said. “Kids that want to be treated like grown ups, like they always say and claim they want — ‘I’m a grown-ass man,’ you know those comments — he’s gonna treat you that way. Knowing that, they’re gonna get taught the right way. They’re gonna get taught the fundamentals of football.” Van Noy saw a comment on social media earlier Thursday of someone curious to see how Belichick might develop talent. Well, Van Noy pointed out, Tom Brady was once a fourth-string quarterback, wide receiver Julian Edelman switched positions and tight end Rob Gronkowski didn’t play a whole lot in college. “Taking nothing away from those guys,” Van Noy said, “they created their own value with hard work, but he did give them a platform and a process, if you do these type of things, you can be successful.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Why new-look Ravens RB Derrick Henry could be about to heat up Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants Week 15 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants scouting report for Week 15: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Will Bill Belichick replicate his NFL success at North Carolina? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Is John Harbaugh’s game management poor? | COMMENTARY Van Noy has no reservations that Belichick can be as successful in college as he was in the NFL. He talked to a few former teammates around the league, too, who shared in his surprise in the lack of NFL interest. But that chapter appears to be over, 15 wins from passing Don Shula as the NFL’s all-time wins leader (347). And his new chapter — full of recruiting visits and NIL — begins with this unexpected pivot becoming the oldest coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision. “I don’t know how to react,” said Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who coached Southern Miss from 2013 to 2015 before returning to the NFL. “Good for him, if that’s what he wants to do. Good for anybody that has an opportunity to be a coach again at whatever level that might be. I’m sure it’s an exciting time for him, those who go with him there and for the University of North Carolina. Good for him.” Wide receiver Devontez Walker is most excited by the name recognition Belichick brings to the school the Ravens drafted him out of — not dissimilar from what Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders has done at Jackson State and Colorado. There are bound to be top talents considering flipping commitments for a chance to play under Belichick. Walker, a Charlotte native who spent one year playing for the Tar Heels under Mack Brown, talked to a UNC nutritionist this week who seemed thrilled about Belichick’s arrival. “Everybody’s in good spirits that I’ve talked to,” Walker said. The move will reverberate through every level of football. But Belichick told reporters on Thursday, “I didn’t come here to leave,” verbally closing the door on an NFL return, whether teams wanted him or not. “That’s just my opinion from the outside looking in,” Van Noy said. “I could be way off but from an outsider looking in, it seems like none of these teams — I feel like they should be banging at his door from what he’s been able to do in his career. It looks like not and it looks like he got everything he wanted at North Carolina.” Van Noy’s never been to Chapel Hill. “Maybe he can get me tickets to a Duke-North Carolina basketball game,” he laughed. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Ordinarily, an 8-5 Ravens team facing the 2-11 Giants wouldn’t be much of a matchup. It still might not — betting odds say the Ravens should cruise to a win — but Baltimore has struggled against bad teams this season. John Harbaugh’s team has losses to the 2-11 Raiders and 3-10 Browns this season, two ghastly defeats that are pushing them down the AFC playoff picture and likely into the wild-card round. Baltimore can’t afford to overlook anyone. “We’re locked in on the Giants,” safety Kyle Hamilton said. The Ravens are a superior team than the Giants, and they’re looking to make a statement heading into their stretch run. Baltimore wants to make a push for the AFC North, and that could require a perfect 4-0 record down the stretch. Style points don’t technically matter against the Giants, but beating up on New York after losing two of their past three games might help alleviate recent frustrations. Is a blowout in the cards Sunday? “I’m hype,” quarterback Lamar Jackson told reporters about returning to the field after a bye week. What are the odds? The sports betting odds indicate a blowout is on the horizon. Spread: Ravens by 16 1/2 points (FanDuel) Total: 42 1/2 points Moneyline: Ravens -1500, Giants +870 According to Action Network, Sunday will be the first time in 50 years that the Giants close as at least 14-point home underdogs. They’re historically bad, and the Ravens are still viewed by betting markets as one of the NFL’s best teams. That stems from Lamar Jackson’s greatness. Baltimore’s star quarterback and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Award winner has 29 touchdown passes to just three interceptions, spearheading perhaps the league’s best offense. New York’s defense, which ranks fourth-worst in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game, will face a stiff test against Jackson and running back Derrick Henry. The Ravens’ bruising rusher ranks second in the NFL with 1,407 rushing yards through 13 games. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Why new-look Ravens RB Derrick Henry could be about to heat up Baltimore Ravens | Ravens react to Bill Belichick taking North Carolina job: ‘It’s kind of crazy’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants scouting report for Week 15: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Will Bill Belichick replicate his NFL success at North Carolina? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Is John Harbaugh’s game management poor? | COMMENTARY Is there a good betting angle? Given the massive spread, it’s hard to back the Ravens. Beating an opposing NFL team by 17 points is hard, even if the Giants are horrendous. New York has only lost three of its 11 games by that margin this season, and it played the Commanders (twice) and Steelers within one possession. There’s not much value in taking Baltimore’s moneyline, either. Looking into player prop bets is an option for bettors scanning the board, but I’ll place a bet on the Giants’ team total. FanDuel sets New York’s team scoring total at 13 1/2 points. Give me the under. New York scored 11 its last time out against New Orleans, and it has been held under 14 points five times this season. The Ravens have played much better defense of late, allowing an average of 21 points per game against the Steelers, Chargers and Eagles. New York’s offense isn’t in the same league as those three teams, which Pro Football Focus grades as the NFL’s fifth-worst offense. With backup quarterback Tommy DeVito expected to start for New York, points will be even harder to come by than usual. Baltimore’s defense is improving and had a bye week to prepare for the Giants, which should only help as they look to put together a rare dominant defensive showing. I’m expecting the Ravens’ defense to conjure up one of its best performances of 2024, limiting the lifeless Giants to fewer than 14 points. “I think we’re trending up, which is a good thing going into the playoffs,” Hamilton said. Best bet: Giants to score fewer than 13 1/2 points Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

The Ravens (8-5) are coming off their bye week. The Giants (2-11) lost their eighth straight, 14-11 to the New Orleans Saints. Who will have the edge when a playoff contender meets a contender for the No. 1 overall pick on Sunday afternoon? Ravens passing game vs. Giants pass defense Lamar Jackson still leads the league in passer rating and yards per attempt, with an incredible 29-to-3 touchdown to interception ratio, but he couldn’t find a steady rhythm in the Ravens’ Dec. 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. That was in large part because Philadelphia’s gifted defensive front spent much of the afternoon in his face, taking advantage of subpar pass protection from center Tyler Linderbaum and especially left guard Patrick Mekari. Even on an off day for the league’s most efficient aerial attack, wide receiver Zay Flowers caught a 40-yard pass and tight end Mark Andrews grabbed six of seven thrown his way, including his seventh touchdown in the Ravens’ past eight games. So the upside is always there. The Ravens will need more from No. 2 wide receiver Rashod Bateman, who was shut out against the Eagles and left the game early with a sore knee. Jackson will try to get back to his NFL Most Valuable Player form against a New York pass defense that produces above-average pressure with edge rushers Brian Burns (seven sacks, eight passes defended, 14 quarterback hits) and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Rookie nickel back Dru Phillips has also emerged as a standout. But the Giants will be without their best player, nose tackle Dexter Lawrence (who suffered a season-ending elbow injury), and they’re dealing with injuries to starters at all three levels of their defense. They rank 24th in third-down efficiency and last in preventing touchdowns in the red zone, and they’ll face a Baltimore offense that’s No. 3 on third down and No. 1 in the red zone. Despite superficially solid numbers against the pass, they could be in for a long afternoon if Jackson’s protection holds up. EDGE: Ravens Giants passing game vs. Ravens pass defense The Giants are back to Tommy DeVito at quarterback after they released Daniel Jones and Drew Lock suffered a heel injury. DeVito started in a 30-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the weekend before Thanksgiving, completing 21 of 31 passes for 189 yards. The reality is that no matter who has lined up at center, the Giants have stunk at moving the ball through the air, ranking last in the league at 4.8 yards per attempt. Wide receiver Malik Nabers, the No. 6 pick in this year’s draft, is their most prolific playmaker, but even he’s averaging just 10.2 yards per catch while trying to push through a hip injury. DeVito’s other top target, Wan’Dale Robinson, averages a mere 7.2 yards per catch. Veteran Darius Slayton is the only receiver resembling a deep threat. DeVito holds the ball too long and invites sacks, a significant problem considering the Giants are also dealing with injuries to four of their five starting offensive linemen. That doesn’t count their best blocker, left tackle Andrew Thomas, who’s on injured reserve. They’ll go against a Baltimore pass defense that has rediscovered its footing over the last month, allowing an average of just 165 yards against its past three opponents. The Ravens have still allowed the most total passing yards, but they’re up to 16th in DVOA against the pass thanks to better coordination on the back end with Ar’Darius Washington replacing Marcus Williams at safety. Their next goal is to take the ball away more. They rank just 23rd in creating turnovers after they led the league last season. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey has been the exception to the rule with five interceptions and a forced fumble. The team’s pass rush will gain a boost from the return of outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who missed the Eagles game with a hamstring injury, and improved health for defensive tackle Travis Jones, who has played through a painful ankle injury and needed the bye week as much as anyone on the team. EDGE: Ravens Ravens running game vs. Giants run defense The Ravens lead the league in yards per attempt and rank second in yards per game. Running back Derrick Henry has traditionally upped his production and efficiency late in the season, a sobering thought for opponents given that he’s averaging 108.2 yards per game and 5.9 per carry. Jackson scolded himself for not exploiting available running lanes against the Eagles, so it will be interesting to see if he takes off more now that the Ravens have entered their stretch run. He’s averaging a career-low 8.5 attempts per game but leads the league at 6.1 yards per attempt. Henry and Jackson represent a severe mismatch for a New York defense that ranks 29th in yards allowed per game and 30th in yards allowed per attempt. Top running teams such as the Eagles and Washington Commanders have unleashed devastation on the Giants, who have a decent pair of linebackers in Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden but will badly miss Lawrence on the interior. EDGE: Ravens Giants running game vs. Ravens run defense The Giants have suffered the ignominy of watching their former superstar, Saquon Barkley, run wild for the Eagles. But rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. has given them solid production, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. That said, Tracy has gone for just 119 yards on 34 carries over his past three games and has fumbled three times in his past four. DeVito is at least a modest scrambling threat with 227 yards on 43 attempts in 11 career games. The Giants are more efficient on the ground than through the air, so they’ll probably at least try against a Baltimore defense that has allowed just 82.7 yards per game and 3.5 yards per attempt, both best in the league. The Ravens could benefit from the return of nose tackle Michael Pierce, who has been out since the last weekend of October with a calf injury. The bye week was well-timed for leading tackler Roquan Smith, who played well against the Eagles after a hamstring injury kept him out of the team’s win over the Chargers. Coordinator Zach Orr has taken to rotating Malik Harrison and Chris Board in for struggling Trenton Simpson at the other linebacker spot. The Ravens defense is steadily improving in its first year under coordinator Zach Orr. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) EDGE: Ravens Ravens special teams vs. Giants special teams Ravens kicker Justin Tucker faced uncomfortable questions about his job security after he missed a pair of field goal attempts and an extra point try in the one-score loss to Philadelphia. Tucker, the most accurate kicker in league history coming into the season, has made just 19 of 27 field goal attempts in 2024. If his struggles continue, the issue will loom over the Ravens’ postseason push. They rank an unfamiliar 24th in special teams DVOA, largely because of their kicker. The Giants rank even worse at 27th in DVOA. They have used three kickers, and their current choice, Graham Gano, has made six of eight field goal attempts with a long of 50 yards. New York’s return game has been particularly anemic, averaging 7.3 yards on punts and 26 on kickoffs. EDGE: Ravens Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Why new-look Ravens RB Derrick Henry could be about to heat up Baltimore Ravens | Ravens react to Bill Belichick taking North Carolina job: ‘It’s kind of crazy’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Giants Week 15 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Will Bill Belichick replicate his NFL success at North Carolina? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Is John Harbaugh’s game management poor? | COMMENTARY Ravens intangibles vs. Giants intangibles The Ravens have gone 13-3 coming off bye weeks under coach John Harbaugh, and their late-season rest was welcome coming off a bruising loss to Philadelphia. Despite that setback, the Ravens are in strong position to make the playoffs, with a decent shot to catch the Steelers, whom they’ll host after they face the Giants, in the AFC North. They won’t be lacking for motivation despite traveling north as a massive road favorite. The Giants have circled the drain for two months under coach Brian Daboll, who was a Big Apple star two years ago but now finds himself on the hot seat. This team wasn’t good to start and is now banged up beyond recognition with a stopgap quarterback and fans more interested in picking No. 1 next spring than winning games the rest of this year. EDGE: Ravens Prediction The Giants simply aren’t equipped to keep up with a Ravens team that will be fresh coming off its bye and eager to wash away the sour taste from a loss to the Eagles. The Giants have a few good pass rushers, but they’re without their best defender in Lawrence, and they don’t stop the run. That’s not the formula you want against Jackson and Henry. On the other side of the ball, New York doesn’t have the playmakers to match touchdowns with the league’s most efficient offense. This might be the Ravens’ last relatively easy game of the year, but they will cruise. Ravens 31, Giants 14 Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

Bill Belichick is going back to school. The 72-year-old eight-time Super Bowl champion from Annapolis will be the next coach at North Carolina, and opinions are mixed on whether he has what it takes to succeed at the college level amid a changing landscape. We want to know your opinion. After you vote, tell us what you think 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

Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston will answer fans’ questions in the middle of each week throughout the Ravens’ season. After a home loss against the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore (8-5) returns from its bye week to face a struggling New York Giants (2-11) team in Week 15 of the NFL season. Here’s Preston’s take on a handful of questions from readers: (Editor’s note: Questions have been edited for length and clarity.) Mike, is it me or does this season seem to be an “un-Ravenlike season” as far as personnel and discipline issues? It seemed that when these issues occurred in the past, they were squashed in the locker room presumably by either strong coaches or strong player leadership. Eddie Jackson, Marcus Williams and Diontae Johnson are a testament to these personnel issues. Are these messages from the new coaches already stale, confusing or inadequate and not supported by the players they coach? — Matt in Scarsdale, New York Matt, in the John Harbaugh era, the Ravens have struggled with penalties, but those mistakes usually dwindle later in the season. But it’s been a constant problem this year, and part of it is a result of the amount of youth on the team. The Ravens have veterans such as Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Nelson Agholor, Roquan Smith and Marlon Humphrey, but they also have young players such as rookies Roger Rosengarten and Nate Wiggins, second-year players Zay Flowers and Trenton Simpson, third-year players Tyler Linderbaum, Daniel Faalele, Travis Jones, Jalyn Armour-Davis, Kyle Hamilton, Isaiah Likely and David Ojabo and fourth-year guys such as Rashod Bateman, Tylan Wallace, Ben Cleveland and Odafe Oweh. Coaches always try to find the right combinations, but many of these players are still young. You can determine if the coach’s or the assistants’ messages are getting old heading into the final weeks of the season. If the penalties continue, then there might be a discipline or coaching problem. As far as personnel, the Ravens gambled and lost on the three players you named. But in the case of Williams, he had played well in New Orleans before coming to Baltimore. I would have made the same decision as general manager Eric DeCosta in signing him. It’s hard to predict when injuries are going to mount or when veterans start to lose focus from fear of getting injured again. As far as Jackson and Johnson, they were gambles that cost the Ravens very little. Even when those deals were announced, it was hard to get overly excited about either of those players. With Johnson, it’s hard to believe a player wouldn’t go out on the field. The last player that I remember who pulled that stunt was former Cincinnati Bengals running back Corey Dillon in a 2000 game against the Ravens in Baltimore. Dillon didn’t want to go into the game in the fourth quarter because middle linebacker Ray Lewis was having his best season and annihilating the Bengals’ running backs in a 37-0 Ravens victory. One day later, coach Bruce Coslet resigned under pressure, but we all knew he was about to get fired. The Ravens have three players who have great hands and can get open on short routes — Flowers, Mark Andrews and Likely — and they can all be on the field at once. But why not play small ball in the passing game when opposing defenses are smothering the QB? The coaching staff seems to double down on the same (stupid) approach each time they play a quality defense, relying on Lamar’s magic rather than schemes that might frustrate the pass rush. — Aaron Quinn It’s a valid point, Aaron, but there is a limit to the amount of “small ball” a team can play. Look at the Pittsburgh Steelers. They came out playing small ball with quarterbacks Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, and then defenses started adjusting. Now, even though Wilson still prefers throwing short passes, he’ll take his shots down the field to receiver George Pickens. It’s hard to be predictable in the NFL unless your offense is overpowering. A lot of the Ravens’ problems come down to the offensive line. That group will struggle against the good defensive lines in this league. I’d like to see the Ravens use Flowers more down the field in the slot position, and it would help if the team had another speedy receiver on the outside. Sometimes, you don’t have to throw but at least present a threat. Also, more teams will probably play zone against Jackson. He is a threat as a runner, and that will cut down on his space to run, but he also struggles against the zone look, especially when his first option is taken away. Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers caught just five passes in recent losses to the Steelers and Eagles. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Has John Harbaugh’s game and clock management worsened through the years, or is it recency bias? How much do analytics factor into his decisions? — Nate Pratesi I wouldn’t say his game and clock management decisions have worsened through the years. Harbaugh has been consistent with those choices. That’s just his style. It’s one that I don’t always agree with, especially late in games. He used to point out that analytics were involved, but he hasn’t done that in quite a while. I’ve never been an analytics guy. I believe you rely on the situation and gut instincts. Also, one more thing: how about common sense? Mike, many commentators seem to think that Justin Tucker’s woes can be traced to his age and a decline in his leg strength. However, it seems to me that his misses are not short, rather he is hooking them to the left. How would a decline in leg strength cause one to hook kicks to the left? It seems to me that more or something else is involved in this mess. Your thoughts? — Paul It’s easier to figure out why he might be hooking to the left because of a decline in leg strength. Instead of kicking the ball as normal, there is an emphasis to kick the ball as hard as possible, and sometimes that causes that ball to sail to the left. Analysts say it’s the same thing when a golfer loses his strength and starts overswinging. Honestly, I wouldn’t know because I’ve never played golf. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens playoff tickets go on sale Thursday. Will they have a home game? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson eager to get back on field after bye week Baltimore Ravens | Ravens healthy after bye week, but Giants will have new QB Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 2 recap: Ravens step offstage for bye week Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 14: Are the Steelers the best team in the AFC? Tucker has been in the NFL for 13 years now. His leg strength might be declining, but the Ravens probably aren’t going to find a better kicker at this point to replace him. Despite recent misses, I’d still prefer to have him as my kicker when the game is in question. Maybe he is just working through a slump, which isn’t unusual for most kickers. Tucker, though, hasn’t been like most kickers. He has been Mr. Reliable, the team’s most consistent offensive weapon for the entire time he has been in Baltimore. Many fans expected running back Keaton Mitchell to be a big part of the offense when he returned. While I was much more conservative in my hopes, I am surprised that he has been virtually nonexistent the past few games. Does this represent more concern for his injury than even expected? Do you envision him contributing at all in the upcoming games? — Mike Stefanek Mike, I think it has been and remains a slow, long process. The injury was serious and Mitchell made it back sooner than a lot of people expected. With Henry as the starter and Justice Hill the primary backup, there is no need to rush Mitchell back on to the field. In fact, with the weather getting colder and unpredictable, I’d like to see Henry with more carries now than earlier in the season. Have a question for Mike Preston? Email sports@baltsun.com with “Ravens mailbag” in the subject line and it could be answered in The Baltimore Sun. View the full article

Playoff football is almost here. The Ravens announced that tickets for a potential home wild-card playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium will go on sale to the public on Thursday at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased at baltimoreravens.com/tickets/playoffs/. If Baltimore does not host a wild-card game, automatic refunds will be provided to anyone who has purchased tickets. “We’re excited that our team has positioned itself for another postseason run and the possibility of hosting a playoff game,” Ravens senior vice president of ticket sales and operations Baker Koppelman said in a statement. “These next several weeks are sure to bring anticipation and high energy as we continue to chase our championship aspirations.” The Ravens (8-5) return from their bye week two games behind the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) in the AFC North standings. Baltimore currently holds the No. 5 seed in the AFC, which would mean a road wild-card game against the AFC South-leading Houston Texans (8-5), whom the Ravens face on Christmas Day in a game streamed live on Netflix. It’s also a rematch of last season’s AFC divisional round game won by the host Ravens, 34-10. While the Ravens haven’t clinched a playoff berth yet, they have a 97% chance to make the seven-team field, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. That would increase to a virtual lock at 99% with a win Sunday over the hapless New York Giants (2-11), who are starting third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito. After that, the Ravens have a highly anticipated rematch against the visiting Steelers on Saturday, Dec. 21, followed by the Wednesday afternoon game in Houston on Dec. 25 to conclude a grueling three-games-in-11-days stretch. The Week 18 regular-season finale against the Cleveland Browns is at a date and time still to be determined. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson eager to get back on field after bye week Baltimore Ravens | Ravens healthy after bye week, but Giants will have new QB Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 2 recap: Ravens step offstage for bye week Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 14: Are the Steelers the best team in the AFC? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens need to rediscover franchise’s historic toughness | COMMENTARY Unlike last season, when the Ravens finished a league-best 13-4, Baltimore is unlikely to claim the AFC’s top seed and a first-round bye. The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, who beat the Ravens in the season opener, are 12-1, while the AFC East champion Buffalo Bills are 10-3. Both teams already clinched a playoff spot. However, the Ravens can still host a playoff game if they finish above Pittsburgh and reclaim the AFC North title. The Steelers play a tough stretch of opponents in the Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs and Bengals to finish the regular season, opening the door for Baltimore to potentially jump them or finish with the same record and win the division on one of several tiebreakers. Entering Week 15, The Athletic’s playoff model — which is based on 100,000 simulations of the remainder of the season and factors in each team’s projected strength, current health as well as its remaining schedule — give the Steelers a 74% chance to win the division, while the Ravens have a 26% chance. Houston, meanwhile, has 95% chance to win the AFC South over the Indianapolis Colts (6-7). However, even if the Ravens finish in second place in the AFC North with a better regular-season record than the Texans or Colts, the division champion will host the wild-card game. 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

Lamar Jackson couldn’t stand still. The Ravens quarterback kept fidgeting back and forth. He was energetic and engaged, but mostly he was restless Wednesday afternoon in Owings Mills. “You see me? I’m antsy right now,” he said, motioning toward his feet shifting back and forth with the anticipation of someone who needed to go to find a bathroom. “I’m hype.” And eager to turn around an offense that, while still No. 1 in the NFL in yards per game (422.5) and third in points per game (29.5), has somewhat sputtered of late with 19 points against the Philadelphia Eagles and 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, both losses. Against Pittsburgh, Jackson completed just 16 of 33 passes for 207 yards with one touchdown and one interception and was sacked twice. Against Philadelphia, he completed 23 of 36 passes for 237 yards with two touchdowns, was sacked three times, fumbled twice and lamented not running more often when the opportunity presented itself. In that loss to the Eagles, the Ravens went 10 straight possessions without finding the end zone and managed just three points in that span after taking a 9-0 first-quarter lead. “Those type of games, we can’t have those,” Jackson said. “It won’t be a perfect game, but you gotta try to make it. “Gotta put points on the board. I feel like any game like that we gotta do that. It’s gonna be a slow game, it won’t be one of those high scoring games … nine times out of 10 it’s gonna be one of those low scoring games but you gotta find a way to win.” Yet, the bye week came at a necessary time for Baltimore. The Ravens had played 13 straight games, were getting thin along the defensive line and elsewhere because of injuries and lost two of their past three games — which could have easily been three of four if not for a wild, come-from-behind 35-34 victory over the AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals. Jackson referred to the break as a “breath of fresh air.” He also said his body feels refreshed, after some niggling injuries resulted him missing some practice time earlier in the season. When he returned, the message was clear. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is eager to return to the win column after two losses in three games. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) “Lamar understands it’s about chasing perfection in the details in everything you do,” coach John Harbaugh said. “You’re not riding the roller coaster of outcomes.” Now, though, Baltimore will play three games in the span of 11 days, beginning Sunday against a hapless New York Giants (2-11) team that has lost eight straight, is without its star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, rookie safety Tyler Nubin and first-string quarterback Drew Lock, with Tommy DeVito starting in his place. Then comes a massively important AFC North showdown against the Steelers (10-3) at M&T Bank Stadium on Dec. 21, with a Christmas Day tilt against the Texans in Houston to follow before wrapping up the season against the Cleveland Browns. Simply put, those four games will determine the Ravens’ playoff path and chances of making a deep run. It’s not lost on them. “Our approach is pedal to the metal, man,” Harbaugh said. “Kick this thing in gear, put your foot on the gas, put the gas pedal to the floor and let’s get locked in on everything that matters and see if we can drive as fast as we can as straight as we can to be as good as we can in this next game.