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Ravens Pro Bowl wide receiver Zay Flowers will not play in Saturday’s wild-card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, coach John Harbaugh announced Thursday. Filling the void left by Baltimore’s leading receiver will also be a collective effort. “We’ll move guys around,” Harbaugh said. “Guys will play spots based on the game plan and the ball will go where it goes based on the way it unfolds in terms of how they play us. “We’ve got a lot of weapons and Lamar [Jackson] will distribute [the ball] the way he sees fit.” Flowers suffered a sprained right knee early in the second quarter of Baltimore’s AFC North-clinching win over the Cleveland Browns last week, left the game and did not return. He also did not practice this week and was seen with a substantial brace on his knee in the locker room after being on crutches at the start of the week. According to a source with direct knowledge of the situation, the injury is significant enough that his availability for a potential divisional round playoff game next weekend could also be in question. Harbaugh said only that Flowers is “locked in” on his rehabilitation and that he would see how he looked next week. Not having the second-year receiver is an obvious blow to what was the NFL’s top offense this season. Flowers led the Ravens in catches (74) and yards (1,059) to go with four touchdowns and accounted for more than 25% of the team’s targets from Jackson, who has quickly developed a chemistry with the fellow South Floridian. Flowers had five catches for 100 yards in the most recent meeting between the Ravens and Steelers last month, which Baltimore won, 34-17, at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens’ next-best wide receiver is Rashod Bateman, who has 45 catches for a career-high 756 yards and nine touchdowns. But the group is thin beyond Bateman with Nelson Agholor, Tylan Wallace, rookie Devontez Walker and Steven Sims the only other receivers on the roster. It’s also likely that Baltimore will call up a receiver from the practice squad for Saturday’s game, though there hasn’t been a lot of production from the group outside of Flowers and Bateman. Agholor has just 14 catches for 231 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games and hasn’t played since Baltimore’s Week 15 win over the New York Giants after suffering a concussion in that game. Wallace, who has split time between special teams and receiver, has 11 catches for 193 yards and one score. Walker, a fourth-round pick out of North Carolina, has appeared in just nine games with just 57 snaps on offense, though he did have a touchdown on his lone catch this season. Still, Harbaugh insists it won’t affect the game plan. “We still got all our plays that we run,” he said. “Guys will be doing them that we feel are best suited to do different jobs in this game against the opponent we’re playing.” That could mean the Ravens will rely even more on tight ends Mark Andrews (55 catches, 673 yards, 11 TDs), who has caught a touchdown pass in each of the past six games, and Isaiah Likely (42 catches, 477 yards, 6 TDs). They can also lean on what was the league’s top rushing attack, led by Derrick Henry’s 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns. Justice Hill is also back after being out since the Ravens’ game against the Steelers last month with a concussion followed by illness. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens playoff guide: Everything you need to know before kickoff Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s how far fans think Ravens will advance in NFL postseason Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ ‘ageless wonder’ Kyle Van Noy is having a career year Baltimore Ravens | Can weatherproof RB Derrick Henry be the difference in Ravens’ playoff destiny? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers absent from practice again; RB Justice Hill returns Hill, along with potentially the speedy Keaton Mitchell, gives the Ravens another receiving threat as well. “Justice is an experienced player,” Harbaugh said. “He’s been in these games before. He’s really versatile in terms of what he can do skill set-wise. He can take some of those jobs that Zay does — he’s in the backfield, he’s out of the backfield. “It gives you a lot of options with Justice.” This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

We asked readers how far they think the Ravens will advance in this year’s NFL postseason. Here are the results from our online poll: Super Bowl win — 55% (484 votes) AFC championship game loss — 17% (151 votes) Divisional round loss — 11% (100 votes) Super Bowl loss — 9% (75 votes) Wild-card round loss — 8% (69 votes) Here’s what some fans have told us (answers have been edited for clarity and grammar): My head tells me that it is very difficult to get to the Super Bowl, much less win it. But my heart tells me that this Ravens team can go all the way. The heart wins! Go Ravens! — Sean Tully Super Bowl or bust … It’s our time. Vastly improved defense will keep us in the game! Let’s Go RAVENS! — Irv Anyone who thinks the Ravens will make it to the Super Bowl just is not being realistic. Let’s be real; this team is good but certainly not great right now. HOWEVER! Who cares about being realistic! SUPER BOWL CHAMPS HERE WE COME RA RA RA RAVENS — Jim Parker Depending on who they play in the AFC championship, they could get to the big game. AFC vs. Bills (Ravens lose) AFC vs. Kansas City (Ravens win). Super Bowl against the Eagles would be interesting, but I will go with the Ravens, 30-27, thanks to improved DEFENSE. — Frank Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens playoff guide: Everything you need to know before kickoff Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers won’t play in wild-card game Saturday vs. Steelers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ ‘ageless wonder’ Kyle Van Noy is having a career year Baltimore Ravens | Can weatherproof RB Derrick Henry be the difference in Ravens’ playoff destiny? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers absent from practice again; RB Justice Hill returns Hoping for a Super Bowl win. Every 12 years — 2000, 2012, 2024. Yep, it’s time again. Go Ravens! — Harry M I’d love to see the Ravens win it all. They have the team to do it and they’re peaking at the right time. That said, it requires them to play clean throughout the playoffs and a little bit of luck. They have a great shot if they don’t get in their own way. The penalties have to be kept to a minimum, and no procedural penalties like illegal formation or man downfield. Getting off to fast starts is key, but if they don’t, they have to stick with the game plan. I feel sometimes they get too cute and abandon the run game. Even if the other team is stuffing the run early, it will eventually pay off, keep pounding the run game to set up play action. When the Ravens play well, they can beat any team in the league. — Terrance Morrison Ravens will lose to the Rookie of the Year, quarterback Jayden Daniels of the Commanders, a team Gov. Wes Moore, Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Sen. Ben Cardin unanimously agreed should be able to flee Maryland for D.C. — Robin Ficker 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

Walking off the field at M&T Bank Stadium after a late December win, Chuck Smith told Kyle Van Noy he had a present for him. Van Noy was already in the shower by the time Smith got inside, so he hung it up in the outside linebacker’s locker and slipped upstairs to see his family. While most of Van Noy’s teammates had lingered, still wearing parts of their uniform with tape on their feet and fingers after finally besting the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, Van Noy was quick to throw on his gift. Reporters and TV cameras swarmed the 33-year-old after a career night: 1 1/2 sacks in a convincing win that inducted him into an exclusive club. With his right hand, Van Noy slid his overcoat back. His youthful smile looked down at his new “Double Digit Sack Club” hoodie, courtesy of his pass rush coach. “A lot of people wrote me off last year,” Van Noy said, “and I believe I’m playing at a Pro Bowl level.” The Pro Bowl alternate finished the regular season with 12 1/2 sacks, fourth most in the NFL. The “ageless wonder,” as Roquan Smith calls him, reaching a career high in Year 11 as the sixth-oldest outside linebacker in the NFL is beyond what Baltimore could have hoped this season. It didn’t quite get off to the start anyone had in mind. In the third quarter of the Ravens’ season opener in Kansas City, a dogpile toppled Van Noy and fractured his orbital socket in two places. His former teammate, Tom Brady, a legendary quarterback-turned-broadcaster, said during the Steelers game that he “basically played with a broken face.” Van Noy was back for Baltimore’s Week 2 home opener and sacked Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew twice. Then came two more in Dallas. He was up to six in four games after twice pulling down Bills quarterback Josh Allen on “Sunday Night Football.” Van Noy was playing like he had something to prove. The man who plays every season that way, constantly carrying a chip on his shoulder, he said, had a little extra juice coming into his second year (first full season) in Baltimore. “People were talking about somebody else [not] coming back and not so much me,” Van Noy told The Baltimore Sun. “That just gets added to my shoulder to just go out there and prove each and every time I’m on the football field, I’m one of the best.” Van Noy didn’t say his name explicitly but insinuated that he felt slighted by the way Jadeveon Clowney’s 9 1/2 sacks leaving in free agency dominated offseason discourse. There wasn’t much thought given to Van Noy building on his nine sacks in 14 games. History said it probably wouldn’t happen. Only three players age 33 or older have managed 12-plus in a single season since 2000. The most recent was J.J. Watt in 2022. Add Van Noy to the list. He has the hoodie to prove it. Ravens outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, right, strips the ball from Bills quarterback Josh Allen in a Ravens victory earlier this season. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) “He comes upstairs as soon as I’m leaving,” Chuck Smith said, “he has a jacket on and he had the shirt on. Man, I went crazy. … There’s thousands of NFL players that wanna be a double-digit sack man. He’ll carry that the rest of his life. And I understand how bad he wanted to do it. Being told that he can’t do this certain skill when you know you can all those years.” Chuck Smith started a new tradition that night. Double-digit sack guys get the all-black hoodies. He’ll have to retroactively get one for Nnamdi Madubuike’s breakout 13-sack 2023 season. Odafe Oweh got his after Week 18. He looked at it fondly postgame and said he’s either framing it or never taking it off. Those guys keep Van Noy feeling young. But ask Chuck Smith, age has nothing to do with it. “Age has to do with the way the body matures,” he said. “There are certain guys who don’t have to have a lot of skill when they’re big bruisers. But when you think of guys who get a lot of sacks — the guy in Cleveland [Myles Garrett], the guy in Pittsburgh [T.J. Watt] — they got skill.” Being in the right situation helps too. Van Noy’s previous stops haven’t empowered him to rush the quarterback the way Baltimore’s staff does. Compared to his time in Los Angeles or with New England, the Ravens give him much more freedom to be a designated pass rusher. To put hands on the quarterback. To use his wealth of knowledge in new ways. It’s permeated to the rest of the pass rush group. He’s the old head helping mentor a room of youngsters. Earlier this season outside linebacker Tavius Robinson noticed Van Noy studying a single sheet of paper. “What is that?” a 26-year-old Robinson asked. Van Noy made a habit of consolidating an entire week’s worth of notes into a single-page Friday study guide. So Robinson started following his lead. “That’s definitely helped me a lot. It’s allowed me to play faster,” he said, having finished the regular season above expectations with a career-high 3 1/2 sacks. “I’m excited to squeeze as much information as I can while he’s here.” Oweh can relate. The first few seasons of his career, he’d experiment with best practices to take care of his body. Oweh leaned on the team’s strength staff during the season then tried his own workouts with individual trainers in the offseason. The trial and error approach — sometimes lifting just to lift — left him injury prone and performing below capacity. Then he started to mimic Van Noy. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Can weatherproof RB Derrick Henry be the difference in Ravens’ playoff destiny? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers absent from practice again; RB Justice Hill returns Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Will the defense dominate Russell Wilson? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Who will Saturday’s frigid cold favor as Ravens face Steelers in playoffs? Baltimore Ravens | Increased security planned for Ravens-Steelers playoff game Van Noy doesn’t lift as much during the season but, as Oweh said, he’s methodically tailoring every movement to pass rushing. It’s helped elongate his success. “You should lift in a way that pertains to your position,” Oweh said. That means more dips and bends rather than rigid force. The 26-year-old Oweh just wrapped a career year, joining Van Noy in the double-digit club by corralling Browns quarterback Bailey Zappe in the regular-season finale. Oweh stood up and flashed all 10 fingers. Then he shrugged and smiled with a sense of relief for a mark he’d been chasing relentlessly. He probably owes Van Noy a thank you note. “Kyle, he’s like a football guru,” Madubuike said. “He knows so much about the game. He knows so much about secondary and all [this] stuff. Me and ‘Dafe’ are like, ‘Huh, how’d you know that?’ Or like, ‘How’d you pick up on that?’ He’s just so knowledgeable about the game of football.” Van Noy found the fountain of youth and it led to a career year as a high-impact player for one of the best pass rushes in the NFL. But his success and his approach have left an indelible mark on the rest of the group. “I think he’s been a great example for, not only those guys in the outside linebacker room,” defensive coordinator Zach Orr said, “but for our whole defense and for our whole team, that no matter how long you’ve been playing, no matter what people say, if you do things the right way, it’s going [to] work out for you.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Les Miles had a saying back when Todd Monken worked as his receivers coach at LSU. “There’s nothing like being able to turn around and comfortably hand the ball off to the running back,” Miles would tell his staff. It wasn’t Monken’s favorite sentiment, given that he was in charge of the Tigers’ passing game. But thinking back almost two decades from his current vantage as Ravens offensive coordinator, he acknowledged: “There’s something to that.” The peace of mind from those handoffs is that much greater when the running back taking the ball is Derrick Henry. As the Ravens prepare to begin another postseason on a chilly Saturday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, thoughts of past disappointments — particularly last year’s AFC championship game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs — are never far off. Monken, with the most productive ground attack in the sport, infamously called just 16 running plays in that 17-10 defeat. Why should traumatized fans believe the story might turn out differently this time around? That answer starts with the ageless, 6-foot-2, 247-pound speeding bullet who now wears purple and black. The Ravens have paired several very good backs with Lamar Jackson to terrific, record-setting effect. But to put it plainly, none of those guys were Derrick Henry — a first-ballot Hall of Fame lock who’s playing as well as he ever has at age 31. Henry just finished averaging a career-high 5.9 yards per carry. He forced more missed tackles, gained more yards after contact and reeled off more runs of 20-plus yards than any back in the league, per Pro Football Focus. Those digits only begin to capture his significance going into a rivalry game against a punishing defense that would love nothing more than to crush the Ravens’ Super Bowl hopes. When tensions rise and temperatures plummet, Miles’ words to his old LSU staff ring most true. Ravens teammates figure no one on the other side is going to look forward to tackling Henry. “I don’t believe anybody likes hitting in the cold,” Jackson said. “Not even the defenders like hitting in the cold, I believe, especially with a 250-pound, all-muscle running back running downhill at you. I wouldn’t want to do it. But it’s great for us.” The Steelers received a taste of Derrick Henry four days before Christmas when he plowed through the heart of their proud defense for 162 yards on 24 carries. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky recently went so far as to say the Steelers would rather see Jackson, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, with the ball than Henry. Throughout his career, Henry has grown more efficient as the season grinds on, averaging nearly a yard more per carry in December than in September. The 2019 Ravens were on the wrong end of his playoff masterpiece, as Henry ran for 195 yards to spur the Tennessee Titans to a stunning upset of the AFC’s No. 1 seed. He picked up 139 of those in the second half, acting as a one-man rally killer. Is it true that defenders want no part of a human locomotive like him when it’s 26 degrees, the National Weather Service’s forecast low for Saturday night? “It’s getting cold now, so things are going to hurt a little bit more,” Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike said. “Thank God I’m not on the other side. He’s going to do his thing, and guys better be ready.” Henry offers a weatherproof solution to the problems presented by postseason football. “I think physicality travels,” Monken said. “There’s no question you can’t control wind, rain, snow, whatever it happens to be. You’re going to need to convert in short-yardage situations when the games are really close. … That’s why we’ve been really good in the red zone — that physicality [with] Derrick and then Lamar as the playmaker.” The Steelers received a taste four days before Christmas when Henry plowed through the heart of their proud defense for 162 yards on 24 carries. He followed up with 147 in Houston and 138 in the AFC North clincher against Cleveland, tripling down on his reputation as an end-of-year menace. “I’m very excited that Derrick is on my team, and he’s bruising other guys throughout the AFC right now,” linebacker Roquan Smith said. “He’s a big man, and once he gets going, it’s going to be a long night for a lot of people.” A skeptic might counter that the Ravens’ run game is no more statistically potent than it was in 2019, when they set a single-season record for rushing yards, or 2020, when they again led the league in yards per game and yards per attempt and closed the regular season with a 404-yard bludgeoning of the Cincinnati Bengals. In neither case were the Ravens ultimately able to dictate the flow in elimination games. Their running backs at the end of those seasons were Mark Ingram II, Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. Talented as they were, Jackson bore a heavy burden as the team’s offensive commander and primary ball carrier. Can one “King Henry” be the difference in unlocking Jackson’s path to the Super Bowl? That was the hope when general manager Eric DeCosta signed him to a two-year, $16 million deal in the offseason. DeCosta actually wanted him at the trade deadline last season, figuring Henry might be the final jewel on a team that was already headed for the AFC’s top playoff seed. The signing has more than paid off, with Henry and Jackson amplifying one another’s talents at the heart of the most efficient offense in Ravens history. That said, another great regular season wasn’t the aim. Now’s the time for Henry to pay true dividends. Ravens coach John Harbaugh did not mince words on the subject. Asked Monday if Henry brings a different element that his teams have not had in recent years, Harbaugh answered “yes” and did not elaborate. “It’s great to have a great back,” he said later in his news conference. Derrick’s “obviously running really hard and really physical and downhill. Our guys are blocking well, and there’s other elements to the offense that allows that. If you look at his career, he’s definitely not getting first contact as early as he has often time in his career — that’s been great. All those things have come together well, and it’s going to be a big part of our approach in the playoffs.” With No. 22 in the game, it’s difficult to imagine the Ravens turning away from their ground attack to the degree they did in their AFC championship loss, though Henry’s role diminished at times when they played from behind early this season. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ ‘ageless wonder’ Kyle Van Noy is having a career year Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers absent from practice again; RB Justice Hill returns Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Will the defense dominate Russell Wilson? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Who will Saturday’s frigid cold favor as Ravens face Steelers in playoffs? Baltimore Ravens | Increased security planned for Ravens-Steelers playoff game The man himself is least likely to say he’ll be the one to set this version of the Ravens apart. Henry isn’t one for sweeping narratives or grand proclamations. “I’m not going to get into all of that,” he said Tuesday. “I just wanted to come here to make an impact and be an adding piece to this offense, to this team, to help them get to where they want to go, and this week is a first step.” Leave it to Monken to put a colorful spin on what what his former boss, Miles, said all those years ago. “It’s kind of a smoke break for your quarterback,” he said of having a back like Henry. “There’s not much processing. You can just turn around and hand the ball off, and there’s not a lot of reading it, throwing it, protection. I can hand the ball off, and that’s big. That’s really big.” Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

