ExtremeRavens

For a moment, it was a catch. And a touchdown. And a go-ahead score for the Ravens with just over two minutes remaining against Pittsburgh on Sunday. Isaiah Likely leaped forward to corral a 13-yard pass in the end zone from quarterback Lamar Jackson. The tight end landed on his right foot, then took another step with his left, before attempting to squeeze in one more with his right foot while cornerback Joey Porter wrapped around him. Likely extended the ball forward the entire time with his 32-inch arms. Even while Porter knocked it out, it was a touchdown. For about a minute. Collective groans cast over M&T Bank Stadium after officials ruled it was an incomplete pass following a short review. The Ravens turned it over on downs three plays later at the 8-yard line following the punched out, and overturned, score from Likely’s grasp and couldn’t muster a game-winning drive with a minute remaining, losing 27-22. “I thought it was a touchdown,” running back Derrick Henry said. “13 years in this league, how many steps do you need in the end zone for a TD?” wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins wrote in a since deleted social media post on X. “If you were on the field with us, you would’ve thought it was a touchdown, too,” Jackson told reporters postgame. NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth explained postgame a three-step process to secure a catch. Likely obtained both control and two-feet inbounds, but did not have an “act common to the game” proceeding it — which would have been getting his third foot down. The tight end refrained from criticizing the officiating, and said he hadn’t seen a replay of the reversed call. “They made a call, got to live with what the refs say at the end of the day,” Likely said. It’s the second consecutive week a would-be touchdown from Likely was overturned. Against the Bengals on Thanksgiving, he fumbled a potential 44-yard score at the goal line as safety Jordan Battle punched it away. The tight end said the two plays are different. Against the Bengals, he said he got “lackadaisical” while scampering in. This week, he has to “live with what the refs called.” Likely didn’t cite anything he would have changed on the play. Related Articles The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Grades for 27-22 loss to Steelers Ravens’ playoff hopes take crushing blow in 27-22 loss to Steelers Instant analysis from Ravens’ 27-22 loss to Steelers in Week 14 Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell ruled out vs. Steelers with knee injury Ravens vs. Steelers, December 7, 2025 | PHOTOS Coach John Harbaugh said officials told him the tight end’s third foot didn’t touch down until the ball was tapped out, but was also frustrated with an overturned Aaron Rodgers turnover in the same frame. Defensive tackle C.J. Okoye batted down a Rodgers pass midway through fourth. The ball hung in the air before the 42-year-old signal caller tapped it back to himself with his right hand — grabbing it above his helmet. Linebacker Teddye Buchanan also seemingly grabbed it, and ripped it out of the quarterback’s hands as the two fell to the ground. Initial ruling: interception. So the Ravens offense began to take the field, trailing by five and at the Pittsburgh 32-yard line. Then came the first rash of boos at M&T Bank Stadium that quarter as officials ruled Rodgers was down with possession of the ball before Buchanan snagged it. “The offensive player had control of the ball as he was going to the ground,” Butterworth said. “There was a hand in there, but he never lost control of the ball and then his knees hit the ground.” Even while the Steelers punted two plays later, Baltimore began its drive at the Ravens’ 22 rather than the Pittsburgh 32. The Likely fumble occurred on the ensuing drive. “I saw the replay and it looked like he was probably down,” Buchanan said. “We’re not going to use it as an excuse or anything like that.” Harbaugh wasn’t as forgiving. He argued that a receiver must “survive the ground” for a catch to stand, and Rodgers didn’t. He also stressed the decision wasn’t a local officiating error — final calls come from the NFL office in New York. “He didn’t survive the ground. He’s not down by contact. He was catching the ball on the way down with another person,” Harbaugh said. “I don’t know why it was ruled the way it was on that one.” The fourth-quarter calls came in a game where Baltimore lost its grip on the AFC North lead and fell a game behind Pittsburgh. Four games remain for a team suddenly searching for answers — and if the Ravens want to make a playoff run, they’ll have to overcome more than just a pair of fourth-quarter whistles. Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Mikephowes. View the full article

Here’s how the Ravens graded out at every position in their 27-22 loss to the Steelers on Sunday: Quarterback Lamar Jackson keeps getting better, but it might be too late to help save the Ravens’ season. He made some decent runs Sunday, even threatening to go out on the perimeter several times on option keepers. But it took the Ravens way too long to realize that outside linebacker T.J. Watt kept crashing down on every play and finally in the second half they figured out how to attack Watt with fullback Patrick Ricard. Regardless, whatever the reason, Jackson isn’t as fast or as quick as he used to be and he completed only 19 of 35 passes for 219 yards with one touchdown and one interception and finished with a passer rating of 71. Overall, it’s an improvement from what we’ve seen in the past four weeks. Grade: C+ Running backs Starter Derrick Henry pounded the Steelers for 94 yards on 25 carries, and Keaton Mitchell had six carries for 76 yards, including a 55-yard burst. Mitchell might have made a difference late in the game, but he left in the second half with a knee injury. He is a good change-of-pace back for Baltimore. The Ravens had 40 carries for 217 yards but waited too long to punish the Steelers up front. Pittsburgh entered Sunday allowing 117 rushing yards per game. Baltimore, though, should have committed to running the ball in the first half. They had 19 carries for 73 yards and clearly the Steelers’ defensive line was gassed in the second half. Jackson rushed seven times for 43 yards. Grade: B+ Offensive line Pittsburgh had only two sacks and five quarterback hits, but it kept constant pressure on Jackson, who still can’t decide if he wants to run or pass in tough situations. Both tackles Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten had trouble with outside linebackers Alex Highsmith and Watt, and Jackson was under duress because both guards, Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele, got beat inside. There were times when Faalele looked lost simply because of his foot speed. Overall, though, the Ravens had opportunities to win and the best shot to pull that off was by running the ball. Baltimore did that, but it still continues to struggle as far as pass blocking. Grade: C Receivers The Ravens finally accomplished one thing: they got slot receiver Zay Flowers more touches. Flowers had eight catches for 124 yards, but this group seemed uninterested, and maybe that’s because the Ravens ran the ball so much. Tight end Isaiah Likely’s near 13-yard touchdown reception with 2:47 left in the game should have been confirmed, but instead it was ruled incomplete. The worst part is that after Likely fumbled on the goal line against the Bengals on Thanksgiving Day, he should have known to tuck the ball. There are no more excuses. Jackson was simply off on some of his throws, like the one to DeAndre Hopkins out of bounds or his overthrows of Rashod Bateman and Flowers. It wasn’t a great day for the receivers, but this group didn’t need to be great, just adequate. Grade: C- Defensive line Pittsburgh had only 34 yards on 17 carries, but that was enough to complement the offense. The Steelers simply had a running game only to keep Baltimore’s defensive line honest. The Ravens, though, didn’t get their hands up to knock down a lot of short passes thrown by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. They got some pressure on Rodgers, but he showed his best mobility in recent weeks. Tackle John Jenkins had only one tackle and Travis Jones finished with one, too. Tackle C.J. Okoye almost had the play of the game when he tipped a Rodgers pass in the second half, but a Teddye Buchanan interception was nullified because Rodgers caught the ball first and had one knee on the ground. That was actually the correct call. Unfortunately, the Ravens didn’t have a sack on Rodgers and had only three quarterback hurries. Grade: B– Linebackers Middle linebacker Roquan Smith had 10 tackles to lead the team, but there were times when he looked lost on the field, like on Kenneth Gainwell’s 6-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The linebackers still can’t cover well, as exemplified on Jaylen Warren’s 38-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. It was a short pass in the flat, and how many times have we seen that this season? And one more thing, outside linebacker Mike Green, he went that way. The Ravens tried several different blitzes up the middle, but that stuff doesn’t work against proven quarterbacks like Rodgers. Grade: C- Related Articles Ravens react to pair of controversial calls in 4th quarter of Steelers loss Ravens’ playoff hopes take crushing blow in 27-22 loss to Steelers Instant analysis from Ravens’ 27-22 loss to Steelers in Week 14 Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell ruled out vs. Steelers with knee injury Ravens vs. Steelers, December 7, 2025 | PHOTOS Secondary Pittsburgh came into the game with a small ball offense but completed passes of 52, 38 and 31 yards. The Steelers took the Ravens to task, especially on the outside with cornerback Marlon Humphrey trying to play against DK Metcalf, who had seven catches for 148 yards. As far as tackling, it was an atrocious day for this group. Starting cornerback Nate Wiggins missed a bunch of tackles even though he finished with six, and the Ravens need to find a way to get Humphrey help when he is isolated on the outside. Rodgers made this group look really bad. There were times when the secondary looked lost. Again. Grade: D Special teams Rookie Tyler Loop converted on field goal attempts of 36, 28 and 36 yards, but how does he miss an extra point try? Also, I thought the Ravens had gotten over the mishaps with the directional kickoffs, but they continue to flounder. Whenever rookie LaJohntay Wester returns a punt, you just kind of hold your breath. This is the NFL, not college football. One move, and then go north and south, not east and west. You’re not outrunning anybody in this league. Wester averaged 4.7 yards on three punt returns. Not good. Jordan Stout averaged 51 yards on two punts. Grade: C- Coaching The Ravens were ready for a physical game, and they got one. Unfortunately, Pittsburgh was willing to gamble early and had success, which resulted in a 17-9 halftime lead. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken tried several new combinations with Henry and Mitchell both playing, but he waited too long to to go with the ground game. As for the Ravens’ defense, there isn’t much to be said. They can’t cover, and they don’t have a pass rusher. End of conversation. Grade: C- Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

The past met the present Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium, where the Ravens’ inaugural Super Bowl championship team celebrated its 25th anniversary. More than 50 members were on hand, from Trent Dilfer to Ray Lewis, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker had an enthusiastic parting message for the current team before departing the halftime festivities. “Baltimore! Baltimore!” he bellowed. “Time to go to work, baby!” Instead, the Ravens were left looking for answers again, this time from the officials. Trailing 27-22 with just over three minutes remaining, Lamar Jackson drove the Ravens to the Pittsburgh 13-yard line before connecting with Isaiah Likely over the middle for what appeared to be his second touchdown of the game. But the call was overturned by replay, with Likely ruled as not having completed the catch as the ball was ripped out of his hands, despite having taken at least one step with control. Ravens coach John Harbaugh, the crowd and Baltimore’s sideline disagreed vehemently. Baltimore then failed to convert on fourth-and-5, and Jackson was sacked on the Steelers’ 39 on its next series on the final play as the clock struck zero. Pittsburgh (7-6) hung on for the victory and moved into first place in the AFC North, a game ahead of Baltimore (6-7) with just four games remaining in the regular season. It was a surreal setting and finish in many ways. The game marked the first time since 1999 the two had met in December with neither above .500. Still, first place in the AFC North was on the line for the longtime and bitter rivals, and someone had to claim it. That it was close was also not a surprise — 28 of the past 38 games between these two had been decided by a single score, and this would be no different. There was plenty of drama and controversy to go with it. With just over seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (23-for-34 passing, 284 yards, one touchdown) dropped back to pass from his own 41, the ball was tipped at the line of scrimmage and appeared to be intercepted by linebacker Teddye Buchanan. But replay overturned that call, with Rodgers ruled down after he initially caught his own pass. It resulted in a 9-yard loss and Pittsburgh punted two plays later, but instead of the Ravens having the ball at the Steelers’ 33-yard line, the crowd in full throat and a chance to surge ahead, they were denied. Ravens coach John Harbaugh shouted, “That’s wrong! That’s wrong!” at the referees. But it was to no avail. Baltimore had plenty of other things to be frustrated with. The Steelers and Rodgers hadn’t completed a pass of more than 20 yards through the air in over a month. It took all of one play for that streak to end. On the game’s first play, the 42-year-old went 52 yards up the right sideline to Metcalf over Marlon Humphrey. Then Rodgers scored his first rushing touchdown since Jan. 1, 2023, on a run around the right end to cap the scoring drive for a 7-3 lead. It was a precursor of things to come. After Baltimore’s defense stopped Pittsburgh on a third-and-1 from the 13 in the second quarter to limit the damage to a field goal, Travis Jones was flagged for a questionable unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for running over the center. Harbaugh was livid over the call and had a case, but the first down led to an easy 6-yard Kenneth Gainwell touchdown as he pranced through the left side of the defense unbothered. Related Articles Instant analysis from Ravens’ 27-22 loss to Steelers in Week 14 Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell ruled out vs. Steelers with knee injury Ravens vs. Steelers, December 7, 2025 | PHOTOS Ravens vs. Steelers live updates: Postgame reaction, analysis from 27-22 loss Ravens vs. Steelers staff picks: Who will win Sunday in Baltimore? That four-point swing put the Steelers up 17-3 with the Ravens looking discombobulated in every phase of the game. They did get some help, though. Their best offense of the first half turned out to be the yellow flag. Pittsburgh’s kickoff came up short of the landing zone, resulting in a penalty and the ball at Baltimore’s 40 to start its next possession. Two more penalties on third down then helped extend the drive, and the Ravens marched 60 yards in 13 plays with Jackson (seven carries, 43 rushing yards, one touchdown) scoring his first rushing touchdown since Week 1 on a 6-yard scramble on third and goal. Then Loop missed the extra point. Things weren’t any better in the second half and in some ways mirrored the first. Loop’s kickoff to start the third quarter went out of bounds. On the first play from scrimmage, Rodgers had all day to throw, allowing Metcalf to get open and haul in a 41-yard catch. That helped set up another Chris Boswell field goal to extend the lead to 20-9. Despite the two-score deficit, the Ravens stuck with their running game. It finally paid dividends. After two straight runs set up a third-and-1, Keaton Mitchell popped loose through left side and raced 55 yards before being surprisingly caught by defensive back James Pierre at the 7-yard line. But just when it appeared another red zone opportunity might go by the wayside on third-and-goal from the 4, Jackson (19 of 35, 219 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception) broke toward the end zone, sucking the Steelers’ defense in, only to find a wide open Likely for a touchdown. Rather than go for a 2-point conversion to pull within a field goal, Baltimore opted for an extra point, and this time Loop connected to cut the deficit to 20-16. The score energized the crowd. But the celebration was short-lived. Rodgers again capitalized on another one-on-one matchup on the outside, connecting with Calvin Austin III, who got behind Chidobe Awuzie, for a 31-yard gain on third-and-5 from his own 25. Three plays later and again on third down, he then dumped a short pass off to an open Jaylen Warren, who raced 38 yards down the sideline for the score to put Pittsburgh up 27-16 with 3:38 left in the third quarter in what ended up being the decisive score. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Ravens tight end Isiaiah Likely can't hang on to what would've been a go-ahead touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Steelers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) View the full article

Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 27-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14 of the NFL season on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore: Brian Wacker, reporter The Ravens (6-7) won’t like the overturning of Isaiah Likely’s touchdown catch, and they have a beef. But there were also plenty of other shortcomings to be frustrated about, most notably their pass defense against a Steelers (7-6) offense led by 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers that has struggled to move the ball. But as often has the case been, Baltimore’s defense proved to be a welcome tonic to an ailing offense. Too many times the Ravens didn’t get pressure on Rodgers and too often it allowed him to find open receivers downfield. Now comes an uphill climb with games against the Bengals’ Joe Burrow, the Patriots’ Drake Maye, the Packers’ Jordan Love and Rodgers again. That’s a tall task and it might be too much to overcome to make the playoffs. Mike Preston, columnist The Ravens made this game closer than most of us expected. The Steelers came into this game reeling and the Ravens had every opportunity to win, but not even the magic of quarterback Lamar Jackson could pull out the victory for Baltimore. Jackson was sacked by Cameron Heyward on the game’s final play in Pittsburgh territory. Sure, there was some questionable officiating in this game, but that’s standard in the NFL. Tight end Isaiah Likely should have tucked the ball, even though he took two steps in the end zone. But Pittsburgh was willing to gamble in the first half and built a nice lead to hold off the Ravens at the end. Regardless, the Ravens are a mess. Their offensive line can’t pass block and the secondary can’t cover. They deserve to be 6-7 at this point. Josh Tolentino, columnist Well, at least Todd Monken got the memo. After abandoning Derrick Henry in the team’s Thanksgiving night loss to the Bengals, Baltimore fed the future Hall of Fame running back to the tune of 25 carries for 94 yards (3.8 average) against Pittsburgh. Henry’s efforts, though, weren’t enough as Zach Orr’s defense failed to record a takeaway against one of the league’s worst offenses, while quarterback Lamar Jackson saw his season interception total rise to five. There have been plenty of disappointing moments this season, but if the Ravens fail to secure a playoff berth, they’ll look back at this Week 14 loss and remember a prime opportunity they flushed down the drain. Baltimore commanded the exact type of game plan it wanted against its division rivals, between dominating time of possession, 33:44 to 26:16, and outgaining the Steelers, 420-318. Yet timely mistakes, along with a questionable reversed touchdown call on Isaiah Likely’s would-be go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter, proved to be detrimental. Sam Cohn, reporter Baltimore’s undoing, on Sunday and perhaps in the greater context of this Ravens season, will be haunted by a few metaphorical kicks squarely to the groin, courtesy of the men wearing stripes. Fair or not, the Ravens were this close. Travis Jones was flagged for unnecessary roughness after breaking through the middle of the line on a Steelers field goal attempt. Gifted a fresh set of downs, Pittsburgh scored a touchdown one play later. Rookie Teddye Buchanan registered the first interception of his career, only for officials to rule Aaron Rodgers down with his hands on the ball upon review. Then, the one that Ravens fans will take to the bars to debate with friends, was Isaiah Likely’s touchdown catch. Officials negated the score, ruling it incomplete. Still, the Ravens had a chance. They got the ball with two minutes left and one timeout. That drive never reached the end zone, ending with the quarterback on the ground. Because of it, Baltimore’s odds to reach the playoffs plummeted. Michael Howes, reporter The immediate chatter postgame will be on the two consequence calls against the Ravens in the final minutes. First, an interception overturned that would’ve moved Baltimore into Pittsburgh territory. Then, another Isaiah Likely touchdown overturned. Did the Ravens deserve to win the game, though? Probably not. Related Articles Ravens’ playoff hopes take crushing blow in 27-22 loss to Steelers Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell ruled out vs. Steelers with knee injury Ravens vs. Steelers, December 7, 2025 | PHOTOS Ravens vs. Steelers live updates: Postgame reaction, analysis from 27-22 loss Ravens vs. Steelers staff picks: Who will win Sunday in Baltimore? An Aaron Rodgers who entered M&T Bank Stadium struggling and looking like a 42-year-old quarterback passed for a season-high 284 yards with a 67.6% completion rate. DK Metcalf torched the recently stout Baltimore secondary for 148 yards and seven catches, both season highs. And there were still chances for Baltimore to win the game. After the Likely score was overturned, the Ravens stalled at the Pittsburgh 8-yard line on fourth down after they couldn’t pick up two yards on third down. The clock ran out on Baltimore on its final drive as Lamar Jackson was sacked. The Ravens’ grasp on the division lead is gone. Will they be able to overcome that adversity in the final four games? C.J. Doon, editor That felt like the Ravens’ entire season wrapped into one game, didn’t it? We saw more mediocre play from quarterback Lamar Jackson, continuing an alarming stretch for the two-time NFL MVP. The offense was just as frustrating as ever, at times sticking to the running game to keep the chains moving but often stalling out in the red zone. (Side note: Keeping Derrick Henry on the sideline for a couple plays here and there in the first half, while curious at the time, might have paid off in the second half.) Some brutal drops didn’t help. There are no trustworthy pass catchers on this team, not even Zay Flowers. DeAndre Hopkins and Rashod Bateman have been MIA. Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely are inconsistent at best. The offensive line is in shambles. Jackson doesn’t have the explosiveness to bail the Ravens out the way he used to. Even a burst from Keaton Mitchell was immediately followed by a trip to the medical tent with a worrying knee injury. Starting 1-5 was a crisis that the Ravens admirably fought through. Now, trailing the division leader by one game with four games left, is another. The Bengals, who embarrassed the Ravens on Thanksgiving and held a late lead at Buffalo on Sunday before collapsing, host Baltimore next week to continue a brutal stretch of games to finish the season. Right now, there isn’t much confidence that it will end with a playoff berth. We thought this was one of the best rosters in Ravens history. Instead, it has all the makings of a historic flop. Tim Schwartz, editor The Ravens have not looked like a legitimate playoff team in months. Sunday was no different. Against a reeling Steelers team that had lost five of its past seven, Pittsburgh brought the juice at M&T Bank Stadium and took control of the AFC North, the NFL’s worst division. The fourth quarter wasn’t without controversy, with a touchdown pass from Lamar Jackson to Isaiah Likely wiped out after being ruled incomplete and a would-be interception of Aaron Rodgers overturned by replay, but Baltimore had plenty of opportunities beyond that. This team will make you rip your hair out. There’s a good chance that ends with the regular-season finale in Pittsburgh. The postseason feels like a long shot. Bennett Conlin, editor The Ravens have reason to be upset with the officials. A pair of crucial late calls both went against Baltimore, including what seemed to be a game-changing interception and a potential go-ahead touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely. The interception reversal felt particularly egregious. Still, Baltimore had chances to win and made a few terrible mistakes. Why is Todd Monken calling for a delayed handoff on third-and-2 on the Ravens’ penultimate drive? It resulted in a 3-yard loss and doomed what should’ve been a touchdown drive. How does the secondary get cooked so badly for the first three quarters against an aging Aaron Rodgers? The ill-timed penalties in the final two minutes essentially killed the team’s final chance at scoring. Losing this game at home is brutal, and it could signal the end of John Harbaugh’s tenure. This doesn’t look like a playoff team despite the roster’s significant individual talent. It’s inexcusable. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. 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Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell was ruled out of Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh at the beginning of the fourth quarter with a knee injury. Mitchell rushed for 76 yards on six carries before his exit, including a 55-yard rush to set up a Ravens touchdown to cut the Steelers’ lead to 20-16 in the third quarter. He hobbled off the field after that play and was examined in the medical tent on the sideline before heading to the locker room. The third-year running back was on the injury report ahead of Baltimore’s week 11 matchup against the Browns but participated in the game. He hadn’t been on the report since. It’s been nearly two years since Mitchell tore his ACL, PCL, LCL and hamstring against the Jaguars on Dec. 17, 2023. Mitchell, 23, was Baltimore’s most productive back ahead of his exit, averaging 12.7 yards per carry. Running back Rasheen Ali should receive more carries in his absence behind Derrick Henry. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Mikephowes. View the full article

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell scores on a 6-yard run during the second quarter in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Steelers’ James Pierre intercepts a pass by Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in the 2nd quarter. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III drops a pass initially ruled a catch before the Baltimore Ravens successfully challenge the play. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is sacked by Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Brandon Echols during the first quarter in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is sacked by Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Brandon Echols during the first quarter in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Brandin Echols breaks up a pass intended for Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers during the first quarter in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers makes a diving catch for a long gain in 1st quarter of the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers makes a diving catch for a long gain in 1st quarter of the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Ravens’ Lamar Jackson interviews with TV sideline reporter before game against the Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Ravens tightends Isaiah Likely, right, warms up with Mark Andrews before game against the Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Players from the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers go through pregame warmups at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, left, greets Kyle Hamilton during warm up before game against the Steelers in the quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson warms up before game against the Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers during pregame before an AFC North division showdown of NFL football against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen, formerly with the Baltimore Ravens during pregame before an AFC North division showdown of NFL football against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers passes during pregame before an AFC North division showdown of NFL football against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin during pregame before an AFC North division showdown of NFL football against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) View the full article

The Ravens and Steelers are fighting for first place in the AFC North on Sunday. Baltimore trails, 20-9, in 3rd quarter. Follow along here for live coverage and analysis. View the full article

Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Sunday’s Week 14 game between the Ravens and Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore: Brian Wacker, reporter Ravens 23, Steelers 14: Look for the Ravens to lean on their running game and Derrick Henry. The Bills gashed Pittsburgh last week, and even with an offensive line that has struggled this season, Baltimore should have success on the ground. Aaron Rodgers is banged up and so is Lamar Jackson, but not nearly as badly. There will be turnovers and this will get a little sloppy at times, but expect this one to decided by the Ravens’ defense and their rushing attack. Sam Cohn, reporter Steelers 17, Ravens 14: This doesn’t feel like the type of AFC North matchup in which both sides are fighting to win a spot in the playoffs. It reeks of two teams trying to avoid the humiliation of missing the postseason via abject disaster. Neither quarterback is at full health for this must-win game, which means it could be decided by defense. Expect a few turnovers; the Ravens have forced at least one in each of their past seven games, and the Steelers lead the NFL in forced fumbles. Another close ending seems all but certain in a rivalry in which 28 of 38 matchups have been decided by one score. Although the Ravens seem better equipped on paper, this one might end in a fourth straight Jackson clunker feeding a narrow loss because the Steelers do barely enough. Mike Preston, columnist Ravens 27, Steelers 14: Pittsburgh might be 6-6 and tied with the Ravens for first place in the AFC North, but the Ravens have a pulse with Lamar Jackson at quarterback while the Steelers answer with Aaron Rodgers. This matchup clearly works in the Ravens’ favor because Jackson can move as opposed to Rodgers, who at 41 is more of a statue. Plus, Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has very little imagination and Rodgers seldom throws the ball over the middle. The Ravens should be able to run Derrick Henry at will against Pittsburgh’s rush defense, which is ranked No. 17 in the league allowing 117.7 yards per game. This really shouldn’t be much of a contest. Pittsburgh is a really bad team, and even though the Ravens have their own problems, they should be able to handle the Steelers at home even with a struggling offensive line. Josh Tolentino, columnist Ravens 21, Steelers 17: Sunday’s renewal of the Ravens-Steelers rivalry comes with both teams nursing quarterback injuries and clinging to postseason hopes. Remarkably, the AFC North is the only division in the NFL without a winning team. That’ll change Sunday, with the victor walking away with a significant boost in playoff odds over the final month of the regular season. Despite Baltimore’s season-long offensive inconsistencies, there’s still a slight sense of optimism that the Ravens can heat up at the right time. Lamar Jackson gave fans a scare this week with his Thursday absence; the two-time NFL MVP might not reach full health again this season, but Jackson’s ability to protect the ball should be a top priority after the Ravens coughed up a season-high five turnovers in the Thanksgiving night loss to the Bengals. Mike Tomlin, Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh have authored a whacky season, losing five of their past seven. If there’s been one constant between both teams in recent games, it’s Baltimore’s defense. C.J. Doon, editor Ravens 20, Steelers 16: Lamar Jackson and company have struggled against the Steelers even during the best of times. Now that they’re down in the dumps, all bets are off. You could tell me just about anything happens Sunday — Jackson has a perfect passer rating, Jackson throws three interceptions, Derrick Henry rushes for 250 yards, Henry only gets 10 carries — and I would believe it. One thing that’s all but certain? It will be close. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is 13-4-2 against the spread against Baltimore as an underdog. On the most basic level, I trust Jackson and the Ravens’ offense to figure it out against a slumping and banged-up Steelers defense than I do Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf and Jaylen Warren to get the best of a Ravens defense that had been playing really well before a Thanksgiving letdown. Kickers Tyler Loop and Chris Boswell could end up being the stars of the game. Bennett Conlin, editor Ravens 24, Steelers 20: Baltimore’s offense looks out of sorts, but a few extra days of rest should help Lamar Jackson and the unit sort out some issues. The Steelers are an average football team with issues of their own. A vintage Ravens-Steelers rivalry matchup, this is not. Give me the Ravens in an ugly game between two teams trying to find their way. Tim Schwartz, editor Ravens 24, Steelers 17: As messy as things are in Baltimore, it’s even worse in Pittsburgh. I don’t think it’s going to get any better up north this weekend. The Ravens are healthy again and reinforcements are on the way, and one has to assume quarterback Lamar Jackson will turn things around as he deals with perhaps the worst stretch of his career. I think the Steelers are just what Derrick Henry’s doctor ordered, considering they allowed 249 rushing yards to the Bills last weekend. If Baltimore doesn’t give Henry and Keaton Mitchell at least a combined 25 carries on Sunday, it will come to regret it. The more the merrier. It’s time the Ravens reclaim their identity as the NFL’s most potent rushing attack. This is a good place to start. Patrice Sanders, FOX45 Morning News anchor Ravens 27, Steelers 17: This is a battle for first place in the division. Many people counted the Ravens out earlier this season, but they came back and won five straight. Now Baltimore moves past its Thanksgiving loss with an eye on the playoffs, and the only way to get there is to win the AFC North. This is a must-win game. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

