ExtremeRavens

The 2024 NFL regular season is almost over, which means most of the 2025 matchups are set. For the Ravens, who defeated the Cleveland Browns on Saturday to win their second straight AFC North title, that means playing a first-place schedule for the second year in a row. In addition to their six games against the AFC North — three at home and three away against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals — the Ravens will face the AFC East, NFC North and the champions of the AFC South, AFC West and NFC West. Under the NFL’s scheduling rotation, the Ravens will host the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans and Los Angeles Rams. They’ll play road games against the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs. AFC teams will have the extra home game in 2025. In overcoming an 0-2 start to finish 12-5, Baltimore went 7-2 against teams currently projected to make the playoffs this season, with the only losses coming against the AFC West champion Chiefs and NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles. If the Bengals defeat the Steelers on Saturday night, just four of the Ravens’ 2024 opponents will finish below .500. Next season could be just as difficult, with the NFC North loaded with three of the best teams in the conference and the AFC East expected to improve after disastrous campaigns from the Jets, Patriots and Dolphins. The 2025 slate includes some juicy quarterback matchups opposite Ravens star Lamar Jackson. The Bills’ Josh Allen is neck-and-neck with Jackson in the NFL Most Valuable Player race this season, while Joe Burrow has been on the fringe of that discussion after leading the Bengals to a late-season surge behind eye-popping numbers. Chiefs star and two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes has been one of Jackson’s biggest rivals since the two became full-time starters in 2018 and is seeking a record third straight Super Bowl title. And the last time the Rams visited Baltimore was an instant classic, with Jackson outdueling Matthew Stafford before Tylan Wallace returned a punt for the game-winning touchdown in overtime in 2023. Related Articles 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 Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers injures knee vs. Browns, is ruled out Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Browns live updates: Postgame reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 35-10 win Baltimore Ravens | AFC North title isn’t the only thing at stake for Ravens in Week 18 The Packers’ Jordan Love, Texans’ C.J. Stroud and Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa are among the most exciting young quarterbacks in the league, while the Patriots’ Drake Maye and Bears’ Caleb Williams are looking to bounce back from up-and-down rookie seasons – potentially with a new coach and offensive coordinator in place. Mike Vrabel – who led the Tennessee Titans to a stunning win over the top-seeded Ravens in January 2020 – is rumored to be a candidate to replace Jerod Mayo in New England, while Chicago could attract anyone from 38-year-old Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to 73-year-old former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. There is also plenty of quarterback uncertainty. The Browns will likely replace Deshaun Watson after securing one of the top picks in the draft – perhaps Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders – while the Steelers could decide to move on from Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Aaron Rodgers might retire after two disastrous seasons with the Jets, while Sam Darnold might not return to Minnesota if the Vikings want to get 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy on the field sooner than later. There has also been speculation that the Rams could trade Stafford if coach Sean McVay decides to retire, although that appears unlikely. After playing in five prime-time games in 2024 – as well as three standalone games outside of the normal Sunday afternoon window – the Ravens are likely to command the spotlight once again next season when the full schedule is announced in May. And if they get their way, they could be hosting the Thursday night season opener in Baltimore after winning their third Super Bowl title. Ravens 2025 opponents Home: Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Patriots, Jets, Bears, Lions, Texans, Rams Away: Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Bills, Dolphins, Packers, Vikings, Chiefs 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

It was Christmas night in Houston, but Marlon Humphrey’s wish had yet to be fulfilled. “I want that AFC North,” the Ravens’ uninhibited cornerback said after Baltimore’s blowout of the Texans. “It feels good to get that hat and T-shirt.” Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium, it was delivered amid a joyous but moderate celebration. From 0-2 to a second straight AFC North title. Baltimore (12-5) beat the Cleveland Browns, 35-10, in the regular-season finale on a chilly evening when the outcome was never in doubt. The victory also gives the Ravens the No. 3 seed in the conference, meaning they will play at least a wild-card game at home next weekend against either the Los Angeles Chargers or Pittsburgh Steelers. But the dissection of that rematch — the Ravens split their two games against the Steelers this season and already beat the Chargers once this season — could be put on hold for another day. Saturday’s performance against the Browns (3-14) was a coronation more than a contest. Baltimore’s defense, which has been the best in the NFL the last two months of the regular season, easily stifled a short-handed and lousy Cleveland offense, while Ravens quarterback and NFL Most Valuable Player candidate Lamar Jackson completed 16 of 32 passes for two touchdowns and ran for another 63 yards on nine carries. Derrick Henry added 138 yards rushing, most of which came in the second half, along with two touchdowns, while tight end Mark Andrews and receiver Rashod Bateman had one touchdown apiece and rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins his first career interception, which he returned 26 yards for a touchdown in the opening quarter to set the tone for a long night for Cleveland. It was also a culmination. Ravens tight end Mark Andrews catches a touchdown pass in the second quarter. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) All season long, coach John Harbaugh preached that the team’s goals were to go 1-0 each week then to make the playoffs, win the division, advance through the postseason and win the Super Bowl. “It’s one of our five main goals — to win the division,” Harbaugh said earlier this week. “From a team perspective, it’s a big deal. “That means a lot, especially in the AFC North. It’s a tough division, so winning the AFC North is even a greater accomplishment.” The same could be said about the Ravens’ turnaround. Just two games in, there was an incertitude and apprehension — at least outside the building — over a defense that suddenly and shockingly forgot how to cover and tackle, a shaky offensive line with three new starters and a seemingly endless parade of flags and self-inflicted mistakes that spoke to a lack of discipline. It was one thing to lose to the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs by a toenail at Arrowhead Stadium to open the season. It was another to suffer a bungling loss against a Gardner Minshew-led Las Vegas Raiders team that went on to have one of the worst records in the league. There were also uneasy and difficult moments. At least three players got in significant car crashes toward the end of training camp and the beginning of the season, including tight end Mark Andrews and first-round rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins. Even as the wins started to pile up, questions and doubts persisted. Ravens rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins celebrates his pick-six with fans. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) But Harbaugh, the second-longest tenured coach in the league and in his 17th season at the helm in Baltimore, has been around plenty long enough to know that seasons aren’t won or lost in September and that the season is a marathon, not a sprint. The Ravens’ play demonstrated as much. On offense, Jackson’s play continued to elevate by the week, thrusting him into the NFL Most Valuable Player conversation again. Future Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Derrick Henry became the hammer he had been his first eight years in the league with the Tennessee Titans. Wide receiver Zay Flowers produced the first 1,000-yard season at the position for the franchise since 2021. Along the way, Jackson became the league’s all-time leading rusher at quarterback, breaking Michael Vick’s record, and set a franchise record for touchdown passes in a season with 41 and on Saturday became the first player in history to throw for at least 4,000 yards and rush for at least 800 yards in a season. Meanwhile, Andrews set a team record for career touchdowns and Henry broke the organization’s single-season mark for touchdowns with 16 this season. Andrews also tied wide receiver Torrey Smith for the most touchdown catches in a single season in Ravens history (11) and passed former tight end Todd Heap (5,492) to move into second place all-time in franchise history in receiving yards behind former wide receiver Derrick Mason (5,777). Henry, meanwhile, became the first player in NFL history with three seasons of 15 rushing touchdowns and 1,500 rushing yards. Defensively, coordinator Zach Orr simplified his scheme and substitution packages and since Week 11 no defense was better than Baltimore’s. The Ravens made lineup changes, most notably benching safety Marcus Williams and parting ways with turbulent free agent addition Eddie Jackson in favor of Ar’Darius Washington and deploying All-Pro Kyle Hamilton at safety. They also benched struggling second-year inside linebacker Trenton Simpson in favor of the more experienced rotation of Malik Harrison and Chris Board. Outside linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh also helped spearhead a pass rush that racked up the second-most sacks in the league coming into Saturday and added to its total with one by each against the Browns. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 35-10 win over Cleveland Browns Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers injures knee vs. Browns, is ruled out Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Browns live updates: Postgame reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 35-10 win Baltimore Ravens | AFC North title isn’t the only thing at stake for Ravens in Week 18 Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Browns Week 18 staff picks: Who wins Saturday in Baltimore? That gave them 12 1/2 and 10 on the year, respectively, marking the first time that Ravens teammates reached double-digit sacks in a season since Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil in 2014. Baltimore also remained remarkably healthy during its journey (though the status of Ravens receiver Zay Flowers remains unclear after he injured his right knee in the second quarter Saturday and did not return). Despite a gantlet of three games in 11 days last month, the Ravens went from two games back of the division lead at the start of that stretch to division champions for the eighth time in their 29-year history thanks to four straight wins to close out the regular season. They will soak it in, but not for long. The playoffs await, and that’s all that matters for Jackson and company now. Asked earlier in the week if it felt like 2024 was coming to an end, Jackson’s answer was foretelling. “It don’t,” he said. “It feel like the season just getting started.” This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Wild-card round Chargers/Steelers at Ravens TBA TV: TBA Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM View the full article

Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 35-10 win over the Cleveland Browns in Saturday’s Week 18 game at M&T Bank Stadium: Brian Wacker, reporter: This one was over long before rookie cornerback and first-round draft pick Nate Wiggins took his first interception to the house for a 26-yard touchdown midway through the first quarter. The Ravens (12-5), even playing far from their best on Saturday, are infinitely superior to a Browns team whose biggest goal was protecting its draft position and potentially gaining the No. 1 slot in April. The Ravens’ objective, of course, was playing well enough to avoid a colossal upset as well as dodging injury en route to another AFC North title. Losing Zay Flowers to a knee injury in the second quarter, however, will be problematic if he misses significant time. Otherwise, Baltimore outclassed Cleveland (3-14) in about every way possible. Quarterbacks Bailey Zappe and Dorian Thompson-Robinson had little chance against the league’s best defense since Week 11. Lamar Jackson along with tight end Mark Andrews and receiver Rashod Bateman, while not putting up monster numbers, did more than enough to make Swiss cheese out of the Browns’ defense. Childs Walker, reporter: The Ravens won the AFC North but watched their best receiver, Zay Flowers, limp off with a knee injury a week before the playoffs. Not a great trade. They started with one of their ugliest offensive halves of the season, failing to convert on a pair of fourth downs, committing presnap penalties and giving Derrick Henry no room to run. They went to halftime with a 14-3 lead because Cleveland could not move the ball on their defense and Nate Wiggins returned an interception for a touchdown. A ragged half doesn’t matter much in the big picture. We’ve seen enough great offense from this team to know its ceiling. What could matter a great deal is the potential absence of Flowers, who left in the first half. Flowers is Jackson’s most dynamic target, and if he’s missing from a playoff game, the Ravens would have to recalibrate everything. Baltimore put the game out of reach with a touchdown drive to start the second half highlighted by an exquisite touch pass from a scrambling Jackson to Mark Andrews. The Ravens then went right back to struggling against a Cleveland front seven that came to play. Whatever, they won the game. Now, the real season begins. Mike Preston, columnist: The expectation was that the Ravens would come out and smash the Browns early, and Cleveland would eventually quit, sometime in the second half. That didn’t happen, and the game showed some of the Ravens’ weaknesses. They have and continue to struggle against teams with a dominant front four, and that causes problems because it takes away from the play-action passing game. With that said, quarterback Lamar Jackson sometimes struggles because opposing defenses can drop six or seven players into coverage, especially zone. Defensively, the Ravens played well, but the Browns don’t have an established quarterback or a threatening offense. Overall, the Ravens did what they needed to do. They won the game and the AFC North title and clinched a wild-card playoff game at home. But for a team with serious playoff ambitions, the Ravens didn’t dominate. More was expected from a team that has struggled at times in the postseason in recent years. Sam Cohn, reporter: The goal of this game was simple: win the hats and T-shirts that accompany an AFC North title and finish out the regular season healthy. One out of two. The Ravens needed longer than any half-conscious NFL viewer might have expected to get their starters off the field. And their offense largely wasn’t the pretty spectacle it was over their recent three-game stretch in 11 days. It was, however, enough to get past the understaffed Browns, who maintain the worst record in the NFL. Nice. But their health will be an interesting point to monitor this week. Most notably, Zay Flowers left early with a knee injury that ended his day. Rashod Bateman took a hard hit over the middle but seemed to return without issue, having scored a touchdown. Kyle Hamilton had a turn in the blue medical tent in the second half but was back out there a possession later. Even Lamar Jackson invited a few too many unnecessary hits. The Ravens got out of Dodge, nonetheless. Back here in a week. C.J. Doon, editor: There was plenty to like and plenty to dislike from this performance, as is often the case with these Ravens. Let’s start with the bad news. The offense struggled to finish drives, turning the ball over on downs three times. Todd Monken’s play-calling was questionable at points, with Derrick Henry surprisingly not getting the ball in a handful of a short-yardage situations (and only 13 carries entering the fourth quarter). Lamar Jackson can paper over a lot of mistakes, but he missed some open throws and took some big hits both in the pocket and at the end of his carries. The penalties — some of them questionable, to be fair — again piled up, including an illegal formation flag that wiped out a chance to kick a field goal late in the first half. The fourth-down delay of game that led to a punt near midfield in the third quarter was a head-scratcher, too. That’s not something you want to see from a Super Bowl