Justice Hill improved his chances of playing in Saturday’s AFC wild-card round against Pittsburgh. Zay Flowers did not. Hill, who suffered a concussion against Pittsburgh on Dec. 21, then was set back by illness, returned to the field Wednesday without a red noncontact jersey. The backup running back practiced in full. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken said the Ravens anticipated Hill’s return for Week 18, but the sickness hindered his ability to get through concussion protocol. Flowers, a second-year receiver on the heels of his first Pro Bowl selection, missed a second consecutive practice after injuring his right knee during Saturday’s win against Cleveland. Coach John Harbaugh said Monday the injury was not season-ending but that Flowers would be listed as day-to-day. He has not practiced this week. Flowers’ designation for Saturday’s game won’t come out until Thursday, but a definitive ruling might not land until closer to kickoff. There was, however, some positive news for Baltimore’s defense. All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton (knee) popped up on the injury report as a limited participant Tuesday. He was full go Wednesday and told reporters after practice that he’d be good to go for Saturday. “It’s a one week life that we’re living right now,” Hamilton said. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Will the defense dominate Russell Wilson? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Who will Saturday’s frigid cold favor as Ravens face Steelers in playoffs? Baltimore Ravens | Increased security planned for Ravens-Steelers playoff game Baltimore Ravens | 2025 NFL mock draft: First-round projections after Week 18 Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 6 recap: Ravens’ John Harbaugh motivates with fiery speech Wide receiver and return specialist Deonte Harty was also back in the fold this week. Harty hadn’t practiced since Week 6 because of a knee injury but was designated for return from the injured reserve and fully practiced Tuesday. The former Archbishop Curley star was absent Wednesday because of personal reasons. Pittsburgh’s injury report is clunkier, but the Steelers are healthy overall. Illness sidelined defensive tackle Cameron Heyward and kicker Chris Boswell. Tight end MyCole Pruitt (knee) had a setback from being limited Tuesday to missing Wednesday’s practice. Guard Mason McCormick (hand) was limited for a second straight day, and offensive lineman Isaac Seumalo was back to the practice field after a rest day Tuesday. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston will answer fans’ questions in the middle of each week throughout the Ravens’ season. After beating Cleveland to win the AFC North, Baltimore (12-5) stays home to host the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) in the wild-card round of the playoffs. The Ravens are 1-1 against the Steelers this season, losing in Pittsburgh but winning, 34-17, in Baltimore on Dec. 21. Here’s Preston’s take on a handful of questions from readers: (Editor’s note: Questions have been edited for length and clarity.) In your estimation, does the Ravens’ defense throttle and frustrate Russell Wilson so much that Justin Fields comes in to spark Pittsburgh’s offense? — Ed Helinski from Auburn, New York Ed, I think you are getting a little ahead of yourself. Throttle? The Ravens? Come on, man. The last time I checked, the Ravens had the No. 31 ranked pass defense in the NFL, allowing 244.1 yards per game. I think they will be able to get some pressure on Wilson because of a weak offensive line, and the Ravens will probably double-team outside receiver George Pickens. I think Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin will use Fields in certain situations, but I’m not sure Fields will come in as a potential savior. The Steelers struggle offensively, but Fields isn’t the answer, at least not in this game. Any idea which officiating crew will be doing the game Saturday? The Ravens always seem to get a crew that either favors the visitors, or one that throws a flag every time someone sneezes! — James Lahman James, I would assume the coaches from both teams are aware of the officiating crews. It’s an advantage to know the types of penalties each crew favors, and assistant coaches from both teams will let their respective position groups know. For example, if one crew likes to call a lot of pass interference penalties, the secondary coach will be on alert. I don’t agree with your assessment about crews being flag happy for visiting teams when they play in Baltimore. The Ravens have been consistent as far as being one of the most penalized teams in the NFL regardless if they have been home or on the road. The responsibility is on both the coaches and the players. Usually in the postseason, officials allow players to be more physical and crews cut down on the penalties. Remember, these are the best officiating crews in the NFL. These groups drew high marks and have earned the right to officiate games in the postseason. One of if not the biggest successes of the Ravens’ offensive line this year is the play (and durability) of Ronnie Stanley. With his impending free agency, do you think the Ravens will address this before he hits the open market? Do you think he will take less knowing the situation he has in Baltimore versus proving himself on a new team? — Dan from Elkton, Maryland I can’t answer that right now because it’s hard to predict what will happen on the open market, especially for left tackles. I will say Stanley, 30, has made significant improvement over his past couple of seasons. He stayed around and worked out consistently in Baltimore during the offseason, and it showed during the various minicamps. The lower half of his body was more defined as he added muscle tone. In the past, Stanley didn’t participate in the offseason minicamps. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers absent from practice again, RB Justice Hill returns Baltimore Ravens | Who will Saturday’s frigid cold favor as Ravens face Steelers in playoffs? Baltimore Ravens | Increased security planned for Ravens-Steelers playoff game Baltimore Ravens | 2025 NFL mock draft: First-round projections after Week 18 Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 6 recap: Ravens’ John Harbaugh motivates with fiery speech With Stanley, part of the improvement was a pride issue. When players get a certain age, they know they have to prepare harder and longer during the offseason, which Stanley did. He wanted to get back to his previous Pro Bowl level. It didn’t hurt that the Ravens restructured his deal last March, lowering his base salary from $11 million to $3 million but providing incentives to earn some of the money back. He has worked well with several of the young offensive linemen, including rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten. Now, what happens with him in the offseason, I don’t know, but he has played well. He’s not the Ronnie Stanley of old, but also not an old Ronnie Stanley. What in the world happened to Marcus Williams this year? He’s only 28 and should be in the prime of his career. — Clarke Fox Players get old and their bodies take a beating. It’s only a matter of time before they show signs of decline. Williams suffered several injuries throughout the past few years, and he just wasn’t going to be super aggressive anymore. That’s why he has been a healthy scratch in recent weeks. Does that mean he can’t go somewhere else and play? I’m not certain, but sometimes a change in environment is good for a player. I’m pretty sure he’ll be released when this season is over, but you are correct. Twenty-eight is a young age, even for an NFL player. Have a question for Mike Preston? Email sports@baltsun.com with “Ravens mailbag” in the subject line and it could be answered in The Baltimore Sun. View the full article

The Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers will face tough weather conditions when they meet in an AFC wild-card game Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium. Fox Weather meteorologist Ian Oliver predicts about 1 to 2 inches of snow before the game, but that might not be the worst of it. The skies could be clear for the 8 p.m. kickoff, but frigid conditions are expected when temperatures are predicted to fall to 26 degrees with wind chills in the teens. The wind gusts could reach 15 miles per hour, affecting how well the teams can throw the ball and impact kicks. “It’s a matchup that has AFC North written all over it, obviously, but the snow itself looks to be in and out before the kick,” said Oliver, who also hosts a podcast called Storming the Field where two meteorologists discuss the risk of weather impacts on NFL games. “It doesn’t necessarily mean it will be the most pleasant tailgate of all time, but it’s nothing these two teams don’t know all about.” Despite the tough conditions, Oliver expects the players to embrace the challenge because it is a playoff game and the stakes are so high. “In the postseason, it’s a whole different bag of worms,” Oliver said. “The cold and the breeze will have more of an impact than the snow at this point. That’s what the forecast trends are leaning toward.” The Ravens and Steelers split the regular season meetings. Pittsburgh won 18-16 at Acrisure Stadium on Nov. 17. The Ravens won the most previous matchup 34-17 at M&T Bank Stadium on Dec. 21 when temperatures dipped below freezing. Jason La Canfora, a longtime NFL journalist and the co-host of Inside Access on 105.7 FM, contends the brutal weather conditions could favor the Steelers. The Ravens’ top wide receiver, Zay Flowers, is dealing with a knee injury and his status is uncertain. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers absent from practice again, RB Justice Hill returns Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Will the defense dominate Russell Wilson? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Increased security planned for Ravens-Steelers playoff game Baltimore Ravens | 2025 NFL mock draft: First-round projections after Week 18 Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 6 recap: Ravens’ John Harbaugh motivates with fiery speech “The Ravens should be able to move the ball on Pittsburgh a multitude of ways, so any intense wind or snow would be to their detriment making them potentially more dimensional and predictable than they would otherwise be,” La Canfora said. “The Steelers passing game had already shriveled up and in the last meeting. Short and intermediate passes to the middle of the field worked best for them – running back Jaylen Warren caught all five of his targets mostly wide open for nearly 50 yards – so I don’t think it would limit them nearly as much. “And if Zay Flowers is out, too, it might further constrict the scope of an offense that was historic in its balance in the regular season.” Oliver said the “X” factor will be the Ravens’ 6-foot-3, 247-pound running back Derrick Henry, whose bruising style of play will be difficult for the Steelers to contain, especially late in the game. “That’s why Derrick Henry is in Baltimore … he wanted a [Super Bowl] ring,” Oliver said. “I would say advantage Ravens.” Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@baltsun.com or on X as @ToddKarpovich. View the full article

The Ravens’ wild-card playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night will have increased security in the aftermath of a terrorist attack in New Orleans this month that killed 14 people and injured dozens more. The Maryland Stadium Authority has not been made aware of any specific or credible threat impacting M&T Bank Stadium or the upcoming game, according to MSA Vice President for Public Safety and Security Vern Conaway Jr. Nonetheless, fans attending Saturday’s game could notice an increase in police presence and security measures around the stadium. The MSA would not disclose how many more police officers and security personnel will be dispatched to the area. “We are constantly monitoring national and international events and use each of these horrific incidents as an opportunity to reassess our own security plans with our public safety partners,” Conaway said during the MSA’s monthly meeting on Tuesday. “I avoid publicly discussing the specifics of our game-day security measures so it does not undermine the effectiveness of our efforts.” Since his report last month, Conaway said the Ravens had two home games — against the Steelers (Dec. 21) and Browns (Jan. 4) — and there were not any reports of safety or security issues. On New Year’s Day, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran, was killed by police after a deadly rampage in a pickup truck on Bourbon Street in New Orleans killed at least 14 people and injured dozens more. The violence is being investigated as an act of terrorism inspired by the Islamic State group, according to multiple reports. Authorities believe the New Orleans attacker acted alone. Last week, the U.S. Naval Academy and Naval Support Activity Annapolis also tightened security measures following the recent acts of violence. During the fall, the Ravens did have some security issues with drones flying over the stadium during games. According to data provided by the MSA, there were eight temporary flight restriction violations and unauthorized drone flights during the five Ravens regular-season games of the 2024-25 season. There have been no reports of drone incidents since those opening games. Last month, the federal government prohibited drone activity above and around Northwest Stadium in Landover for the annual Army-Navy Game. Federal law restricts unmanned aircraft systems, such as drones, from flying at or below a three-mile radius of any stadium with a seating capacity of 30,000 or more people during games for the National Football League, Major League Baseball, NCAA Division I football and major motor speedway events, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Now, state and Baltimore police are being especially cautious with such a high-profile game Saturday night. The Baltimore Police Department said it will continue to use large city vehicles and deploy additional public safety measures for the game such as hard barriers, interior and exterior safety mitigation, and “host unified command with allied law enforcement agencies for large-scale events and a multitude of cameras and other technology.” “[Baltimore Police Department], in coordination with local, state and federal partners, is constantly evaluating emerging threats and working to ensure security, particularly around large events like this weekend’s Ravens game,” Baltimore Police spokesperson Lindsey Eldridge said. “In coordination with the Mayor’s Office, we are approaching these matters with the utmost priority and will continue to do so in the wake of incidents around the country.” Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@baltsun.com or on X as @ToddKarpovich. View the full article

