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What role — if any — Diontae Johnson will have with the Ravens going forward remains to be seen. The veteran wide receiver, whom Baltimore acquired from the Carolina Panthers ahead of last month’s trade deadline in a swap of draft picks, did not play in Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Afterward, coach John Harbaugh said he didn’t “have enough information” to talk about why that was the case, despite the one-time Pro Bowl selection being active for the game and Rashod Bateman going out with a knee injury in the third quarter. A day later, Harbaugh declined to provide specifics, instead only offering a cryptic response. “At this time I’m gonna have to wait,” he said. “There’s some moving parts there that we’re going to have to figure out and explore and just see where we’re at. “I know that’s not the answer you want, but that’s the best I can do in fairness to everybody right now.” Asked if he expects that Johnson will continue to be on the team, Harbaugh again declined to answer. “Like I said, work it out and see where we’re at over the next few days,” he said. Should the Ravens release Johnson, it would only be the latest in a series of similar moves. Already, Baltimore cut ties with veteran safety Eddie Jackson last month and has benched starting safety Marcus Williams. Whatever happens, it has been a tumultuous few weeks since Johnson’s arrival on Oct. 29. After leading the Panthers in receiving with 30 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns through the first seven weeks of the season, he has barely played for Baltimore. With an offense that already includes receivers Bateman and Zay Flowers, along with tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely and running backs Derrick Henry and Justice Hill, there have only been so many touches to go around. Johnson has logged just 39 snaps across five games for Baltimore, one of which he was inactive for after joining the Ravens a few days ahead of their Week 9 blowout of the Denver Broncos. Johnson has just one catch for 6 yards during that span, which came in a Week 10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson didn’t play in Sunday’s loss to the Eagles, despite being active. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Sunday, Johnson spent the entirety of the game on the sideline with a coat draped over his uniform. In the two games before that, he was targeted only three times by Lamar Jackson. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ John Harbaugh doesn’t rule out bringing in kicker to compete with Justin Tucker Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Should the Ravens replace kicker Justin Tucker this season? Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens can’t give up on Justin Tucker now | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for loss to Eagles Asked about Johnson following Sunday’s loss, the quarterback tried to be positive. “We want him out there,” Jackson said. “He’s a great receiver. We didn’t get him from the Panthers for nothing.” But that might end up being essentially what his contribution is for the Ravens if they decide to move on from him. Baltimore will have plenty of time to decide. The Ravens have a bye this week and won’t play again until Dec. 15 against the New York Giants. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Justin Tucker is a future Hall of Famer, but the Ravens kicker is mired in the worst slump of his storied NFL career. His two missed field goals (and an extra point) proved costly in Baltimore’s 24-19 loss to the visiting Eagles on Sunday. Tell us whether you think the Ravens should replace Tucker this season. 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 Eagles cracked the Ravens in the fourth quarter after an afternoon of empty drives from the league’s most efficient offense and another pair of brutal missed kicks by Justin Tucker. Here are five things we learned from Baltimore’s 24-19 loss to Philadelphia: Lamar Jackson was angry … and eager for what’s next Jackson smacked his hand against the podium, reliving the three hours of exasperation he had just experienced. His mother gave it to him straight after the Ravens’ league-best offense sputtered through most of a loss to brash, bruising visitors from Philadelphia. Felicia Jones saw the running lanes open in front of her son, only to go unused. “She just cussed me out,” Jackson said. He dropped some profanity of his own, a rarity for him on the postgame podium. “I’m sorry for this,” he said. “I’m just mad, because I feel like we should win these games, and we’re not getting it done.” Jackson came into the weekend leading the league in passing yards, touchdown passes and passer rating. His offense came in leading in points and yards per game. So it’s not as if he’s had a lot to be outraged about this season. But here he was, pitted against the smart, bruising defense of a legitimate Super Bowl contender, and he could not tap into the electric flow that has been available to him weekly. It pissed him off. It’s because Jackson sees greatness in this Ravens offense that he cannot abide the shortcomings it displayed in this loss and an 18-16 defeat two weeks earlier in Pittsburgh. He doesn’t accept the penalties, missed blocks and mistimed routes that occasionally throw this beautiful machine out of whack. The Ravens (8-5) certainly had their opportunities against the Eagles (10-2). For once, it was the opponent that dug an early hole with penalties — six for 45 yards in the first quarter. That and four consecutive defensive stops created a golden opportunity for Jackson to build a meaningful lead. He pushed the right buttons on Baltimore’s first two drives, but after that, the Eagles pushed him from the pocket more regularly, and his judgment and accuracy faltered. In a showcase game, his NFL Most Valuable Player case — the last thing Jackson seems worried about, to be clear — took a step back. For once, the loss was his fault as much as anyone’s. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson told reporters after the Eagles loss that he’s eager to retake the field and get back on track offensively. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Annoyed as he was afterward, Jackson did not seem drained or depressed. He wanted to get into it, wanted to point the finger at himself. He spoke like a man who can’t wait to play his next game, can’t wait to get the formula right in time for the playoffs. Ravens fans should take heart from his eagerness, even at the end of a glum weekend. “We’re going to get after it,” Jackson said. “I can’t wait for this bye to get on.” Justin Tucker’s crisis deepened, with no alternatives in sight Even the coldest cynic could not have foreseen the home crowd at M&T Bank Stadium booing the greatest kicker in Ravens (and perhaps NFL) history at a crucial juncture of a crucial December game. That’s how quickly and viciously Tucker has spiraled. Fan anxiety was palpable each time he lined up for a kick Sunday and transformed to derision in the third quarter after he pushed a 53-yard attempt outside the right upright. By then, it seemed Tucker, wide left so often this season, no longer knew where to aim. He said that wasn’t the case, that he simply didn’t nail his target line. But the bottom line is he’s not re-centering himself as he did so expertly in past seasons. Each time he drills one purely down the middle, as he did on a 54-yarder against the Steelers and a 45-yarder against the Chargers, hope flourishes that Tucker has put this nightmare behind him. Then, he misses again and again. Tucker used to be one of the sport’s great weapons in a close game. The Ravens hardly needed to cross midfield to enter his range for a clutch make. On Sunday, as they tried to hang with the Eagles, he was a liability, missing on two attempts to give the Ravens a lead in the third quarter. Would they have won for sure if he made both? No. But the flow of the game would have been more favorable. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker missed three kicks in Sunday’s loss to the Eagles. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) “I feel like I cost us this one, but it doesn’t really do anybody any good to dwell on it,” he said. “The only thing that we can do, that I can do, is just continue to work, move forward, take it one kick at a time. I hate that I’ve had to have this same conversation over the course of this season, but that’s something that comes with the territory in this job description.” Sports psychologists and former kickers have generally agreed that Tucker should be given space to work through his struggles by following the routines that served him beautifully through his first 12 seasons. Extra pressure from an outside candidate to take his job would do him no good, they have argued. The Ravens have given Tucker that space to this point. “If you’re asking me, ‘Are we going to move on from Justin Tucker?’ I’m not really planning on doing that right now; I don’t think that’d be wise,” coach John Harbaugh said Sunday. “But he’ll tell you, [and] he’ll be the first to tell you he needs to make kicks, because he can. I just think if you look at Justin Tucker’s history, you’d have to say he’s capable of doing that.” Teammates stand firmly behind him. They’ve taken his greatness for granted all these years. “I said on the sideline, ‘I said I think this is normal for kickers, but we’ve been so blessed by Tucker’s eliteness,'” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. “You used to sit down there and know it’s going in. But I think great players, they get out of those slumps at the right moment. Tucker’s one of those guys.” Jackson blamed himself for forcing Tucker into a 47-yard attempt when he took a 14-yard sack on third down on the first drive of the second half. “Hell yeah, I have confidence,” he said. “He just made his kick last week. He made a couple this game. Just when we needed it, it didn’t happen. But the same goes for everybody on the team.” They’re going down this road with Tucker, not knowing how to help, saying they believe as loudly as possible. Will the Ravens do the unthinkable and send another kicker out in the clutch at some point this season? There’s still no indication such a change is in the cards. It’s not what anyone wants. But it’s naive to think the question won’t loom over the remainder of this season. The Ravens have turned a corner on defense by changing ruthlessly Marcus Williams, the team’s $70 million safety, was a healthy scratch against the Eagles. Williams hadn’t played since the team’s Nov. 7 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, but this was a new level of obsolescence for him and a symbol of what Humphrey described as a new level of accountability for a defense that floundered through the first two months of the season. Humphrey did not mention his benched teammate by name, but it was difficult not to draw the inference. “It was time to play Ravens defense,” Humphrey said. “The message became a little bit clear. If you want to play ball, then we’ll get you out there. If you don’t, you’re going to have to sit on the sideline. I think guys responded really well to what was being preached amongst the coaches, amongst the players. We’re holding guys more accountable now. The brand we were playing, it’s disrespectful to be in this uniform and play like that.” After a slow start to the season, the Ravens’ defense has shown improvement by holding each of its past three opponents under 25 points. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Williams is out of the game plan. Fellow safety Eddie Jackson is gone. Opportunistic, undersized Ar’Darius Washington is playing the snaps they left behind. The competition at cornerback is also fiercer. No one questions Brandon Stephens’ effort, but he’s ceding snaps to Nate Wiggins and Tre’Davious White. There are no sacred cows. The results, while far from 2023-level dominance, have improved. The Eagles came in averaging 5.9 yards per play; against the Ravens, they averaged 4.7. A.J. Brown, one of the league’s true No. 1 wide receivers, didn’t catch a pass longer than 15 yards. Philadelphia had to grind for almost everything, going three-and-out four times. Coordinator Zach Orr’s defense played well enough to win, just as it did against the Chargers six days earlier and the Steelers a week before that. “I feel like we’ve turned that corner,” Humphrey said. “It’s not perfect. I think there are more corners to turn, but the mindset has really changed. That’s kind of where it starts.” Mark Andrews did everything he could to keep the Ravens alive At first, it appeared Jackson simply fired into traffic on first-and-goal. What Jackson sensed and the naked eye could not pick up was that Andrews had reverse spun behind Eagle safety Reed Blankenship and would be in position to reach over Blankenship for a touchdown. We’ve seen that sixth-sense connection between Jackson and Andrews since they were rookies. It’s the reason why No. 89 is still the first look in the league’s most efficient red-zone offense. “Like I said earlier in the year, when people were talking about trading him and stuff like that,” Jackson said. “I saw him trying to make something happen. They dropped everyone in the end zone, and he just did a good job of getting open. I just had to put some speed on the ball for him to be able to make the play.” Tight end Mark Andrews, right, has seven touchdown receptions in the Ravens’ past eight games. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) The touchdown catch wasn’t the last of Andrews’ brilliance. On the first drive of the second half, he maxed his vertical leap and extended his long arms skyward to pull down a 23-yard catch on third-and-8 in Philadelphia territory. That drive didn’t produce points, but Andrews did everything he could to make sure it did. He finished with six catches on seven targets for 67 yards. All that hand wringing over Andrews’ empty stat lines in September amounted to so much spit in the wind. When healthy, he’s an elite tight end, same as it ever was. The AFC North might feel lost, but that’s not true — and it’s beside the point The Ravens not only lost their battle for bragging rights with a legit NFC contender, they blew an opportunity to stay on the Steelers’ heels. A 1 1/2-game deficit in the division is substantial with only four left to play. Could the Ravens still catch the Steelers if they beat them Dec. 21 and win out? Absolutely, especially given that Pittsburgh will visit the streaking Eagles on Dec. 15 and host the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas. But Jackson made the key point when asked about the AFC North race. Related ArticlesDecember 1, 2024 Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens can’t give up on Justin Tucker now | COMMENTARY December 1, 2024 Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for loss to Eagles December 1, 2024 Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Diontae Johnson plays zero snaps vs. Eagles despite Rashod Bateman injury December 1, 2024 Baltimore Ravens | Justin Tucker’s struggles continue as Ravens fall to Eagles, 24-19 December 1, 2024 Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 24-19 loss to Philadelphia Eagles “We don’t need to worry about the Steelers,” he said. “We need to worry about us. That’s the first thing; worry about what we need to clean up on this side. Clean that [crap] up. Forget every other team.” He’s dead on. If we’ve learned anything about the Ravens over the past 13 weeks, it’s that on their best day, they can run away from a quality playoff team. We saw it against the Bills and the Broncos and the Chargers, all of whom could be opponents in January. Their ceiling is not in question. The trick is they’re not having enough best days. They plug one leak and another bursts. Would it be nice for the Ravens to play a home game on wild-card weekend? Sure. Will that be relevant if they can’t find the best version of their team? Not so much. The Ravens’ leader has it right. It’s about them. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