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens healthy after bye week, but Giants will have new QB Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 2 recap: Ravens step offstage for bye week Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 14: Are the Steelers the best team in the AFC? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens need to rediscover franchise’s historic toughness | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Inside the Ravens’ defensive meeting that sparked a ‘dramatic’ turnaround Which is why Jackson is still as fired up, he said, as he was after the loss to Philadelphia when he pounded the podium and cursed a mountain of missed opportunities. “I’m still fired up,” he said. “Nothing changed.” He wasn’t alone. Defensive tackle Broderick Washington broke down the team huddle at practice Wednesday and told teammates that “no one’s beaten us” and that “we beat ourselves.” “We took a little deep breath, took a step back, relaxed, got our mind locked in,” Jackson said. “I feel like we’re going to do what we need to do.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson relaxed his shoulders and grinned. The bye week splitting up 13 straight weeks of football before a grueling three-game stretch in 11 days, he said, was like a breath of fresh air. The rejuvenated Ravens (8-5) are as healthy as they’ve been in weeks, eyeing Sunday’s matchup with the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Rashod Bateman fully returned to practice after exiting last Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles with a knee injury. The fourth-year wide receiver said Monday the week off helped get him healthy and now he’s “looking forward to finishing the season strong.” Kyle Van Noy (hamstring/neck) was another beneficiary from the late break in the schedule. The veteran outside linebacker, who’s tied for a team-high eight sacks, missed a week of practice and the Eagles game but was back to full go Wednesday. Rookie cornerback T.J. Tampa (ankle), designated to return from injured reserve, was also a full participant. Reinforcements return healthy for Baltimore’s defensive line, too, which entered the bye week ranked by Pro Football Focus as the fourth-best group in the NFL. Nose tackle Michael Pierce was a full practice participant. The veteran run stopper was placed on injured reserve last month because of a calf injury suffered Oct. 27 against the Cleveland Browns. Before that, he had logged 15 tackles and one sack. And defensive tackle Travis Jones, who had been playing through an ankle injury, has fully practiced this week. There were no surprises listed on the first Ravens injury report of the week. Wide receiver Diontae Johnson was suspended for refusing to enter last Sunday’s game against the Eagles, according to a team statement, which bars him from practicing until after the weekend. Rookie safety Sanoussi Kane hurt his hamstring in the loss and did not return. He was the lone DNP on the injury report. The Giants are in murkier waters on the injury front. Coach Brian Daboll told reporters quarterback Drew Lock is in a walking boot because of a heel injury. Backup Tommy DeVito — who was the third-stringer before New York mutually agreed to cut ties with Daniel Jones last month — is expected to start in his place. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 2 recap: Ravens step offstage for bye week Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 14: Are the Steelers the best team in the AFC? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens need to rediscover franchise’s historic toughness | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Inside the Ravens’ defensive meeting that sparked a ‘dramatic’ turnaround Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ playoff seeding to be determined by final 4 games, including Steelers rematch The catalog of Giants who did not practice Wednesday are: offensive tackle Evan Neal (hip/ankle), defensive lineman Rakeem Nuñez-Roches, linebacker Bobby Okereke (back), rookie cornerback Dru Phillips (shoulder) and guard Jon Runyan (ankle). Rookie Tyler Nubin, who was the top safety in his draft class, was placed on injured reserve Wednesday. Those who were limited participants for New York is a list twice as long: Cornerback Deonte Banks (rib), safety Dane Belton (knee), offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (quad), offensive lineman Josh Ezeudu (knee), cornerback Cor’Dale Flott (quad), wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton (shoulder), defensive back Art Green (quad), offensive tackle Chris Hubbard (knee), wide receiver Malik Nabers (hip), defensive lineman Jordan Riley (knee), offensive lineman Austin Schlottmann (fibula) and center John Michael Schmitz (neck). Daboll was blunt Monday about the laundry list of injuries plaguing his 2-11 group. He was asked if it’s getting hard to piece together a team at this point, to which he acknowledged, “That’s where we’re at.