Doing a mock draft this time of year is silly. That doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. Along with the exact order of all 32 picks, there are so many questions around the league that will determine April’s selections. Not surprisingly, most of them involve quarterbacks. Is the Deshaun Watson era over in Cleveland? Is Aaron Rodgers going to retire? Will any veterans get traded or cut? How many new coaching and front office hires will there be? Even when we get those answers, this draft is shaping up to be an unpredictable one. Opinions are split on the quarterback class, which lacks high-end talent at the top. There will not be much clarity until teams start making selections April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It should make for a fascinating few months of debate. Let’s dig in. Here are The Baltimore Sun’s predictions for the first round (Note: picks 1-18 are official after conclusion of regular season; picks 19-32 are projected via Tankathon): 1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami The Will Levis experiment is officially over in Tennessee. Coach Brian Callahan gets a young quarterback to build around in the 6-2, 223-pound Ward, who has made a meteoric rise from a Wing-T high school offense to FCS Incarnate Word to Division I all-time touchdown passes leader. 2. Cleveland Browns: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado The Browns have a chance to mitigate some of the Watson disaster by drafting a quarterback on a cheap rookie deal. The 6-1, 198-pound Sanders has all the requisite star power to become the face of the franchise. Colorado’s Travis Hunter is perhaps the best player in the draft. (Thomas Simonetti/For The Washington Post) 3. New York Giants: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado What do the Giants do if both top quarterbacks are off the board? Take the best player available. Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner, has a chance to be a Pro Bowl selection at cornerback or wide receiver. The question is whether the 6-foot, 181-pound prospect can play both positions at the next level. 4. New England Patriots: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona The Patriots already have a promising young quarterback in Drake Maye. Whoever replaces coach Jerod Mayo needs to build the best team around him. There’s a strong case to pick an offensive lineman here, but the 6-5, 210-pound McMillan is a unique talent at a position of need. 5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan The priority for returning general manager Trent Baalke should be fixing the defense. The 6-3, 320-pound Graham is a game-wrecker who could form a fearsome trio alongside Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. 6. Las Vegas Raiders: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State How badly do the Raiders want a quarterback? A trade up is certainly possible, but it will be costly. Perhaps this is a landing spot for a veteran? Either way, the running game needs to improve. The 5-9, 215-pound Jeanty is a budding star who is worth the price. 7. New York Jets: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan It’s a fool’s errand to predict what the Jets and Rodgers will decide this offseason. Regardless, it makes sense for the new regime to simply pick the best player. The 6-2, 200-pound Johnson can form a lockdown pairing alongside Sauce Gardner. 8. Carolina Panthers: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State Bryce Young put any doubts about his future to rest with a tremendous finish to the season. Now the Panthers can focus on improving the rest of the roster, starting with the defense. Wearing the same No. 11, the 6-3, 250-pound Carter looks like a Micah Parsons clone. 9. New Orleans Saints: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia The Saints are hard to figure out given the questions at quarterback and coach, not to mention an always bloated salary cap. When in doubt, give New Orleans a long, athletic pass rusher. The 6-5, 265-pound Williams fits the bill. 10. Chicago Bears: Will Campbell, OT/G, LSU Is there any other decision here? The Bears need to do a better job of protecting Caleb Williams, and that starts with improving the offensive line. The 6-6, 319-pound Campbell played left tackle in college but could kick inside to guard. 11. San Francisco 49ers: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT/G, Texas A lost season because of injuries gives the Niners a rare chance to reset. The 6-4, 325-pound Banks could step in immediately at guard before taking over at left tackle once Trent Williams decides to retire. 12. Dallas Cowboys: Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M Outside of Parsons, the Cowboys’ defensive line has been disappointing, to say the least. The 6-6, 290-pound Stewart can line up inside or outside and provide some punch up front. 13. Miami Dolphins: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia With Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer entering free agency, the Dolphins will need a new starting safety. The 6-1, 205-pound Starks is an instinctive and physical player who can become the leader of the secondary. 14. Indianapolis Colts: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan If the Colts are committed to Anthony Richardson, they need to give him every possible tool to succeed. The 6-5, 245-pound Loveland is a matchup nightmare with his size and speed. 15. Atlanta Falcons: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee The Falcons have ranked 31st or worse in sacks in three of the past four seasons. The 6-4, 245-pound Pearce might not have the size or strength to be an every-down player, but his length and athleticism should make him a legitimate pass-rushing threat. 16. Arizona Cardinals: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri Give Marvin Harrison Jr. a running mate and watch this offense take off. The 5-11, 210-pound Burden can thrive in the role Greg Dortch has occupied in Arizona with his ability to win from the slot and pick up yards after the catch. 17. Cincinnati Bengals: Jalon Walker, LB/EDGE, Georgia If Tee Higgins doesn’t return, wide receiver becomes a top priority this offseason. But the Bengals’ defense is what ultimately cost them a playoff spot. The 6-2, 245-pound Walker can help solidify a weak linebacker room while providing some pop as a pass rusher. 18. Seattle Seahawks: Cameron Williams, OT/G, Texas The Seahawks need to do everything they can this offseason to improve the offensive line. The 6-5, 335-pound Williams is raw, but he has all the physical traits to become a star. 19. Houston Texans: Wyatt Milum, OT/G, West Virginia The Texans can’t let C.J. Stroud play another season behind a bad offensive line. The 6-6, 317-pound Milum was one of the nation’s most dominant blockers this past season and can help shore up the projection at guard or right tackle. 20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M Coach Todd Bowles’ defense should be looking for pass-rush upgrades. The 6-4, 280-pound Scourton didn’t quite live up to expectations with the Aggies after a dominant 2023 season at Purdue, but he’s a young, versatile player with plenty of room to grow. Penn State’s Tyler Warren is one of the top tight ends in the draft. (Barry Reeger/AP) 21. Denver Broncos: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State Imagine what coach Sean Payton could do with a tight end who also plays quarterback? Oh, right, we’ve already seen it with Taysom Hill. The 6-6, 255-pound Warren is a much better pass catcher and blocker who could help take the offense to the next level. 22. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama This would be a fascinating pairing. The 6-1, 225-pound Milroe has a lot of room to improve as a passer, but his rushing ability, big arm and play-making instincts would make him an intriguing rival to the two-time Most Valuable Player in Baltimore. 23. Los Angeles Rams: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State The Rams could use a long-term option at tackle with Alaric Jackson hitting free agency and Rob Havenstein turning 33 in May. Assuming he’s fully recovered from his torn ACL, the 6-5, 310-pound Simmons has star potential. 24. Green Bay Packers: Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina The Packers could move on from Jaire Alexander, who has missed 10 or more games in three of the past four seasons and is coming off knee surgery. The 6-2, 200-pound Revel has his own injury concerns after tearing his ACL, but he fits the Green Bay mold with his size and speed. 25. Los Angeles Chargers: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan Giving coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter a former Wolverine just makes too much sense. The 6-3, 340-pound Grant fits the team’s identity with his high motor and relentless pursuit. 26. Washington Commanders: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State Olamide Zaccheaus and Noah Brown have had nice seasons in Washington, but Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin deserve a better No. 2 wide receiver. The 6-1, 203-pound Egbuka has been quietly productive playing behind some big stars in Columbus. Oregon offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr. could be what the Ravens need. (Kyusung Gong/AP) 27. Ravens: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon Left tackle Ronnie Stanley’s future will be the most important offseason development in Baltimore. Even if he returns, the Ravens should plan ahead. The 6-4, 315-pound Conerly might need time to develop, but the payoff could be huge with the former five-star prospect. 28. Philadelphia Eagles: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall It’s almost always the offensive or defensive line for the Eagles in the first round. The 6-4, 248-pound Green burst onto the scene this season with a nation-leading 17 sacks while earning a stellar 90.1 Pro Football Focus grade against the run. Related Articles NFL | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 6 recap: Ravens’ John Harbaugh motivates with fiery speech NFL | Ravens vs. Steelers scouting report for AFC wild-card round: Who has the edge? NFL | Mike Preston: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is the X factor vs. Ravens | COMMENTARY NFL | Sleep, film and focus: How Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has prepared for playoff run NFL | 10 numbers that defined the Ravens’ 2024 regular season 29. Buffalo Bills: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss Buffalo’s defense has been terrible against the run this season, particularly its interior linemen. The 6-3, 300-pound Nolen could be a steal after a breakout season with the Rebels that showed off his five-star potential. 30. Minnesota Vikings: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon When Jerry Tillery (career 49.2 PFF grade) is playing nearly 500 snaps at defensive tackle, you know it’s time to seek reinforcements. The 6-5, 310-pound Harmon is a disruptive force as both a run defender and pass rusher. 31. Detroit Lions: JT Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State This is a match made in heaven. The Lions need another edge rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson and get one in the 6-4, 269-pound Tuimoloau, who fits their culture with his toughness, energy and consistency. 32. Kansas City Chiefs: Jonah Savaiinaea, OT/G, Arizona Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid can seemingly win with anyone, but the Chiefs need to find a solution at left tackle (and could lose Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith in free agency). The 6-5, 330-pound Savaiinaea is versatile, giving Kansas City options to build its best five. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

The Ravens are back on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” for the first time since the venerable series’ 2001 premiere season, this time sharing each hour with their AFC North neighbors. The sixth episode of this in-season look at the division debuted Tuesday night, placing a spotlight on Ravens coach John Harbaugh as he motivated his team for a division-clinching victory over Cleveland, processed Zay Flowers’ knee injury and delighted in Michael Pierce’s valedictory interception. From now until the end of the season, we’ll recap each episode, highlighting striking moments, memorable characters and tasty Ravens-related nuggets. Key Ravens scene Harbaugh opened the episode with a bit of NFL fire and brimstone as he prepared his team for its regular-season finale against the Browns. The Ravens might have been favored by 20 points, but he wasn’t about to let them forget they lost to Cleveland, 29-24, on the last weekend in October. Biblical vengeance belongs to the Lord, Harbaugh began in the team auditorium. “But I do believe in football, you play a team in the division twice for a reason. Would you agree? So if we play ’em twice for a reason, and they beat us the first time, vengeance is yours, man. We are going to put the gas, the pedal down. We are going into this game to win everything. Win every play, win every series, win every catch, win every throw, win every interception. Win everything.” It was the fullest glimpse in the series to date of Harbaugh as motivator, and he kept it up later in the week. “Can you imagine how terrible, how disastrous, how awful it would be if they came into our stadium and beat us and took our championship away?” he told players as game day neared. “You can’t even fathom it. It sucked enough the last time when they embarrassed us.” He did not want the Ravens taking anything for granted with a second straight division title so close to their grasp. “And then,” Harbaugh said, “the real season starts.” Other Ravens tidbits The episode delivered a closeup of Flowers clutching his knee and gasping in pain after he went down at the end of a catch and run in the first half against Cleveland. “Aw [crap]. He’s hurt,” Harbaugh said into his headset. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” “It’s his right knee, but I think the big ligaments are OK,” team physician Dr. Andrew Tucker said after quickly examining Flowers on the field. We know now that Flowers is day-to-day, with his availability for the Ravens’ playoff opener against the Steelers in question. Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers injured his right knee in the second quarter of Saturday’s game against the Browns. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) “Hard Knocks” captured the terrible juxtapositions of NFL life, because two days earlier, Flowers had embraced general manager Eric DeCosta after learning he’d made his first Pro Bowl. “The first time I ever saw you, I knew you would,” DeCosta told Flowers. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey, meanwhile, made his fourth Pro Bowl, bouncing back from an injury-marred 2023. “You said you believed in me,” he reminded Harbaugh as they chatted mid-practice. “Did I text you that?” Harbaugh replied. Humphrey nodded. “Now, all of a sudden you’re in the Pro Bowl, and everybody believes in you,” Harbaugh said. “Remember who’s been with you since the beginning.” “I do,” Humphrey said. “I do.” We saw teammates joking with running back Derrick Henry about turning 31 on the day of the Browns game. Ancient as that might seem to some of them, Henry seemed unperturbed. “I feel like I’m 25 years old,” he said. In the late stages of the Ravens’ win over the Browns, Harbaugh said it might be time to sit Henry if the offense picked up another first down. On the next play, the future Hall of Fame running back sprinted 43 yards for a touchdown. Problem solved. Ravens running back Derrick Henry rushed for two touchdowns in a Week 18 win over the Browns. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Lamar Jackson shared his deep respect for Browns defensive end Myles Garrett. Asked by a coach which edge defender gives him the most trouble with zone reads, Jackson did not hesitate, laughing as he demonstrated a few of Garrett’s mind-bending moves. “He’s different,” Jackson concluded. In a Ravens-heavy episode, “Hard Knocks” also profiled tight end Mark Andrews, showcasing how he manages his Type 1 diabetes and interacts with young fans dealing with the same condition. We also saw plenty of Andrews’ telepathic connection with Jackson, which has developed over seven seasons. “Just getting started,” Andrews said. Best non-Ravens scene With the Ravens and Steelers already in the playoffs and the Browns long gone from contention, the Bengals were the team left to sweat out the last weekend of the season. They had already won four in a row to give themselves an unlikely chance at the No. 7 seed. They needed to beat Pittsburgh. They needed the New York Jets to upset the Miami Dolphins. And most improbably of all, they needed the Kansas City Chiefs, resting all their key players, to knock off the Denver Broncos. “Hard Knocks” captured the ecstasy in the Cincinnati locker room after the Bengals did their part with a gritty win over the Steelers. “All you guys did was dig deep, lean into each other and put yourself in position, man, to sit on your couch tomorrow, watch like a fan and pray to God that we get into this thing,” coach Zac Taylor told his players. “Because you deserve it.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 2025 NFL mock draft: First-round projections after Week 18 Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Steelers scouting report for AFC wild-card round: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is the X factor vs. Ravens | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Sleep, film and focus: How Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has prepared for playoff run Baltimore Ravens | 10 numbers that defined the Ravens’ 2024 regular season You just knew the episode would conclude with scenes of the Bengals watching their fate reside in others’ hands. Taylor viewed the games on a big screen in his office. Wide receiver Andrei Iosivas and tight end Mike Gesicki gathered with a few friends and loved ones, expressing genuine hope that the Chiefs, with nothing to play for, would show some fight. Both the coach and his players fell silent, the life draining from their faces by the minute, as they realized it wasn’t meant to be. The Bengals had created compelling football theater and convinced plenty of people they were the team No. 2 seed Buffalo wouldn’t want to see in the wild-card round. But that spot would belong, instead, to the Broncos. The episode ended without a final comment from Cincinnati, because what else was left to say? Episode MVP With so many Ravens scenes in the episode, Harbaugh served as the touchpoint, delivering his big speech to open the show and commenting on all the twists and turns of an AFC North championship week. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