Maybe the Ravens should head down to the nearest 7-Eleven and see whether the store has a two-for-one sale on kickers. It’s time for pure panic in this town. Justin Tucker, perhaps the best kicker in NFL history, made two field goals Sunday, but it was his two misses in a 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles that has Baltimore buzzing. The Ravens trailed 14-12 at halftime but had a chance to regain the lead with impressive drives of 55 and 57 yards to open the third quarter. But Tucker’s 47-yard field goal attempt on the first possession sailed wide left, and the second, from 53 yards, drifted wide right. That’s pretty bad for a player who earned nicknames such as “Mr. Automatic” and “Mr. Reliable” during his 13-year career. Worse yet, Tucker, 35, missed an extra point attempt after tight end Mark Andrews’ 14-yard touchdown pass from Lamar Jackson that would have put the Ravens ahead, 10-0, late in the first quarter. Yikes. Black Friday turned into Blue Sunday. After the game, Ravens coach John Harbaugh, a former special teams guru as an assistant in Philadelphia, was asked about Tucker, and he gave his best answer. It was the right answer. A trip to the 7-Eleven is not an option. “We’ve been working through it,” Harbaugh said. “You work through it with every single player. Every single thing you fight to try to help guys to be successful. We’ll do that. If you’re asking me, ‘Are we going to move on from Justin Tucker?’ I’m not really planning on doing that right now; I don’t think that’d be wise. “But he’ll tell you, [and] he’ll be the first to tell you he needs to make kicks, because he can. I just think if you look at Justin Tucker’s history, you’d have to say he’s capable of doing that. That’s something that he’s going to want to do, and we’re all going to want him to do it.” You really didn’t expect anything different, did you? Kickers and punters are weird people. They can go into outer space without a spaceship. Seriously. They have fragile minds and psyches, and if they go off into the deep end, you might never get them back. So, Harbaugh is playing it cool. There are a lot of kickers on the free agent market, but would you rather a replacement or a struggling Tucker? Right now, the Ravens have to massage Tucker’s ego and make him feel great about himself. Would you prefer Tucker or possibly another Billy Cundiff? Take Tucker. He has the resume and the Ravens can’t afford to have a revolving door at this point. This kicker situation could get sloppy and out of hand. It’s one thing if a team is rebuilding, but another when a team has high expectations with star players such as Jackson, running back Derrick Henry and middle linebacker Roquan Smith. You have to feed the monster and make Tucker as comfortable as possible. It’s one thing to bring in a kicker or a bunch of them to challenge for the No. 1 job in training camp — like former Ravens coach Brian Billick did with Matt Stover at the turn of the century — but another to add one this late in the season. Now is not the right time. “As simply as I can put it, I missed the kicks, and I’ll leave it at that,” Tucker said. “I just left the points out there. I feel like I cost us this one, but it doesn’t really do anybody any good to dwell on it. The only thing that we can do — that I can do — is just continue to work, move forward, take it one kick at a time. I hate that I’ve had to have this same conversation over the course of this season, but that’s something that comes with the territory in this job description. “The kicks are either good or they’re not, and today, I did not do a good enough job to help our team win the football game.” Ravens kicker Justin Tucker looks up while Eagles linebacker Oren Burks celebrates a missed field goal attempt Sunday. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) There are several theories to explain Tucker’s recent failures. Before this season, there were already talks about how he was headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. But he has missed field goal attempts of 53, 56, 46, 50, 47, 50, 47 and 53 yards this season, and is 19-for-27. Those eight misses are a career high, eclipsing his previous record of seven in 2015. He also has missed two extra point attempts. As ESPN’s Bill Barnwell noted, Tucker missed as many or more kicks Sunday than he missed during the entire season in 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2019 or 2021. One theory is that his leg is weaker, and that happens to everybody. One day you just wake up, and it’s gone. It’s finished, and maybe that’s why most of his failed attempts have gone wide left because he is driving the ball too hard. Then, there is another excuse. Kickers go into slumps. It happens to the best of them. The only way to get out of it is to either get them counseling or let them work it out. At this point of the season, it’s best to leave Tucker alone. “It’s just a matter of a matter of … I’ve said this before, that each kick kind of lives in its own world,” Tucker said. “Whether it’s a PAT [point after touchdown] or a field goal from ‘this’ hash going in ‘this’ direction or vice versa, each kick kind of has to live on its own. And yes, I’ll leave it at that.” There won’t be many changes in the way he attacks the ball. “I wasn’t really trying to compensate for any other kicks that had gotten away from me previously, because, like I said, each kick is its own, it lives in its own world, and it’s its own challenge,” Tucker said. “So, the fact that a number of kicks have gone left on me didn’t have anything to do with why the 53-yarder, why I pushed it right. It was just a matter of I didn’t strike the ball on the target line — or on the exact target line that I wanted to — on that given kick.” So, nothing is going to change at this point, and nothing should. Harbaugh knows he has to ride this out, much like Billick did with Stover back in 2000. Remember, the Ravens went five games without a touchdown but Stover, next to running back Jamal Lewis, became the second most important player on the offense that season. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for loss to Eagles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Diontae Johnson plays zero snaps vs. Eagles despite Rashod Bateman injury Baltimore Ravens | Justin Tucker’s struggles continue as Ravens fall to Eagles, 24-19 Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 24-19 loss to Philadelphia Eagles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles, December 1, 2024 | PHOTOS Harbaugh has to roll the dice with Tucker as well. Because of the fragile psyche, you don’t want to push a kicker to the point of no return — not with four games left in the regular season. Kickers are a different breed. “We’re going to treat this week just like any other break that we’ve had before,” Tucker said of the bye week. “We’re going to turn over every stone, and I will do that, individually, for sure, just to address any and all issues I may have with my technique, anything tangible, anything concrete that I can make it a point to remedy. … That’s what I mean when I say [that] the only thing that I can do is just get back to work. The only thing that we can do is just back to work and do the things that we know will help our team win football games.” The Ravens have much more to lose at this point than parting ways with possibly the greatest kicker in NFL history. They are wise to leave him alone. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. “It’s just a matter of a matter of … I’ve said this before, that each kick kind of lives in its own world,” Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, right, said after Sunday’s loss to the Eagles. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) View the full article

Here’s how the Ravens (8-5) graded out at every position after losing to the Eagles (10-2), 24-19, on Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore: Quarterback Lamar Jackson didn’t have a strong game and appeared to have trouble reading zone defenses. He was slow making decisions and getting rid of the ball. There were several times when Jackson missed open receivers, especially on the right side of the field. If he had gone to tight end Mark Andrews earlier in the first half and then slot receiver Zay Flowers in the third quarter, both were open for potential touchdowns. Regardless, Jackson threw some nice passes and several times his receivers just dropped the ball. Jackson completed 23 of 36 passes for 237 yards and rushed eight times for 79 yards, but 39 yards came late in the game after the outcome had already been decided. He also needs to know when to throw the ball away instead of losing yards. Taking sacks was OK when kicker Justin Tucker was reliable from 50 to 60 yards, but that’s no longer the case. Grade: B- Running backs Derrick Henry rushed 19 times for 82 yards, but he didn’t control the tempo like he had in previous games. Maybe if the Ravens had converted on some of those field goal attempts they might have worn Philadelphia down, but Henry never got in a flow. The Ravens tried to counter with backup Justice Hill, but he didn’t boost the team’s energy level. Hill had only three carries for 6 yards and four catches for 15 yards. Henry had three catches for 29 yards. Grade: C Offensive line As expected, this group is good when the offense is in sync. That allows them to stay with the play-action passing game and run-pass option plays, but the Ravens are less effective when they have to play from behind. Both offensive tackles, Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten, struggled in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter. The Ravens had problems with defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who finished with four tackles, including three for losses. The Ravens have a good offensive line when they can run the ball but are below average playing from behind. Grade: C+ Receivers Andrews was excellent, catching six passes for 67 yards, including one for a 14-yard touchdown in the first quarter. The Eagles had trouble sticking with Andrews on crossing patterns and he bailed Jackson out several times with sensational leaping catches. Fellow tight end Isaiah Likely also had an 11-yard touchdown catch in the final quarter and Flowers caught three passes for 74 yards. But there were times when Jackson overthrew or threw behind his players and several times the Ravens simply dropped passes, including Nelson Agholor and even Andrews. Grade: C Defensive line The Ravens kept running back Saquon Barkley under wraps for nearly three quarters but wore down in the fourth as Barkley had a 25-yard touchdown run with 7:56 left in the game to put the Eagles ahead, 24-12. Nose tackle Travis Jones led this group in tackles with four and tackle Broderick Washington had three tackles and one sack to go with a pressure and a forced fumble. Nnamdi Madubuike also had one tackle. Overall, it was a strong effort by the Ravens and it would have been interesting to see how they would have played if they had managed to take a lead in the third quarter on Tucker’s field goal attempts. Barkley finished with 107 yards on 23 carries. Grade: B Linebackers Middle linebacker Roquan Smith might have played his best game of the season and appeared to show no rust from missing the Chargers game last week because of a hamstring injury. Smith finished with 12 tackles, including a half-sack. He did a great job of reading gaps and knowing which running lanes Barkley was going to use for most of the game. Weakside linebacker Malik Harrison had two tackles and fellow inside linebacker Trent Simpson finished with two tackles and played better than the week before. The Ravens missed injured outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy off the edge. Without Van Noy, the Ravens needed strong efforts from outside linebackers Odafe Oweh and Tavius Robinson. They turned in solid efforts as Robinson finished with four tackles. Grade: B Secondary The tackling was better until the final quarter. For most of the game, the Ravens didn’t look lost in coverage, especially to the outside of the field or outside the numbers. They did, though, give up way too many yards in the middle to receiver A.J. Brown, who had five catches for 66 yards. The Ravens were also hurt by tight end Dallas Goedert, who had three catches for 35 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Overall, this group has improved. Safety Ar’Darius Washington had eight tackles, including two for losses, and cornerback Brandon Stephens had four. Fellow safety Kyle Hamilton had three tackles despite playing through injury. Grade: B Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens can’t give up on Justin Tucker now | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Diontae Johnson plays zero snaps vs. Eagles despite Rashod Bateman injury Baltimore Ravens | Justin Tucker’s struggles continue as Ravens fall to Eagles, 24-19 Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 24-19 loss to Philadelphia Eagles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles, December 1, 2024 | PHOTOS Special teams Justin Tucker converted on field goal attempts from 34 and 50 yards but missed two other attempts. Both of those misses, one from 47 and the other from 53, came on the Ravens’ first two possessions of the third quarter with the team trailing 14-12. Tucker also missed an extra point attempt in the first quarter. Returner Tylan Wallace fumbled two punts, though he recovered both. By the fourth quarter, he looked timid and afraid to handle any more punts. It was a night of failure on special teams. Grade: F Coaching Coordinator Zach Orr managed the defense well and kept the Eagles off balance with different looks at the line of scrimmage by bringing several players, including cornerbacks and safeties, off the edge. The Ravens, though, still give up too many passes over the middle. Offensively, the Ravens showed very little imagination. Tucker failed, but the Ravens didn’t come up with any nifty plays to manufacture points. As for the special teams, it was just a horrible show. Two of the top three units played poorly. Grade: C- Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, right, can’t escape Eagles defensive tackle in the second quarter Sunday. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) View the full article

Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman exited Sunday’s game against the Eagles with a knee injury and didn’t return because it was “too sore,” according to coach John Harbaugh. Bateman wasn’t targeted in the game before leaving. Oddly, fellow wide receiver Diontae Johnson didn’t play any snaps, even with Bateman leaving early. The Ravens added Johnson at the trade deadline from Carolina, where he had 30 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns in seven games with the Panthers. Since joining Baltimore, Johnson has one catch for 6 yards across five games. Harbaugh was asked about Johnson’s lack of involvement in the passing game, and the Ravens coach offered a puzzling response. “I’m not really ready to comment on that right now,” Harbaugh said. “I will be, just don’t have enough information right now to comment on that.” A couple of weeks ago, Harbaugh claimed he would “ramp up” Johnson’s workload within the offense. Quarterback Lamar Jackson said at the time they were hopeful to work Johnson into the offense in future games, even though he didn’t make an impact in his first few weeks in Baltimore. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Jackson said. “That’s probably how Coach and those guys are feeling. But we definitely want to get him involved because he’s a great talent and a great addition to our offense.” That hasn’t been the case. Johnson doesn’t have a catch for the Ravens since the team’s Nov. 7 win over the Bengals, and he’s only received three total targets across 17 total snaps in the three games since. His zero snaps in Sunday’s game leave unanswered questions about his future in Baltimore. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens can’t give up on Justin Tucker now | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for loss to Eagles Baltimore Ravens | Justin Tucker’s struggles continue as Ravens fall to Eagles, 24-19 Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 24-19 loss to Philadelphia Eagles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles, December 1, 2024 | PHOTOS As for Bateman, Sunday marked his first game of the season without a reception. He entered the game as Baltimore’s second-leading receiver with 574 yards, behind only Zay Flowers (789 yards). With Bateman unavailable and Johnson not a part of the game plan, the Ravens targeted Nelson Agholor down the field in the second half, but the former Eagles receiver struggled. He couldn’t come down with what would’ve been a large gain toward the end of the third quarter on a key third down. The Ravens, trailing 14-12 at the time, opted to kick a 53-yard field goal on fourth down, which Justin Tucker pulled wide left. Agholor finished with no catches on two targets. Tight end Mark Andrews played well in Bateman’s absence, catching six passes for 67 yards and a touchdown on an impressive grab over two defenders in the first quarter. Fellow tight end Isaiah Likely caught five passes for 38 yards, including a touchdown in the final seconds. It’s the first time since Week 1 (nine catches against the Chiefs) that Likely finished a game with five or more receptions. Flowers caught three passes for 74 yards, leading the team in receiving yards. Tylan Wallace contributed two catches for 14 yards. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

Chants of “MVP! MVP!” began to break out midway through the fourth quarter early Sunday evening at M&T Bank Stadium. Only they weren’t for the NFL’s reigning and two-time Most Valuable Player, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, and they were in stark contrast to the boos that had wafted through the chilly air earlier in the game after another disastrous performance from Baltimore’s special teams. In what was billed as a possible Super Bowl preview and showdown between Jackson and Eagles running back and NFL rushing leader Saquon Barkley, it turned out to be anything but, at least for the Ravens. Instead, this one was about what didn’t happen for the Ravens — yet again — in an ugly 24-19 loss to Philadelphia, which extended its winning streak to eight, improved to 10-2 and sent Baltimore limping into its bye week. Justin Tucker, who earned the nickname “Automatuck” for a reliability that made him once the most accurate kicker in NFL history, was anything but, missing two field goals and an extra point. Both were costly. With Baltimore trailing 14-12, Tucker’s 47-yard field goal attempt on the opening series of the second half sailed wide left and kept the Ravens (8-5) from the lead. On the Ravens’ next possession with the deficit the same, his 53-yarder missed right. Despite possessing the ball for 12 of 15 minutes in the quarter and out-gaining Philadelphia 87 yards to 3, Baltimore came away with nothing. “As simply as I can put it, I missed the kicks, and I’ll leave it at that,” said Tucker, who has converted on just 19 of 27 field goals this season for a career-worst mark of 70.4%. “I feel like I cost us this one, but it doesn’t really do anybody any good to dwell on it. The only thing that we can do — that I can do — is just continue to work, move forward, take it one kick at a time. “I hate that I’ve had to have this same conversation over the course of this season, but that’s something that comes with the territory in this job description.” It’s a job he’ll keep for now, with coach John Harbaugh saying he has no plans to move on from the five-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl selection because he doesn’t think that would be “wise.” It was also perhaps not wise for the New York Giants to have moved on from Barkley. Sunday was only the latest example. With Philadelphia clinging to a 14-12 lead midway through the fourth quarter following Tucker’s pair of misses, the Eagles’ star back delivered a knockout punch that would have made Rocky Balboa blush. With just over 8 minutes remaining and the ball on the Ravens’ 25-yard line, Barkley, who signed with Philadelphia in the offseason, took a handoff from quarterback Jalen Hurts, shot past linebacker Roquan Smith and through the right side of the line, breaking one tackle along the way as he galloped into the end zone for a backbreaking score. The visiting faithful among the crowd of 71,344 serenaded him as he celebrated. Eagles kicker Jake Elliott tacked on a 35-yard field goal to extend the lead to 24-12, and by the time Jackson connected with tight end Isaiah Likely for an 11-yard touchdown with 3 seconds left, it was too little, too late. But in the quarterback’s eyes, it never should have been. “That was a pretty good team, don’t get me wrong,” said Jackson, who was held to 23 of 36 passing for 237 yards and two touchdowns. “But I feel like we left stuff out there. We should’ve put more points on the board. We shouldn’t even have put Tuck in those type of situations. “But it’s football, not everything gonna go right.” Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, right, watches as his extra point attempt in the first quarter sails wide. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) That included with the Ravens’ high-octane offense, which came into the game leading the NFL in yards per game and second in points per game but has dealt with bouts of inconsistency. Most notably, they went three-and-out on three straight possessions after taking a 9-0 lead following a 34-yard field goal on their first series and a 14-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to tight end Mark Andrews on their second. Holding onto the ball was also a problem as the Ravens fumbled three times. Jackson lost the ball twice (and was sacked three times) and punt returner Tylan Wallace also coughed it up. Baltimore recovered them all, but the mishaps set the offense back. Despite out-gaining the Eagles, 372-252, in total yardage and a defense that has found its footing in recent weeks, it wasn’t enough. “Just gotta make better decisions back there,” Wallace said. “That’s probably one of the worst things you can let happen as a punt returner. When that happens it kind of messes with your head and you’re thinking about it. You just gotta try to move on and get the next one.” In the end, they never got the chance and couldn’t overcome the missed kicks — or Barkley. The last time a running back won the MVP Award was in 2012 when former Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson took home the honor. The Eagles’ standout bolstered his case, chewing up the Ravens’ stingy run defense by the chunk. Baltimore entered the week second in rushing yards allowed (77.9) and first in yards per carry (3.5). But Barkley battered the Ravens with 107 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, left, reacts after Eagles running back Saquon Barkley scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter on Sunday. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Jackson had 79 yards rushing but was upset with the opportunities he didn’t take when running lanes opened up. “I’m trying to find the right word to say about that,” he said, pounding his fist and adding that his mom told him after the game he needed to run more. “We gotta finish. “She just cussed me out. I’m mad. … She said there was lanes I should took and ran, but I was trying to let guys develop routes … I was trying to go through my progressions, but yeah, she right. I’m going through my [crap]. I’m just mad because I feel like we should win these games and we’re not getting them done.” For the first 30 minutes, it was about as even as a game could be. Baltimore owned the first quarter, Philadelphia the second and the Eagles led 14-12 at the half. Each team had 10 first downs, the Ravens had 169 yards to the Eagles’ 164, and both teams had 30 plays with the Ravens averaging 5.6 yards per play and the Eagles 5.5. But the Ravens could only keep Hurts and the Eagles down so long. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens can’t give up on Justin Tucker now | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for loss to Eagles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Diontae Johnson plays zero snaps vs. Eagles despite Rashod Bateman injury Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 24-19 loss to Philadelphia Eagles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles, December 1, 2024 | PHOTOS He got rolling in the second quarter, and thus so did the Eagles. Hurts was 8 of 9 passing for 99 yards with a 17-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dallas Goedert and then gave Philadelphia the lead with a 1-yard scoring run, despite fumbling the snap from under center on Philadelphia’s tush push. After struggling mightily, the Eagles rolled up 142 yards in the second quarter and cleaned up their penalties, too, with just one for 5 yards. The Ravens, meanwhile, will be left to wonder what went wrong after an impressive start on Sunday and squandering a 9-0 lead. They’ll have plenty of time to think about it with two weeks until their next game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Dec. 15. There’s also the matter of trying to catch the Steelers, but that’s a problem for another day. “We don’t need to worry about the Steelers,” Jackson said, again pounding his fist. “We need to worry about us. “We need to clean up on this side, clean that [crap] up. Forget every other team. We be beatin’ ourselves out there.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Week 15 Ravens at Giants Sunday, Dec. 15, 1 p.m. TV: CBS Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson walks off the field after Sunday’s loss to the Eagles. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) View the full article

Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Sunday’s Week 13 game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore: Brian Wacker, reporter: The Ravens’ special teams continues to be a problem, and by that I mean Justin Tucker. Two missed field goal attempts and a missed extra point attempt were brutal. Baltimore (8-5) could ill afford to have those sorts of shortcomings against an Eagles team that is considered a Super Bowl contender. Philadelphia’s defense also lived up to its billing. Once it settled in after the opening quarter, Lamar Jackson was held mostly in check, as was running back Derrick Henry. The Eagles (10-2) exposed the Ravens’ problems on special teams and on defense, moving the ball when they had to, especially in the middle of the field with receiver A.J. Brown, and then mixing in runs with quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley, who continues to look like the leader in the clubhouse for NFL Most Valuable Player. Childs Walker, reporter: The Ravens cracked in the fourth quarter, undone by too many empty drives and special teams misfires. Their defense, led by Roquan Smith and Marlon Humphrey, delivered a valiant effort against one of the league’s best teams but could not smother Saquon Barkley forever. This time, it was really the offense that wasn’t good enough. The Ravens struggled to keep Lamar Jackson’s pocket clean, and he couldn’t find the downfield connections that have made them so efficient all season. Justin Tucker missed an extra point and two field goal attempts. What’s left to say about that issue? The Ravens can no longer count on their perennial Pro Bowl kicker, and it fundamentally weakens them in a close game against a tough opponent. The Eagles lived down to their reputation as sluggish starters with six penalties for 45 yards and three failed drives in the first quarter. The Ravens didn’t do as much with that charity as they would have liked, going up 9-0 but quickly ceding the momentum to Philadelphia’s offense in the second quarter. Once the Eagles started sending Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Brown over the middle and mixing in runs from quarterback Jalen Hurts, they had the Baltimore defense on its heels. The Ravens buckled down again after halftime, but without any points from their offense, they never regained control. This and the loss in Pittsburgh two weeks earlier have taught us they’re simply not at their best in close, punishing contests. Mike Preston, columnist: Well, the Ravens can no longer blame the defense. This group played well enough to win and held one of the league’s better quarterbacks, Jalen Hurts, and running backs in check for most of the game until Saquon Barkley started taking control midway in the fourth quarter, including a 25-yard touchdown run. In the second half, the Ravens’ offense never got in sync. When it did, kicker Justin Tucker missed two field goal attempts. He also missed an extra point attempt. Not only did he damage the team’s psyche, but the Ravens failed to overcome Philadelphia’s slight lead. Physically, the Ravens played well enough to win, but their offense was far from dominant and their special teams were a total mess. Fortunately, the Ravens still have four games remaining, but it’s hard to find a kicker to replace Tucker this late in the season. While the defense seems to have found it’s rhythm, the offense appears out of whack. Worse yet, the AFC North-leading Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals, 44-38, to give Pittsburgh a 1 1/2-game lead in the division. C.J. Doon, editor: It felt like only a matter of time before Saquon Barkley was going to break free. The Ravens did an admirable job bottling up the MVP candidate, but not long enough. The star running back’s 25-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter put the finishing touches on a statement victory by the Eagles, who have now won eight straight and might be the best team in football. For the first time in a long, long time, it felt like Lamar Jackson wasn’t the best player on the field. Barkley was the closer Sunday, not Jackson nor fellow running back Derrick Henry. That’s a strange feeling for a Baltimore team that has often been the team dictating terms at the end of the game for most of this season — and most of the Jackson era, for that matter. And we have to address the elephant in the room that is Justin Tucker. The Ravens’ special teams edge has long been a given under coach John Harbaugh, but now it’s a legitimate weakness. The margin for error in these elite matchups is small, and the Ravens are struggling to overcome their mistakes. The good news is the bye week and a matchup against the lowly Giants should get this team back on track before the postseason push really begins. Tim Schwartz, editor: Yikes. That was a disaster for the Ravens, who took a 9-0 lead and then melted away. Justin Tucker is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but how can he be trusted in a big spot after all this? His confidence has to be shot, and he doesn’t have the leg to make the long ones he made look so routine for so many years. Maybe a bye week spent on a hot Caribbean beach will solve his woes, but that’s probably wishful thinking. The Eagles are a good team but Baltimore laid an egg, and Lamar Jackson never quite found a rhythm. Those missed kicks will do that. A bye week and the lowly Giants after that will make life easier for the Ravens, who are certainly headed to the playoffs but almost certainly to be playing in the wild-card round on the road somewhere. The Super Bowl feels like a long way away right now. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles, December 1, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles live updates: Postgame reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 24-19 loss Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens vs. Eagles could be a Super Bowl preview | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LB Roquan Smith set to play against Eagles; OLB Kyle Van Noy doubtful Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson faces stern test of his NFC mastery vs. Eagles Bennett Conlin, editor: Special teams cost the Ravens this game. Justin Tucker missed two field goal attempts and an extra point attempt, and the Eagles continuously pinned the Ravens deep in their own territory with stellar punts from Braden Mann. In a game between two evenly matched teams, those problems stuck out. Two games ago, Tucker missed a pair of field goal attempts in an 18-16 loss to the Steelers. His misses have cost the Ravens dearly in two recent losses to likely playoff participants. Can John Harbaugh and the Ravens trust Tucker the rest of the season or in the playoffs? Should they bring in another kicker for a tryout? Is it possible they cut a franchise legend midway through the season? If the Ravens are serious about winning a Super Bowl this season, they need to figure out the problems in the kicking game. They don’t have a large enough margin for error to give away points on special teams. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