The Ravens will go into Sunday’s crucial game against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers fully healthy. The only players ruled out on the final injury report of the week for Baltimore are outside linebacker Tavius Robinson (foot) and safety Ar’Darius Washington (Achilles tendon), both of whom are still working their way back from injured reserve and the physically unable to perform list, respectively. No other players have an injury designation for the game. That is meaningful news after quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has been mired in perhaps the worst slump of his career over the past month, had his foot stepped on during Wednesday’s practice and was absent the following day. He returned Friday, was a full participant and does not have an injury designation for the game. The Steelers, meanwhile, are a bit more banged up. They will be without rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (knee), starting safety Kyle Dugger (hand) and reserve offensive tackle Calvin Anderson (knee). All three players were officially ruled out Friday. The loss of Dugger, whom the Steelers acquired in a trade with the New England Patriots in late October, is a blow to a Pittsburgh secondary that is already without former Ravens safety DeShon Elliott and a defense that ranks 28th in total yards (365.1) and passing yards (247.4) per game. The Steelers will also be without rookie cornerback Donte Kent, who returned to practice earlier this week from a knee injury that landed him injured reserve but suffered a new injury. He is expected to miss the rest of the 2025 season. That means that Chuck Clark, a 2017 sixth-round draft pick who played his first six seasons with the Ravens, is expected to get extended playing time against his former team. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers (left wrist), on the other hand, was a full participant in practice for a second straight day, does not have an injury designation and will start. Former Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen (glute) also fully practiced for the second day in a row after being limited earlier in the week and does not have an injury designation. Safety Jalen Ramsey (rest) practiced for the first time this week as a limited participant. The game marks the first time since 1999 that the teams, both 6-6, have met in December when neither was over .500, but first place is on the line Sunday. Related Articles Ravens QB Lamar Jackson returns to practice, addresses slump: ‘I still be me’ Ravens vs. Steelers scouting report for Week 14: Who has the edge? Ravens TE Isaiah Likely reacts to Mark Andrews contract extension READERS RESPOND: Most fans say the Ravens will win the AFC North Ravens QB Lamar Jackson absent from practice Thursday with Steelers looming Baltimore has won five of its past six games but is coming off an embarrassing 32-14 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals at home on Thanksgiving night. Pittsburgh has dropped four of its past six, including a 26-7 pounding at the hands of the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The significance of the game is not lost on Jackson. “It’s like a playoff game, and right now, for the situation we’re in, it’s definitely a playoff game for us,” he said. “If we weren’t in this situation, it would still be [like] a playoff game just because of the rivalry.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

A day after being absent from one practice for a fourth straight week, Lamar Jackson returned to the field Friday in Owings Mills. The Ravens quarterback confirmed that he got his foot stepped on during Wednesday’s session, leading to his absence the following day, though he declined to name which player was the guilty party. He also said that Wednesday was supposed to be a rest day for him. Either way, coach John Harbaugh said that Jackson is good to go for Sunday’s critical AFC North showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. The two-time Most Valuable Player also said that he’s “feeling good” and that Friday was a “productive” day, though he acknowledged that he has not been pleased with his play of late. Over his past three games, Jackson has failed to produce a touchdown. Baltimore won two of them, but he’s also coming off the worst performance of his career. In a 32-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving night, he turned the ball over a season-high three times and completed a season-low 53.1% of his passes. It was also the fourth consecutive game that he failed to complete at least 60% of his passes, which is also the longest such stretch of his career. “I’m not ecstatic about that at all,” he said about his lack of scoring. “I’m mad but I’m happy we got the wins when we did. But this past Thursday, Thanksgiving night, I’m not happy at all. We had turnovers, missed assignments and we wasn’t us, so I’m not happy about that at all. But if I’m not scoring a touchdown and we winning, I’m not gonna be mad at a win. I be mad at the losses.” He also indicated that he isn’t panicking over his play. Asked if he has done anything different amid the slump, he said that he’s just staying the course. “I don’t change up anything,” he said. “I still be me at the end of day, do what I was supposed to do and do my job.” Still, he felt compelled to clap back last week at a Pittsburgh radio host’s comment on social media that said that the quarterback is “overrated,” responding on X with “Sayless” followed by a laughing emoji. Related Articles Ravens healthy, Steelers without key starters for AFC North showdown Ravens vs. Steelers scouting report for Week 14: Who has the edge? Ravens TE Isaiah Likely reacts to Mark Andrews contract extension READERS RESPOND: Most fans say the Ravens will win the AFC North Ravens QB Lamar Jackson absent from practice Thursday with Steelers looming “There’s always gonna be noise,” he said, adding that it fired him up. “Most of us NFL players are built off noise, little adversities, little rivalry, little tactics.” On Thursday, offensive coordinator Todd Monken said that it’s “hard to judge” how much the missed practices have impacted Jackson’s recent play, however. Jackson has also had several injuries this season, including to his hamstring, knee, toe and ankle. Tight end Mark Andrews added that he is there if Jackson needs support during what has been a trying year but added that he doesn’t need it. “He is Lamar Jackson, and he is that great of a player,” Andrews said. “So, [I have] full confidence in him, always and forever.” Jackson also understands the importance of Sunday’s game and what’s at stake. Pittsburgh and Baltimore are both 6-6 and tied atop the division. “Every game is big,” he said. “It don’t matter who we playing. “But it’s different because it’s the Steelers. It’s a rivalry game.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Happy Steelers week to all who celebrate. This one’s a doozy. The Ravens and Steelers are both 6-6, tied atop the AFC North. Winner earns a one-game leg up. Playoff implications abound. In fact, Sunday’s game holds more playoff leverage than any other NFL game so far this season. According to ESPN’s Aaron Schatz, a Ravens win would catapult them to 70% odds of making the postseason. A loss plummets their chances to 21%. The Steelers are a tick better: a win gives Pittsburgh a 75% chance to take the division, a loss drops it to 23%. Who will have the advantage Sunday? Ravens passing game vs. Steelers pass defense Is Lamar Jackson fully healthy? Has the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, coming off the most productive season of his career, regressed? Will that spoil any shot at postseason redemption for the Ravens? All fair questions, none of which we have much clarity on. Jackson and coach John Harbaugh say that he’s healthy, despite him missing one practice each of the past three weeks during a stretch without a passing touchdown. Jackson’s production is down, turnovers are way up and some of his throws are head scratchers, chalked up to an “off day” by his coach and teammates. Over the past four weeks, Jackson’s expected points added per play — a statistic measuring one’s impact on a given play — ranks 28th out of 32 quarterbacks and his clean pocket success rate is 27th. Both figures, according to ESPN data scientist Sam Hoppen, paint a bleak picture. Another telling figure, from Next Gen Stats: Jackson has 20 designed runs this season and has not forced a single missed tackle. That, after leading all quarterbacks with 104 over the first seven years of his career. Once a bastion of consistent superhuman feats, Jackson looks beatable. “Just be me,” he said. “Be Lamar,” and everything else will fall into place. Pittsburgh’s secondary isn’t a steel curtain, but the defense has forced 12 fumbles, more than any other team in the NFL. That’s a bad sign for the Ravens, who coughed it up four times last week, bringing their total to 10, second worst in the league. EDGE: Steelers Steelers passing game vs. Ravens pass defense By kickoff Sunday, it will have been 42 days since the last time the Steelers completed a downfield pass. The 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers and his backup, Mason Rudolph, have combined to throw 13 passes at least 20 yards downfield. Three of them were picked off. The other 10 fell incomplete. Rodgers hasn’t been much sharper on intermediate throws (10-19 air yards), completing one-third of his attempts over his past four starts, according to Next Gen Stats. The final score of the Ravens’ loss to the Bengals didn’t do Baltimore’s defense any favors. Yes, they let up 32 points. But in the first half, Cincinnati took five trips within 25 yards of the end zone (two of them a result of Ravens fumbles) and never punched it in. Where Rodgers can hurt Baltimore is by getting rid of the ball quick on short and intermediate throws to drive down the field. EDGE: Ravens Ravens running game vs. Steelers run defense When the Steelers drafted Derrick Harmon earlier this year, they did so with their AFC wild-card loss in mind. Derrick Henry took 26 carries for 186 yards and two touchdowns that day. Pittsburgh used their first-round pick on Harmon because, as coach Mike Tomlin put it this week, “If you run out of bigs in AFC North ball, you’re running on the beach.” Needling the point even further, the defensive tackle out of Oregon went on a podcast and said that he was most excited to meet Henry in the trenches. But a recent knee injury to the Pittsburgh run stuffer will delay their first encounter. So the Steelers won’t have Harmon to stop Henry, but they should have Patrick Queen, who missed one practice this week for a glute injury. Queen, the former Raven turned Pittsburgh defensive signal caller, has not missed a game in his six-year career. Tomlin emphasized this week that stopping the run is the team’s number one priority. Last week, in a loss to the Bills, Pittsburgh’s defense allowed 249 rushing yards, the most by a visiting team since 1975. Whether the Ravens can get Henry going could decide Sunday’s outcome. EDGE: Ravens Steelers running game vs. Ravens run defense Pittsburgh running backs have the pleasure of four 300-pound players paving a lane: guard Spencer Anderson (6 feet 5, 305 pounds), tackle Broderick Jones (6-5, 311), tackle Troy Fautanu (6-4, 317) and tight end Darnell Washington (6-7, 311). Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith once likened their ground game to Alexander the Great riding into battle on elephants, which is all well and great but the Steelers are among the least productive rushing teams in the NFL this season. They rank poorly in average rushing yards and explosive run rate. The Steelers’ eight rushing scores rank better than only seven teams. And they’ve rushed for a touchdown in less than half their games. Baltimore’s defense has only allowed one rushing touchdown in five weeks. EDGE: Ravens Ravens special teams vs. Steelers special teams By defense-adjusted value over average, the Baltimore’s special teams unit is better than Pittsburgh’s. The Steelers, according to FTN, own a middle-of-the-pack group in the NFL. The Ravens are top-10 in special teams DVOA. Their kicker, Tyler Loop, kept the Ravens within striking distance when the offense started slow, and their punter, Jordan Stout, has flipped the field enough times to warrant All-Pro attention. Outside of a muff by LaJohntay Wester, Baltimore’s special teams unit has been its most consistent phase of football this season. EDGE: Ravens Ravens intangibles vs. Steelers intangibles Related Articles Ravens TE Isaiah Likely reacts to Mark Andrews contract extension READERS RESPOND: Most fans say the Ravens will win the AFC North Ravens QB Lamar Jackson absent from practice Thursday with Steelers looming Staff picks for Week 14 of 2025 NFL season: Bears vs. Packers, Eagles vs. Chargers and more Are Harbaugh and Tomlin coaching for their jobs? Pressure is on. | COMMENTARY Harbaugh and Tomlin meet Sunday for the 39th time. That’s the second most meetings between a pair of coaches in NFL history. Both the Ravens and Steelers, consistent playoff contenders who have failed to get over the hump in a decade, are toiling through disappointing campaigns. One will back their way into the playoffs, while the other’s job comes under fire. The Baltimore Sun columnist Josh Tolentino writes, “Both coaches and franchises have built their identities around punishing trademark defenses. But those foundations have been shaken this season.” Perhaps this coaching showdown is the last between these two. As it stands, Harbaugh’s job is safer than Tomlin’s. Just ask the two guys who piloted Pittsburgh’s last Super Bowl — Ben Roethlisberger and James Harrison. EDGE: Ravens Prediction This doesn’t feel like the type of AFC North matchup in which both sides are fighting to win a spot in the playoffs. It reeks of two teams trying to avoid the humiliation of missing the postseason via abject disaster. Neither quarterback is at full health for this must-win game, which means it could be decided by defense. Expect a few turnovers; the Ravens have forced at least one in each of their past seven games, and the Steelers lead the NFL in forced fumbles. Another close ending seems all but certain in a rivalry in which 28 of 38 matchups have been decided by one score. Although the Ravens seem better equipped on paper, this one might end in a fourth straight Jackson clunker feeding a narrow loss because the Steelers do barely enough. Steelers 17, Ravens 14. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article