contender in a tune-up game for the postseason. But we saw flashes of why the Ravens could be win it all. Jackson wasn’t sharp, but he put a bow on his magnificent, MVP-worthy season with some stunning runs and a Steph Curry-like premature celebration of a touchdown pass that had yet to land in the hands of Rashod Bateman in the end zone. It’s hard to put a finger on that kind of flair, but Jackson plays with a joyfulness and confidence that few other players do. Whether that should matter in MVP discussions is up for debate, but you can’t ignore it, either. The biggest takeaway of all, however, is the health of wide receiver Zay Flowers, who exited with a knee injury and did not return. It looked like he might have avoided serious injury when he walked off under his own power, but any limitation or lack of availability heading into the playoffs is bad news for an offense that needs his speed and play-making ability. Bateman, Mark Andrews and Henry can certainly carry the load, but Flowers was a Pro Bowl selection for a reason. The Ravens need him to click on all cylinders and outscore the Chiefs or Bills (or, heck, maybe even the Chargers?) and make a deep run. Tim Schwartz, editor: That went about as we all expected, though the Ravens looked like they were simply going through the motions for much of Saturday’s game. Against a team as bad as Cleveland, it didn’t really matter. What we’ll probably remember is Zay Flowers exiting in the second quarter after writhing in pain and holding his right knee. The postseason begins in a week. If he’s even slightly injured, Baltimore could be in big trouble. Flowers, Baltimore’s leading receiver, is by far their most dynamic playmaker in the passing game, and the trickle-down effect could be significant. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens defend AFC North title, clinch home playoff game with 35-10 win over Browns Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers injures knee vs. Browns, is ruled out Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Browns live updates: Postgame reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 35-10 win Baltimore Ravens | AFC North title isn’t the only thing at stake for Ravens in Week 18 Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Browns Week 18 staff picks: Who wins Saturday in Baltimore? In the grand scheme of things, I would guess few people pictured the Ravens winning the AFC North after they dropped to 7-4 with a loss to a then-8-2 Steelers squad in Week 12, but here we are. Credit where credit is due. Lamar Jackson put together his best season to date (he should win his third NFL Most Valuable Player Award, in my opinion). Flowers and Rashod Bateman stepped up into bigger roles. Derrick Henry was even better than advertised. The offensive line figured it out. And Zach Orr’s defense turned a midseason corner few thought would be possible. Just another exciting season in Baltimore. But the truth is, none of it matters. What they do over the next month is the only thing that counts. They can’t lay another egg this time. Bennett Conlin, editor: That was expectedly easy, as the Super Bowl contender was never threatened by the three-win foe with a backup quarterback at the helm. Despite some missed chances offensively, Baltimore took care of business Saturday, turning an 0-2 start into a 12-5 regular season and a division title. The Ravens will be at home again next week as a result, hosting a playoff game. With four consecutive wins under their belt, the Ravens look as dangerous as any AFC contender. Lamar Jackson is playing the best football of his career, leading perhaps the best offense in the NFL, and Baltimore’s defense continues to improve each week. This team has what it takes to win it all, but getting through the Bills and Chiefs to win the AFC isn’t remotely similar to beating Bailey Zappe and the Browns. Outside of Zay Flowers leaving with injury, Saturday’s accomplishment was meaningful for fans and players, but the outcome doesn’t tell us much of anything about the Ravens’ playoff potential. John Harbaugh’s team deserves credit for rebounding from a shaky start to win the division, but the real season starts next weekend. 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

Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers injured his right knee after a catch and run in the second quarter Saturday against the Browns and is questionable to return. The second-year receiver was helped to his feet by trainers and gingerly walked to the sideline before going into the medical tent and eventually the locker room. Flowers, who recently became the first homegrown Ravens wide receiver selected to the Pro Bowl, has been an integral part of Baltimore’s passing attack this season. He became the fastest player in Ravens history to reach 100 career receptions and the first in team history to log 1,000-yard receiving seasons in each of his first two seasons. Flowers entered Saturday’s regular-season finale with a team-high 1,047 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 73 catches. Baltimore will begin postseason play next weekend. A win Saturday would secure the AFC North for a second straight year and a home playoff game. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

The Ravens (11-5) meet the Cleveland Browns (3-13) on Saturday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium with a chance to clinch their second straight AFC North title. Baltimore is a 19 1/2-point favorite in the Week 18 matchup. Follow along here for live coverage and analysis. View the full article