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. 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 second episode of this in-season look at the division debuted Tuesday night, featuring precious little Ravens material as players left town to enjoy their bye week. The Browns and Steelers took center stage, preparing for their divisional matchup in Pittsburgh. 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 Well, there was only one. Coach John Harbaugh addressed his players in the auditorium at the team’s training facility in Owings Mills, the Monday after they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles. Harbaugh noted the Ravens’ tough schedule and described the bye week as a chance to “get your heart right for what we’re doing.” “We are a team that’s fighting to win the championship,” he said, pointing his players toward what they hope will be an eight-game run — four to finish out the regular season and four in the playoffs. And with that, they filed out to their cars, many of them bound for the airport in anticipation of a brief respite. “Hard Knocks” hasn’t offered much for Ravens fans to chew on through two weeks, and it will be interesting to see if that changes with this week’s relatively heatless matchup against the woeful New York Giants. We might have to wait for the build to the Dec. 21 Ravens-Steelers rematch for a genuine showcase. Best non-Ravens scene With the Steelers on their way to a two-game lead in the division, the Bengals not playing in Dallas until Monday night and the Ravens off, last week wasn’t rich in AFC North happenings. So the “Hard Knocks” creatives had to make what they could of Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland. As the episode pumped up the Browns-Steelers “turnpike” rivalry, we glimpsed Pittsburgh cornerback Joey Porter Jr. at home, interacting with his dad, noted Steelers pass rusher (and Ravens antagonist) Joey Sr. “It’s way more intense than anybody can speak on it,” the elder Porter said of the AFC North’s rivalries. He won’t even eat in Cincinnati, Cleveland or Baltimore. “They talk about the good crab in Baltimore,” Porter Sr. said. “I ain’t never had it.” His wife recalled him telling her before a road game against the Browns, “Christy, don’t go to Cleveland with my jersey on.” She did anyway and felt the wrath of the Dawg Pound. Porter Jr. chuckled quietly as Sr. narrated his famous 2004 fight with Browns running back William Green. The Porters provided the tastiest material, but the episode effectively set up both sides of the enduring feud between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin centered his message on the Browns’ “game wrecker,” defensive end Myles Garrett. “I’m not doing my job if I don’t paint a picture for you,” he said. “He needs no endorsement from me. Wikipedia him.” The Browns’ hopes of returning to the playoffs vanished weeks ago, so they had to find other reasons to get up for Pittsburgh. “You’ve got to find a why for these last five games to mean something to you,” Garrett said in a defensive line meeting. Veteran defensive tackle Shelby Harris was even more candid, telling his younger teammates that the next few weeks amount to an audition for their football futures, in Cleveland or elsewhere. “Are you part of the solution or are you part of the problem?” he said. Browns quarterback Jameis Winston was the most captivating character in the second episode of “Hard Knocks.” (David Richard/AP) Episode MVP The episode opened with highlights (and lowlights) from Cleveland quarterback Jameis Winston’s 497-yard, four-touchdown, three-interception carnival ride against the Denver Broncos. “I messed it up for us,” he told reporters afterward. “I’m just praying for the Lord to deliver me from pick-sixes.” Winston’s quest for redemption in Pittsburgh would become a narrative through line. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 14: Are the Steelers the best team in the AFC? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens need to rediscover franchise’s historic toughness | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Inside the Ravens’ defensive meeting that sparked a ‘dramatic’ turnaround Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ playoff seeding to be determined by final 4 games, including Steelers rematch Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: How would you grade the Orioles’ signing of Tyler O’Neill? We went home with him as he hung out with his wife, Breion, and their boys. “There’s nothing like unconditional love,” Winston said. Back at the Browns’ facility, he said he hopes his continued passion for football, nine years after he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, rubs off on teammates: “I want them to feel the love, want them to feel the authentic side of me.” Interceptions haunted Winston again as the Browns fell to the Steelers, but that didn’t stop Garrett from noting affectionately that the 30-year-old quarterback “runs like he already an unc at the cookout.” Winston didn’t get to be a hero on the field, but he pulled this edition of “Hard Knocks” together. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article