Baltimore Ravens’ Marlon Humphrey and Roquan Smith sack Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts during a game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens’ Justin Tucker misses the extra point after a touchdown during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens’ Mark Andrews celebrates his touchdown catch with Isaiah Likely during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Ravens’ Mark Andrews makes a touchdown catch in 1st quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Ravens’ Mark Andrews makes a touchdown catch in 1st quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) The Philadelphia Eagles have a penalty on a punt catch during a game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) The Philadelphia Eagles have an incomplete pass on third down, forcing a punt during a game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton is injured during the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith warms up during pregame of NFL football in Baltimore. (Baltimore Sun/Staff) Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey warms up during NFL football in Baltimore. (Baltimore Sun/Staff) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson gestures during NFL football in Baltimore. (Baltimore Sun/Staff) Steve Bisciotti, the Baltimore Ravens majority owner talks with Jeffrey Lurie, the Philadelphia Eagles majority owner during NFL football in Baltimore. (Baltimore Sun/Staff) Ravens wide-receiver Diontae Johnson warms up before game against the Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith warms up before game against the Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Ravens’ Nate Wiggins warms up before game against the Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson warms up before game against the Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) View the full article

The Ravens (8-4) host the Philadelphia Eagles (9-2) on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium in a matchup of two of the league’s top teams. Baltimore is coming off a road win Monday night over the Los Angeles Chargers, while Philadelphia has won seven in a row to claim the top spot in the NFC East. Follow along here for live coverage and analysis. View the full article

The Ravens’ game Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium against the Philadelphia Eagles might be a prelude to Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans in February. It’s not a stretch to see a rematch in the title game. There are no great teams in the NFL this season. In fact, there are barely a few good ones, which is why the Ravens (8-4), Buffalo Bills (9-2), Kansas City Chiefs (10-1), Detroit Lions (11-1) and Eagles (9-2) are the favorites. The Ravens already pummeled the Bills, 35-10, on Sept. 9, which is why they need another big game. Baltimore needs a tone-setter against Philadelphia, which has won seven straight. “This is a really good team we’re playing,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “I think some people think that they might be the best team in the league, and that’s the way they’re playing. It’s a challenge for us, a challenge for our run defense — yes — because they do it with their offensive line, they do it with their back, they also do it with their scheme — which the quarterback is a part of, too — and they can throw off the runs. So, there’s a lot going on there.” The Ravens need another strong test. They still play AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3), who have won eight of the past nine matchups against Baltimore, but the Houston Texans (7-5) have struggled throughout the season and the New York Giants (2-10) are horrendous. Cleveland (3-8) might pose a challenge in the last game of the regular season, or the Browns might have the U-Haul trucks loaded and parked for the offseason outside of their headquarters. Thank goodness for the Eagles. They are good preparation for Kansas City. Buffalo doesn’t count, because the Bills are as soft defensively as the Los Angeles Chargers, whom the Ravens defeated, 30-23, on Monday night. “Yes, it helps, definitely — just having that experience,” Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said of playing big games, particularly against the Eagles. “From Week 1, obviously, playing against [Kansas City] on Thursday [in the] first game of the year. “It just helps younger guys grow up a lot quicker. We’re going to be only playing big games from here on out, so we’ve got to get used to it at some point, and I feel like we have done a good job of that, and we can take that into the postseason and do what we can.” The Ravens and Eagles are similar in so many ways. The Ravens are ranked No. 1 in total offense and the Eagles are No. 3. Both teams have dynamic running quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts, even though Hurts isn’t as spectacular as Jackson as a runner. Both teams will try to force their quarterbacks to throw from the pocket and beat them with their arms. The Ravens have slot receiver Zay Flowers (57 catches, 789 yards, four touchdowns) with complementary players such as tight end Mark Andrews (37 catches, 423 yard, 6 TDs) and Rashod Bateman (35 catches, 574 yards, 6 TDs). Philadelphia counters with receivers A.J. Brown (39 catches, 727 yards, 4 TDs) and DeVonta Smith (41 catches, 516 yards, 4 TDs) and tight end Dallas Goedert (35 catches, 406 yards, 1 TD). And then there is the featured attraction: Derrick Henry (221 carries, 1,325 yards, 13 TDs) versus Saquon Barkley (223 carries, 1,392 yards, 10 TDs). Their styles are different because Henry is more of a power back while Barkley is so elusive with those jump cuts and quick change of direction moves. Both are explosive. “We’re just going to have a tough time and challenge stopping this running back that we’re playing, and we’re hoping that they have a tough time stopping our running back, so that’s kind of our focus right now,” Harbaugh said. The Ravens’ defense has made modest improvements over the past two games, but there’s more work to do. The Ravens are still ranked No. 24 (355.6 yards allowed per game) in total defense, including No. 2 against the run (77.9) and No. 31 versus the pass (277.7). Brown could cause them trouble. Big trouble. The Eagles are No. 1 in total defense (274.6), seventh against the rush (99.2) and No. 3 versus the pass (175.5) despite playing with two rookie cornerbacks in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Safety Reed Blankenship has also played well, but the Eagles could be without cornerback Darius Slay, who suffered a concussion last week. This game, though, will come down to the offensive lines. Philadelphia might have two of the best tackles in the game in Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson. The Raven gave up 40 yards on six carries Monday to former Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins before he was sidelined for the entire second half with a knee injury. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LB Roquan Smith set to play against Eagles; OLB Kyle Van Noy doubtful Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson faces stern test of his NFC mastery vs. Eagles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles staff picks: Who will win Sunday’s game in Baltimore? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Is the defense slowly improving? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s who fans think should be NFL MVP That was disturbing, even though the Ravens played without starting middle linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring) and nose tackle Michael Pierce (calf). The tandem could play Sunday, but the Ravens would have a hard time stopping Barkley without either in the lineup, especially Smith. And then there are the penalties. The Ravens are the most penalized team in the NFL with 101 for 865 yards. They can survive against losing teams, but that’s hard to overcome against strong teams such as Philadelphia, Kansas City and Detroit. That’s why Sunday’s game is so important. During their seven-game winning streak, the Eagles have beaten up on some poor competition such as the Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars and Dallas Cowboys. The Ravens need a quality tune-up for the postseason. Bring on the Eagles. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

The good news for the Ravens is they will have at least one if not two of their top defensive players back Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. All-Pro inside linebacker and defensive play-caller Roquan Smith, who missed last week’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers because of a hamstring injury, was a full participant in Friday’s practice in Owings Mills and does not have an injury designation on the final injury report of the week. Nose tackle Michael Pierce (calf), meanwhile, is questionable but was likewise a full participant Friday. Pierce, who is on injured reserve but was designated to return and began practicing this week, hasn’t played since suffering the injury Oct. 27 against the Cleveland Browns and could be activated by Sunday. “We’re going up against a big, physical offensive line, so … [Pierce would] be a great addition,” coach John Harbaugh said Friday. “But he’s got to be at his best, too. He’s got to feel that.” The Ravens will however likely be without one of their top rushers. Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who is tied for the team lead with eight sacks, did not practice for a third straight day because of neck and hamstring injuries and is listed as doubtful. If he doesn’t play, that would leave Baltimore (8-4) thin a little thin when it comes to putting pressure on the quarterback of one of the NFL’s top offenses. Philadelphia (9-2) is third in the league in yards per game (389.1) and seventh in points (26.9). The Eagles also rank first in rushing yards per game (193.4) and sixth in yards per pass (8.3), with talent all over the field from quarterback Jalen Hurts to running back Saquon Barkley to receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Otherwise, the Ravens are fairly healthy, particularly for a group that has played a dozen straight weeks and whose bye won’t come until next week. The only players who will be out for Baltimore are tight end Charlie Kolar (forearm) and cornerback Arthur Maulet (calf/knee). Rookie cornerback T.J. Tampa (ankle), who was designated to return from injured reserve Thursday, is questionable, though it seems unlikely he would be ready to play. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson faces stern test of his NFC mastery vs. Eagles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles staff picks: Who will win Sunday’s game in Baltimore? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Is the defense slowly improving? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s who fans think should be NFL MVP Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Derrick Henry responds to Chargers LB Khalil Mack’s comments For the Eagles, cornerback Darius Slay, who suffered a concussion in last week’s win over the Los Angeles Rams, didn’t practice for a third straight day this week and will be out Sunday. Isaiah Rodgers is expected to start in his place. Special teams linebacker Ben VanSumeren (knee) is also out. Philadelphia could have Smith (hamstring) back. The fourth-year receiver who was the 10th overall pick in 2021 has been dealing with a hamstring injury for a few weeks and missed last week’s game against the Rams. He was a limited participant again Friday, however, and is listed as questionable. Receiver Johnny Wilson (hamstring) and safety Sydney Brown (knee) are also questionable. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Among the many curious and remarkable statistics that tell the story of Lamar Jackson’s seven NFL seasons, this one stands out. He has started 24 games against NFC opponents and lost exactly once. It began in December of his rookie season, when he threw for 125 yards and ran for 75 in a 26-16 triumph over the Atlanta Falcons. The only blemish occurred Oct. 16, 2022, when Jackson completed just 17 of 32 and threw an interception in a 24-20 road loss to the New York Giants. But those 23 wins include some of the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player’s finest moments: five touchdown passes and 95 yards on the ground in a 2019 “Monday Night Football” blowout of the Los Angeles Rams, the miraculous throw to set up Justin Tucker’s record 66-yard game-winner in Detroit in 2021, 357 yards passing and three touchdowns in last year’s 38-6 demolition of the Lions, 252 yards and two touchdown passes in a Christmas Day beatdown of the Super Bowl-bound San Francisco 49ers. Jackson’s mastery of the NFC will face a stern test Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium when the Ravens host the Philadelphia Eagles, winners of seven straight games and powered by the league’s top defense, which hasn’t allowed even 300 yards (the Ravens average 426.7) in a game since the last weekend of September. Not since that Yuletide showdown with the 49ers almost a year ago has Jackson faced such a threat from the less familiar conference. The Ravens have averaged 33 points in dispatching three NFC foes this season. Jackson has been asked plenty about his phenomenal record against the other conference — the best for any quarterback since the AFC and NFC were created in 1970 — and generally offers a similar explanation. The statistical oddity, seemingly a tribute to the unique planning challenges he presents, doesn’t mean a lot to him. “Probably because we’re not as familiar with each other,” he said Wednesday. “I’m just going to give you that because I’ve really got something else on my mind.” Opponents have talked about it over the years, the impossibility of simulating Jackson’s physics-defying escapes from the pocket as he keeps plays alive for precious extra seconds. “He’s unlike anybody else,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio told Philadelphia reporters. “The only other player that’s been like him in the last 50 years is Michael Vick. … I mean, the pure definition of a great quarterback is there’s no one way to play him. Because if there was, everybody would do it.” The Ravens have heard it all and see little use in celebrating past successes against NFC powers. Coach John Harbaugh skipped right past commenting on his quarterback’s inter-conference near-perfection to extol the Eagles’ virtues. “It’s always exciting to play in big games. This is another big game for us,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh, right, said. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) “I think we’ve got a really tough game against a really good team on Sunday,” he said. “These guys are a well-rounded football team. All three phases are really as good as anybody in the league. They’re really good up front on both sides of the trenches. That’s a huge challenge for us. Not just that; they can run the ball, of course. The quarterback can run it. The back can run it. They push it down the field. They run [run-pass options].” Harbaugh noted that his team has already played several high-profile games this year, whether in the season opener against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, on “Sunday Night Football” against the Buffalo Bills or Monday against his brother’s Los Angeles Chargers. “It’s always exciting to play in big games. This is another big game for us,” he said. “Some people think they might be the best team in the league, and that’s the way they’re playing.” The Eagles, with the third-easiest schedule to date by DVOA, have not been tested in as many glitzy matchups, though they did open the season by beating the Green Bay Packers in Brazil. No matter how well they’re playing, they respect Jackson and the many playmakers in the league’s top offense. Asked if he’s looking forward to the test, Fangio joked, “I’d rather play Swarthmore.” (The academically rigorous Pennsylvania college has not had a football team since 2000.) Jackson said that if there’s a secret to going against the best, it’s “just be who you are. Be true to yourself. Don’t put too much on your mind about the opponent.” He shouted out “amazing” defensive tackle Jalen Carter when asked about the perils presented by Philadelphia’s front. He sprinkled a bit of hype on the running back matchup, with Derrick Henry on his side and Saquon Barkley on the other. Barkley blew Jackson’s young mind back when they were both prospects in a high school all-star game and Barkley vaulted over a defender’s head. On Henry, he said he envisioned the success they’re having — second in scoring, second in rushing, first in total yards and yards per play — as soon as the Ravens signed the great running back in the offseason. “I knew what it was going to be,” he said. “That’s why I was excited. Any given week, there’s going to be something special, especially with that guy in the backfield. It just makes my job a lot easier. I can’t give him enough credit. I really can’t.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles staff picks: Who will win Sunday’s game in Baltimore? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Is the defense slowly improving? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s who fans think should be NFL MVP Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Derrick Henry responds to Chargers LB Khalil Mack’s comments Baltimore Ravens | Ravens TE Charlie Kolar to miss time with broken arm; DT Michael Pierce returns ahead of Eagles game If there’s a chance for the Ravens to seize a leg up Sunday, it might come early. The Eagles failed to score in the first quarter until their eighth game of the season. Jackson expressed concern over his offense’s sluggish starts after Monday’s win against the Chargers in which the Ravens derailed their first two drives with 15-yard penalties. “Just stay on schedule,” he said when asked what must change. “Instead of having to get back on track.” The Ravens have overcome double-digit deficits four times this season, including in their most recent victory over an NFC opponent. They fell behind 10-0 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before running off 34 straight points. Jackson knows a similar mountain would be more difficult to scale against Philadelphia’s “well-balanced” defense as he tries to move his record against the NFC to 24-1. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. Jeff Lewis/ The Associated PressLamar Jackson has dominated NFC opponents in his career. (Jeff Lewis/AP) View the full article

Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Sunday’s Week 13 game between the Ravens (8-4) and Eagles (9-2) at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore: Brian Wacker, reporter Eagles 24, Ravens 21: Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts. Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley. Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman and the combination of DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown. There is talent all over the field for these two offenses. The separator, of course, will be on defense. Baltimore’s continues to give up yards by the chunk. Philadelphia is No. 1 in the league in yards allowed per game (274.6) and No. 2 in yards per play (4.7). The Eagles are also balanced against the run and pass, allowing just 99.2 rushing yards and 175.5 passing yards per game. A slow start and self-inflicted wounds will be costly against a team of the Eagles’ ilk. Childs Walker, reporter Ravens 27, Eagles 21: Talk about brutal fun on the first day of December. This matchup will pit the league’s two best ground games against two of its best run defenses. Will Derrick Henry or Saquon Barkley go off? These superstar running backs might command the narrative focus, but that doesn’t mean they’ll decide the game. Lamar Jackson’s quest to solve Vic Fangio’s balanced, deceptive defense will determine the flow, and the Ravens’ beleaguered but improving secondary will have to keep Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown from connecting on explosive plays. Jackson has outplayed Hurts this season, and the Ravens have beaten better opponents than the Eagles. They’ll pull out another quality win going into their bye week. Mike Preston, columnist Eagles 24, Ravens 20: The Ravens’ defense has made progress in recent weeks, but not enough to slow down the Eagles. Chargers running back and former Raven J.K. Dobbins had 40 yards on six carries a week ago before a knee injury sidelined him for the second half. Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley will probably do more damage. The Ravens might keep it close, but the Jalen Hurts to A.J. Brown combination might be too powerful. C.J. Doon, editor Eagles 26, Ravens 23: The Ravens’ defense has held up extremely well against this run this season, but it hasn’t faced a running back as good as Saquon Barkley nor an offensive line as strong as the Eagles’. This is not a good week for Baltimore to be dealing with injuries along the defensive front, either. It’s going to be difficult for the Ravens to keep Barkley contained, and even if they do, Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith can punish them down the field. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry rival Hurts and Barkley as the league’s top backfield pairing, but the Eagles’ defense, led by Jalen Carter, is a much stiffer test than the Ravens’. Hurts joins Daniel Jones as the only NFC quarterbacks to beat Jackson. Tim Schwartz, editor Eagles 27, Ravens 24: The Eagles are red-hot, winners of seven straight and have improved seemingly every week. Their defense has been borderline dominant while Saquon Barkley has leaped into the NFL Most Valuable Player conversation with a franchise-record performance. But the Ravens’ defense has been consistently good at one thing this season: stopping the run. On the other side of the ball, Baltimore’s top-ranked offense (426.7 yards per game) will face another stiff test against Philadelphia’s top-ranked defense (274.6 yards per game). The Ravens had no problems Monday night against the Chargers’ defense, which entered the game allowing the fewest points per game, but I suspect the Eagles’ defensive backs will put up a much better fight against the Ravens’ receivers. If Derrick Henry gets going early against Philadelphia’s stout front seven, the Ravens have a good chance, but I am taking the Eagles against this inconsistent Baltimore squad. Bennett Conlin, editor Ravens 24, Eagles 17: Nick Sirianni’s Eagles team has been impressive throughout this season, winning seven consecutive games entering Sunday’s clash. Still, the Eagles haven’t faced a team of Baltimore’s caliber (second in DVOA) this season. The Ravens have won four home games in a row, including a 25-point blowout of the 9-2 Bills. Lamar Jackson owns the NFC, and I’m expecting more of the same Sunday as Baltimore reaffirms its spot as an AFC championship contender despite currently sitting in second in its division. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. 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 road win over the Chargers, Baltimore (8-4) returns home for a showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles (9-2) in a battle of Super Bowl contenders. Here’s Preston’s take on a handful of questions from readers: (Editor’s note: Questions have been edited for length and clarity.) Why is Zach Orr still the defensive coordinator? Seriously, he was totally underqualified for the job, and he’s in way over his head. I’ve never seen a defense that looks more lost. It’s embarrassing to the legacy and tradition of the Ravens’ defense. — Eric Saltrick The last time I checked, the Ravens were 8-4 and headed to the playoffs. They lost three top defensive assistants from a year ago, including defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who became coach of the Seattle Seahawks. I expected the Ravens to struggle on defense this season, especially early in the year. Did I think it would take this long? No, but I have seen progress over the past two games. Against the Chargers on Monday night, the Ravens gave Los Angeles multiple looks at the line of scrimmage and seemed to attack more than in previous games. That’s not to say they won’t struggle against certain high-powered offenses, but there has been progress. Sorry, Eric, but did you actually think coach John Harbaugh was going to fire Orr after bringing in former coordinator Dean Pees as a consultant? I’ve talked to several assistant coaches from around the league, and most of them are as confident as Harbaugh in Orr succeeding. We’ll find out in the postseason, but let’s see where this all ends up. Even if the Ravens brought in someone new, it would be difficult to change the scheme and add different wrinkles so late in the season. Penalties are hurting the Ravens. Every week a Ravens player or coach says the team needs to “clean up” the mistakes they’ve made; insinuating to understand the problem and its fix. But often the mistakes, in this case penalties, persist. If the players and coaches know the problem, why can’t they fix it? If Harbaugh is ultimately responsible for this, how exactly can he “clean up” the penalties his players make? — Martin Martin, I think when a team like the Ravens has a reputation for being the most penalized team in the NFL, then officials also start to look more intensely for violations. Harbaugh is accountable for the penalties, and I am sure he makes his team aware of the situation, but that doesn’t always have a positive effect. Some of them can’t be avoided. The Ravens went into the season with a questionable offensive line, and a lot of their penalties have been for holding. Those things happen. The more disturbing ones are flags thrown for illegal formations or having offensive linemen down field. Those types of things can be worked out. For the most part, the high number of penalties is the result of a lack of discipline, and eventually Harbaugh has to answer for it either on the field or eventually to his own front office. Ravens coach John Harbaugh watches practice on Wednesday. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) What was your opinion of Harbaugh’s decision to go for it on fourth-and-1 at their own 16-yard line? Although they made it, and two other fourth-down conversions, I fear that this will make Harbaugh more reckless in the future. And they still have problems converting 2-point conversions. — Bob in NC Bob, it was a dumb call. I understand the other two, but the fourth-and-1 at the Ravens’ 16 was almost self-destructive. It was, however, an indictment of the soft defense played by the Chargers who were coached by John’s younger brother, Jim. If the Ravens were playing Kansas City, Pittsburgh or any other team with a strong defensive line, John Harbaugh would never have gone for it. But because the Chargers aren’t very physical, Harbaugh made the gamble and it paid off. Hopefully, that won’t happen again so early in the game, but it’s not every week that a team plays the Chargers. I’m sure 20 years from now, John will mention to Jim how he beat up on his team and made that critical call in the first half. It’s all part of the brotherly love thing. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s who fans think should be NFL MVP Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Derrick Henry responds to Chargers LB Khalil Mack’s comments Baltimore Ravens | Ravens TE Charlie Kolar to miss time with broken arm; DT Michael Pierce returns ahead of Eagles game Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles Week 13 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Daniel Jones is signing with the Vikings after his release from the Giants, AP source says But I can’t see him doing that against the Chiefs, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and coach Andy Reid. Los Angeles will be a good team one day, but the Chargers are full of hype because of Jim Harbaugh. They are a team filled with a lot of smoke and mirrors. Does Harbaugh have the ability to change the offensive play call? If so, why doesn’t he? — Gohounds1 on X All head coaches have the final say on every play, but when they hire coordinators, a lot of them give them the leeway to make all the calls. If they don’t, it could eventually force some coordinators not to want to come here to Baltimore. It’s John Harbaugh’s team. If he wants to make the call, then it is his right because it’s his team. But his overall track record is pretty impressive, so it doesn’t appear to be a big deal in getting assistants to coach here. 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

We asked readers who they would choose as NFL Most Valuable Player. Here are the results from our online poll: Lamar Jackson — 315 votes (66%) Derrick Henry — 59 votes (12%) Saquon Barkley— 51 votes (11%) Josh Allen — 33 votes (7%) Patrick Mahomes — 18 votes (4%) The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To see results from previous sports polls, go to baltimoresun.com/sportspoll View the full article