The Ravens handled the woeful Browns, 35-10, to clinch a repeat AFC North title. The Steelers fell to the Bengals to finish their regular season on a four-game losing streak. Who will have the advantage when these enduring rivals meet in the wild-card round of the playoffs Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium? Ravens passing game vs. Steelers pass defense Lamar Jackson finally played well against the Steelers in the Ravens’ 34-17 win on Dec. 21, completing 15 of 23 passes for 207 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. It was hardly Jackson’s gaudiest passing line in a magnificent season that could land him his third NFL Most Valuable Player award, but it represented significant progress against the opponent that has bothered him more than any other. This time, Jackson might have to do it without Pro Bowl wide receiver Zay Flowers, who led the team with five catches for 100 yards in the December victory over Pittsburgh. Flowers hurt his knee in the regular season finale against Cleveland. Coach John Harbaugh said the injury isn’t season-ending, but that might just mean Flowers could make it back for the divisional round or the AFC championship. If he’s unable to go, wide receiver Rashod Bateman (16.8 yards per catch, nine touchdowns) and tight end Isaiah Likely (11.4 yards per catch, six touchdowns) would need to step into bigger roles. Tight end Mark Andrews has caught a touchdown pass in six straight games, so he’ll be Jackson’s first look in the red zone no matter what. The Ravens easily led the league in yards per play and passing DVOA, indications of just how efficient they are with and without Flowers on the field. They scored touchdowns on a league-best 74.2% of their red-zone possessions and ranked No. 3 in third-down efficiency. It’s an offense that both moves in chunks and finishes drives. The Ravens will try to keep rolling against a Pittsburgh defense that will be healthier than it was in the last meeting, with only starting cornerback Donte Jackson uncertain to play because of a pinched nerve in his back. Defensive end Larry Ogunjobi and cornerback Joey Porter Jr. will be back in the lineup. It’s all about the pass rush for this defense, which features three dangerous edge rushers in T.J. Watt (11 1/2 sacks, 27 quarterback hits, league-best six forced fumbles), Alex Highsmith (six sacks in 11 games) and Nick Herbig and one of the sport’s interior superstars in venerable defensive tackle Cam Heyward (eight sacks, 11 passes defended). The Ravens did a good job limiting that crew to one sack and no quarterback hits in December. The best way to gouge Pittsburgh is by operating quickly, which isn’t always Jackson’s modus operandi. Will the Ravens try to force tempo, or will they simply trust their quarterback’s instincts on when to extend plays and look downfield? The Steelers lead the league in takeaways, and veteran ballhawk Minkah Fitzpatrick took advantage of miscommunication between Jackson and Bateman for an interception that could have loomed large in the December matchup (had Marlon Humphrey not immediately answered with a pick-six). The Steelers rank No. 2 in third-down defense, so the Ravens will need to avoid third-and-long. Vulnerable as this defense looked during a four-game losing streak to close the season, that stretch belied how dangerous Pittsburgh still is. EDGE: Ravens Steelers passing game vs. Ravens pass defense When the Steelers rolled through the middle of the season, quarterback Russell Wilson’s efficiency on deep balls, especially to wide receiver George Pickens, was a major reason. That weapon has largely disappeared from Pittsburgh’s arsenal over the last four weeks, with Wilson throwing just four touchdown passes and two interceptions during the losing streak that cost the Steelers an AFC North title. Wilson averaged a season-high 11.29 yards per attempt in a Dec. 1 win over the Bengals. He plummeted to 4.8 yards per attempt in the regular season finale against Cincinnati. Pickens (15.3 yards per catch) did not play in the last game against the Ravens, and his injury was initially viewed as the reason for the dip in explosiveness, but he caught just four passes on 13 targets for 50 yards after returning on Christmas. If the Steelers can’t get Pickens going, Wilson won’t have much chance to scare the Ravens. Tight end Pat Freiermuth (653 yards, seven touchdowns) and wide receiver Calvin Austin III are solid, but they’re not going to take the top off a defense. Wide receiver Mike Williams hasn’t factored heavily since Pittsburgh picked him up at midseason. Wilson’s best bet might be to pick on Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens with his patented moon balls, hoping to draw a downfield interference call or two. Because Wilson holds the ball as he probes for deep targets, the Ravens — second in the league with 54 sacks — will have chances to get to him, especially given Pittsburgh’s weaknesses on the right side of its offensive line. That starts with edge rushers Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh,, who both reached double digits in sacks, but it was reserve outside linebacker David Ojabo’s pressure that helped set up Humphrey’s crucial pick-six in the last matchup. Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr was prophetic when he said takeaways would be the element to push his improving unit over the top. Humphrey’s interception and safety Ar’Darius Washington’s forced fumble on Wilson near the goal line were arguably the biggest plays in the win over Pittsburgh. Rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins got in on the pick-six fun against Cleveland. The Ravens’ defense went from one of the worst in the league over the first 10 games to one of the best over the last seven, a transformation that coincided with them inserting Washington as a starter and pulling Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton back from the line of scrimmage. Their reconfigured secondary stopped bleeding explosive plays, a trend the Ravens will need to continue Saturday given Wilson’s tendencies. The Steelers rank 29th in red-zone efficiency and 15th on third down. EDGE: Ravens Ravens running game vs. Steelers run defense The Ravens went right at the Steelers with Derrick Henry in December, hammering them for 220 rushing yards, 63 more than anyone else managed against Pittsburgh all season. That was after they largely abandoned the run in the second half of their 18-16 loss in Pittsburgh. It would be a shock if Henry (1,921 yards, 5.9 per carry, 16 touchdowns) isn’t a major part of the game plan Saturday given Flowers’ possible absence and the predicted frigid temperature at M&T Bank Stadium. Jackson managed just 22 yards on nine carries in the win over the Steelers, but the Ravens did find success going to third-down back Justice Hill as a change of pace. Hill has missed the last two games with a concussion and illness but is expected back Saturday. Jackson, of course, remains a unique weapon, having led the league at 6.6 yards per carry and passed Michael Vick as the most prolific running quarterback in league history. Ravens running back Derrick Henry figures to be an important part of the game plan Saturday against the Steelers, given his recent success against Pittsburgh and the expected cold temperatures. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Pittsburgh will try to present stouter resistance to Henry with help from hard-hitting safety DeShon Elliott, who did not play against his former team in the last meeting. Former Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen will also be amped up to play better than he did in that defeat. It will be interesting to see how much the Ravens lean on zone-concept runs to create space for Henry. Pittsburgh’s top pass rushers, Watt, Heyward and Highsmith, also excel against the run, with Watt just as apt to strip a running back as Jackson. Fumble luck went the Ravens’ way when they beat the Steelers three weeks ago, but they need to keep the ball off the ground. EDGE: Ravens Steelers running game vs. Ravens run defense The Steelers quietly ran well with 117 yards on 24 carries in their loss in Baltimore. Pittsburgh always goes back to the ground (fourth in the league in attempts), even when its efficiency (4.1 yards per carry) isn’t great. Najee Harris (1,043 yard, four per carry) is the No. 1 option, but the Ravens will also see plenty of Jaylen Warren, who dipped from 5.3 yards per carry last year to 4.3 this year. The Steelers’ success on early downs will be key to the game, because they’re not built for third-and-long. The Ravens allowed the fewest yards per game and per carry in the league, and they’ll have all their key run defenders Saturday, including nose tackle Michael Pierce, who played just 13 snaps in the last meeting. Leading tackler Roquan Smith struggled in that game, and he’ll need to be sharper to prevent Harris and Warren from hurting the Ravens early. It’s a tribute to Hamilton and Washington that the Ravens have improved so much on the back end without sacrificing their physicality against the run. EDGE: Ravens Ravens special teams vs. Steelers special teams The Ravens averted disaster when they recovered a pair of special teams fumbles in the last meeting with Pittsburgh. They’re still sorting out their return game, though Steven Sims has been the starting punt returner since the Ravens claimed him off waivers, and Keaton Mitchell ran a kickoff back 47 yards against Cleveland. Justin Tucker, 1-for-3 on field goals in the loss in Pittsburgh, has not missed in the Ravens’ four wins since their bye week. Will he be tested on a clutch kick in potentially difficult weather conditions Saturday? The Ravens certainly can’t count on Pittsburgh’s Chris Boswell missing. He made 41 of 44 field-goal attempts this season, including 13 of 15 from 50 yards and beyond. Punter Corliss Waitman has also excelled since he stepped in for inured Cameron Johnston. The Steelers have averaged just 23 yards per kickoff return while allowing 28.9 yards per kickoff return, but that’s the only weakness in an excellent special teams group. EDGE: Steelers Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 2025 NFL mock draft: First-round projections after Week 18 Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 6 recap: Ravens’ John Harbaugh motivates with fiery speech Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is the X factor vs. Ravens | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Sleep, film and focus: How Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has prepared for playoff run Baltimore Ravens | 10 numbers that defined the Ravens’ 2024 regular season Ravens intangibles vs. Steelers intangibles Did Jackson and the Ravens cast off their Pittsburgh albatross by surviving a few tense moments to win by 17 in December? Or is the Steelers’ 8-2 record over the last 10 games in the rivalry still a source of anxiety for the AFC North champions. Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin have banged heads for 17 years, matching up more than any coaches since Curly Lambeau and George Halas, so there won’t be a lot of tactical surprises. Will the Ravens find an offensive flow without Flowers? Or will the Steelers ugly things up as they have in so many close wins over Baltimore? The Ravens earned home-field advantage and deserve to be favored (though perhaps not by 10 points) after racing past the slumping Steelers over the last four weeks of the regular season. If late-season form is telling, they’ll win comfortably. But Tomlin will spend the week telling his players no one believes in them and that they’ve always stood up to the Ravens in difficult moments. The Ravens, meanwhile, know the venom that will spew toward Harbaugh and Jackson if they again come out flat as playoff favorites. The psychological layers in this one are fit for a Russian novel. EDGE: Even Prediction If Flowers can’t play, that’s a big deal, but not such a big deal that the Ravens won’t survive without their Pro Bowl wide receiver. They’ll still have the dominant playmakers on the field in Jackson and Henry, and in Bateman and Likely, they have pass catchers gifted enough to replace much of Flowers’ production. If Jackson plays close to the peaks he reached this season and avoids turnovers, Pittsburgh’s sputtering offense won’t keep up. The Steelers have the pass rush and the big-play capability to make this a closer game than the point spread would suggest. We’ve seen them upend superior Ravens teams in the past five years. They just won’t score quite enough on a cold night in Baltimore. Ravens 27, Steelers 19 Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

Few in the NFL have a game face as menacing as Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. It’s as if he is back in middle school and the bully took his lunch money, or another student said something bad about his mom. It’s time to fight. The scowl has become part of his persona. “That’s his natural face,” said his older brother, Eddie, a former starting cornerback at Maryland in the late 1980s. “It’s not necessarily welcoming to begin with, but it is his regular face. It’s not like he is pissed or something; he’s pretty flatlined even if he’s very pleased. It’s like all the men in our family being accused of being mean people just because of how we look when there is nothing going on. “But honestly, he is not pissed for the most part. He just looks like that a lot.” Former Steelers cornerback Ryan Clark concurs. “That’s just the way God made his face,” said Clark, who played for Pittsburgh from 2006 through 2013 and is now an ESPN analyst. “He’s fun, he laughs, he jokes, has a good time. He has all the ranges of emotions.” Tomlin is the X factor in the Ravens’ wild-card playoff game against Pittsburgh on Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium. This doesn’t appear to be much of a game on paper — or statistically. The Ravens came from two games behind in the regular season to defend their AFC North title. They have won four straight while Pittsburgh has lost four in a row. The last time the two teams met on Dec. 21, Baltimore physically dominated the Steelers in a 34-17 victory. But it’s the scowl and the attitude behind it that should concern the Ravens. Tomlin, 52, has a 21-16 record against Baltimore, and the Steelers have won eight of the past 10. Tomlin’s defenses have had success against Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is 2-4 in the postseason in seven years. Pittsburgh is the only team that Jackson has thrown more interceptions (nine) than touchdown passes (eight) against. How and why has Tomlin had so much success versus Baltimore? “Man, I can’t tell you that,” Eddie Tomlin said, laughing. “I just can’t.” I have a history with Eddie Tomlin, the CEO and owner of Newsome Park Strategies, a medical device company based in Tidewater, Virginia. I covered him for The Baltimore Sun when he played cornerback for Joe Krivak, the Terps’ late coach, from 1988 to 1991. Back then, Maryland was trying to recover from the death of basketball star Len Bias, who died on June 19, 1986, from cardiac arrhythmia because of cocaine use. Of course, no one knows Mike Tomlin better. They were the only siblings raised together by Leslie and Julia Copeland in Hampton, Virginia, and attended Denbigh High, which has produced many great athletes. Pittsburgh won’t come into this game thinking about a losing streak. Mike Tomlin emphasized that earlier this week, declaring that the Steelers have learned from recent failures. Chiefs coach Andy Reid is good at the X’s and O’s while Mike Tomlin can play the head games. It’s vintage Mike Tomlin. “You don’t straighten the season out, man,” Eddie Tomlin said. “You go out and you play your best football next week. It’s a tournament, and you shoot all your bullets in the tournament. You certainly don’t bring the last four weeks into the stadium on Saturday. I’m sure he has gotten that message across.” Mike Tomlin has spoken about the familiarity of the two teams, but Eddie Tomlin said his brother is also good at delivering messages to his team while at the podium. Mike Tomlin has the classic delivery with the short, choppy words and those faces that looked like he just sucked up some lemon juice. But Eddie Tomlin says it’s a style learned from his uncle Mike, and often his younger brother sounds a lot like a rapper. You can tell there is a lot of brotherly love. Eddie said he never allowed anyone to pick on Mike when they were younger. The two talk several times a week — unless the Steelers lose. Then he has to call his brother on late Saturday nights. Don Wright/APJohn Harbaugh, left, and Mike Tomlin are plenty familiar with each other. (Don Wright/AP) “He has a wit about him that I find funny,” Eddie Tomlin said. “I guess reporters up there [Pittsburgh] don’t like it, but it is what it is. He always has something quick and clean to say about everything. It’s a gift, man. Yet, at the same time, he is delivering a message to his team and he knows they are listening. “He has always been direct, straight and blunt. That’s how he is able to connect with players. These guys have been treated like the pretty girl since they were able to distinguish themselves athletically, and here he is telling them the truth and what they need to do to get better. He has been able to connect with them, and now his program seems to be on autopilot.” Despite the impressive overall record (183-107) and Super Bowl title in two appearances, Mike Tomlin is 8-10 in the postseason and has lost four straight. The Steelers come into Baltimore with a small-ball passing offense led by quarterback Russell Wilson. They have a big-play tight end in Pat Freiermuth and a deep threat on the outside in George Pickens, who is full of drama as he follows in the footsteps of Antonio Brown and Diontae Johnson. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 2025 NFL mock draft: First-round projections after Week 18 Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 6 recap: Ravens’ John Harbaugh motivates with fiery speech Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Steelers scouting report for AFC wild-card round: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Sleep, film and focus: How Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has prepared for playoff run Baltimore Ravens | 10 numbers that defined the Ravens’ 2024 regular season Defensively, the Steelers are sound, especially with T. J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Cameron Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi up front. It will be interesting to see if the Steelers come up with some new wrinkles, such as using backup quarterback Justin Fields in certain situations. The Ravens, meanwhile, are on a roll even though they struggled early offensively against the Browns on Saturday. They could be without slot receiver Zay Flowers but have plenty of other playmakers — Jackson, running back Derrick Henry and tight end Mark Andrews. Defensively, the Ravens have improved over the past month but won’t play a team with a strong passing game until later in the postseason. Pittsburgh’s style is to keep games close and then have their playmakers make plays in the final four minutes. It hasn’t worked in recent weeks, but it did against the Ravens on Nov. 17, an 18-16 Steelers win. “I’d be very surprised if the Steelers win,” Clark said. “I think the Baltimore Ravens are a top-four team in the league. I put them in the same category as the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles.” If the Steelers pull the upset Saturday night, there will be dark days in Baltimore. If that happens, you can trace it back to the scowl of Mike Tomlin. He finds magic against the Ravens. “I think the Zay Flowers injury is a big deal. If he doesn’t play, it’s a different football team, a different offense,” Clark said. “But if the Pittsburgh Steelers find a way to win, it will be [Tomlin’s] greatest coaching effort in his tenure at Pittsburgh,”. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