Imagine being in a room with a few co-workers, all of you with the same job and on expiring contracts. Some are perhaps more skilled than others, but some are younger and offer a potentially longer career. This is the world that Ravens tight ends Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar have lived in this season and it’s the kind scenario that could have frayed the dynamic between the group and potentially the locker room. Then on Wednesday, Baltimore made a somewhat surprising decision, giving Andrews, 30, a three-year, $39.3 million contract extension that includes $26 million guaranteed. The deal makes him the sixth-highest paid player at his position in the league and will keep him in Baltimore through the 2028 season. Likely’s reaction? He said that he was “gassed” and texted Andrews telling him that he loves him, is proud of him and there’s more work for them to do. “I just watched my brother get paid, so I just see joy,” he said Thursday. The deal also means that the future of Likely, 25, and Kolar, 26, both of whom are in the final year of their rookie contracts, is suddenly much more murky than it was a few months ago. It hasn’t helped that they haven’t put up the kind of numbers that some expected, particularly Likely, who also missed the first three games of the season after breaking a bone in his foot during training camp. Since returning, he has just 18 catches for 223 yards and no touchdowns across nine games. Kolar, meanwhile, has just eight catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns this season. This past offseason, Baltimore had entertained the idea of trade offers for Andrews, who is in his eighth season and has seen a dip in his production over the past couple of seasons. But the right deal never materialized. Now the two are wedded for the foreseeable future. It’s something that Andrews, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, one-time All-Pro and the franchise leader in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, is ecstatic about. “Just super grateful, just excited for this moment,” he said. “It means a lot being part of this organization and part of this community, this city. Just being drafted here eight years ago it means the world to me to be able to go out on the field to be able to fight and compete with these guys and this team. I couldn’t ask for a better situation.” The signing capped a busy week for the former third-round pick out of Oklahoma after he got engaged last week. The deal also came together in about the span of two weeks. “It felt like kind of four years ago,” he said, alluding to his 2021 contract extension. “It happened extremely fast then.” Still, it took patience, he added. On neither occasion did Andrews choose to entertain free agency and instead becomes the rare player to sign a third contract with the Ravens. “It was extremely important for me [to stay here],” he said, adding that he’d like to retire as a Raven whenever that day comes. “I’d say I was very patient in this process and not try to control things I can’t control. … But it was extremely import to me, and I expressed that to them, to be able to stay here.” He has certainly had an impact, too, beyond his numbers on the field. Related Articles READERS RESPOND: Most fans say the Ravens will win the AFC North Ravens QB Lamar Jackson absent from practice Thursday with Steelers looming Staff picks for Week 14 of 2025 NFL season: Bears vs. Packers, Eagles vs. Chargers and more Are Harbaugh and Tomlin coaching for their jobs? Pressure is on. | COMMENTARY Mike Preston: Ravens needs to run the dang ball vs. Steelers | COMMENTARY “Even as a rookie, he formed my work ethic and probably doesn’t even know it, just by observing him, lifting with him, watching how he practices,” All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton said. “As a 21-year-old rookie, you’re the man at whatever school you’re at, a first-round [pick], you see guys like that who are the man in the league, working how he works and it’s hard for that not to be contagious.” Likely echoed similar sentiments, noting that Andrews has influenced how take care of his body, understanding of defenses and not relying on athleticism as well as how to study. He also said there’s more to be done, for however much longer they’re together. “I am just living in the moment, knowing that you have everything in front of us,” Likely said. “We try to win Super Bowl this year, one game at a time, one opponent at a time and knowing that I’ll let the rest take care of itself.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

We asked readers who will win the AFC North. Baltimore and Pittsburgh share identical 6-6 records entering Sunday’s game between the two divisional rivals. Cincinnati (4-8) and Cleveland (3-9) face longer odds to win the division. Here are the results from our online poll: Ravens — 61.7% (300 votes) Bengals — 21.2% (103 votes) Steelers — 16.1% (78 votes) Browns — 1% (5 votes) Here’s what some fans said about the AFC North race (answers have been edited for clarity and grammar): Based on the remaining schedule, the Bengals should win the division, however they will probably bungle it up. As always, injuries could change everything. The Ravens are done because every game from now on could be considered a playoff game and as recent history has shown, the Ravens’ coaches will coach scared. Not utilizing your best players like Derrick Henry is insane. Seems like he is in Monken or Harbaugh’s doghouse because of the fumbles earlier in the year. Finally, it doesn’t seem like anyone knows what’s going on with Lamar. Probably injuries or contract renegotiations bothering him. — Carl Unless the Ravens’ lackadaisical offense changes, the Ravens will be fortunate to go 2-2 over the next four games. Which leaves it all on the final game of the season in Pittsburgh. And Tomlin will save his job with another win over Harbaugh. But of course whichever team makes it to the postseason, it will be one and done. The AFC North is pitiful. — Robert The truth is that IT DOESN’T MATTER who wins the division! — Herb Hopkins Even if the Ravens beat Pittsburgh on Sunday, Baltimore has matchups against the Bengals, Patriots and Packers. Can they win two of those three? Not likely. Pittsburgh faces the Dolphins, Lions and Browns. Can Steelers win two of those three? I’m afraid so. Steelers beat the Ravens Week 18 on a Boswell field goal to make the playoffs. I desperately hope I’m wrong. — Mark It will be the Ravens, if they lock in and stop playing around. — Felipe Vargas The team that truly works hard and wants it. I’m going with the Steelers. The Ravens just don’t seem to have the desire. — Bob Noll Should be the Ravens, but will be hard to beat Pittsburgh twice. Also still have the Patriots and Packers. That 1-5 start really was a doozy! — Jason Garvert Not to jinx my boys but I’m still going with the Ravens. Nothing ever came to this team easy and this is no different. They will get the job done. We already had the losses so we will win out and then win where it counts the most. The playoffs! — Patrice Jackson It all depends on how Lamar plays. — Peter Sciukas Hopefully the Ravens, but this week’s game will determine a lot and show what the Ravens are truly capable of. They’ve been a disappointment all around this season so I’m not all that optimistic. — Tara Polson Related Articles Ravens QB Lamar Jackson absent from practice Thursday with Steelers looming Staff picks for Week 14 of 2025 NFL season: Bears vs. Packers, Eagles vs. Chargers and more Are Harbaugh and Tomlin coaching for their jobs? Pressure is on. | COMMENTARY Mike Preston: Ravens needs to run the dang ball vs. Steelers | COMMENTARY It’s Ravens Week for the Steelers — and it comes at a brutal time for a bewildered run defense Definitely not ruling out Cincinnati. Only two games back and everybody still has to play everybody at least once if not twice. — Jonathan Dimes The winner of this division should be the Saskatchewan Roughriders. — Terry Difazio No one will win it. Everyone will finish last. — James Thomas Doesn’t matter who wins, because none of the teams are good enough to beat the other teams that will be in the playoffs. — Tracy Walter-Campbell The way this is going … the Bengals. — Michael Gibson 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

Another week, another absence for Lamar Jackson. A day after being limited in practice with an ankle injury, the Ravens quarterback was not at practice Thursday afternoon in Owings Mills. It marks the fourth consecutive week that Jackson has missed at least one day of work. What it means for his availability for a critical AFC North showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium remains to be seen, but his missing practice would seem to indicate that he suffered the injury during Wednesday’s session. Baltimore last played on Thanksgiving night, players had the weekend off and the first regular practice of the week was not until Wednesday. However, offensive coordinator Todd Monken said Thursday that he expects Jackson will play Sunday. “I just give him a lot of credit,” Monken said when asked about the quarterback not performing up to his usual standard this year. “He’s battling each week, trying to get healthy enough to be able to play every Sunday. That’s what I see. I see a guy that’s battling little nagging injuries, things that are stopping him from being able to get out there every day and practice.” Jackson was listed on the first injury report of the week Wednesday as a limited participant in practice with an ankle injury. It’s the second time this season that he has been listed with that affliction after missing a practice ahead of last month’s game against the New York Jets, though it’s unclear if it’s the same right ankle that he injured then. Already, he has missed three games this season because of a hamstring injury. He has also been listed with knee and toe injuries. What impact the cluster of injuries is having on his play is difficult to say and something that the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player has mostly dismissed, but he is having perhaps the worst season in his eight years in the league. In nine games, Jackson has averaged 204.6 yards passing per game, his lowest mark since 2022, when a knee injury kept him from the final five games of the regular season and the Ravens’ wild-card game against the Cincinnati Bengals. His QBR, a stat devised by ESPN that measures nearly every aspect of quarterback play, of 57.9 is also the lowest since his rookie season. Jackson, who holds the NFL record for most career rushing yards by a quarterback, also hasn’t been nearly as dynamic or explosive with his legs. His yards per carry (5.1) is the lowest it has been since his first year, and his rushing yards per game (29.3) are easily the fewest of any season of his career. Consequently, the Ravens’ offense has also struggled mightily most of the season. Coming into this week, Baltimore ranks 20th in yards per game (318.1) and 30th in red zone scoring (46.51%) after leading the league in both last season with a roster that is largely intact from a year ago. Accuracy issues have also plagued Jackson lately, with his completion rate under 60% in four straight games, the longest such stretch of his career. In last Thursday’s loss to the Bengals, he had two fumbles and an interception as well. “We have to hold onto the ball,” Jackson said after the game. “I’m not even talking about — I’m talking about myself. [I have to] hold onto the ball [and] make throws. I feel like I missed throws. That was — I don’t miss those. It has to be consistent.” Asked if injuries have affected his mechanics or play, he said no to both questions. “I just have to be more consistent,” he said. “I have to make those throws. I don’t miss them in practice, so I shouldn’t be missing them in the game.” If Jackson can’t play Sunday, or is limited in what he is able to do, it would be a blow for what is a crucial game against the Steelers. Both teams enter the contest 6-6 and with first place in the division on the line. They’ll meet again in Week 18 in Pittsburgh, but the winner Sunday will have the inside track to the AFC North title and a playoff spot with only four games remaining in the regular season after that. As for other injuries, Ravens defensive tackle Travis Jones (personal) was the only other player who didn’t practice. Wide receivers Rashod Bateman (ankle) and Devontez Walker (groin) were limited after being full participants Wednesday. Cornerback Nate Wiggins (foot), safety Ar’Darius Washington (Achilles) and outside linebacker Tavius Robinson (foot) were all limited. For the Steelers, quarterback Aaron Rodgers (left wrist) and linebacker T.J. Watt (toe) returned to practice and were full participants after being absent Wednesday, while wide receiver D.K. Metcalf (rest) and cornerback James Pierre (concussion) were also full participants after being limited a day earlier. Meanwhile, offensive lineman Calvin Anderson (knee), safety Kyle Dugger (hand), defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (knee), cornerback Donte Kent (ankle/knee) and safety Jalen Ramsey (rest) all did not practice. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (elbow), linebacker and former Raven Patrick Queen (glute) and wide receiver Ben Skowronek (shoulder) were all limited. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Baltimore Sun staff writers and FOX45’s Patrice Sanders pick every game of the NFL season. Here’s who they have winning in Week 14: Dallas Cowboys vs. Detroit Lions (Thursday, 8:15 p.m.) Brian Wacker (9-7 last week, 132-60-1 overall): Cowboys Sam Cohn (9-7 last week, 130-62-1 overall): Lions Mike Preston (9-7 last week, 128-64-1 overall): Lions Josh Tolentino (10-6 last week, 132-60-1 overall): Lions C.J. Doon (10-6 last week, 123-69-1 overall): Cowboys Bennett Conlin (11-5 last week, 129-63-1 overall): Lions Tim Schwartz (10-6 last week, 118-74-1 overall): Cowboys Patrice Sanders (9-7 last week, 122-70-1 overall): Cowboys Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Seahawks Cohn: Falcons Preston: Seahawks Tolentino: Seahawks Doon: Seahawks Conlin: Seahawks Schwartz: Seahawks Sanders: Seahawks Tennessee Titans vs. Cleveland Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Browns Cohn: Titans Preston: Browns Tolentino: Browns Doon: Browns Conlin: Browns Schwartz: Browns Sanders: Browns Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Jaguars Cohn: Colts Preston: Colts Tolentino: Colts Doon: Jaguars Conlin: Jaguars Schwartz: Jaguars Sanders: Jaguars Washington Commanders vs. Minnesota Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Commanders Cohn: Commanders Preston: Commanders Tolentino: Commanders Doon: Commanders Conlin: Vikings Schwartz: Commanders Sanders: Commanders Related Articles Are Harbaugh and Tomlin coaching for their jobs? Pressure is on. | COMMENTARY Mike Preston: Ravens needs to run the dang ball vs. Steelers | COMMENTARY It’s Ravens Week for the Steelers — and it comes at a brutal time for a bewildered run defense Ravens TE Mark Andrews has only one thing left to prove | COMMENTARY Ravens, TE Mark Andrews agree to 3-year, $39.3 million contract extension Miami Dolphins vs. New York Jets (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Dolphins Cohn: Dolphins Preston: Dolphins Tolentino: Dolphins Doon: Jets Conlin: Dolphins Schwartz: Dolphins Sanders: Dolphins New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Buccaneers Cohn: Buccaneers Preston: Buccaneers Tolentino: Buccaneers Doon: Buccaneers Conlin: Buccaneers Schwartz: Buccaneers Sanders: Buccaneers Cincinnati Bengals vs. Buffalo Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Bills Cohn: Bills Preston: Bengals Tolentino: Bills Doon: Bengals Conlin: Bills Schwartz: Bills Sanders: Bills Denver Broncos vs. Las Vegas Raiders (Sunday, 4:05 p.m.) Wacker: Broncos Cohn: Broncos Preston: Broncos Tolentino: Broncos Doon: Broncos Conlin: Broncos Schwartz: Broncos Sanders: Broncos Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: Packers Cohn: Bears Preston: Packers Tolentino: Bears Doon: Packers Conlin: Packers Schwartz: Bears Sanders: Packers Los Angeles Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: Rams Cohn: Rams Preston: Rams Tolentino: Rams Doon: Rams Conlin: Rams Schwartz: Rams Sanders: Rams Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans (Sunday, 8:20 p.m.) Wacker: Chiefs Cohn: Texans Preston: Chiefs Tolentino: Chiefs Doon: Chiefs Conlin: Chiefs Schwartz: Chiefs Sanders: Chiefs Philadelphia Eagles vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Monday, 8:15 p.m.) Wacker: Eagles Cohn: Eagles Preston: Eagles Tolentino: Chargers Doon: Eagles Conlin: Eagles Schwartz: Eagles Sanders: Eagles View the full article