Like his running style, Ravens running back Derrick Henry often gets right to the point with his words and delivers them bluntly. At least that was the case when responding to the comments of Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack, who said following Baltimore’s win in Los Angeles on Monday night that he doesn’t find it difficult to face the NFL’s leading rusher. “I don’t care,” Henry said Wednesday. “That [crap] don’t matter. We won.” In the 30-23 victory, the Ravens, who lead the NFL in rushing, ran for 212 yards on 37 attempts. Henry did most of the damage, with 140 yards on 24 carries. He was kept out of the end zone in a game for the first time this season, however, after an illegal formation penalty on right tackle Roger Rosengarten wiped out a 5-yard touchdown run to end his streak of consecutive games with at least one touchdown at 12, dating back to last season. Afterward, Mack was asked about defending the 30-year-old Henry, who has 1,325 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. “I don’t think it’s hard to play against that guy, and hopefully we see this team again,” he said. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens TE Charlie Kolar to miss time with broken arm; DT Michael Pierce returns ahead of Eagles game Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles Week 13 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Daniel Jones is signing with the Vikings after his release from the Giants, AP source says Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles scouting report for Week 13: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens legend Jamal Lewis sees ‘last of a dying breed’ in Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley Asked to elaborate, Mack continued: “It’s not hard for me to play against that guy. He’s a great player. It’s not hard for me to play against that guy. I love playing against the greats, and this was no different. … When I say hard, I mean in a sense of playing against him. If I’m on the field, I know, if he comes to my side, I got him.” Mack finished with four tackles, and the 212 rushing yards the Chargers surrendered was a season high. The two might not have to wait long to see each other again. If the Ravens (8-4), who are a half-game back of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North, win their division they could end up hosting the Chargers (7-4) in just one of many playoff scenarios. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens have largely avoided significant and long-term injuries so far this season, but no team goes unscathed. Tight end Charlie Kolar suffered a broken arm in Monday night’s win over the Chargers in Los Angeles, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday. Though the Ravens did not provide an update on Kolar after the game, he left SoFi Stadium with his arm heavily wrapped and in a sling despite playing the entirety of the game. With Kolar expected to miss at least a month, the Ravens signed tight end Scotty Washington to the practice squad. The good news for Baltimore is they still have tight ends Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely and fullback Patrick Ricard. Still, Kolar was having a solid season, particularly as a blocker in the run game, and losing him cuts into the Ravens’ depth and limits their heavy packages. Baltimore leads the NFL with 2,162 rushing yards this season. A third-round draft pick out of Iowa State in 2022, the 25-year-old has also contributed in the passing game with nine catches for 131 yards and a touchdown. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles Week 13 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Daniel Jones is signing with the Vikings after his release from the Giants, AP source says Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles scouting report for Week 13: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens legend Jamal Lewis sees ‘last of a dying breed’ in Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who should be the NFL MVP? But his absence could have the biggest impact in the ground game. Monday against the Chargers, Kolar, who suffered the injury early in the fourth quarter, played a season-high 32 snaps on offense (along with 22 on special teams) as he helped pave the way for 212 rushing yards in the 30-23 victory. Baltimore also shared good news on the injury front, however. Inside linebacker Roquan Smith, who missed Monday’s game with a hamstring injury, was back on the practice field Wednesday. Nose tackle Michael Pierce also returned as did rookie safety Sanoussi Kane (ankle). Pierce, who was placed on injured reserve after suffering a calf injury against the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 27, has 21 days to be added to the active roster or else he would revert to injured reserve for the rest of the season. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens (8-4) host the Eagles (9-2) on Sunday in a battle of Super Bowl contenders. The two teams have dynamic quarterbacks and elite running backs, which should make for an entertaining back-and-forth between two of the NFL’s best teams. Betting odds give Baltimore a slight edge in a game expected to come down to the wire. What are the odds? Spread: Ravens by 3 Total: 50 1/2 points Moneyline: Baltimore -164, Philadelphia +138 The Eagles have only been an underdog twice this season, and they’re 2-0 in those games. Baltimore has been favored in all but one game this season, going 6-4-1 against the spread when favored. Baltimore’s games tend to go over the point total, with 10 of the Ravens’ 12 games going over the point total. Philadelphia has less of an over tendency, with six of its 11 games going under the total. Neither team likely cares too much about any of those stats, as they’re both good at the one thing that matters: winning. Baltimore and Philadelphia are a combined 17-6 straight up this season, as both teams have realistic Super Bowl aspirations. The Eagles have a better record and slightly shorter Super Bowl odds (+650 on FanDuel) than the Ravens (+700). Only the Lions (+300) and Chiefs (+500) hold shorter odds. Take the under in a Ravens game? It sounds blasphemous, but I like the under in this matchup. Philadelphia’s backfield tandem of Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley generate the most attention from casual fans, but it’s the Eagles’ defense that makes the group a Super Bowl threat. Pro Football Focus grades the Eagles out as the best defense in the NFL, and they’ve held down some elite offenses in the second half of the season. Joe Burrow’s Bengals mustered just 17 points in a loss to the Eagles on Oct. 27. It’s one of just three times this season Cincinnati failed to score 20 or more points in a game — the Bengals scored 72 points across two meetings with the Ravens this season. Jayden Daniels and the Commanders scored 18 earlier this month in a loss to the Eagles, and Matthew Stafford’s Rams tallied only 20 in Sunday night’s loss to Philadelphia. Both the Commanders and Rams scored late touchdowns with the Eagles playing prevent defense in those games, too. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens TE Charlie Kolar to reportedly miss time with a broken arm Baltimore Ravens | Daniel Jones is signing with the Vikings after his release from the Giants, AP source says Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles scouting report for Week 13: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens legend Jamal Lewis sees ‘last of a dying breed’ in Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who should be the NFL MVP? Not many defenses can slow down the Ravens’ offense, but the Eagles might be the best equipped of any NFL team to slow down Lamar Jackson and company. They’ll also face a Ravens offense with one day less rest than usual. The Eagles’ offensive strength seemingly plays into the Ravens’ defensive edge, which could lead to a lower-scoring affair. The Ravens’ defense is better at stopping the run than it is the pass. Philadelphia’s strength is its running game with Hurts and Barkley, as Hurts isn’t nearly as dynamic a passer as Jackson. Starting kickers Justin Tucker and Jake Elliott are a combined 3-11 on kicks outside of 50 yards this season. Kicking Sunday won’t be any easier with chillier temperatures expected. Sunday’s high is 40 degrees and there should be a moderate breeze during the game. I’m expecting both teams to chew clock with their star running backs and try to win the field position battle in an early December matchup of Super Bowl contenders. The game should be competitive, partially because there might not be as much scoring as we’re used to from the Ravens. Best bet: Under 50.5 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

Former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is signing with the Minnesota Vikings, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Jones will join Minnesota’s practice squad less than a week after the Giants released the former No. 6 overall draft pick, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement hasn’t been finalized. Sam Darnold has helped the Vikings start 9-2. Jones joins Nick Mullens and Brett Rypien in Minnesota’s quarterback room. Rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy had season-ending knee surgery in August and a second procedure on his knee earlier this month. Jones went 24-44-1 as a starter in New York, with his best season in 2022 when the Giants went 9-7-1 and beat Minnesota on the road in the first round of the playoffs. Jones completed just 63% of his passes with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. View the full article

The Ravens pounded out a 30-23 win over the Chargers. The Eagles extended their winning streak to seven, thrashing the Rams 37-20. Who will have the advantage when one of the AFC’s best teams hosts one of the NFC’s best Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium? Ravens passing game vs. Eagles pass defense Lamar Jackson leads the league in passing yards, touchdown passes, passer rating and ESPN’s QBR metric for all-around performance. He has thrown just three interceptions. He leads the No. 1 passing offense by DVOA and the No. 1 red zone offense. In other words, he has been the best passing quarterback in the league this season. Jackson threw just 22 times against the Chargers as the Ravens turned back to their ground game but did his usual efficient work, averaging eight yards per attempt with touchdown strikes to Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman. Andrews has regained his standing as Jackson’s favorite red-zone target with six touchdowns in his last seven games. Wide receiver Zay Flowers leads the team with 57 catches for 789 yards, while Bateman has solidified his role as a solid No. 2, averaging 16.4 yards per catch with five touchdowns. Jackson is so effective in part because he’ll go to anyone on third down or in the red zone. His offensive line limited the Chargers to 10 pressures and one sack. Jackson will try to stay hot against a surging Philadelphia defense that has held quarterbacks to five yards per attempt, best in the league. The Eagles blitz on just 16.9% of dropbacks under venerable coordinator Vic Fangio and are not an elite pressure team. They’ve lost productive edge rushers Bryce Huff and Brandon Graham to injuries. But their secondary is packed with quality players, led by rookie cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean and safety Reed Blankenship. Zack Baun is one of the league’s top coverage linebackers. His partner in the middle, Nakobe Dean, is quietly one of the team’s best pass rushers. Veteran cornerback Darius Slay, second on the Eagles with eight passes defended, left the Rams game with a concussion. His status will be something to watch this week. Fangio likes to line up in two-high looks with a pair of safeties deep to prevent downfield strikes and disguise coverages until after the snap. Rather than attack Jackson, he’ll try to disorient him with confusing pictures. Jackson has never been better as a processor, so this could be a classic matchup. EDGE: Ravens Eagles passing game vs. Ravens pass defense Jalen Hurts’ superficial passing numbers — 69.1% completions, 8.3 yards per attempt, 102.3 passer rating, 13 touchdowns against five interceptions — look good, but he and the Philadelphia aerial attack have been merely decent, according to DVOA (the Eagles rank 16th, in part because they’ve faced poor defenses) and Pro Football Focus grades. Like Jackson, Hurts holds the ball more than three seconds per dropback, extending plays so he can look downfield for A.J. Brown, one of the league’s true No. 1 wide receivers. The 6-foot-1, 226-pound Brown (18.6 yards per catch) is a monster on contested balls, and it will be interesting to see if the Ravens try to keep him out of matchups with cornerback Brandon Stephens, who has struggled to win such battles all season. Stephens outplayed Tre’Davious White against Chargers, so it’s possible the Ravens will simply stick with their rotation and hope for the best. But they have to be concerned about Brown going off given their previous struggles against Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase and other elite receivers. Zach Orr’s defense has done a better job preventing big plays with Ar’Darius Washington starting at safety and Kyle Hamilton lining up deep more than he did early in the season. Tight end Dallas Goedert (35 catches on 42 targets, 406 yards) could give the Ravens trouble in the middle of the field. They got by without middle linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring) against the Chargers and will go with a rotation led by Malik Harrison if their All-Pro can’t make it back Sunday. The Eagles are also dealing with a significant hamstring injury to wide receiver DeVonta Smith, who did not play against the Rams. They’re more dangerous when defenses have to worry about both him and Brown. Hurts takes sacks (29 in 11 games) because he holds the ball, but he’s protected by two of the league’s best tackles in Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson, so don’t expect the Ravens to get home regularly if they rush four. EDGE: Eagles Ravens running game vs. Eagles run defense After averaging a modest 119 yards per game over their previous four games, the Ravens got back to pounding against the Chargers with 212 yards on 37 carries. Derrick Henry led the way with 140 yards and was key to the Ravens converting on eight of 15 third downs and all three of their fourth downs. Henry already has 1,325 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns and is averaging a career-best six yards per attempt. Justice Hill also had a big game with 55 yards on four carries, including a 51-yard touchdown. Jackson scored on a clever 10-yard run against the Chargers but was curiously ineffective on the ground otherwise with just five yards on his other seven attempts. The Ravens seem content keeping their franchise quarterback out of designed runs until they truly need his legs, and that might not be until the playoffs. This will be strength vs. strength as the Ravens try to bash out yards against a defense that hasn’t allowed 100 in a game since mid-October. The Packers and Falcons gashed the Eagles in the first two games of the season, but Fangio’s crew has hit a different level over the last six weeks, led by Baun and Dean in the middle and gifted 2023 first-round pick Jalen Carter upfront. That said, Philadelphia hasn’t done it against a ground attack like this one. The Ravens average 180 yards per game and 5.8 per carry, so if the Eagles hold them below 100, they will really have accomplished something. EDGE: Ravens Eagles running game vs. Ravens run defense Again, strength vs. strength. The Eagles lead the league in rushing and average 5.2 yards per carry, second only to Baltimore. The Ravens rank second in run defense and have allowed 3.5 yards per carry, best in the league. The story starts with Saquon Barkley, who like Henry joined a new team in the offseason and is somehow producing even more eye-popping numbers (126.5 yards per game, 6.2 per carry, 10 touchdowns in 11 games). Barkley went off for 255 yards, including touchdown gallops of 70 and 72, against the Rams’ not-terrible run defense. He’s complemented by Hurts, who isn’t a breakaway threat on par with Jackson but provides devastating efficiency in short-yardage situations. It’s surprising that the Eagles rank just 16th in red-zone touchdown percentage given Hurts’ work near the goal line. This is where the Ravens would presumably miss Roquan Smith the most, though Harrison ranged for 12 tackles against the Chargers, many of them violent. Orr will have to decide whether Hamilton is more important protecting the back end or serving as a Barkley deterrent closer to the line of scrimmage. Regardless, the Ravens will need sturdy work on the edges from Odafe Oweh, Kyle Van Noy and Tavius Robinson. Defensive tackle Travis Jones has played well while dealing with a recurring ankle injury, and the Ravens will need more of the same from him against Philadelphia’s excellent interior blockers. EDGE: Eagles Ravens special teams vs. Eagles special teams Justin Tucker split the uprights on a 45-yard field goal against the Chargers and did the same on his previous attempt, from 54 yards, against the Steelers. So the Ravens have to hope their all-time-great kicker is past the spate of wide-left misses that have haunted his season. Tucker’s inaccuracy is the main reason the Ravens rank 22nd in special teams DVOA, but they’ve also committed too many penalties in kickoff and punt coverage. Punter Jordan Stout’s improvement is a bright spot. The Eagles rank 16th in special teams DVOA, and kicking has also been a problem for them. Jake Elliott has made just 17 of 22 field-goal attempts overall and is 0-for-4 from 50 yards or beyond. DeJean is a dangerous punt returner, and Philadelphia has done a solid job limiting damage in coverage. EDGE: Even Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Daniel Jones is signing with the Vikings after his release from the Giants, AP source says Baltimore Ravens | Ravens legend Jamal Lewis sees ‘last of a dying breed’ in Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who should be the NFL MVP? Baltimore Ravens | NFL playoff picture: Ravens are a virtual lock, but who will they play? Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 12: Saquon Barkley sprints into MVP conversation Ravens intangibles vs. Eagles intangibles The Ravens face a tough six-day turnaround after playing in Los Angeles Monday night. But at least they’ll be home, and the Eagles had to make the same cross-country trip one day earlier. John Harbaugh’s team removed considerable pressure from this week by beating his brother Jim’s Chargers. Harbaugh’s gutsy call to go for a fourth-and-1 from his team’s 16-yard line was a turning point in the victory. At the same time, he’s taking deserved heat for the Ravens’ league-high penalty total. Jackson has lost just one career start against an NFC team, but this will be one of the sternest tests he has faced. The Eagles have won seven straight and buried questions about their direction under coach Nick Sirianni, who seemed to lose his grip on the team as it collapsed down the stretch last season. Philadelphia has adopted a bullying identity on both sides of the ball and done it without rolling up big turnover or penalty totals. Sirianni’s balanced powerhouse takes a backseat only to the Detroit Lions among NFC contenders. That said, the Eagles haven’t faced an opponent as formidable as the Ravens during their winning streak. They’ve played the league’s third-easiest schedule by DVOA (the Ravens have played the 13th-hardest). This will be a status check for both teams. EDGE: Even Prediction Talk about brutal fun on the first day of December. This matchup will pit the league’s two best ground games against two of its best run defenses. Will Henry or Barkley go off? These superstar running backs might command the narrative focus, but that doesn’t mean they’ll decide the game. Jackson’s quest to solve Fangio’s balanced, deceptive defense will determine the flow, and the Ravens’ beleaguered but improving secondary will have to keep Hurts and Brown from connecting on explosive plays. Jackson has outplayed Hurts this season, and the Ravens have beaten better opponents than the Eagles. They’ll pull out another quality win going into their bye week. Ravens 27, Eagles 21 Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