It was late October, midway through the Ravens’ season, and Lamar Jackson was nowhere to be seen. Two straight missed practices were cause for curiosity if not concern among the assembled media corps at 1 Winning Drive. The absences were quickly explained away by coach John Harbaugh as mere rest days for a sore knee and back amid a heavy workload of football for the $260 million quarterback in what was expected to be a long season ahead. But behind closed doors there had also been some tough words, Jackson acknowledged, in the days following a sloppy, mistake-filled loss to the lowly, then one-win Browns in Cleveland, and he needed a break physically. “I’m the type of person if I’m well-rested and my body feel good I should be able to do anything,” Jackson told The Baltimore Sun. “I tell coach all the time, if we rest we should be able to do this. He listens, but sometimes he’s the coach and do what he want to do.” Harbaugh and Jackson are two ultra-competitive men driven by the same goal — an elusive Super Bowl title together — and at the top of the sport it’s why small details can carry big importance, particularly when the only thing left to be measured by is the game’s ultimate prize for two all-but-certain future Hall of Famers. It’s part of the reason, for example, that Harbaugh during offseason workouts brought in a sleep specialist to meet with the team. It’s why Jackson’s mother, Felicia Jones, who was on her son’s case following a loss to the Eagles last month for not taking advantage of the running lanes Philadelphia had presented him, will chide him for texting her at 1 a.m., wondering why he isn’t asleep, he said. “Needing sleep wasn’t something that was ever on my mind,” Jackson, who turned 28 on Tuesday, told The Sun. “My mom, she always told me to make sure I’m sleeping.” Now in his seventh year and with the bitter taste of last season’s ugly loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in his first AFC championship game still lingering on his tongue, it’s only one of many changes he has made as he prepares to embark on what he hopes will be a deep playoff run, beginning with Saturday’s wild-card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the regular season, Jackson put together a historic campaign. He became the first player in NFL history to pass for more than 4,000 yards and run for more than 900 yards in the same season. He set the franchise record for touchdown passes in a season (41) while throwing just four interceptions. He led the Ravens to a 12-5 record, another AFC North title and the No. 3 seed in the conference and is again a candidate for the NFL’s Most Valuable Player Award, which would be his third. But Jackson is just 2-4 in the playoffs and never reached a Super Bowl in his six previous seasons. He has also failed to maintain the same level of play in the postseason with six interceptions and three lost fumbles in six games. Which as usual this time of year begs the question of whether he can turn regular season magnificence into playoff mastery. Teammates say Jackson this year has been more intentional and vocal. “What Lamar has done a good job of is take the years before him and really used them, taught himself what he was bad at what he was good at,” wide receiver Rashod Bateman told The Sun. “I think that shows. A lot of people kind of wonder what he be up to in the offseason, but it shows he works behind closed doors. A lot of us are not shocked, but it’s cool for the world to see.” The importance of being in the second year of offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s system also can’t be overstated. “It’s important for you to understand that he sees the game different than what you may think is the picture,” wide receiver Nelson Agholor told The Sun. “The picture is this, but he has a different picture. The more you start speaking Lamar, and understanding Lamar the more prolific we’ll be.” Coaches have also seen physical improvements on the field and greater command of the offense in the film room. “He made some goals to be quicker on his feet,” quarterbacks coach Tee Martin said. “We made a key point to work on throws outside the numbers, into deeper field zones, outside the numbers, post routes, go routes [and] things of that nature [as well as] on the run [and] scramble throws. Those are things that we intentionally wanted to come into the season to be improved at and better at. So, as you look at his numbers, you look at statistically where he’s at, he’s improved in all those areas. “From protections, from progressions, from knowing what to expect so that he can anticipate and get the ball out – he’s not getting sacked as much, [and] he’s not being flushed as much.” Having Derrick Henry alongside him in the backfield is no small matter, either. Jackson’s eyes widen when asked how significant the future Hall of Fame back has been on him specifically. He let out an audible gasp. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry form one of the NFL’s most productive backfields. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) “He made my job A LOT easier,” Jackson continues. “He makes the offensive line’s job a lot easier because the type of running back he is. When he gets downhill or when he hit the outside he just go, when running backs be dancing, making moves, he gets the ball and just go and that’s keeping our line fresh. “And he just taking the edge off me. I don’t got to run the ball as much.” Monken put it another, more blunt way. “There’s nothing like being able to turn around and comfortably hand the ball off to the running back,” he said. “And some of those times – like we we’re talking about under center – it’s kind of a smoke break for your quarterback. There’s not much processing. You can just turn around and hand the ball off, and there’s not a lot of reading it, throwing it, protection. “That’s really big. You get to exhale a little bit for the quarterback.” Henry’s addition will also perhaps help with Jackson’s anxiousness when the stakes of the games are at their highest. “I’d be just too excited,” he said this week. “Too antsy. I’m seeing things before it happened, like, ‘Oh, I got to calm myself down.’ But just being more experienced, I’ve found a way to balance it out.” He has tried to be tidy in other areas of his life, too, he told The Sun. He came into the season at just over 200 pounds, his lightest weight in years and more than 30 pounds less than what he weighed two seasons ago. It gave him the ability to get out his cuts faster, he said, and has kept him fresher as the season has worn on, which is in stark contrast to last year’s conference championship when he said his legs felt heavier and his speed was not as fast. When he signed on for a Gatorade commercial this year, the childhood appeal and money made it attractive. Other companies have called him, too, but Jackson said that “not all money is good money.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 2025 NFL mock draft: First-round projections after Week 18 Baltimore Ravens | ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 6 recap: Ravens’ John Harbaugh motivates with fiery speech Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Steelers scouting report for AFC wild-card round: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is the X factor vs. Ravens | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | 10 numbers that defined the Ravens’ 2024 regular season “There be a lot of stuff taking place during the season and I be trying to focus on football,” he told The Sun. “I don’t want anything cluttering my mind … I don’t wanna have that on my mind knowing I have 17 weeks, plus playoffs plus the Super Bowl. After the season, it’s cool but during the season I don’t want my mind focusing on anything but football.” He has also continued to listen to his mother. After all, he insists, she knows him better than anyone. She was there from the beginning, the one who guided him through backyard workouts in South Florida and through college, the one he still trusted as he entered the NFL and his most recent contract negotiation and even when to run and when to sleep. “She pretty much said what I need to do,” he told The Sun. “So I said I’m gonna put that in the back of my mind a lot more, and that’s what’s been going on.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens closed the regular season on Saturday with a 35-10 win over the Cleveland Browns, crowning them AFC North division champs while earning celebratory postgame cigars. It’s been a season full of twists and turns leading them here, days out from a wild-card round matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here are 10 numbers that defined the Ravens’ 2024 regular season: 30 That’s Lamar Jackson’s jersey No. 8 plus Derrick Henry’s No. 22 — the most productive quarterback and running back duo in NFL history. They are the first tandem to reach 4,000 passing yards (4,172) and 40 touchdowns (41) through the air complemented by at least 1,500 yards (1,921) and 15 touchdowns (16) on the ground. Individually, Jackson passed Michael Vick as the NFL’s all-time rushing leader for a quarterback this season. And Henry became the first player to rush for over 1,900 yards in multiple seasons — that’s with a thinner workload than he had in Tennessee. 73.3% By the end of the regular season, Justin Tucker finished more than nine percentage points worse than his previous single-season career-low. His 73.3% field goal rate ranks 32nd in the NFL out of 39 players who have attempted at least one kick this season. It’s been a rough go for the most accurate kicker in the history of the sport. But it’s not all bad. He missed 10 kicks in the first 13 weeks of the season. Nine blew wide left. Eight were field goals and two were extra-point tries. Tucker said the bye week felt like putting himself through a kiln, where he could come out the other side a pretty vase. He immediately regretted the corniness of the metaphor but hasn’t missed a kick since. 9 Nine of Baltimore’s 12 wins this season came against teams with a winning record, the most of any team in the NFL. It’s a long way from where the season started: a toenail loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 and a dismal unraveling vs. the Las Vegas Raiders (one of two losses this season to a team with four or fewer wins). An 0-2 start put their championship aspirations on the back burner. Many wondered whether the shaky two weeks coming up on an unfavorable stretch of games might mean Baltimore’s demise. Oh, how quickly narratives can change. “It was a tough schedule, and we played teams when they were at their best quite often and they were on a roll when we played them,” coach John Harbaugh said. “I thought our guys handled that.” 11 It took 11 weeks for the Ravens defense to figure it out. Through the first 10 weeks of the season, they were ranked 25th or worse in every category sans rushing defense, which they were the NFL’s best. Baltimore has since allowed the fewest yards per game (261.7), net passing yards per game (171.6), yards per play (4.4) and points per game (15.4). The turnaround under rookie coordinator Zach Orr became a major plot point of the season and a crucial development for their postseason aspirations. “[Orr] kept his composure,” linebacker Roquan Smith said. “He was the same guy day in and day out, and he didn’t change at all. I respect that individual, that despite going through adversity, he still had a smile, still had the same energy every single day.” 6 Marlon Humphrey’s six interceptions are the most among AFC players and tied for third most in the NFL. The veteran cornerback is playing at an All-Pro level having forced a few timely turnovers. There was a late-game interception in Cincinnati, a forced fumble against the Bengals, a pick-six vs. the Steelers and a pair of first-half takeaways in Tampa Bay. “I think he’s playing [the] highest-level football he’s probably ever played in his career,” Orr said. Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey recorded six interceptions this season, including one in each game against the Steelers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) 8 of 9 The question elicited moans, groans and eye rolls heading into Week 16. Players were tired of hearing about having lost eight of their past nine meetings with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens put that to rest with a convincing 34-17 win on Dec. 21. It has been fairly one sided in recent battles between the two longest-tenured coaches in the NFL but Baltimore finished out the regular season on a high note, stealing the division crown from the floundering Steelers. They’ll meet again Saturday night in Baltimore with the season on the line. 1,059 Wide receiver Zay Flowers flashed his potential as a rookie and stamped his prowess as a sophomore. Flowers became the third Raven to eclipse 1,000 yards in a single season and the organization’s first wide receiver to make the Pro Bowl. He also had a five-game stretch with four games over 100 yards receiving. His health will be paramount to a playoff run. 35.1% Year 2 of offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s system has yielded historically impressive results. Baltimore finished the season with the fourth-most efficient offense by DVOA in NFL history — a statistic measuring how well a team performs compared to league average. The Ravens’ 35.1% DVOA trails only 2010 New England, 1982 San Diego, 2007 New England, and they’re one spot ahead of 2018 Kansas City. As as a team, Baltimore finished seventh all-time in total DVOA at 41.4%. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers absent from practice Tuesday; Steelers largely healthy Baltimore Ravens | Bears, Jaguars reportedly seek permission to interview Ravens OC Todd Monken for head coach openings Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers ‘day to day’ after suffering knee injury against Browns Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: How far will the Ravens advance in the playoffs? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens roundtable: Discussing the Steelers, Zay Flowers’ health and more 26% Baltimore left the New York Times’ playoff predictor flickering in the waning weeks of the season. It pegged the Ravens to have a 26% chance of winning the AFC North and 6% odds of hoisting a Lombardi Trophy in February. That was coming out of the bye week, staring down three games in 11 days. After winning all three, the playoff predictor (with some help from the struggling Steelers) said, heading into Week 18, the Ravens had a 95% chance of taking the division and now gives them the fifth-best odds of winning the Super Bowl (10%). 361 For all the positive league-leading numbers, there was one negative the Ravens were among the best at. They were charged with 132 penalties costing them 361 yards – both the second most in football behind the disastrous New York Jets. The season opened with four head-scratching illegal formation penalties in the first half against Kansas City but the Ravens continued to kick themselves, flagged 7.76 times per game. Their worst showing came against the New York Giants, losing 112 yards thanks to 12 penalties. Eight of them came from the defense – a single-game high for any phase. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers emerged in the locker room following Tuesday’s practice in Owings Mills with a fresh haircut but also with a bulky brace on his right knee. As such, Baltimore’s leading receiver and its first Pro Bowl selection at the position did not practice, leaving his status for Saturday’s wild-card playoff game against the Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium uncertain. He also isn’t the only one dealing with a knee injury. Safety Kyle Hamilton (knee) also popped up on the injury report and was limited in practice. The All-Pro and defensive star has been banged up several times this season but has not missed a game. He has also been the lynchpin to a defense that has been the best in the NFL over the final two months of the regular season; his 7.7 yards allowed per completion led all safeties and he totaled a career-high 104 tackles, third-most at the position in the conference. Otherwise, the Ravens are largely healthy. Running back Justice Hill, who hasn’t played since suffering a concussion on Dec. 21 against the Steelers and missed last week because of an illness, was limited. Wide receiver and returner Deonte Harty (knee), whom they designated to return from injured reserve on Monday, fully practiced. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 10 numbers that defined the Ravens’ 2024 regular season Baltimore Ravens | Bears, Jaguars reportedly seek permission to interview Ravens OC Todd Monken for head coach openings Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers ‘day to day’ after suffering knee injury against Browns Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: How far will the Ravens advance in the playoffs? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens roundtable: Discussing the Steelers, Zay Flowers’ health and more Pittsburgh could be much healthier this time around after missing several players in its previous meeting in Baltimore. The only Steelers who didn’t practice Tuesday were defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (illness) and offensive lineman Isaac Seumalo (rest). Guard Mason McCormick, who fractured a bone in his hand last week against the Cincinnati Bengals, and tight end MyCole Pruitt (knee) were limited. Otherwise, everyone practiced fully, including cornerback Donte Jackson (back), wide receiver Roman Wilson (hamstring), defensive lineman Logan Lee (calf) and offensive tackle Calvin Anderson (goin), all of whom have been designated to return from injured reserve. Linebacker Cole Holcomb (knee), who has been designated to return from the physically unable to perform list, was also a full participant. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The conclusion of the regular season in the NFL on Sunday night meant that teams could request permission to interview candidates currently employed by other teams for their head coach and/or general manager openings as soon as Monday morning. Unsurprisingly, one of the early names to surface for the current handful of coaching openings is from the Ravens. The Chicago Bears requested permission to speak with Baltimore offensive coordinator Todd Monken, according to NFL Network. The Bears reportedly also sought permission to speak with Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, whose contract is set to expire soon. Monken, 58, is in his second year with the Ravens and was the architect of the league’s most prolific offense this season, with Baltimore becoming the first team to pass for at least 4,000 yards and rush for at least 3,000 yards in the same season en route to leading the NFL in total yards. A year after reaching the AFC championship game, the Ravens finished 12-5 in the regular season, are the No. 3 seed in the conference and will host the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round on Saturday night. In-person interviews for head coach candidates currently under contract can’t take place until Jan. 20, though virtual interviews can begin sooner. Coaches with the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions, along with those from teams that did not make the playoffs, can take part in virtual interviews for head coaching jobs three days after the conclusion of their respective team’s regular season. Coaches from teams playing in next weekend’s wild-card round, however, are not permitted to interview for jobs at all until three days after their wild-card game. When Ravens coach John Harbaugh was asked Monday morning during his weekly news conference if he had received any requests to speak with any of his assistant coaches, he was dismissive. “If I had, I wouldn’t probably announce it,” he said. “Maybe, I don’t know, do they put that out? Like, [does] the NFL put that out or whatever?” “So you can get it from the insiders when it happens, I guess.” While it’s still a long way from happening, should Monken get hired by the Bears or another team, it would be the longtime assistant’s first head coaching job in the NFL. His only head coaching experience was with Southern Mississippi from 2013 to 2015. Still, he figures to be a popular candidate. Last year, quarterback Lamar Jackson had career highs in passing yards (3,678) and completion percentage (67.2) and went on to be named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player for the second time. This season, he was even better, with 4,172 yards passing, a career-high and franchise record 41 touchdowns and four interceptions. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers ‘day to day’ after suffering knee injury against Browns Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: How far will the Ravens advance in the playoffs? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens roundtable: Discussing the Steelers, Zay Flowers’ health and more Baltimore Ravens | 5 things to know about the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ravens’ wild-card round opponent Baltimore Ravens | Ravens to face Steelers in wild-card playoff game in Baltimore on Saturday Jackson also became the first player in NFL history to throw for at least 4,000 yards and rush for at least 800 yards in the same season while leading an offense that led the league in yards per game (424.9), third in points per game (30.5) and first in defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA). Last year, Monken interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina Panthers. Though he will turn 59 in February — the average age of coaches entering this season was just under 48 years old — he could be an attractive candidate for a Bears team that went 5-12 and had the worst offense in the league with quarterback and 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams. In addition to the work he’s done with Jackson, among others over a long career, he grew up 30 miles outside Chicago in Wheaton, Illinois, comes from a coaching family and has a spirited personality. He also insisted it’s not something he’s worried about right now. “I don’t deal with it,” Monken said last month about the speculation surrounding suitors who could be potentially interested in his services. “I don’t deal with it because it’s got nothing to do with the here and the now, and nobody really knows anyways.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers’ availability for Saturday’s wild-card playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers remains uncertain. Coach John Harbaugh said Monday that Baltimore’s leading pass catcher is “day to day” after suffering a right knee injury Saturday in the regular-season finale against the Cleveland Browns. He declined to provide further specifics, saying only that the injury is not season-ending. Flowers suffered the injury early in the second quarter of Saturday’s win after Browns linebacker Mohamoud Diabate landed on his right knee after a 12-yard catch-and-run. He was helped to his feet by the training staff and limped to the sideline before going into the medical tent and eventually the locker room. He did not return. Losing the second-year receiver for the game would be a blow to what was the NFL’s No. 1 offense this season. Flowers led the Ravens in catches (74) and yards (1,059) to go with four touchdowns. He was also the fastest player in team history to reach 100 career receptions, the first Baltimore wide receiver to top 1,000 yards in a season since Marquise “Hollywood” Brown in 2021 and became the organization’s first at the position to be selected to the Pro Bowl. Flowers has five 100-yard receiving games this season, including in the Ravens’ Dec. 21 win over the Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium, when he had five catches for 100 yards, including one that went for 49 yards. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The NFL postseason is here. The Ravens won the AFC North for the second straight year and secured at least one home playoff game — Saturday night against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers. We want to hear from you: how far do you think Baltimore will advance in this year’s postseason? After you vote, tell us what you think by clicking the comments button and we might publish your take in The Baltimore Sun. The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To read the results of previous reader polls, click here. View the full article