As the Ravens and Steelers square off Sunday for yet another bruising December chapter in their storied rivalry, a discomforting question floats above both sidelines: Are John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin coaching for their jobs over the final five games? Harbaugh and Tomlin will meet for the 39th time Sunday, marking the second-most meetings between a pair of coaches in NFL history. Harbaugh is 17-21 against Tomlin. Could this be one of their final showdowns? With both teams suffering from disappointing campaigns, riddled by injuries and underwhelming performances, this particular meeting arrives carrying an unfamiliar weight. Tomlin took over in Pittsburgh in 2007. Harbaugh arrived in Baltimore a year later in 2008. Since then, they’ve met twice every regular season and an additional four times in the postseason. Only George Halas and Curly Lambeau, a pair of coaching legends who competed against each other 49 times between 1921 and 1953, have met more than Harbaugh and Tomlin. Their resumes are nearly parallel. Harbaugh’s career record sits at 178-110, while Tomlin is 189-113-2. Both coaches have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy once each as head coaches; Tomlin in Super Bowl XLIII in February 2009, and Harbaugh in Super Bowl XLVII in February 2013. Yet here they are, entering Week 14 as equals in a much more surprising way. Baltimore and Pittsburgh sit with identical 6-6 records, both in a wide-open AFC North, and both facing a deeply uncertain future. Remarkably, the AFC North is the only division in the league without a winning team. “We’re all focused now on the Steelers coming up,” Harbaugh said this week. “I think when you step back and look at it, after the first third of the season, our goal was to fight our way, play our way back into contention and position to compete for the AFC North [title], and we’ve done that. “So, here we are in the last third of the season with that objective and that challenge in front of us — to go win the AFC North, which starts on Sunday. That’s where we’re at, and that’s what our focus will be.” Related Articles Staff picks for Week 14 of 2025 NFL season: Bears vs. Packers, Eagles vs. Chargers and more Mike Preston: Ravens needs to run the dang ball vs. Steelers | COMMENTARY It’s Ravens Week for the Steelers — and it comes at a brutal time for a bewildered run defense Ravens TE Mark Andrews has only one thing left to prove | COMMENTARY Ravens, TE Mark Andrews agree to 3-year, $39.3 million contract extension Of the 38 games between Harbaugh and Tomlin, 28 have been decided by one score, including 19 by three or fewer points. The Ravens are 5 1/2-point favorites at home Sunday, but the betting spread feels almost irrelevant ahead of this particular matchup. Baltimore began the season 1-5, stumbling through a tough early schedule with blown leads and red zone futility. The Ravens have since recovered, winning five of six games since their Week 7 bye, although they’re coming off a lousy Thanksgiving night loss to Cincinnati, in which they committed a season-high five turnovers. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is reeling, having lost five of its past seven. Both coaches and franchises have built their identities around punishing trademark defenses. But those foundations have been shaken this season. Baltimore ranks 26th in the NFL in total defense (350.4 yards allowed per game), while Pittsburgh ranks 28th (365.1). Things aren’t much better offensively, either. Pittsburgh ranks 27th in total offense, including 28th in run offense and 24th in pass offense. Since Ben Roethlisberger retired in 2021, the Steelers have struggled to find consistent success at quarterback, rolling out starters Mason Rudolph, Mitchell Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson and now Aaron Rodgers. Speaking of Roethlisberger, the two-time Super Bowl champion recently offered his own criticism of his former coach on his “Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger” podcast: “Maybe it’s a clean-house time. Maybe it’s time. I like Coach Tomlin. I have a lot of respect for Coach Tomlin, but maybe it’s best for him, too. Maybe a fresh start for him is what’s best.” Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson escapes Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt during Baltimore's wild-card round victory last season at M&Bank Stadium. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Entering the season, the Ravens were widely considered Super Bowl favorites, armed with one of the league’s best rosters. Oh, what a time. Over the first three months of the season, Baltimore ranks 30th in red-zone scoring, 20th in third-down efficiency, 20th in total offense and an abysmal 28th in pass offense. Two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson hasn’t looked like himself in recent weeks, dealing with several lower-body injuries. The Ravens have fallen short of their Super Bowl goal in three consecutive seasons with forgettable postseason exits, while the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since January 2017. How much longer can yesterday’s glory keep tomorrow’s decisions at bay? The pressure is on. With exactly one month remaining in the regular season, here are the remaining schedules for both teams: • Steelers: at Baltimore, vs. Miami (5-7), at Detroit (7-5), at Cleveland (3-9), vs. Baltimore. • Ravens: vs. Pittsburgh, at Cincinnati (4-8), vs. New England (11-2), vs. Green Bay (8-3-1), at Pittsburgh. By January, we’ll know which direction each franchise is truly headed. Ten wins is widely viewed as the amount needed for an automatic playoff berth, but maybe nine gets it done in this version of the AFC North? The analytical gurus and playoff predictors favor Harbaugh and the Ravens to come out on top. Sunday’s expected slugfest at M&T Bank Stadium is bound to play a critical role in the final result for both parties. Harbaugh and Tomlin represent the NFL’s two longest-tenured coaches. Tomlin is in his 19th season, while Harbaugh is in his 18th. Tomlin has never posted a losing season, while Harbaugh’s last losing campaign occurred in 2021, when Baltimore finished fourth in the AFC North with an 8-9 record. That type of rare coaching stability is earned, cultivated and respected over nearly two decades of consistent regular-season success. But inevitably, even the longest, most successful eras face moments of reckoning. Perhaps this is an overreaction. Some might consider it premature. But with five games remaining and both teams sitting in unfamiliar territory amid a disappointing division, the coach who fails to cling to first place over the ever-important final stretch will inevitably be placed on the hot seat. Will it be Harbaugh or Tomlin? Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. View the full article

The Ravens’ offensive game plan for the Pittsburgh Steelers should be simple: Run the ball. And if that doesn’t work, run it some more. With five games remaining in the 2025 regular season, the Ravens need to gather style points and cater to their strengths, which is running the football. They have a plethora of running backs, led by Derrick Henry and backups Keaton Mitchell and Rasheen Ali. In addition, Pittsburgh comes to Baltimore on Sunday with the league’s No. 28 ranked defense, allowing an average of 117.7 rushing yards and nearly 250 passing yards per game. Duh? Buffalo beat down Pittsburgh, 26-7, last Sunday as the Bills pounded the Steelers for 249 rushing yards on 51 carries. Running back James Cook had 144 yards on 32 attempts and Ray Davis finished with 62 yards on nine carries. Pittsburgh led at the half, 7-3, but surrendered 23 second-half points as the Steelers were pounded into submission. Buffalo was without its two starting offensive tackles, and quarterback Josh Allen was limited to short passes, completing only 15 of 23 attempts for 123 yards. That’s why the Ravens need to run. If Pittsburgh crowds the box or line of scrimmage with six or seven players, so be it. If the Steelers stifle the Ravens on a couple of running plays, great for them. But the Ravens need to borrow a copy from the Buffalo playbook and control the game as well as time of possession. Buffalo had the ball for nearly 42 minutes Sunday. The Ravens need to get back to their strength, their identity. For the past two seasons, they led the NFL in rushing and finished second in 2022. But in the past two years, especially in the postseason, they have gotten away from the running game because of coordinator Todd Monken, who needs more nudging from coach John Harbaugh to stay the course. The Ravens have gone out of their way to draft these big offensive linemen but always back away from their strength. Right guard Daniel Faalele is 6 feet 8 and weighs 370 pounds. Left guard Andrew Vorhees is 6-6 and weighs 320. They aren’t great run blockers, but they really can’t pass block. The Ravens have allowed 34 sacks this season. So, play to your strength. It’s like driving an 18-wheeler: it’s easier to go forward than trying to back up. The lack of depth on both the interior lines, especially on offense, is troubling. The Ravens haven’t had a No. 1 selection since taking center Tyler Linderbaum out of Iowa in the 2022 draft. Before that, it was left tackle Ronnie Stanley from Notre Dame in 2016. It’s understandable because of the five-year, $260 million contract quarterback Lamar Jackson signed in May of 2023. A lot of teams go cheap on the offensive line with quarterbacks drawing the big bucks, but games in the NFL are won because of the physicality up front. General manager Eric DeCosta did well to keep this offensive line together in the offseason with the exception of right guard Patrick Mekari, who went to Jacksonville. But the Ravens shouldn’t have signed Stanley to a three-year contract in March worth $60 million, not with his injuries and age (31). Second-year right tackle Roger Rosengarten has trouble planting his anchor leg and is off balance a lot of times. The 305-pound Linderbaum has had problems when teams slam nose guards into him from angles and both Faalele and Vorhees get over-extended at times, like they are top heavy. But of major concern for this group is that they haven’t been able to sustain blocks. They get discharged shortly after initial contact, which didn’t happen a year ago. Against Pittsburgh in the AFC wild-card matchup won by Baltimore, 28-14, Henry rushed for 186 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. The Ravens rushed for 299 yards in that game, as Jackson finished with 81 yards on 15 carries. Jackson is part of the missing element, too. Someone over at The Castle needs to explain to him that he won two NFL Most Valuable Player Awards in his first eight years because he was the best dual threat QB in the history of the league. All of this, “win the game from the pocket” nonsense has to stop. The old Jackson has to emerge, not the latest model. All this pretty boy stuff, “four wides or trips to the left,” needs to be curtailed, at least for the week. Related Articles Staff picks for Week 14 of 2025 NFL season: Bears vs. Packers, Eagles vs. Chargers and more Are Harbaugh and Tomlin coaching for their jobs? Pressure is on. | COMMENTARY It’s Ravens Week for the Steelers — and it comes at a brutal time for a bewildered run defense Ravens TE Mark Andrews has only one thing left to prove | COMMENTARY Ravens, TE Mark Andrews agree to 3-year, $39.3 million contract extension The suspicion here is that the Ravens miss former offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris, who died in August 2024. He had a major impact on shaping this offensive line and the Ravens played extremely hard for him. There are some other little signs. Henry is in his 10th season, and has slowed down. He is still a great runner, but there is some mileage on those tires. The Ravens substituted Vorhees with rookie Emery Jones Jr. last week in the game against Cincinnati, but according to Harbaugh, he played like a rookie. He needs improvement. In college, he was LSU’s right tackle, but the Ravens had him on the left side against the Bengals. That’s a tough transition from tackle to guard, and even harder when that player switches sides. The Ravens don’t have a lot of options for substitutions on the offensive line. Fifth-year guard Ben Cleveland, a fan favorite, has been a healthy scratch for the past three weeks, which shows what the Ravens think of him. But at least Sunday, the Ravens get Pittsburgh. They have some age on their defensive line, and they couldn’t stop the Bills. They can’t stop the Ravens, either. The Ravens need to play to their strength while trying to gain some momentum and style points. It’s the way this team was built. Run Ravens, run. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