Jamal Lewis used to call his old running backs coach at the start of each new season. “Who you got? What kind of backs you got?” he’d ask, pestering Anthony Lynn. Lewis worked under Lynn in Cleveland, the swan song of his career after seven illustrious years in Baltimore. With those phone calls from retirement, he was keeping a careful eye on the evolution of the position. “They all look the same,” Lynn would say, disparagingly. “Ain’t no Jamal Lewis.” Few running backs, now or ever, were like Lewis, a freight train at 5 feet 11 and 245 pounds. In 2003, he rushed for 2,066 yards in 16 regular-season games. Only eight running backs in NFL history have eclipsed 2,000 yards in a single season, and Lewis did it averaging 24 carries per game, including a Week 2 firestorm in which he broke the then-single-game rushing record with 295 yards on 30 touches against the Browns. Such volume is unfathomable in 2024. There’s not a running back in the league right now averaging 21 carries. And few, if any, could be considered the cornerstone of an offense. Lewis likes to say his era — before the ground game was truncated by pass-heavy schemes — was the last of a dying breed. He’ll concede there were a few stragglers into the 2010s. But when Lewis watches Ravens running back Derrick Henry or Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles, “it’s like the 2000s again.” When the league’s top two rushing leaders meet Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium, it might feel more like a Y2K party. “You can’t name me a back, probably [outside] of those two guys,” Lewis said, “that there’s a defense out there saying, ‘Man I just do not want any more of him. Please do not give him the ball.’ You got defenses complaining. … You don’t have those guys that are going to just beat up on the defense to the point where they just don’t want no more.” Henry is stiff-arming Father Time among the NFL’s best in his age-30 season. He’s flirted with the 200-yard mark twice and found the end zone a league-high 15 times in 12 weeks. Running the ball has been a strength in Baltimore for years, “but this is different,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He is adding a dimension that we have not had before. You go back to Jamal Lewis, maybe.” The Ravens signed Henry in March to a two-year deal worth up to $16 million. At 6-3, he’s the tallest tailback in the league. Like Lewis, he’s a 247-pound tanker carrying appendages like an All-Pro linebacker. Henry has 1,325 rushing yards this season after totaling 140 in a 30-23 win over the Chargers on Monday night, and he’s averaging about 18 carries per game. “Just seeing a back of my stature, my size, and everything else being able to adjust to an offense in 2024,” Lewis said, “that’s impressive.” In March, Henry made a rare media appearance on “The Pivot Podcast.” The camera zoomed in on co-host and former NFL linebacker Channing Crowder, who leaned back in his chair with his legs crossed as if he’d been chewing on this question for some time. “Were you born too late?” At every level of football, Henry said, someone argued his stature was better suited for defense. He rebutted with a long receipt of thick running backs from the early aughts (including Lewis), admitting he always fell back on wanting to be like them. Times change, but Henry’s aspirations don’t. “I embrace it,” he said, “because I know people are just waiting to see when it’s gon’ be over.” John Makely / Baltimore SunOn Sept. 14, 2003, Ravens running back Jamal Lewis rushed for a then-NFL record 295 yards against the Cleveland Browns. (Staff file) That reality doesn’t seem so close. On a temperate September night in Baltimore, Henry finished 1 yard shy of his first 200-yard outing since 2022. One nasty cutback on his first touch fissured Buffalo’s defense for an 87-yard score. Three weeks later in Tampa Bay, another 80-yarder highlighted his 169-yard outburst. All Lewis could think about was how the oldest starting tailback in the league could still find a third gear in open space. “He looks like he trains like an animal,” Lewis said. “He looks like he’s ready to get to the playoffs and eat.” There’s similar discourse happening a short ride up I-95. Barkley has been a mystifying chess piece for the Eagles, winners of seven straight. Sunday night, he shredded the Rams’ defense with such devastation (255 yards on 26 attempts and two touchdowns) that some have started to wonder if he might break the status quo and be the first non-quarterback Most Valuable Player since Adrian Peterson in 2012. Even Henry couldn’t break that glass ceiling when he rushed for 2,027 yards in 2020. “Being a running back today ain’t sexy,” Lewis said. “But at the same time, it’s gonna win you games.” That first part is true until it isn’t. When the Eagles played the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9, Lewis was at home in Atlanta. That was the Sunday that Barkley broke the internet with a gravity-defying backward hurdle. Lewis stood up from his couch, mouth agape. “Not only has that never been done before,” Lewis said, “but I would have never even thought to [try that].” Barkley fits into Lewis’ “last of a dying breed” mold. He’s the closest thing to a bell cow running back, leading the league in touches. At 20 per game, he’s up to 1,392 yards on the season. With six games left on Philadelphia’s schedule, he needs to average 101 yards to hit 2,000. Like Henry’s conviction about sizable running backs, Barkley isn’t afraid to snap back at how running backs are talked about by leaning on his predecessors rather than his peers. The 27-year-old who underwent ACL surgery in 2020 told The Philadelphia Inquirer this summer that he has no intention of slowing down because Marcus Allen was still Pro Bowl-worthy in his early 30s and because Barry Sanders, who retired at 31, left the game in his prime. “There’s this weird thing with running backs right now,” Barkley said. “Is it a difficult position to play? Yes. Do you take wear and tear? Yes. But who are you or anyone else to tell me how long I can play the game? I call [BS].” The weird thing he’s referring to is the devaluation of running backs. They’re replaceable and production is preferred in parts. Lewis, conversely, used to insist on 15 carries before halftime. Now, he said, offensive coordinators can’t get a head coaching job running the football like that. Consider this other weird thing with running backs right now: the three most productive backs in the NFL signed in free agency away from teams who either didn’t want them or didn’t want to pay them. Henry, Barkley and Josh Jacobs (Green Bay) are putting conventional wisdom on the stand and the defense is arguing it’s a running back renaissance on the merit that their former teams are a combined 7-26. For a position front offices have spent the better part of the past decade moving their chips away from, is this potentially a tipping point? Can Henry and Barkley reset the market? “Yeah, they can,” Lewis said. “But what they can’t change is the guys that are representing the position in college. … To be effective, like a Derrick Henry or like myself, you have to be a featured back. Featured, meaning I am the starting running back and as a backup, you come in when I get tired or if there’s a special play. [That’s] durability and being able to withstand and be productive throughout the game. Now they’re getting that out of two backs, maybe three, versus one.” Added Henry: “We just want to go out there and do our job — do our job effectively [and] show that the position matters. And hopefully we’ve been doing that well enough to add value for the future of this position.” Ravens running back Derrick Henry is seeking to become the first player to twice rush for 2,000 yards in a season. (Ryan Sun/AP) Lewis’ son, Jazz, is a freshman wide receiver at Chamblee High School in Georgia. He already has a scholarship offer from Memphis while having unofficially visited Clemson, Georgia and his dad’s alma mater, Tennessee. So the older Lewis is fairly plugged into college ball, the best predictor of the future of the NFL. There are a finite amount of workhorses in college football. Fifteen backs have 200-plus carries. Boise State’s Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty leads a four-pack with more than 250. The rest of the field operates by committee and utilizes the position like a quasi-slot receiver capable of creating mismatches with linebackers. “As long as that’s still going on, you’re not gonna have a Derrick Henry coming out of college,” Lewis said, pointing to the last running back to win a Heisman. “That’s why it feels like the last of a dying breed.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Daniel Jones is signing with the Vikings after his release from the Giants, AP source says Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Eagles scouting report for Week 13: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who should be the NFL MVP? Baltimore Ravens | NFL playoff picture: Ravens are a virtual lock, but who will they play? Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 12: Saquon Barkley sprints into MVP conversation In Sunday’s game, Lewis is eagerly awaiting what was commonplace 20 years ago and a rarity now: a featured matchup of two elite running backs. Back then, Lewis used to think about his counterpart as much, if not more, than the defense. Those twice-a-year meetings with Cincinnati’s Corey Dillon and Pittsburgh’s Jerome Bettis were always circled on the calendar. Ravens Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis would say, “Oh, Jamal, we got Bettis this week. We got your back.’” Henry said he doesn’t think that way. But he has an appreciation for the other “franchise players making a big impact,” he said. “That’s the cool thing about it, just going against guys that you want to see do well.” Henry paused for a moment. “Except when they play us.” In 2024, Jamal Lewis types are hard to come by — never mind when two occupy opposite sidelines. There might not be many more Sundays like this one in Baltimore. “I gotta get to that game,” Lewis said. “I hope I can get me one of those 22 [jerseys] when I go up there to visit.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley jumped into the NFL MVP conversation with a dominant performance Sunday night against the Rams. (Ryan Sun/AP) View the full article

The playoff race is heating up as Thanksgiving nears. So is the battle for NFL Most Valuable Player. Tell us who you think should win the league’s top honor. 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