The Ravens enter the NFL playoffs on a four-game winning streak, using a late-season surge to win the AFC North for the second straight season. They’ll open postseason action Saturday at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a division rival with a recent history of success against Baltimore. Pittsburgh enters Saturday’s showdown riding a four-game losing streak, as the Steelers struggled over the final month of the regular season. The woes include a 34-17 loss in Baltimore on Dec. 21. How will this week’s matchup play out? Baltimore Sun reporters Brian Wacker, Childs Walker and Sam Cohn answer questions about the Ravens’ defensive improvement, Lamar Jackson’s recent play and challenges the Steelers present. What is Baltimore’s biggest concern heading into the playoffs? Wacker: If Zay Flowers were to miss any time that would be a major concern, given that he is their most dependable and versatile pass catcher among a thin wide receiver corps. Otherwise, it’s likely cornerback Brandon Stephens, who probably isn’t a concern in the wild-card round but could be the deeper the Ravens go in the playoffs when they will face elite quarterback play. In the playoffs, teams tend to pick on a weakness and exploit it and Stephens has been victimized a good bit this season. Baltimore could move Marlon Humphrey outside more often to help, but that would hurt the defense inside, where Humphrey has been one of the best defenders in the league. Walker: Zay Flowers’ knee injury could remove an irreplaceable playmaker from the league’s most efficient offensive. It’s not as if the Ravens would lose all their juice without their top receiver. They were still plenty explosive when he was off the field this season. Rashod Bateman and Isaiah Likely are also capable of turning short passes into chunk gains. But you never want to go into a playoff game without one of your 10 most important guys, and the Ravens face that possibility, at least for the wild-card round. Cohn: Baltimore’s biggest concern revealed itself in the second quarter Saturday evening when Zay Flowers clutched his right knee. He has proven to be a clear No. 1 receiver. He became the first Ravens wide receiver selected to the Pro Bowl thanks to his 1,000-yard season on 74 catches. Without question, his absence — however long, for however serious the injury — is Baltimore’s biggest concern. He hasn’t missed a game across two years in the NFL. But this is why they’ve touted the strength of their “pick-your-poison offense,” right? What is the Ravens’ biggest challenge facing the Steelers for a third time? Wacker: In facing the Steelers there is the ever-lurking specter of recent success not to mention divisional familiarity. Sure, the Ravens beat Pittsburgh the last time the two teams met a few weeks ago in Baltimore, but before that the Steelers had won eight of the previous nine. Their most recent contest was also much tighter than the final 34-17 final score would indicate and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin knows how to defend and get in the head of Lamar Jackson. Plus, all the pressure will be on Jackson and the Ravens after they rolled to the division title with four straight wins and Pittsburgh limped into the postseason with four straight losses. Walker: There will be real anxiety around a rematch with the Steelers, even though the Ravens were a superior team this season and a vastly superior one over the last four weeks. On paper, Pittsburgh doesn’t have any real offensive or defensive advantages over the Ravens, but Mike Tomlin’s team has a gift for dragging its high-flying AFC North rival into low-scoring games defined by mistakes and weird bounces. The Ravens got the better of the turnover battle in a 34-17 win over the Steelers four days before Christmas, but who’s to say the ball will roll their way this time? Pittsburgh has won eight of its last 10 matchups with Baltimore and will come to town believing an upset is possible, especially if Flowers is out of the equation. They would never say so, but this can’t be the opponent the Ravens would have ordered up. Cohn: Voodoo magic. The Ravens are the better team on paper. But Pittsburgh – as you’ve read here plenty of times – has had Baltimore’s number in eight of the last 10 meetings, thanks to coaching mastery and a few quirky, decisive plays. These are two teams that know each other very well. Even if Flowers isn’t healthy for Saturday’s game, the Ravens are playing better football in all three phases compared to their wild-card opponent. They should win – full stop. That said, which team has more on the line, the one with Super Bowl expectations riding a four-game win streak or the one who played themselves out of a division title, winless over the last month? Will Lamar Jackson carry over his regular-season play to the postseason? Wacker: This is the best version of Jackson we’ve seen yet, so it stands to reason that most of that will carry over to the playoffs as well. If you look at Jackson’s career as a whole rather than in a vacuum, there’s been a progression. It might not have been as fast as fans or the man himself would like, but it’s there. It also helps tremendously to have Derrick Henry. He’s a running back that makes a difference, especially this time of year, and one who can take some of the load and pressure off Jackson. Walker: He’ll be good. He’s a more precise, confident passer than ever before and a more confident general of coordinator Todd Monken’s offense. It also helps that he can hand the ball to Derrick Henry when the Ravens need a change of pace. Just keep in mind that the Ravens will play only very good defenses from here on out, probably in frigid settings. So don’t expect perfect passer ratings. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson threw for 41 touchdowns and just four interceptions in the regular season. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Cohn: It’s hard to imagine the MVP candidate not carrying this play into the postseason. A few weeks ago, Jackson said he doesn’t buy into the notion that teams can get hot at the right time heading into the playoffs. “That went out the window after [the AFC championship], for me,” he said. Well, I buy into it. The newly minted all-time quarterback rushing leader and first player in NFL history to reach 4,000 passing yards and 800 rushing yards in the same season looks ready as ever to do it when it matters most. The Ravens’ defense has been the best in the NFL since Week 11; will that continue in the playoffs? Wacker: This isn’t a dominant, all-time defense, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be given the Ravens’ offensive capabilities. It is, however, a very good unit with talent and experience at every level. There’s also a rhythm and confidence among the group, from much-improved communication to substitutions and packages that have pressured or at least kept opponents in check to a reliable pass rush. The real test, however, will come on the road against the Bills and Chiefs if they face them. Walker: It might not be the best defense in the playoffs, but the Ravens also don’t seem likely to be shredded as they were over the first 10 weeks. They’ve figured out their player rotations and communications in the secondary, with Kyle Hamilton quietly stepping forward to become their most important defender. They’re also healthy upfront, with pass rushers capable of menacing quarterbacks from various angles. In recent weeks, they’ve answered coordinator Zach Orr’s call for more takeaways that lead directly to points. Opponents will try to pick on cornerback Brandon Stephens, but this is a defense without a glaring weakness, and that’s a good place to start this time of year. Cohn: In a way, this defense feels better equipped for the postseason than last year. It’s cliche but they are battle tested. “All the people we had to prove wrong,” Odafe Oweh said Saturday night, “we proved ourselves right.” Oweh said prior to the Week 11 turnaround, they were trying to replicate last year rather than embracing this new group under a first-year defensive coordinator. It seems they’ve shed any identity crisis, made the necessary schematic and personnel changes, and are primed to keep rolling into the postseason. The Ravens’ defense has performed at an elite level over its final six games of the season. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) To get to the Super Bowl, Baltimore will likely have to beat the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs on the road. Can they? Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: How far will the Ravens advance in the playoffs? Baltimore Ravens | 5 things to know about the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ravens’ wild-card round opponent Baltimore Ravens | Ravens to face Steelers in wild-card playoff game in Baltimore on Saturday Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 35-10 win over the Cleveland Browns Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens need unsung hero Zay Flowers to thrive | COMMENTARY Wacker: Look at it this way: The Ravens hammered the Bills early in the season in Baltimore and were a big toe away from potentially beating the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in the season opener. Baltimore has only gotten better since then. Of course, so have Buffalo and Kansas City. But with a historic offense and an ascending defense, the Ravens, assuming they are healthy, have all the talent and ability to compete with and beat either of those teams. The only question is will they finally put it all together when the stakes are the highest. Walker: Sure. They spanked the Bills early in the season. They were an inch away from either winning or going to overtime in Kansas City. There’s no reason for them to be intimidated by either matchup. In fact, the Ravens’ upside is the highest of any team in the AFC. They can win a brawl or a shootout. No one has stopped them from moving the ball. They’ve stopped surrendering explosive plays. Skepticism will surround this team until it wins a heavyweight playoff matchup, but the arsenal is in place. Cohn: Can they? Sure. But it’s hard for me to confidently say they will until they go beat Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium. That feels like the final boss (even if it’s a game shy of their ultimate goal). The Ravens thumped Buffalo in Week 4 and their defense is far better now than it was back in September. But amidst the thorny MVP discourse pitting Jackson and Josh Allen, we seem to forget (ignore? deflect?) the Chiefs’ nearly undefeated record. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

The matchup is finally set. The Ravens will take on the AFC North rival Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round this weekend at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore secured the No. 3 seed and a home playoff game with its division-clinching win over the Cleveland Browns on Saturday, while Pittsburgh dropped to the No. 6 seed following its loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday night and the Los Angeles Chargers’ victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon. Here’s what you need to know about the Steelers this season: The ‘stench’ of losing is hard to wash off Just a few weeks ago, the Steelers were on top of the world (well, at least the AFC North). How quickly things can change. With a deflating 19-17 loss to the Bengals on Saturday night, they have dropped four straight. It’s their longest losing streak to end the season since 1998 and makes them just the third team to enter the playoffs riding a skid of at least four games. “We have a complete team,” defensive tackle Cameron Heyward said after Pittsburgh defeated the Browns in Week 14 to improve to 10-3 and move two games ahead of Baltimore for the AFC North lead. There was genuine belief then that the Steelers could contend for the conference title. But that victory was followed by a humbling 27-13 loss to the in-state rival Philadelphia Eagles, then a 34-17 defeat at the hands of the Ravens in Baltimore. A matchup against the Chiefs on Christmas Day, the Steelers’ third in 11 days, ended in a 29-10 rout. It marked the first time Pittsburgh had lost three consecutive games by 14-plus points since Weeks 5-7, 1998. Saturday night against the Bengals — who needed a win to keep their faint playoff hopes alive — was a chance at redemption, coach Mike Tomlin said. “Certainly, they’re a motivated group trying to play their way into this tournament, but certainly we’re a motivated group, to be quite honest with you,” he said. “We got to get the stench of the last few performances off of us, and there’s no better way to do that than a home divisional win versus a formidable group going into the tournament, and so that’s our mentality as we stand here today.” Try as they might, the Steelers failed to erase a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit. Now they enter the playoffs reeling. Pittsburgh’s recent playoff history is troubling In Tomlin’s first three seasons as coach, the Steelers went 5-2 in the postseason. That included a Super Bowl title — the team’s sixth — and two conference championships. Since then, Tomlin is 3-7, including five straight playoff losses. Pittsburgh’s last postseason win came in the divisional round over Alex Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs, 18-16, in January 2017 on the strength of six field goals by Chris Boswell. It’s a strange outcome for a coach who many consider to be among the best of all-time. Tomlin has famously never had a losing season in his 18-year tenure, though his ability to drag a mediocre team into the playoffs has left him short-handed when going up against much tougher competition. Russell Wilson, left, and the Steelers are limping into the postseason while Lamar Jackson, right, and the Ravens are riding a four-game winning streak. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) The Steelers’ offense has been one of the league’s worst The Steelers can win without scoring a lot of points. Just ask the Ravens. But it’s not an effective postseason strategy. After Saturday’s loss, Pittsburgh has scored 17 or fewer points in four straight games, which is tied for its longest streak since 2003. Arthur Smith’s offense was particularly mediocre against the Bengals, averaging just 3.3 yards per play while going 4-for-12 on third down. Russell Wilson completed just 17 of 31 passes for 119 yards, a woeful average of 3.4 yards per attempt. George Pickens had just one catch for 0 yards on six targets and showed more aggression toward fans in the stands than Bengals defenders. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren combined for 57 yards on 18 carries. The Steelers’ offense entered Week 18 ranked 17th in defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA), behind the Atlanta Falcons (who recently benched Kirk Cousins for rookie Michael Penix Jr.) and Jacksonville Jaguars (who have been starting Mac Jones with Trevor Lawrence out for the season). The Ravens’ defense hasn’t been exceptional this season, but it has to feel good about this matchup, especially with how things have been trending lately on both sides. The Steelers have had Lamar Jackson’s number Whether it’s the “Terrible Towels” or the defensive strategy, the Steelers have often gotten the best of Jackson during his NFL career. Overall, Pittsburgh has won eight of its past 10 matchups against Baltimore, though Jackson has not been on the field for many of those games. Because of illness, injury or rest, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player has made just six starts against the Steelers, going 2-4. Relative to his career numbers, Jackson has been a turnover machine against Pittsburgh, fumbling eight times (three lost) while throwing nine interceptions. He’s been sacked 23 times against the Steelers, second-most against any team behind the Browns, whom he’s played five more games against. The Ravens have averaged just 19.8 points per game in Jackson’s starts against Pittsburgh, well below expectations for what has been one of the league’s top offenses with him under center. In Week 11, Jackson completed just 48.5% of his passes, threw an interception and finished with his second-worst QBR of the season (56.4) in an 18-16 loss in Pittsburgh. But he flipped the script in Week 16, throwing three touchdown passes in a 34-17 win in Baltimore. Has Jackson finally exorcised those demons? We’ll find out. The Ravens have a checkered playoff history vs. Pittsburgh The Steelers not only lead the overall series between the division rivals, 36-26, but have a 3-1 advantage in the postseason. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens to face Steelers in wild-card playoff game in Baltimore Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 35-10 win over the Cleveland Browns Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens need unsung hero Zay Flowers to thrive | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens players shocked and thrilled after DT Michael Pierce’s first interception Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 35-10 win over Browns However, Baltimore got the last laugh. The teams last met in the playoffs in January 2015, a 30-17 win by the Ravens in the wild-card round behind two touchdown passes from Joe Flacco and three field goals by Justin Tucker. An interception by Terrell Suggs, a pick and a fumble recovery by Darian Stewart and two sacks from Elvis Dumervil helped the defense stifle Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant. Pittsburgh rolled to comfortable wins over Baltimore in their first two playoff meetings: a 27-10 victory in the January 2002 AFC divisional round and a 23-14 win in the January 2009 AFC championship game that ended John Harbaugh’s first season as coach. That game turned on a 65-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes, and though the Ravens clawed back to cut the lead to 16-14 with just under 10 minutes to go, safety Troy Polamalu returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown to seal the victory as Pittsburgh went on to win the Super Bowl over the Arizona Cardinals. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