By Brian Batko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Dec. 3—Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson didn’t have much fun reviewing his team’s 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills. “The film kind of made it worse,” he said Wednesday after practice. “You realize that they just did the same thing over and over again and were very successful. The caliber of players we have, the caliber of schematics we have, that shouldn’t happen. “Obviously, it was good to watch the film, but it pissed us all off.” If Wilson and his teammates want to change their mood as they prepare for the Ravens this weekend in a huge AFC North clash, pivoting to the tape from their last matchup won’t lift their spirits at all. Despite the caliber of talent and all those schematics, the 249 rushing yards they allowed to Buffalo actually pales in comparison to the 299 they gave up in last season’s playoff rout in Baltimore. That 28-14 drubbing was the last shovel of dirt on the five-game skid that buried the Steelers following their hot start. Just a few weeks prior, the Ravens ran for 220 in the same stadium. “Yeah, it sucked,” Wilson said. “Last year was obviously my rookie year. We started 10-3, so I was like, ‘Wow, the NFL is pretty fun.’ … We’re trying to not let that happen again.” The Ravens are trying to avoid deja vu themselves. They let the Cincinnati Bengals walk into their building on Thanksgiving and deal them their first defeat since Oct. 12. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry remain, which makes any defensive plan difficult to formulate. For his part, Wilson played just 36% of the snaps in that wild-card game. One of the moves the Steelers made in an effort to upgrade their linebacker corps was signing Malik Harrison, who spent the past five seasons in Baltimore, where he was a third-round pick. “That’s something I take pride in,” Harrison said. “That’s why I’m here. … That’s basically what my career has been — just being that thumper, physical player.” None other than Vince Williams, arguably the team’s most physical inside linebacker in recent memory, took to social media during the Bills game to give his two cents. It may have gone unnoticed as other Steelers alumni are giving their 98 cents, but old No. 98 had a concise point on what’s ailing the defense. Williams, seemingly referring to his beloved position, remarked that the young players are “very talented but not downhill.” And in his roundabout way, he questioned the loss of Elandon Roberts over offseason. “Would have been nice to have a [Robert Spillane] in the middle tonight,” Williams posted on X. “Even an ERob.” To be fair, Roberts played the lion’s share of the snaps over Wilson in that postseason pummeling, so it happened on his watch, too. And thus it comes back to coaching yet again with this team and this defense, no matter what Wilson or Harrison or any other players put forth. It’s an interesting twist on the latest chapter of Steelers-Ravens, Mike Tomlin versus John Harbaugh. Both coaches need their team to respond to adversity — to put it lightly — and the fate of their seasons may well depend on it. “Of course,” Wilson said. “It’s kind of funny, because around here, obviously the energy’s not low but we’ve lost some games we definitely shouldn’t have lost. But we still control our own destiny. We still have a chance to have home playoff games, win this division, and that’s what’s on our mind. This Sunday is one of the biggest tests for that.” They better bring much different answers to the table this time around. © 2025 the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Visit www.post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. View the full article

In a contract year meant to create competition at tight end, Mark Andrews has reminded everyone that he’s still the standard, an “all-time Raven,” as described by general manager Eric DeCosta. Late Wednesday evening, the two parties inked a three-year contract extension worth $39.3 million that will pay Andrews $26 million in guaranteed salary. This somewhat surprising in-season extension was a merit-based decision rooted in reliability and Andrews’ decorated resume. Andrews, 30, already is the franchise’s all-time leader in receptions (473), receiving yards (5,862) and receiving touchdowns (56), the holder of Baltimore’s triple crown. He also leads the Ravens this season with five receiving touchdowns across 37 catches and 332 yards, even amidst an offense that has sputtered in stretches and endured several weeks without a fully healthy Lamar Jackson. Andrews’ average of 27.7 yards per game leaves much to be desired, but that might be more reflective of Baltimore’s inconsistent offense and 28th-ranked passing attack. When the Ravens need a steadying presence, Jackson often still looks to No. 89. If Jackson were ever to appear on “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,” there’s a high chance that Andrews might be on his “Phone A Friend” contact list. Andrews’ extension arrived in a season in which Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar were supposed to make their own cases as they entered the final year of their rookie deals. It wasn’t long ago that Likely, another close friend of Jackson’s, was considered the franchise’s next great tight end. But after he suffered a foot injury during training camp, Likely has struggled to find his stride. He entered last Thursday’s game with just 128 receiving yards. And while Likely racked up 95 yards in the Week 13 contest to raise his season total to 223, he critically fumbled away a sure-touchdown at the goal line that dramatically swung momentum toward Cincinnati. Meanwhile, Kolar has held his own, particularly as a blocker, and has made timely catches when called upon. He’s posted eight catches for 105 yards with a career-high two touchdowns. But neither tight end commands Jackson’s faith the way Andrews does. The quarterback-tight end pairing works like butter on toast. Just a smooth, reliable connection. Related Articles Ravens, TE Mark Andrews agree to 3-year, $39.3 million contract extension Ravens’ Lamar Jackson deals with injury as ‘must-win’ Steelers game looms Ar’Darius Washington is back. Can he be the Ravens’ spark plug again? Ravens’ Tyler Loop stars in replacing Justin Tucker: ‘This kid’s got it’ Ravens’ John Harbaugh explains Derrick Henry’s usage in loss to Bengals Andrews’ age might cause concern for some fans and pundits. There’s validity to that argument. Success at the position, particularly as a pass catcher, is predicated around speed and physicality. Some might argue dedicating the money spent on Andrews toward Likely, 25, or Kolar, 26, would’ve been the more logical choice given the differences in mileage. But Andrews provides legitimate consistency and production, and Baltimore is banking that his body holds up over the next few seasons. Just a month ago, Andrews was quietly floated in league circles as a possible trade candidate — not because the Ravens necessarily wanted to move him, but because teams wondered if they could acquire a functional offensive playmaker if the Ravens might pivot toward youth at the position. “[I am] just focused on living in the now and being in the present,” Andrews said the day after the trade deadline on Nov. 5. “I know how much love and support this organization has for me, the people within the organization and what I bring to this team. “I take a lot of care of my body. That’s something throughout the years that I’ve grown to adapt to. I always say I feel better than I ever have, but truly, the way I take care of my body, the things I eat — I’ve really never felt better. I’m running faster than I ever have. I’m moving better, and I feel great.” Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson celebrates Mark Andrews’ touchdown catch against the Lions. Andrews has long been one of Jackson's favorite targets, but his postseason success is lacking. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) It’s been an eventful week for Andrews. On Friday night, he posted that he became engaged to his girlfriend, Elena Yates. By Wednesday afternoon, he exited the practice field in a noticeably bright mood, presumably knowing that he had $26 million in guaranteed salary on the way. In addition to his pass-catching abilities, Andrews also has become a central figure in the Ravens’ version of the “tush push,” in which the veteran tight end slides under center to take the snap. Baltimore has created variances of the play, too, highlighted by Andrews’ go-ahead 35-yard rushing touchdown on a fake “tush push” play in the team’s Nov. 16 road win over Cleveland. For all his production and leadership, though, Andrews has never scored a postseason touchdown. Andrews also infamously dropped a pass from Jackson on a game-tying 2-point try in Baltimore’s season-ending 27-25 loss to the Bills last January. Fair or unfair, those playoff moments — or failures — define careers. Entering the team’s Week 14 matchup against the Steelers, the Ravens have a 64% chance to make the playoffs, according to The New York Times’ playoff simulator. If Baltimore is indeed crowned AFC North champs for the third consecutive year by season’s end, then Andrews must deliver in the playoff moments that follow. Maybe that is the final evolution of Andrews’ storied career. He’s already the franchise’s leading receiver across several categories and he’s already Jackson’s most trusted target. Among the three in-house candidates, all in contract years, the Ravens paid the proven tight end. Now Andrews needs to make sure his next unforgettable moment doesn’t come from a critical drop, but from playoff touchdowns and victories that help rewrite his postseason story and show a passionate fan base why he deserved this extension. Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. View the full article

Ravens tight end Mark Andrews will be staying in Baltimore a little longer. On Wednesday, he agreed to a three-year contract extension that will keep him with the Ravens through 2028, the team announced. He was slated to be a free agent after this season. The deal is worth $39.3 million with $26 million guaranteed, according to a source with direct knowledge of the contract. That makes Andrews the sixth-highest paid tight end in terms of average annual value behind the Cleveland Browns’ David Njoku and is his third contract with the team. “Mark is an all-time Raven—a top competitor and Pro Bowl tight end who is also a big part of our Baltimore community,” general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. It was also a somewhat surprising move. Fourth-year tight ends Isaiah Likely, 25, and Charlie Kolar, 26, are both in the final year of their rookie contracts and are scheduled to be free agents in the offseason. Andrews, 30, is in his eighth season and has seen his production dip in recent years. Last season, Andrews led the team in receiving touchdowns (11) but averaged just 39.6 receiving yards per game, his lowest mark since his rookie year in 2018. This season, he is averaging 27.7 yards per contest, though he does lead the team in receiving touchdowns (5) and is second in receptions (37) and yards (332). He was considered a potential trade candidate this past offseason as well. But Andrews, who is the franchise leader in catches (473), yards (5,862) and receiving touchdowns (56), has also long been a dependable and favorite target for quarterback Lamar Jackson, with both players entering the league the same year. A third-round pick out of Oklahoma in 2018, Andrews quickly emerged as a go-to in Baltimore’s offense and developed into one of the NFL’s best receiving tight ends. A three-time Pro Bowl selection who was also first-team All-Pro in 2021, he is 28th among tight ends in career catches, 24th in receiving yards and 12th in receiving touchdowns. He set the franchise record for receiving yards earlier this season in a Week 11 win over the Cleveland Browns and in Thursday night’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals broke the mark for career receptions, too. “I’m extremely thankful,” he said of the record after the victory over the Browns. “It’s extremely humbling just to think about all the players, the coaches and this incredible organization that I’ve been able to play for. Without them, none of that’s possible. It’s been a lot of hard work.” His career hasn’t been without its tribulations, though. Most notable among them was a fumble and dropped 2-point conversion pass with 1:33 remaining in a divisional round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills last season. The Bills went on to win, 27-25, to advance to the AFC championship. Related Articles Ravens TE Mark Andrews has only one thing left to prove | COMMENTARY Ravens’ Lamar Jackson deals with injury as ‘must-win’ Steelers game looms Ar’Darius Washington is back. Can he be the Ravens’ spark plug again? Ravens’ Tyler Loop stars in replacing Justin Tucker: ‘This kid’s got it’ Ravens’ John Harbaugh explains Derrick Henry’s usage in loss to Bengals Still, the Ravens felt compelled to bring him back rather than trade him or let him become a free agent and in doing so the move could spell the end for the younger Likely or Kolar. Baltimore has around two dozen players due to be free agents, is tight on salary cap space and would like to sign Jackson to a contract extension sooner than later with a $74.5 million cap hit looming beginning in 2026. Likely also hasn’t helped himself this season. After suffering a broken foot during training camp, he missed the first three games of the season. Since returning he has just 18 catches for 223 yards and no touchdowns across nine games. Likely also had the ball knocked out of his hands as he was about to cross the goal line Thursday night against the Bengals. It went out of the back of the end zone, resulting in a touchback for Cincinnati. Kolar, meanwhile, has just eight catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns this season. As for Andrews, the contract marks his third with the organization, a rarity, after he signed a four-year, $56 million extension in September 2021, the same year his rookie deal was due to expire. That made him the third-highest-paid tight end in the NFL at the time. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Lamar Jackson was back at Ravens practice Wednesday in Owings Mills. He was also a limited participant and on the team’s injury report again. It was a familiar affliction: his ankle. That after hamstring, knee and toe injuries over the course of what has been an incongruent season for the quarterback and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player. Because of his latest trauma, he was not available to reporters afterward because he was getting treatment following the two-hour session after having missed a day of practice each of the past three weeks because of injuries. It’s unclear how his ankle held up during Wednesday’s practice. Jackson’s latest injury, though, comes in the wake of an ugly 32-14 Thanksgiving night debacle at home against the Cincinnati Bengals and after a mini-bye with the weekend off. “It’s always good to get a couple days rest probably for everybody,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said of Jackson’s latest affliction. “So that’s a positive in that sense. It wasn’t very enjoyable for us. It would’ve been better if we would’ve won the game. “[But] it’s good to have him out there doing what he did today. It’s a plus.” Jackson’s performance of late — along with the rest of the offense — has of course been anything but. If Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills — when the Ravens scored 40 points and rolled up 432 yards — was the apogee for what was expected to be a dynamic and explosive offense, then last Thursday against Cincinnati was the nadir. Facing the NFL’s worst defense, Baltimore turned the ball over five times (three of them courtesy of Jackson), went 3-for-10 on third down, was nearly doubled up in time of possession and managed just seven points over its final 12 possessions of the cringeworthy loss. Now comes a showdown against the most bitter of rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, on Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium. Once the fiercest and perhaps best battle in the sport, its reputation has been diminished in large part because of both teams being just 6-6. First place in the AFC North is on the line — someone has to win it after all — but perhaps the most telling tidbit of how far it has fallen is that it marks the first time since 1999 that the two foes will play a game in December when neither is above .500. The Ravens will have a chance to change that and Pittsburgh, at least on paper, would seem to be a welcome tonic. On Sunday, the Steelers were gashed at home by the Buffalo Bills, who ran for 249 yards in a 26-7 victory. It was also their fifth loss in seven games and left quarterback Aaron Rodgers bloodied and battered. But much of Baltimore’s success will hinge on its quarterback, though he’s far from alone in that endeavor. “We just gotta execute our plays,” wide receiver Rashod Bateman said. “We gotta do whatever we gotta do to be successful. There’s a lot of errors that we gotta clean up.” Bateman added that the offense has also felt out of sync on the field at times. “I feel like we have been all year,” he said. “We had our good days, we had our bad days, but we know what we can do and we all know what we’re capable of so to go out there and not do what we can do doesn’t feel good.” While Jackson has rightly gotten the lion’s share of credit when the Ravens have won, he also just as accurately gets much of the blame when they don’t. That’s how it goes for any quarterback and especially Baltimore’s. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson receives a snap during practice. Baltimore is preparing for a critical AFC North clash with Pittsburgh. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) In the Bengals loss, Jackson completed just 17 of 32 pass attempts for 246 yards, was intercepted once, fumbled twice inside his own 20-yard line and was sacked three times. It was a microcosm of all of his performances of late. He hasn’t produced a touchdown in any of the past three games and has completed just 56% of his passes over the past four while also not hitting the 60% mark in any of them for the longest such streak of his career. On the ground, he is averaging just 5.8 rushing attempts and 29.3 rushing yards per game, both easily the lowest marks of his career, and hasn’t had a run for more than 20 yards all year. On Monday, Harbaugh also lamented the Ravens’ lack of a rushing attack, which included just 10 carries in the Bengals game for Derrick Henry, who was mystifyingly out-snapped by second-year fifth-round back Rasheen Ali. But Harbaugh stewed over the inefficiency of which the entire operation was carried out, whether it was not getting in the right play as much as he would have liked to see or the correct adjustments being made amid what the defense was throwing at them. But that was then. Harbaugh said on Wednesday that they can’t live in the past and that, “It’s business right now. Just trying to focus on the job at hand.” It’s a point that isn’t lost on Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who in his ninth season understands the Steelers as well as anyone in the locker room. He has also endured the rare turbulent season in Baltimore. Asked if the looming matchup feels any different, he said no but acknowledged that “when I look at it, it is a little different. I guess the AFC North is the mid conference, and that’s not normal.” That also prompted linebacker Roquan Smith to pose a question to teammates. “It would be crazy for me to say if you don’t look forward at all, but honestly, it’s more so about the moment that we have right now,” Smith said. “That was a question I posed to the guys [like], ‘What are you willing to do for the game?’ And I think that’s what it just boils down to. I think this is a perfect week for that.” Related Articles Ravens TE Mark Andrews has only one thing left to prove | COMMENTARY Ravens, TE Mark Andrews agree to 3-year, $39.3 million contract extension Ar’Darius Washington is back. Can he be the Ravens’ spark plug again? Ravens’ Tyler Loop stars in replacing Justin Tucker: ‘This kid’s got it’ Ravens’ John Harbaugh explains Derrick Henry’s usage in loss to Bengals In Humphrey’s mind a simple thought came to the fore. “The thing that clicked in my head that I started thinking about is talk is cheap, man,” Humphrey said, adding that he doesn’t feel they have played great, are right above good and that not all three units between offense, defense and special teams have played great in the same game. “How you play will speak way louder than your words,” Humphrey said. “If you can’t get up for this one I think that shows something about your character, I think that shows something about your will and honestly I think that shows that you’re either a Raven or you’re not a Raven. “How we come out of this game, how we prepare this week echoes not only for this game but for the rest of the season because we’re basically in playoff football right now. They say there is no must-win game; this is definitely a must-win game.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