Thanksgiving is here, which means it’s time to start thinking about the postseason. Only six weeks remain in the NFL regular season, and while a lot can happen between now and when the wild-card round begins in January, the playoff picture is starting to take shape. Here’s a look at the standings in the AFC through Week 12: 1. Kansas City Chiefs (10-1), first in AFC West Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, vs. Chargers, at Browns, vs. Texans, at Steelers, at Broncos Playoff probability, per Next Gen Stats: >99% The Chiefs’ record is sparkling, but their play on the field has been anything but. Kansas City needed a last-second field goal to escape with a victory over the lowly Carolina Panthers on Sunday a week after losing for the first time this season in Buffalo. The offense has struggled to generate big plays in large part because of a lack of speed. First-round receiver Xavier Worthy is not quite ready to be a No. 1 target, and while tight end Travis Kelce and wideout DeAndre Hopkins are reliable, they are diminished at their age. The offensive tackles remain a problem, prompting the signing of 30-year-old D.J. Humphries. Perhaps most concerning is a banged-up defense that has allowed 27 or more points in back-to-back games. The quest for a third straight Super Bowl title will be extremely difficult for Patrick Mahomes and company. 2. Buffalo Bills (9-2), first in AFC East Remaining schedule: vs. 49ers, at Rams, at Lions, vs. Patriots, vs. Jets, at Patriots Playoff probability: >99% This could be a breakthrough season for quarterback Josh Allen, who is the betting favorite to win his first NFL Most Valuable Player Award. This was expected to be somewhat of a transition year for the Bills after they lost some big-name players in the offseason (notably wide receiver Stefon Diggs), but Allen has put the team on his back and is thriving under offensive coordinator Joe Brady. Buffalo’s pass catchers are not exceptional, but they fit together well and have spread the wealth. Pass rusher Greg Rousseau has become a breakout star, and linebacker Matt Milano is expected to return soon as a key cog in the middle of the defense. This could be Allen’s best chance yet to win a title — especially if the Bills get the top seed and first-round bye thanks to their head-to-head win over Kansas City. Mike Tomlin is the early Coach of the Year favorite for what he’s done to get the Steelers on top of the AFC North. (David Richard/AP) 3. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3), first in AFC North Remaining schedule: at Bengals, vs. Browns, at Eagles, at Ravens, vs. Chiefs, vs. Bengals Playoff probability: 93% Mike Tomlin is the early Coach of the Year favorite for what he’s done to get this team on top of the AFC North. Making Russell Wilson the starting quarterback over Justin Fields was not an easy decision, but it’s paid off so far — outside of a Thursday night loss to the Browns in a snowstorm. The big question is whether the offense is good enough to contend with the likes of the Chiefs, Bills and Ravens in the postseason. George Pickens is the only standout receiver, and Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren are averaging just 4 yards per carry. They desperately need midseason pickup Mike Williams to help. Pittsburgh’s defense has been outstanding, but it’s carrying a heavy burden. 4. Houston Texans (7-5), first in AFC South Remaining schedule: at Jaguars, vs. Dolphins, at Chiefs, vs. Ravens, at Titans Playoff probability: 94% A 5-1 start has quickly gone south, with a 32-27 loss to the Titans the latest stumble for a team that has failed to build on last season’s success. Second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud has been hurt by a poor offensive line and the absence of star receiver Nico Collins, but he’s also missed some throws he usually makes. It’s enough to have serious concerns about whether Stroud can lead Houston to its second straight division title and another playoff win. It’s a good reminder that success is not always linear in the NFL, even for star quarterbacks. Ravens tight end Mark Andrews celebrates a touchdown catch Monday night against the Chargers. (Ryan Sun/AP) 5. Ravens (8-4), second in AFC North Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, at Giants, vs. Steelers, at Texans, vs. Browns Playoff probability: 99% They might be a wild-card team right now, but the Ravens have the look of a Super Bowl contender. Baltimore rolled to a methodical 30-23 win over the Chargers on Monday night that was much more dominant than the score might indicate. At one point in the fourth quarter, the Ravens were on pace to set an NFL record with a whopping 7.1 yards per play. Baltimore trailed 10-0 early, but a bold call by John Harbaugh to go for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 16-yard line paid off as the Ravens drove for a touchdown and never trailed again. Even the much-maligned defense stood its ground despite missing star linebacker Roquan Smith. The Steelers are a half-game up in the AFC North with a head-to-head win in hand, but the division race is far from over. This is the classic team nobody wants to play in the postseason. 6. Los Angeles Chargers (7-4), second in AFC West Remaining schedule: at Falcons, at Chiefs, vs. Buccaneers, vs. Broncos, at Patriots, at Raiders Playoff probability: 86% Monday night was a chance for the Chargers to prove they were a legitimate playoff contender, and for stretches, it looked like they could be. L.A. raced out to a 10-0 lead behind a dominant opening drive, pounding the ball behind J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. But after that, they couldn’t stop the Ravens, who at point scored on five straight possessions. A knee injury that forced Dobbins out of the game looms large since the Chargers and offensive coordinator Greg Roman rely on the rushing attack to be successful. Justin Herbert is plenty good enough to carry this team to the postseason, but his supporting cast might hold him back. 7. Denver Broncos (7-5), third in AFC West Remaining schedule: vs. Browns, vs. Colts, at Chargers, at Bengals, vs. Chiefs Playoff probability: 73% After a rough start, the Broncos and coach Sean Payton have settled into a nice groove with rookie quarterback Bo Nix. Denver almost upset the Chiefs a few weeks ago but responded to that heartbreaking loss by winning two straight over the Falcons and Raiders. Since Week 3, Nix has thrown 16 touchdown passes to just two interceptions, showing more command of the offense as Payton discovers what the six-year college starter is comfortable with. The defense has been the real star of the show, with Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss blanketing receivers and Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper leading a deep group of pass rushers that leads the league with 44 sacks. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 12: Saquon Barkley sprints into MVP conversation Baltimore Ravens | Gamble pays off for Ravens’ John Harbaugh: ‘No guts, no glory, right?’ Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Chargers Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 30-23 win over Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens, spurred by bold 4th-down call, roll to 30-23 win over Chargers In the hunt Miami Dolphins (5-6), 16% playoff probability: The Dolphins have been a different team since quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returned from a concussion, winning three straight games to put themselves back in playoff contention. Miami has scored 34 points in back-to-back wins, and Tagovailoa is leading the NFL with a 72.5% completion rate. Jaylen Waddle broke out from a deep slumber with 144 receiving yards against the Patriots. If Tagovailoa stays healthy and former Ravens assistant Anthony Weaver’s defense continues to play well, the Dolphins could be a scary wild-card team. Indianapolis Colts (5-7), 21% playoff probability: Second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson has had an up-and-down season, but he’s played much better since being benched for two games in favor of veteran Joe Flacco. A soft schedule to end the season, including matchups against the Patriots, Titans, Giants and Jaguars, could give the Colts a chance to catch the slumping Texans and compete for the AFC South title. Cincinnati Bengals (4-7), 13% playoff probability: It would probably take the Bengals going at least 5-1 down the stretch to have any chance of sniffing a playoff berth, but don’t put it past Joe Burrow and company. The star quarterback is putting up MVP-worthy numbers throwing to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, reaching a new level of command and comfort in the pocket in his fifth season. The Bengals’ defense keeps letting the team down in big games, but a slate of matchups against mediocre offenses in Pittsburgh, Dallas, Tennessee, Cleveland and Denver might give Cincinnati a chance to simply outscore opponents and make an improbable run. 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

Each week of the NFL season, The Baltimore Sun will recap the best and worst from around the league. Here are our winners and losers from Week 12: Winner: Saquon Barkley Could a running back win the NFL Most Valuable Player Award? We’re about to find out. Saquon Barkley vaulted himself into the conversation with a majestic performance in Sunday night’s 37-20 win over the Los Angeles Rams. The Eagles star rushed for a staggering 255 yards, the most in team history and the ninth-most in league history. That included a pair of 70-plus-yard touchdown runs in which Barkley showed off the elite burst that made him the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft. Through 11 games in Philadelphia after leaving the Giants in free agency, Barkley has already rushed for a career-high 1,392 yards. At 27 years old, he looks just as explosive as ever, making his three-year, $37.5 million contract an absolute steal. For context, Barkley is the eighth-highest-paid player on Philadelphia’s offense. As Barkley goes, so do the Eagles (9-2), who have won seven straight and firmly hold the top spot in the NFC East. While quarterback Jalen Hurts has been effective, Barkley’s down-to-down impact is what has vaulted Philadelphia from a struggling offense in the back half of last season to one of the league’s best. Despite playing behind a strong offensive line, former Eagles running back D’Andre Swift eclipsed 100 yards just twice last season. Barkley has already done so seven times, including five games over 145 yards. And it’s not just Barkley who deserves all the credit. He leads the league in average yards before contact, which is a credit to the offensive line for opening big holes and moving defenders off the line of scrimmage. Giving an elite athlete like Barkley all that room puts pressure on second- and third-level defenders to bring him down, and they’re often left grasping at air or being shoved into the ground. After last year’s epic collapse that resulted in an early postseason exit, it was impossible to predict what kind of Eagles team would show up this season. There have still been head-scratching moments with coach Nick Sirianni, but his grip on the team feels more secure. The addition of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has also solidified a unit brimming with talent, including rookie defensive backs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. With Barkley on a tear, the Eagles look like a Super Bowl contender that’s getting better every week. Maybe running backs do matter after all. Loser: Washington Commanders Just three weeks ago, Washington seemed destined for the playoffs and Jayden Daniels looked like a shoo-in for Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Oh, how things have changed. After a wild finish Sunday that included 31 points in the final four minutes, Washington suffered its third straight loss, 34-26 to the Cooper Rush-led Dallas Cowboys. Those final minutes included a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, a miracle 86-yard touchdown pass with 21 seconds left, a missed game-tying extra point attempt, an onside kick return for a touchdown and an interception on a Hail Mary. For many teams, that’s a season’s worth of excitement. While a 7-5 record is a great result for a team with a rookie quarterback and first-year coach, the path the Commanders have taken here is troubling. For starters, there’s the usual second-half regression that often accompanies offenses directed by coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, which many have dubbed the “Kliff Cliff.” Whether it’s something inherently broken in Kingsbury’s scheme or perhaps a lingering injury for Daniels, the offense has not been nearly as effective over the past three games. Perhaps most glaring Sunday, however, was the rash of mistakes that prevented Washington from beating a Cowboys team missing many of its best players. In addition to the special teams blunders, the Commanders were penalized eight times for a season-high 78 yards. They also committed three turnovers, including two interceptions from Daniels, and went just 4-for-12 on third down. Washington blocked a field goal and a punt in the same game for the first time since 1977 … and still lost. There is still plenty of time to right the ship, starting with a home game Sunday against the 3-8 Titans. But there is little margin for error with the Falcons (6-5), Buccaneers (5-6) and the entire NFC West jockeying for playoff position. NFL Next Gen Stats gives the Commanders a 58% chance to make the playoffs. Falling short of the seven-team field after a 7-2 start would be a disappointing way to end such a promising campaign. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has thrown 11 touchdown passes and just one interception since returning from a concussion. (Lynne Sladky/AP) Winner: Miami Dolphins After Tua Tagovailoa suffered another scary concussion and the Dolphins fell to 2-6, there was some conversation about whether it even made sense for the star quarterback to return this season. Why risk his health during a lost year? With three straight wins, the latest a 34-15 rout of the Patriots, Miami (5-6) has revived its postseason hopes. Tagovailoa has been exceptional since his return in Week 8, throwing 11 touchdown passes with just one interception while averaging 255.4 passing yards per game. He carved up New England on Sunday to the tune of 317 yards and four touchdowns. “We’re still below the .500 threshold, and it’s a long way to where we want to get to,” Tagovailoa said. “We’ll enjoy this win, but this next one is going to be big for us.” That next one is Thanksgiving night against the Green Bay Packers, who are 8-3 and coming off a blowout win over the San Francisco 49ers. But the Packers are dealing with injuries to wide receiver Romeo Doubs (concussion), cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) and could be vulnerable during a short week of preparation. What seemed like a gantlet to end the season for Miami does not seem so daunting now, with the Jets, Texans, 49ers and Browns all struggling and falling below preseason expectations. Next Gen Stats gives the Dolphins just a 15% chance to make the playoffs, since the Bills (9-2) are running away with the AFC East and the Broncos (7-5) have a firm hold on the final wild-card spot. But the fact that Miami even has hope given how the season started is a testament to Tagovailoa’s determination and belief in the locker room. Loser: New York Giants Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse for the Giants. A week that began with the release of quarterback Daniel Jones ended with a dispiriting 30-7 home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, dropping New York to a league-worst 2-9. The performance on the field was bad enough, as the defense allowed 450 total yards and the offense only mustered one meaningless fourth-quarter touchdown, but the comments after the game are the real concern. “We played soft,” star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence said. “I personally don’t think everyone’s giving 100%,” offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor said. “We’ve got capable players who don’t play like they’re capable, period,” wide receiver Darius Slayton said. Related Articles NFL | NFL playoff picture: Ravens are a virtual lock, but who will they play? NFL | Gamble pays off for Ravens’ John Harbaugh: ‘No guts, no glory, right?’ NFL | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Chargers NFL | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 30-23 win over Chargers NFL | Ravens, spurred by bold 4th-down call, roll to 30-23 win over Chargers The move to release Jones and start third-stringer Tommy DeVito didn’t seem to sit well in the locker room. Drew Lock was confused as to why he wasn’t elevated to the starting role. Lawrence said Jones was the best quarterback on the team, and rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers said during his lengthy rant Sunday that the quarterback isn’t the problem. Team owner John Mara gave general manager Schoen and coach Brian Daboll a public vote of confidence four weeks ago, asserting that they would return next season. It’s becoming harder to justify that decision, especially if the players don’t believe in the team’s direction. It doesn’t help that Barkley and Packers safety Xavier McKinney (league-high seven interceptions), two former high draft picks the Giants let walk in free agency, are thriving with their new teams. The only silver lining right now is an incoming high draft pick, perhaps No. 1 overall. But given the mistakes the Schoen-Daboll regime has already made when it comes to evaluating talent, it would be a big risk to let them make that decision. 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