The Ravens’ first-round playoff opponent is a familiar foe. Baltimore will play the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium in next weekend’s wild-card round. The date and time for the game have yet to be announced by the NFL. The matchup was set after the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Raiders in Las Vegas on Sunday to secure the No. 5 seed in the AFC and the Steelers lost, 19-17, a day earlier to the Bengals in Cincinnati. The victory by the Chargers means they will travel to Houston to face the No. 4 seed and AFC South champion Texans. The Steelers dropped to the No. 6 seed to set up a return date with the third-seeded Ravens, who trailed Pittsburgh by two games in the AFC North with four to play but won out to capture the division title on Saturday. It will also mark the third meeting between the two heated division rivals this season. The Steelers won the first, 18-16, in mid-November at Acrisure Stadium, while the Ravens handily won their most recent showdown, 34-17, three weeks ago in Baltimore. Now, they will square off in the postseason for the first time since 2015. Playoff history The Ravens and Steelers have played just four times in the postseason. The Steelers won each of the first three meetings — all in Pittsburgh — in 2002 in the divisional round, in 2009 in the AFC championship game and in 2011, again in the divisional round. In their first playoff meeting, Pittsburgh dominated, building a 20-3 lead en route to a 27-10 blowout as Baltimore was held to 150 total yards and 1-of-18 on third down. It wasn’t until seven years later that they finally met again in the playoffs, this time with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. Again the Steelers’ defense was the difference as the Ravens were held to 184 yards and turned the ball over five times, with Troy Polamalu’s 40-yard interception of a Joe Flacco pass for a touchdown in the fourth quarter the decisive blow in a 23-14 victory. In the 2010 season, Baltimore and Pittsburgh both finished 12-4, but the Steelers won the AFC North thanks to a better divisional record. In the divisional round showdown, the Ravens built a 14-7 first-quarter lead but the offense was again shut down. Baltimore was held to a paltry 126 yards, turned the ball over three times and scored just 3 points in the second half on its way to a 31-24 defeat. Finally, the Ravens snapped the streak in 2015 with a commanding 30-17 wild-card win in Pittsburgh. It was a victory that Baltimore fans remember fondly, with quarterback Joe Flacco completing 18 of 29 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns, including one in the fourth quarter to backup tight end Crockett Gillmore to put Pittsburgh away. The defense was also stifling, forcing three fourth-quarter turnovers, including an interception by linebacker Terrell Suggs, and sacking Ben Roethlisberger five times. Lately This time, of course, Baltimore will get Pittsburgh at M&T Bank Stadium, where the Ravens were 6-2 during the regular season with their only losses being in Week 2 to the Las Vegas Raiders and in Week 13 to the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles. Those half-dozen victories at home also included a 34-17 handling of the Steelers, a victory that clinched a playoff berth and was the second of four straight wins to close out the regular season en route to capturing the AFC North title. In that game, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson threw three touchdown passes, while cornerback Marlon Humphrey scored on a fourth-quarter interception return to help seal it. Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey’s returns an interception for a touchdown in a game against the Steelers earlier this season. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) It also ended a four-game losing streak against Pittsburgh, which had won eight of nine against Baltimore up to that point, including earlier this season in Pittsburgh, where the Ravens played an ugly-mistake filled game. Now, though, it’s the Steelers who have looked ugly, losing four straight to limp into the playoffs. During that span, they’ve been one of the worst teams in the NFL, averaging 14.25 points, 146.5 yards passing and 112.5 yards rushing. Pittsburgh has also scored just two total touchdowns in its last four games, is 19 of 48 on third down and twice has been held to 74 yards or less on the ground. Still, for all of Baltimore’s success this season, the Steelers have historically been a tough opponent. They also know all the pressure will be on the Ravens, who enter the playoffs perhaps the hottest team in the league and with the expectation of a deep playoff run. What they’re saying On Saturday, Jackson became the first player in NFL history to pass for at least 4,000 yards and rush for at least 800 yards in the same season. Running back Derrick Henry set a franchise-record for rushing touchdowns in a season. Outside linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh became the first Ravens duo to produce double digits in sacks in the same season since Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil in 2014. None of that matters now, because with little else to accomplish this team and most notably Jackson will be judged on postseason performance, something the team is acutely aware of. “Starting off 0-2, just looking at how things was happening with us – just battling adversity, people just doubting us and just this turnaround we’ve had,” Jackson said. “I’m very proud of my team. We battled and we got the job done, but the job is undone.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 5 things to know about the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ravens’ wild-card round opponent Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 35-10 win over the Cleveland Browns Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens need unsung hero Zay Flowers to thrive | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens players shocked and thrilled after DT Michael Pierce’s first interception Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 35-10 win over Browns Added coach John Harbaugh: “We played all of the teams in the playoffs — we played them all when they were all playing really well — but they’ve been getting better as well, so we understand it gets better, it gets tougher, but so do we.” Last season, Baltimore reached the AFC championship game for the first time in more than a decade before falling flat at home against the Chiefs. Now, the Ravens will likely have to win multiple road games if they are to get to the Super Bowl. In many ways, their season is just beginning. “This is why I came here,” Henry said. “We got the first goals done — to win the division — and [there’s] still much more we need to accomplish.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Despite a ragged performance by their league-best offense, the Ravens clinched a repeat AFC North crown with a 35-10 win against the overmatched Cleveland Browns. Here are five things we learned from the game: It was no aesthetic treasure, but the Ravens accomplished what was necessary How else for this ugly duckling of a game to end than with the Ravens sideline swarming 355-pound nose tackle Michael Pierce after the first interception — yes, interception — of his career? Pierce’s knees-first slide at the end of his rumble to glory looked like it came straight from the imagination of a confused, delighted 10-year-old. It was a moment of supreme levity to punctuate the Ravens capturing their second consecutive AFC North title and home-field advantage to start the playoffs. An odor of cigar smoke lingered in the postgame locker room, a reminder of the difficulties they had pushed behind them to rally from two games back in the division with four to play. The Ravens outscored their closing quartet of opponents 135-43. “We’ve gone through so much,” veteran pass rusher Kyle Van Noy said, alluding to the team’s 0-2 start, the deaths of offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris and 2012 postseason hero Jacoby Jones, the sobering memories of falling short a year ago. The Ravens earned their celebration — a “hat and T-shirt game” they called it — even if it came as a result of their wobbliest performance in more than a month. This team has played gorgeous, fast, fluid offense for much of the regular season. Not so on Saturday against a miserable Cleveland team with as much of its first string on the sideline as in the game. “We weren’t clean in this game,” coach John Harbaugh said. The Ravens goofed around a bit at the start, with Lamar Jackson overthrowing Mark Andrews by a half-stride on a potential touchdown and Zay Flowers dropping a pass on third down. They failed to come away with points on a red-zone possession later in the first quarter when the Browns stuffed Andrews on third-and-short and Jackson couldn’t find Derrick Henry on an improvised fourth-down dump-off. They failed again on fourth down late in the second quarter when Browns cornerback Cameron Mitchell knocked the ball from Andrews’ grip at the Cleveland 23-yard line. The Baltimore offensive line, with Ben Cleveland and Andrew Vorhees filling in for a “really sick” Patrick Mekari, got knocked around much of the evening by a Browns front seven that came to play. That the Ravens still covered the widest point spread of this NFL season spoke to their explosiveness and to the Browns’ toothlessness. It takes quite an offense to play sloppily and still roll up 437 yards, but that’s the Ravens’ advantage going into the postseason. With Jackson and Derrick Henry (138 rushing yards against Cleveland to push his season total to 1,921), even their C+ game is formidable. Pair this yardage machine with a defense that’s now creating turnovers and points and you have a team that can beat any opponent in any setting. Can they muster something close to their best for another four games and hoist the Lombardi Trophy in New Orleans in February? That’s the standard by which this team will be judged and the issue to which the Ravens had already turned their attention a half hour after dispatching the Browns. “I’m cool with what’s going on today,” Jackson said. “But my mind is on something else.” Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers left Saturday’s game against the Browns with a knee injury. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) The Ravens’ worst fears were realized when Zay Flowers limped off the field It was the one sight the Ravens could not bear in a game like this, with the result not in doubt and the playoffs a week away. They had been remarkably healthy all year. Just one more game, and they’d be set to chase a Super Bowl with their whole team. Flowers did what he always does on the play in question, juking and fighting for every bit of ground. The problem was that after everyone else got up, he remained on the ground, writhing as he gripped his right knee and shin. Three days after he made his first Pro Bowl, with his status as Jackson’s most dynamic target secure, Flowers struggled to walk off the field on his own. He went to the blue medical tent and then the locker room, a significant portion of the Ravens’ offensive potency going with him. Harbaugh said he couldn’t offer much update after the game other than to say the injury is “something he has a chance to be OK with.” The turnarounds come so quickly at this time of year that even a two-week injury, no big deal in September, could force the Ravens to recalibrate their offense for do-or-die games. Flowers is that important, not just as a downfield target but as the guy who can take a 5-yard flick and turn it into a clutch first down or touchdown. Rashod Bateman stepped up after his teammate left the game, making defenders miss with quicksilver moves after the catch. Tight end Isaiah Likely, a yards-after-catch monster in his own right, would also be asked to do more if Flowers, the first Pro Bowl wide receiver in franchise history, cannot go. The Ravens have dubbed themselves a “pick your poison” offense for a reason, but they’d be less deadly without potion No. 4 at Jackson’s disposal. An MRI on Sunday will reveal more, and nervous days await as the team finally confronts the specter of a costly injury. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson completed his most impressive regular season to date. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Take a moment to savor what Lamar Jackson did this season Think back 30 years, when different rules and different types of quarterbacks governed the NFL. Think how wonderful and absurd this statistical line — 4,172 passing yards, 41 touchdown passes, four interceptions, 915 rushing yards — would have looked on the back of a football card. Jackson and a few others have bent the game in recent years, creating highlights that would have felt like the work of aliens in 1994 or even 2004. “I mean, that’s pretty unbelievable,” Harbaugh said after running through his quarterback’s accomplishments. “What else needs to be said? There’s nobody like Lamar Jackson.” Josh Allen might deny Jackson a third NFL Most Valuable Player Award despite Jackson’s statistical superiority in most categories. That’s irrelevant to the awe other great players feel watching No. 8 on a daily and weekly basis. “Every game, his will, his fight, he’s after perfection,” Andrews said. “His will to win games and be on point, to be him, to be Lamar, and even elevate that from week to week is truly unbelievable.” What happens next will play an outsized role in determining how we remember Jackson’s season. But it’s worth setting our playoff obsession aside for a moment to take in his majesty. How often in a lifetime spent rooting for one city’s teams do you get to watch an all-time great in his absolute prime? Look at it from the perspective of an 80-year-old Baltimorean. You saw Johnny Unitas’ unruffled command in the waning moments of the “Greatest Game Ever Played.” You watched Frank Robinson breathe fire into the Orioles’ first World Series winner and Brooks Robinson wave his magic glove in 1970. You glimpsed Earl “The Pearl” Monroe spinning at the Civic Center, Cal Ripken Jr. catching the final out in 1983. Ray Lewis showed a middle linebacker could still become the NFL’s central figure in a new century. Ed Reed turned interceptions into art. Michael Phelps made winning gold medals seem almost routine. We’ve had a good run in this town, but you can count the ones we’ll never forget on your fingers and toes. Jackson is on the list, and it’s possible we’ll never see him string together 17 better regular-season games than the ones he just played. Whatever he does in the playoffs will fuel another year of discourse, but don’t let it obscure that we’re watching something beautiful. Ravens rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins intercepts a pass and heads toward the end zone for a touchdown in the first quarter Saturday. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) It was fitting that Nate Wiggins’ pick-six jumpstarted the Ravens For more than half the season, they were the Achilles heel that might undermine a Super Bowl contender. The Ravens’ secondary could not figure out how to prevent explosive gains or avoid killer penalties. Opponents’ passing yards piled up at humiliating rates. No lead felt safe. Wiggins, the team’s 2024 first-round draft pick, wasn’t the chief culprit, but he played his part, dropping interceptions and drawing yellow flags. He was a typically erratic rookie — brilliant against mighty Buffalo one week, amateurish against Cincinnati the next. Safeties Kyle Hamilton and Ar’Darius Washington have deservedly received much of the credit for the team’s defensive turnaround over its final seven games. Marlon Humphrey made momentous plays to flip a pair of divisional games, earning his fourth Pro Bowl trip. None of it would work as well if the Ravens could not trust Wiggins alone on the perimeter against the deadliest pass catchers in football. Gone are the wild week-to-week performance swings. His soundness helps Humphrey to be a star in the slot. For all his good work, Wiggins had not made a ton of splashy plays before he read Cleveland quarterback Bailey Zappe’s eyes and snared his pass with nothing but empty field ahead. Wiggins glided 26 yards to pay dirt, flinging his arms out wide to celebrate his first career interception. “He had a couple other ones in his hands that he was frustrated with earlier in the season, so we’ve been on him a little bit,” Harbaugh said. “He’s established himself as a starter. I think he’s playing great ball.” Wiggins missed the Ravens’ Oct. 27 loss to the Browns, one of many dispiriting performances by a pass defense that couldn’t get its act together. This time, he struck a blow from which Cleveland never truly recovered. So much growth in so little time with so much on the line. Gar McLamb holds his son, Charlie, 8, on his shoulders after the Ravens clinched the AFC North title. (Lloyd Fox/Staff) Now, the real season begins We heard it before this team was even assembled, when the wounds from the Ravens’ AFC championship loss to the Chiefs were still raw. Nothing they — Harbaugh, Jackson, any of the organization’s core figures — could do in the regular season would quiet those who believe the Ravens don’t show their best in the legacy-defining games of January. That wasn’t strictly true. The past 17 games told us that Henry could elevate an offense from very good to best in Ravens history, that Jackson could reach the pantheon as a pure passer. We saw Zach Orr and his top players pull together a quality defense after 10 weeks of “crushing” failures. But the big story has not changed since that final, bitter whistle blew on 2023. The Ravens need to win over the next five weeks or we’ll look back on them with disappointment in 20 years. Jackson needs to play as well in the postseason as he has in the regular season, or his glowing statistics and MVP trophies will feel more hollow than he’d want. Arrayed against the Ravens are familiar enemies. The Steelers drag them into tense, ugly games more consistently than any opponent. The Bills eliminated them in 2020 and feature a quarterback, Josh Allen, every bit as miraculous as Jackson. The Chiefs are simply the standard, the foe even Baltimore veterans acknowledge they have not solved. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens need unsung hero Zay Flowers to thrive | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens players shocked and thrilled after DT Michael Pierce’s first interception Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 35-10 win over Browns Baltimore Ravens | Ravens 2025 schedule: Home vs. Rams, road vs. Chiefs highlight slate Baltimore Ravens | Ravens defend AFC North title, clinch home playoff game with 35-10 win over Browns Any or all of them could stand in the way. The Ravens’ last Super Bowl win was so satisfying in part because that veteran team finally knocked off Peyton Manning and Tom Brady’s Patriots on the way to the biggest stage. Twelve years later, they have the talent and the playoff scar tissue to write a similar ending. The chance they all wanted is here. Van Noy didn’t leave his house for a week after the loss to Kansas City last January. As much as he knows the Ravens’ focus has to be on next week, on hosting a hungry wild-card opponent, recent history is unavoidable. “We would all be lying if we said we haven’t been thinking about it,” Van Noy said. “In my career, you’re getting closer to the end, and those chances, you don’t want them to slip. I’ve thought about it all offseason, training. We as a group during training camp, it’s been on everybody’s mind. We haven’t forgot about that, and we hope we can correct that mistake.” Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. Wild-card round Steelers/Chargers at Ravens TBA TV: TBA Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM View the full article