How’s Ar’Darius Washington feeling? On Tuesday, he posted a photo to Instagram of a lion, eyes shut, nose to the sky, stretching its neck as if sniffing the fresh air for the first time in months. Washington typed above the jungle cat, “they done woke up the lion.” It’s apt imagery for the Ravens safety who has not played yet this season because of an Achilles tendon tear in May that required surgery. The undrafted Washington blossomed into the defensive darling of the 2024 Ravens. He even earned a spot in Ravens-Steelers lore with a forced fumble at the goal line last December. Ravens coach John Harbaugh said that Washington has a chance to suit up Sunday afternoon in what players deemed a “must-win” game against the Steelers. “I wouldn’t say it’s a probability,” Harbaugh said, “but I would say it’s a possibility.” Either way, it’s an impressive rehab timeline for a player thought to be on the shelf for the season. Washington once told his coach that he’d be back on the field by November, so if he plays this weekend, he’ll have been pretty darn close to that target date. Washington’s first practice of the year, which he was listed as limited for, coincided with perfect attendance Wednesday. That includes Lamar Jackson, who participated in the first practice of the week for the first time in a month, though he was limited. Nate Wiggins practiced, too. Baltimore’s top cornerback missed the entire second half against Cincinnati with a foot injury, was spotted in a TikTok wearing a boot revealing his pain level was a seven out of 10, and moved smoothly through positional drills by midweek. One other notable returnee was outside linebacker Tavius Robinson. The third-year pass rusher broke his foot in Week 6 during a loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Robinson was a limited practice participant Wednesday but won’t be available against the Steelers, though his return is imminent. Wide receivers Rashod Bateman (ankle) and Devontez Walker (groin) were each named on the team’s injury report, but both were full go. For Washington, having the chance to make an impact eyeing down a crucial stretch of their season is a credit to what teammates say was a steady approach to rehabilitation. Rookie Malaki Starks, the depth safety Baltimore originally drafted to play behind Washington, saw the same smile every day from a guy secure in his position and confident in his direction. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey called it a “testament to hard work. He got back really quick.” Washington’s absence forced the Ravens to further fill out their defensive backfield. They drafted Starks in the first round before Washington’s injury, but quickly thrust the rookie into a starter’s workload. Before Starks turned a corner to the success he’s had of late, the Ravens traded for Chargers safety Alohi Gilman. Related Articles Ravens TE Mark Andrews has only one thing left to prove | COMMENTARY Ravens, TE Mark Andrews agree to 3-year, $39.3 million contract extension Ravens’ Lamar Jackson deals with injury as ‘must-win’ Steelers game looms Ravens’ Tyler Loop stars in replacing Justin Tucker: ‘This kid’s got it’ Ravens’ John Harbaugh explains Derrick Henry’s usage in loss to Bengals “I told AD when I first got here that I respected his game,” Gilman said. “I used to watch a lot of Ravens tape when I was with the Chargers. Saw [Washington] out there rolling around, flying. Not the biggest dude but willing to go down there and put his face in the fan.” In turn, Washington told Gilman about his own NFL journey. The 5-foot-8 safety battled injuries early in his career and toiled around near the end of the bench before stabilizing last year’s secondary. “He’s a true definition of a vet,” Starks said. “He jumps out on tape when you watch him. Just for me, being able to learn from him and grow my relationship with him has been awesome.” Starks sought guidance from the weathered, elder statesman in the safety room. Those two spoke just a few days ago about catching up to the speed of the NFL level and what Starks called “realizing spots.” The conversation was a lesson in diagramming how players move at certain spots around the field. In some respects, Washington has been a sounding board for Starks, who has a pair of interceptions this season. Washington’s return to the practice field brought “explosiveness” and “a different type of energy,” according to Starks. It will inevitably raise depth chart questions. Ravens safety Ar’Darius Washington, left, breaks up a pass intended for the Browns’ Jordan Akins. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Will Washington contend for snaps over Gilman or Starks? All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton is playing closer to the line of scrimmage, but perhaps Washington moves into a more regular nickel cornerback role? Surely, he’d be called upon if there were an injury. During a defensive team meeting Wednesday afternoon, defensive coordinator Zach Orr showed a string of clips from past Ravens-Steelers matchups. Humphrey said that it got him fired up. The hatred, Humphrey said, is the “closest thing” to a college or high school rivalry. Orr filled the big screen with hard hits and game-defining plays that chronicle their lengthy history. Surely Washington blowing up then-Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson inside the 5-yard line made the cut. One year and major knee surgery later, the undersized lion is awake, back on the field and eager to help point these Ravens toward a playoff push. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

As Ravens kicker Tyler Loop stepped out of a hotel in downtown Cleveland on a gray, raw and blustery Sunday afternoon last month, he watched helplessly as his backward cap flew off his head and tumbled 20 yards down the street. It was a perfect precursor of the day’s work ahead in the pivotal matchup against the AFC North rival Browns. “Kicking into the Dawg Pound is one of the hardest kicks in all of football,” his long snapper, Nick Moore, told The Baltimore Sun. “The wind is so unpredictable coming off the lake, being cold, the surface of the ground is different. It all plays into executing your kick, and it’s a very hard thing to do there.” Loop, a sixth-round rookie out of Arizona who grew up in suburban Dallas, navigated the treacherous conditions — temperature around 30 degrees, wind swirling a steady 10 mph and gusting as high as 30 — accurately and with aplomb. He made all three field goal attempts, including a 44-yarder into the teeth of the east end zone with just over 5 minutes remaining to pull Baltimore even at 16-16 before an eventual 23-16 victory. “It’s been a super fun ride,” Loop told The Sun. His play this year has also been superb. Amid a season of tumult that has included underwhelming performances and an enumeration of inconsistencies from two-time NFL Most Valuable Player and quarterback Lamar Jackson as well as a middling defense, the 24-year-old with the boyish grin has been Baltimore’s steadiest and most reliable performer. In a dozen games, Loop has connected on 22 of 24 field goal attempts, including on all 19 from inside 50 yards. His conversion rate of 91.7% is tied with the Dallas Cowboys’ Brandon Aubrey for fourth-best in the NFL (minimum 20 attempts) behind only the San Francisco 49ers’ Eddy Pineiro, the New York Jets’ Nick Folk and the Los Angeles Chargers’ Cameron Dicker. He has also done so while taking over for one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history, Justin Tucker, who was released this past offseason before being suspended 10 weeks by the NFL for violating its personal conduct policy following a league investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by more than a dozen massage therapists from several Baltimore area spas and wellness centers. That Loop, who became the first kicker the Ravens spent a draft pick on, was able to steer through both was a testament to his confidence. The signs that he could were also there early. Longtime Ravens senior special teams assistant Randy Brown was sold on Loop the night the two had dinner at The Monica, a fast-casual restaurant in Tucson, Arizona, popular with students and where the Lou Groza Award semifinalist who’d made a school-record 62-yarder his senior season rearranged some tables and chairs to demonstrate his process. Over the course of the 2 1/2 hours the two nerded out about kicking and all its technicalities. Afterward, Brown texted coach John Harbaugh that they’d found their guy. “Tyler had outstanding foot-to-ball contact throughout his years at Arizona,” Brown told The Sun recently. “So, when you have really good foot-to-ball contact and a swinging plane that goes towards the goal post, you can kind of translate that into hitting a straight ball in windy conditions.” Other tangibles that Loop would be able to weather the storm — literally and figuratively — stood out as well. Related Articles Ravens’ John Harbaugh explains Derrick Henry’s usage in loss to Bengals Mike Preston: Ravens, Steelers, AFC North lack juice in 2025 | COMMENTARY Ravens’ John Harbaugh on Lamar Jackson: ‘Gonna have an off day sometimes’ 2 injured Ravens defenders have ‘a good chance’ of practicing this week READER POLL: Who will win the AFC North? “When you have somebody that technically knows his craft — it’s never a fail-safe — but you definitely believe that they can carry that technique and that process forward in high-leverage situations,” Brown said. “Kicking in wind and kicking in the north, you’re in those high-leverage situations more often than not, especially kicking for a winning team.” Still, that technique needed tinkering, and a lot of it, Loop and Brown said. For starters, NFL kicking balls are slightly larger in length and circumference than those used in college, so the sweet spot is different. Loop’s foot also met leather lower on the ball than it does now. His routine before a game also needed an overhaul. In college, Loop said, it wasn’t consistent and required little thought. Now, on the Friday before a Sunday game he has the same script of kicks that he will execute during warmups inside the stadium on Sundays. That includes his taking five kicks with no steps, five with one step and five full kicks. Then he’ll try eight field goals in one direction before taking eight in the other, usually maxing out at 60 or sometimes 65 yards depending on the location. “As far as progress made, just confidence and my process in being a professional when it comes to how we prepare game day,” Loop said. “I think I did well in college, but at this level the demand to be at a high level is even more so.” The adaptation hasn’t taken long. “He’s learned a ton,” Moore said. “I think he’s handling it very professionally and doing a really good job of trying to be consistent. In our job, that’s the hardest thing, to go out and be able to replicate the same action every time you step on the field. “He’s honed up on the leans of the ball. He’s getting much better at his ball contact. He’s getting more down the field on his swing. He’s being a lot more aggressive. It’s a very confident stroke that he’s got going on right now. He’s come a long way since he got here.” He also had to quickly prove that he could deliver. In the opening quarter of a Week 1 game against the Bills, the Ravens were down 7-0 when their opening drive had just stalled at Buffalo’s 34-yard line. Harbaugh wasn’t sure whether he wanted to go for it or attempt the 52-yard field goal at a breezy Highmark Stadium. He looked at Moore and the long snapper said, “Let’s kick the damn ball.” “I stuck my neck out there,” Moore cracks. “And he did a great job. He crushed it right down the middle. For him, [52] yards, first kick in a tough environment in Buffalo when there was a 50-50 chance we were even gonna try the field goal, he went out there and executed. That was his welcome to the NFL moment.” Ravens kicker Tyler Loop, right, follows through on a kick in a recent win over the Bears. Loop has been stellar as a rookie, making 91.7% of his field-goal attempts this season. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Not all of them have been so gleaming, though. Early in the fourth quarter and with Baltimore having just scored a touchdown to extend its lead to 40-25, Loop missed the extra point, the ball clanging off the right upright. The Bills went on to win, 41-40. The league’s dynamic kickoff also took some getting used to. Four times in the first three weeks of the season, Loop was flagged for kickoffs coming up short of the landing zone and once for a kickoff that went out of bounds. Since then, he’s had just one kick go out of bounds and none that have landed short of the landing zone. “The dirty-ball kicks, you can’t practice them too much, because you don’t want the swing plane to change and the stroke to change,” Brown said. “We practice it once a week, and we’ll hit a few balls in a direction, depending on where the return of the wind is. It’s all about where you strike the ball, which obviously, you have to strike the ball a little higher to get it to drive more. But, we’re very smart and cognizant about how much we actually practice it, because it cannot change the swing plane for field goals and then the regular kickoffs.” While the Buffalo loss also lingered in the minds of players in the weeks that followed amid a 1-5 start, it did not for Loop. He had already built a well of confidence that took root in the preseason, Moore said. In the Ravens’ second preseason game, Loop connected on 5 of 6 field goal attempts, including two from beyond 50 yards. His lone miss was a 50-yarder in the fourth quarter, but he bounced back on the next possession to drill a 53-yarder. That was all the coach needed to see. After Loop beat out undrafted rookie free agent John Hoyland earlier in training camp, he was officially named the starting kicker that night and the next week in the preseason finale he made a 61-yarder in Washington. “It’s easy to make a mistake and miss a field goal like that and let it affect the rest of your performance in that game,” Moore said of the missed boot in Dallas. “When you kick that, you go sit on the sideline and you don’t know when your next opportunity is gonna be. You get a lot of time to yourself, to think, get your mind and your wheels spinning. It’s hard to balance that with the realization that we’re gonna get another opportunity and I can’t let this get in the way of what I’m gonna do in the future. For him to power drive that next field goal right down the middle, to me that was like, oh this kid’s got it.” Months later, that much has been obvious. “He’s definitely a student of kicking, but he’s just such a steady personality,” Harbaugh said. “He’s such an even[-keeled], good-natured kind of guy. He doesn’t really get rattled. If the kick doesn’t go exactly right, he’s able just to look at it scientifically and say, ‘OK, this is what happened or didn’t happen.’ He doesn’t get in his head too much about it, I think, and that’s probably really important for a kicker.” That will be especially important over the next five weeks. Ravens kicker Tyler Loop celebrates after making a 61-yard field goal during the preseason. Loop has the skills to be a longtime NFL kicker. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP) At 6-6, the Ravens are tied atop the division with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who will play in Baltimore on Sunday. In addition to a home finale against the 11-2 New England Patriots on Dec. 21, the Ravens also have road games in Cincinnati, Green Bay and Pittsburgh remaining, all of which figure to have difficult conditions to kick in. But as much as the rest of the team has struggled to be consistent, there is plenty of evidence and belief that won’t be a problem for Loop. “He’s comfortable in his own skin,” Moore said of Loop, adding that the kicker has relied heavily on his faith as he made the transition to the NFL to replace an embattled player that he long idolized. “Justin was one of one. He was a special player for a long time here. You can’t try to come in and be that guy. “Overall, I don’t think we could’ve asked for a better guy to come into that spot.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens played the NFL’s worst defense in the modern era, a group which ranked 31st in run defense, and didn’t give Derrick Henry the opportunity to muscle his team to a win. Leaving the field late Thursday night having watched Baltimore’s offense perish against the Bengals, coach John Harbaugh grabbed a score sheet. He scanned the numbers staring back at him — Henry with 60 yards and a touchdown but only 10 carries — and thought, “OK, how did this exactly happen?” Henry was on the field for 24 of 60 offensive snaps. That’s his second lowest mark of the season, the other being 21 in a Week 4 loss at Kansas City. On Thanksgiving night, Henry turned his third carry into a 28-yard touchdown. He was given the ball on first down each of the next two drives; one ended in a Lamar Jackson fumble and the other a three-and-out backed up near the goal line. Henry did not touch the ball again until after halftime. He played one snap in the second quarter. Collectively, against a defense allowing 5.1 yards per play, the Ravens logged 22 total carries, their fewest attempts in nearly two months. “Those are not the numbers that we want at all,” Harbaugh said. Harbaugh dove into a lecture of something he’s hammered home many times over the years: “We want to run the ball. We’re a running team — that’s a fact. And we are a throwing team, too. We have Lamar Jackson; we have receivers; we have tight ends; we have all that — but we want to always be a team that runs the ball and stops the run. That’s been the case since 2008. It’s not going to really probably ever change.” Offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley similarly voiced his displeasure while holding court in the postgame locker room. “We make sure that’s our identity,” he said, “and we have to make it work.” Stanley said he would’ve liked to see the offense stick by Henry and the ground game. On paper, it’s a bad look to have your future Hall of Fame running back who showed to be the most promising piece of Baltimore’s first-half offense sit for nearly an entire quarter. Henry said postgame, “I’m not one to cry in the media or complain. Whatever I get, try to take advantage of it.” Harbaugh’s argument Monday was there weren’t many more obvious spots to feed the 31-year-old Henry in what they strive to be a high-variance offense. The Ravens ran 13 plays over three second-quarter possessions (omitting a last-second kneel down before halftime). First was a seven-play sequence that ended in an Isaiah Likely fumble inches from the end zone. Keaton Mitchell handled their only run, which he took for a single yard. The second drive was a two-minute offense, implying play caller Todd Monken was mindful of the clock and pushing the pace, having Jackson throw the ball six times before ultimately punting it away. The third, with 30 seconds before halftime, lasted one play: Jackson’s second fumble of the night. “We didn’t have any plays in the second quarter to have a chance to even run the ball,” Harbaugh said. Mitchell finished with two carries for 19 yards and a touchdown, his first score since returning from knee surgery. “I could’ve cried out there,” he smiled after making the most of eight offensive snaps. But with Justice Hill on the injured reserve for a neck injury, it was former fifth-round pick Rasheen Ali who filled in on pass protection and third-down situations. Ali, the team’s fourth-string running back and kick returner, had more offensive snaps (29) than Henry or Mitchell. Harbaugh thought Ali “played really well,” admirably holding up his assignments chip blocking and route running. Ali ran the ball four times for 17 yards. There were plenty of fans watching Ali in the backfield Thursday night wondering why Henry wasn’t out there more. Henry turned five carries into 27 yards in the third quarter then again didn’t get a touch in the fourth. Related Articles Mike Preston: Ravens, Steelers, AFC North lack juice in 2025 | COMMENTARY Ravens’ John Harbaugh on Lamar Jackson: ‘Gonna have an off day sometimes’ 2 injured Ravens defenders have ‘a good chance’ of practicing this week READER POLL: Who will win the AFC North? How Ravens’ Rashod Bateman, Marian House empower women dealing with trauma “There just weren’t enough opportunities,” Harbaugh argued. “It wasn’t like every time we were in first and second down, we were going to run the ball 100% of the time. To get to 18 to 20 runs, we’d have had to run it every time on first and second down, just about.” By the final frame, the Ravens were behind on the scoreboard in need of pushing the pace through the air to give themselves a shot. By the 9:38 mark of the fourth quarter, the Ravens were already in their up-tempo approach. Harbaugh pushed back against ire from box score watchers explaining how Baltimore ran 21 plays — a third of their offense — from Monken’s two-minute offense call sheet in the loss. “That’s way too high,” he said. “I don’t mind two-minute plays at the end of the half, but I’m not really fired up about two-minute plays at the end of the game because that means you’re trying to come back.” Given some room to operate, Henry can be the catalyst in a win. But Baltimore’s offensive line hasn’t made his life any easier. His rushing figures have dipped: He has four 100-yard game compared to six by this point a year ago and his 4.7 yards per attempt are way down from 5.9 in 2024. Still, Harbaugh believes in the power of Baltimore’s run game. “That’s the bottom line,” he said. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. Ravens running back Derrick Henry, shown at practice earlier this season, only had 10 carries in Baltimore's loss to the Bengals. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) View the full article

NFL officials might need to flip a coin at the end of the regular season to decide who represents the AFC North in the postseason. If it’s heads, then the Ravens go. If it’s tails, the Steelers will represent. This division has no juice, as opposed to years ago when it was one of the fiercest in the league. But right now, there is no fire, no electricity. Trash talking is an aberration, certainly not like it was following the three-sack performance by outside linebacker Terrell Suggs against Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the 2011 season opener. “God can have his soul, but his [butt] belongs to me,” Suggs said after the game. Come on, that’s great stuff, and what separated this series from others. Players from both teams despised each other and while Suggs was public enemy No. 1 in Pittsburgh, Steelers receiver Hines Ward was at the top of the charts in Baltimore. But that’s no longer the case. The Ravens and Steelers are at the top of the AFC North with identical 6-6 records and are very quiet, as they should be. There is no fear of playing either team any more. They used to be carbon copies of each other. Each team claimed to have the greatest defense. Pittsburgh had outside linebackers Joey Porter, James Harrison, free safety Ryan Clark and eventual Hall of Fame strong safety Troy Polamalu. The Ravens countered with Suggs and eventual Hall of Famers middle linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed. Both had strong armed quarterbacks in Joe Flacco and Ben Roethlisberger and stellar running backs in Jerome Bettis and Jamal Lewis during their respective heydays. But that’s no longer the case. Pittsburgh’s defense is ranked No. 28, allowing 365.1 yards per game, while the Ravens are rated No. 26 and give up an average of 350.4 yards, including 232 passing. Both teams struggle with their offensive lines, and neither starting quarterback is playing well. Pittsburgh’s Aaron “too old” Rodgers is 41, and Lamar “I can’t find my way right now” Jackson hasn’t played up to his previous levels, which earned him Most Valuable Player awards in 2019 and 2023. The good news for Baltimore fans is that Jackson still might find his way out of the abyss, but Rodgers and the Steelers are going, going, almost gone. Maybe the NFL needs to borrow a script from WWE and extend the trade deadline until next week so the Steelers can add Flacco, the only team he hasn’t played for in the division. Please, give me something. They don’t trade barbs anymore, like former Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe calling receiver Plaxico Burress “Plexiglass” in 2001. There was the bounty the Ravens reportedly put on Ward in 2008, and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin trying to trip Jacoby Jones during the 2013 Thanksgiving Day game along the left sideline in Baltimore during a 73-yard return. I loved that play because it went into the lore of this series. Tomlin denied it after the game, but confirmed he did it on purpose a day later and was fined $100,000. But that’s football and that’s passion. It goes back to the old saying, “If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying.” Related Articles Ravens’ John Harbaugh explains Derrick Henry’s usage in loss to Bengals Ravens’ John Harbaugh on Lamar Jackson: ‘Gonna have an off day sometimes’ 2 injured Ravens defenders have ‘a good chance’ of practicing this week READER POLL: Who will win the AFC North? How Ravens’ Rashod Bateman, Marian House empower women dealing with trauma There was the time Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata broke Roethlisberger’s nose ($15,000 fine) in 2010, and linebacker Jameel McClain had his paycheck reduced by $40,000 for a concussion he gave tight end tight end Heath Miller in the same game. The Steelers have had their own fines with outside linebacker T. J. Watt losing $25,000 in 2023, and Clark paying out $40,000 for a shot delivered in 2011. And then there were the hits, the legitimate ones, like Ravens linebacker Bart Scott delivering the perfect tackle on Roethlisberger for a sack in 2006 where Roethlisberger appeared to be doing a levitation act here in Baltimore, and then outside linebacker Jarret Johnson leveling Ward in 2011 on an attempted screen pass in the middle. That drew a standing ovation. It was clean, nowhere near the vicious cheap shot used by Ward to wipe out Reed in 2007. That hit eventually led to what is unofficially called the “Hines Ward rule” in 2009 where a receiver can no longer blindside a defensive player. Of all the stories, though, my favorite was in 2003 when Porter had been shot in the rear end in Denver after attending a game at his alma mater, Colorado State. Porter apparently thought Lewis mocked him in a preseason game in the second quarter, and took exception to him mocking him with the right leg extended, Porter’s trademark celebration move. The incident led to Porter and Lewis exchanging words on the bus outside in Pittsburgh, and Porter supposedly tried to enlist Burress and Bettis, but they declined because they had to play against Lewis and didn’t want to make him mad. Lloyd Fox, Baltimore SunRavens' linebacker Ray Lewis hoists the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Ravens defeated the 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. Lewis was one of the top defenders in franchise history, although Baltimore's defensive excellence has been hard to find in 2025. (Staff file) Lewis had that kind of respect, but the physicality of both teams are gone now. Buffalo pushed the Steelers around Sunday in the second half of the Bills’ 26-7 victory. Before the game started, the Bills were down two starting offensive tackles, but they still punished Pittsburgh. The Ravens started the season off 1-5, but then won five straight before losing, 32-14, to Cincinnati, on Thanksgiving night as they committed five turnovers. The Ravens have yet to prove they can beat a quarterback in the same class as a Patrick Mahomes, the Rams Matthew Stafford or Joe Burrow, even Detroit’s Jared Goff. Like Pittsburgh, the Ravens have offensive line problems and the defensive group melted down Thursday in the second half against the Bengals. So, it appears those days of Lewis versus Bettis are gone and so are the games where Reed and Polamalu played against each other, two of the best in modern history. But it just isn’t about the players. Both coaches, the longest tenured in the league, are being pressured to win. There were chants to fire Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh, where he has been the top coach since 2007. In Baltimore, fans have booed coach John Harbaugh for the last two weeks at halftime because of lackluster offensive performances, and the morning talk shows often feature calls asking for his firing after each loss. Harbaugh started with the Ravens in 2008. It’s a new era in football, where fans might care more about the rivalries than the players, but the Pittsburgh versus Baltimore was a good one for many years. The NFL needs more of them. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article