Wide receiver Zay Flowers has become the unsung hero of the Ravens’ offense. National analysts want to make quarterback Lamar Jackson or running back Derrick Henry candidates for the NFL Most Valuable Player Award, but Flowers is the player who makes this offense work. So, after he went down with a knee injury after a 12-yard gain in the second quarter of Saturday’s 35-10 win against the Cleveland Browns, the Ravens breathed a collective sigh of relief when coach John Harbaugh said that the injury is not believed to be serious. “It’s something that he has a chance to be OK with, but we’ll probably have more details after an MRI tomorrow morning,” Harbaugh said. Now, what exactly does that mean? It’s hard to tell with Harbaugh when it comes to injuries. He’ll say anything that will give him an advantage over his opponent, so Flowers might be walking around with an air cast one day and then receive special healing from a priest the night before the game. But here’s one thing that can’t be discounted: This isn’t the same offense without the 5-foot-9, 175-pound Flowers. He is the symbol for the modern-day passing game, even though former Ravens coach Ted Marchibroda used the 5-7, 183-pound Jermaine Lewis in the mid-1990s the same way offensive coordinator Todd Monken uses Flowers now. It’s hard to get a handle on Flowers because opposing defenses can’t get their hands on him. He’s like a magician. Poof, he is over here. Poof, he is over there. Only Houdini had more moves. Before Saturday’s game, Flowers led the team in receptions with 73 for 1,047 yards and four touchdowns and was recently named the team’s first Pro Bowl wide receiver. The Ravens used him in the slot to match up with a No. 3 safety or cornerback. Advantage, Ravens. They could use him outside or in motion, where cornerbacks or safeties have trouble getting their hands on him off the line of scrimmage. The Ravens can use him as a runner on jet sweeps or fake an end-around with him. He gives the offense a lot of options. Jackson showed concern about the injury after the game. “Yes, I was hurt. I was hurt,” he said. “Yes, we [are] going [to] see what happens come tomorrow or whenever [Flowers has] to do his X-ray or whatever tomorrow.” Because of his speed, Flowers is also the player who opens up the middle of the field. When the Ravens go three receivers to the right or left, they have liked to drag tight end Mark Andrews back across the formation because those three, especially Flowers, draw attention. With Flowers, teams have to honor his speed. He also draws a lot of double teams, which leaves Andrews and Rashod Bateman one-on-one on the outside. Even if Flowers is slowed by the knee injury, it could make a difference in this offense. Jackson did give an endorsement of Bateman, who had five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown against the Browns. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens players shocked and thrilled after DT Michael Pierce’s first interception Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 35-10 win over Browns Baltimore Ravens | Ravens 2025 schedule: Home vs. Rams, road vs. Chiefs highlight slate Baltimore Ravens | Ravens defend AFC North title, clinch home playoff game with 35-10 win over Browns Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 35-10 win over Cleveland Browns “I’m not surprised. I’ve been seeing what ‘Bate’ was capable of doing and we just got a glimpse,” Jackson said. “I’m not [going to] toot his horn. We’ve got things to do. We’ve got things to do. I already knew what type of player he was — we all knew; we see him every day. But we just got something to do; we’ve got things to finish.” Two other things set Flowers apart from any other receiver on this roster. He has great speed, and the ability to make a big play from anywhere on the field. He is averaging 14.3 yards per reception, which is why the Ravens want him to touch the ball as often as possible. He also has eight carries for 47 yards; only Jackson averaged more per carry (6.6) entering Week 18. So, with no Flowers, teams can double-team Andrews or Bateman outside the red zone. With no Flowers, Jackson loses his biggest weapon on the Ravens’ best play: Jackson scrambling around and then throwing to Flowers because few cornerbacks can stick with him longer than three or four seconds. He is a defense’s nightmare and the Ravens’ dream. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

The consensus inside the home locker room at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday night, with everyone wearing hats and T-shirts repping an AFC North division title and the distinct smell of victory cigars filling the musty air, was confusion. Maybe even downright bewilderment. But joy, nonetheless. “I saw someone catch it, I was like, ‘Wait, that’s a big guy,’” offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley said, recalling his view from the near sideline. Cornerback Brandon Stephens was in the play, too, but a few yards back. “I just saw he had the ball,” Stephens started to laugh. “He was running — or whatever he was doing.” When the nimble 6-foot, 355-pound Michael Pierce dropped back into shallow coverage, Cleveland Browns third-string quarterback Bailey Zappe tossed him a layup. The defensive tackle corralled his first career interception, took one peek upfield, and awkwardly dropped to the grass. The big man’s interception sealed a game that was by all means already in hand, a 35-10 win over the Browns that crowned Baltimore division champs for the second straight year and guaranteed the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. But the moment that coach John Harbaugh called “the most crazy, amazing play in NFL history” left anyone watching stunned. A perfect what-just-happened way to end the regular season. “That was probably the last thing we all thought was gonna happen on that play,” Stephens said. Linebacker Roquan Smith asked Pierce why he didn’t chug for 20 more yards. “Nah, not today,” Pierce told him. It’s only Jan. 4 but Smith said it’s easily the funniest thing he’s seen in 2025. “There’s a long history of turning big guy interceptions into memes,” Pierce said. “So at the risk of ruining a career play like that for myself, it was time to go home. The bus was out of gas.” This is a defense that has had its feet to the fire for much of the season. They were last in the league in pass defense. Working out kinks under a first-year coordinator. And they were the primary issue in losses that should have been wins. A few personnel changes and an integral team meeting shifted the narrative. Since Week 11, they’ve been one of the best defenses in the NFL. In the meeting, cornerback Marlon Humphrey encouraged his team to celebrate collectively with each momentum-tilting highlight. It was a full-team effort when Pierce intercepted Zappe. Everyone on the sideline was doing the defense’s signature celebration: jumping up and down, waving their hands. A few coaches sprinted up the field out of pure uncertainty. Kyle Van Noy said his knees hurt from watching Pierce try to go down but wasn’t surprised to see the whole bench clear for the “grab-your-lunch-pail” type of guy who spent six weeks on the injured reserve with a calf injury. Ravens defensive lineman Michael Pierce, who rarely drops into coverage, catches his first career interception. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) With 30 seconds left in the regular season, the Jumbotron found Humphrey. He flashed a toothy grin and waved politely looking directly into the camera. Then it panned to Pierce, the late-game hero. The fans still weathering sub-freezing conditions shouted as loudly as they had all evening. Pierce gave a pretty smile and wave while his teammates jumped around laughing like kids at the park. “I was cold,” Odafe Oweh said. “I was bundled up! I took all that off and jumped on the field to congratulate him. I was scared I was gonna get a penalty. But at that point, I don’t think anyone really cared. It was just elation for Mike.” Pierce was the latter of a game bookended by interceptions. First career interceptions, at that. Midway through the first quarter, Zappe tried lofting a ball to his right. That one was turned around by rookie first-round draft pick Nate Wiggins. Both Van Noy and Ar’Darius Washington pointed upfield like they knew immediately. Wiggins must’ve been licking his lips. “He’s a big part of what we’re doing,” Harbaugh said. “He’s established himself as a starter. He’s been playing great ball. He had a couple other ones in his hands that he was frustrated with earlier in the season so we’ve been on him a little bit. Everyone talking about getting that first pick. To get it and take it back to the house, that’s a nice way to start.” His teammates don’t know the satisfaction of a pick-six so early in their careers. Marlon Humphrey’s first house call came earlier this season, his eighth year in the NFL. Marcus Williams took three years. Tre’Davious White, in his seventh year, is still seeking his first. Brandon Stephens doesn’t have one through four seasons. Arthur Maulet and Ar’Darius Washington haven’t gotten to the end zone, either. By that logic, Wiggins is well ahead of schedule. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens need unsung hero Zay Flowers to thrive | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 35-10 win over Browns Baltimore Ravens | Ravens 2025 schedule: Home vs. Rams, road vs. Chiefs highlight slate Baltimore Ravens | Ravens defend AFC North title, clinch home playoff game with 35-10 win over Browns Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 35-10 win over Cleveland Browns Saturday’s interception-turned-touchdown still felt past due for the season he’s had: 13 pass deflections, which leads all rookies, and 32 combined tackles. He’s now one of four rookie defensive backs with a pick-six. Week 3 vs. Dallas, he ripped the ball loose from CeeDee Lamb’s grasp in the red zone. Conversely, he left a pair of takeaways on the table and is credited with two dropped interceptions this season. Wiggins’ impressive rookie campaign is proof of why, back in July, Humphrey bestowed the nickname “Nasty Nate.” “I guess I play nasty defense,” a bashful Wiggins said at the time. He wanted it on the record that was not a self-proclaimed nickname. And he was adamant the compliment wasn’t yet official, then still months from his NFL debut. “It might get official. We don’t know yet.” Flash forward six months, now on the tail end of his first professional season, and he can now say he’s earned that nickname. “I feel like I’ve done my part so yeah,” Wiggins said. “He threw it right to me and I just had to show off my speed. It felt like everything released. Took [18] weeks so it’s been a long time but it felt good.” It was a feel-good day for the defense. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Here’s how the Ravens (12-5) graded out at every position after a 35-10 win over the Browns on Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore that clinched a second straight AFC North title: Quarterback Lamar Jackson missed some receivers early and throughout the game, but he threw some good passes as well, including a 30-yard strike to tight end Mark Andrews in the third quarter. But overall, it was not a sharp game by Jackson or the offense, even though Jackson rushed nine times for 63 yards. He left quite a few of his receivers vulnerable to hits with questionable passes, completing 16 of 32 attempts for 217 yards and two touchdowns. A lot of Jackson’s stats were the result of Cleveland’s poor defense, which seemed to give up in the second half because the Browns had no offense. Grade: C- Running backs The Ravens used Henry very little in the first half and Jackson seemed more like the primary ball carrier. The Ravens went to Henry more in the second half, and he finished with 138 yards on 20 carries, including a long of 43 yards. The Ravens had more of a running game when Henry was teamed up in the backfield with fullback Patrick Ricard, and the Ravens left little doubt about their intentions. The Ravens need to get more out of their star running back, who, like Jackson, stayed in the game too long. Grade: C Offensive line Even without starting defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, the Browns held the Ravens’ running game in check early in the game, though Cleveland was down to its No. 3 and No. 4 starting tackles. The Ravens will always struggle against teams with a dominant front four. This group’s forte is run blocking, and when the Ravens can’t find that groove, they have problems pass blocking. Grade: C- Receivers The Ravens gave an average effort. They dropped quite a few passes but also bailed Jackson out with a couple of strong catches. The Ravens lost slot receiver Zay Flowers to a knee injury early in the second quarter, and that was significant. Andrews had four catches for 54 yards and a touchdown, while Rashod Bateman had five for 76 yards and score. Regardless, Jackson and this group were out of sync. A better effort will be needed in the postseason. Grade: C- Defensive line The Ravens stymied the Browns’ running game, which was without injured starter Nick Chubb. Starting running back D’Onta Foreman had few holes and finished with only 27 yards on 10 carries. He had no room on the inside, and the Ravens closed the gaps on the outside as well. Tackles Nnamdi Madubuike had four tackles. The play of the game belonged to nose guard Michael Pierce, who intercepted a pass from Bailey Zappe in the fourth quarter. Pierce slid and went down after the pick, but it’s highly unlikely the 355-pound man was going to motor 80 yards for a touchdown. The Ravens were consistent in maintaining lane integrity, leaving Zappe few holes to step up in the pocket. Grade: A Linebackers The Ravens’ game plan was simple from the start. They stacked the line of scrimmage with linebackers Roquan Smith, Chris Board and Malik Harrison and dared the Browns to beat them. Zappe couldn’t. Smith finished with 10 tackles and blitzed often. The defensive line was successful in keeping the Browns off the inside linebackers. The Ravens had three sacks and five quarterback hurries but were far from dominant. Zappe lacked the proper arm strength to throw outside the numbers. Grade: B Secondary Rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins returned an interception 26 yards for a touchdown midway through the first quarter. The Ravens’ cornerbacks had no problems shadowing Cleveland receivers, even though the Browns had some open players in the middle of the field. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey (five tackles) played well, and so did safeties Ar’Darius Washington (four tackles) and Kyle Hamilton (three). Cornerback Brandon Stephens had some good moments but still needs to turn around and find the ball. He did finish with three tackles. Grade: A- Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens need unsung hero Zay Flowers to thrive | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens players shocked and thrilled after DT Michael Pierce’s first interception Baltimore Ravens | Ravens 2025 schedule: Home vs. Rams, road vs. Chiefs highlight slate Baltimore Ravens | Ravens defend AFC North title, clinch home playoff game with 35-10 win over Browns Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 35-10 win over Cleveland Browns Special teams Jordan Stout had four punts for an average of 44.8 yards, including a long of 70. The Ravens had Keaton Mitchell returning kickoffs, and he returned one for 47 yards. Justin Tucker didn’t have any field goal attempts, but there should have been several opportunities. It would have been interesting to see him perform, even though he has kicked well lately. Rookie safety Sanoussi Kane had a big hit on a kickoff return, and Wiggins also played well on those units, but Kaden Davis did break a 40-yard return for the Browns. Grade: B+ Coaching There is a popular theory in Baltimore that the Ravens play down to their competition, but they simply got too cute against the Browns. Instead of gambling on fourth down, there were times when they could have easily kicked field goals to build comfortable leads, but they got too cute. Instead of trying pass plays, just run the ball. Coach John Harbaugh also kept his starters in the game way too long, a sign that he was more interested in building up statistics than avoiding injuries to his players. He kept throwing on the Browns late in the game, and Henry was in way too long. That’s a shame. In fact, it’s ridiculous. The Ravens also had 10 penalties for 83 yards. It was a disappointing effort by a team from which much more is expected. Grade: D- Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article