The Ravens enter the final week of the regular season with a simple task: Win. Unlike the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins — who need to win and get help from another team or two to achieve their goals — Baltimore (11-5) can wrap up its second straight AFC North title with a victory Saturday over the reeling Cleveland Browns (3-13). With an expected win — the Ravens are whopping 19 1/2-point favorites — at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore will be the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs and host a wild-card game next weekend against either the No. 6 seed Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) or Steelers. While Pittsburgh (10-6) could be eliminated from AFC North title contention before its 8 p.m. kickoff Saturday against the Bengals, it still has seeding at stake. If the Steelers lose and the Chargers win in Las Vegas on Sunday, Pittsburgh would drop to the No. 6 seed and head to Baltimore after splitting the regular-season series with its archrival. Cincinnati (8-8), meanwhile, needs to win and have the Dolphins lose to the New York Jets and the Denver Broncos lose to the Kansas City Chiefs to sneak into the playoffs. If the Ravens stumble, and the Steelers beat the Bengals, Baltimore would slip to the No. 5 seed and travel to face the No. 4 seed and AFC South champion Houston Texans (9-7) in a wild-card-round rematch of a Christmas Day game the Ravens won easily, 31-2. Here’s what else is at stake for the Ravens this weekend: Lamar Jackson’s MVP case It’s coming down to the wire. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen enters Week 18 as the betting favorite to win his first NFL Most Valuable Player Award at -300, according to Vegas Insider. Jackson is close behind at +200, while Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (+2,000) and Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (+4,000) are longshots. Allen has been the front-runner for much of the season, but Jackson, much like last year, has made a late surge. Big wins over the Steelers and Texans on national broadcasts, combined with a statistical case that rivals (and even surpasses) Allen’s output, has put Jackson in the running for a second straight and third overall MVP Award. If he finishes the regular season with a dominant performance against the Browns — again in front of a national audience — he’ll have a strong argument. Records Speaking of stats, there are plenty of interesting footnotes to consider. With just 45 passing yards and one touchdown pass, Jackson will eclipse 4,000 passing yards and 40 touchdown passes for the first time in his career. With an additional 148 rushing yards — which seems unlikely given how much wear-and-tear that would involve right before the postseason — Jackson would become the first NFL player to eclipse 4,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in the same season. However, he can settle for becoming the first member of the 4,000/800 club. If he avoids turning the ball over, Jackson can also become the first player in NFL history to record at least 4,000 passing yards, 40 passing touchdowns and four or fewer interceptions. Jackson also enters Week 18 with a 121.6 passer rating, which is narrowly behind the all-time mark of 122.5 that Aaron Rodgers set in 2011 with the Green Bay Packers. Another efficient game with a high completion percentage, a few touchdown passes and no interceptions would do the trick. With one rushing touchdown Saturday, Ravens running back Derrick Henry can break his tie with Jamal Lewis for the most in a single season in franchise history at 14. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Running back Derrick Henry and tight end Mark Andrews can also get in on the fun. With one rushing touchdown, Henry can break his tie with Jamal Lewis for the most in a single season in franchise history (14) and become the first player in NFL history with three seasons of 15 rushing touchdowns and 1,500 rushing yards. Andrews can rival wide receiver Torrey Smith for the most touchdown catches in a single season in Ravens history (11), needing one to tie and two to break the record. He also needs just 17 more receiving yards to pass former tight end Todd Heap (5,492) and move into second place all-time in franchise history behind former wide receiver Derrick Mason (5,777). Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Browns Week 18 staff picks: Who wins Saturday in Baltimore? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ pass rush style is unique and paying dividends for sustained success Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Justice Hill ruled out with illness; Browns to start QB Bailey Zappe Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Browns Week 18 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s which team fans want Ravens to face in wild-card round Contract incentives Running back Justice Hill was eight receptions or 117 receiving yards away from securing a $500,000 bonus, but a concussion suffered in Week 16 against the Steelers and a subsequent illness have ruled him out for Saturday’s game. Hill signed a two-year extension worth $6 million in September. Henry ($2 million), outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy ($500K) and offensive lineman Patrick Mekari ($750K) have already earned their incentives, according to Brian McFarland of Russell Street Report. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey also earned $250K for making the Pro Bowl. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who took a pay cut this offseason, just missed out on getting a $7.5 million bonus after being left off the initial Pro Bowl ballot. Stanley was named an alternate Thursday after a healthy and resurgent season. 2025 opponents If the Ravens win the AFC North title Saturday, that means playing a first-place schedule for the second year in a row. In addition to their six games against the AFC North, the Ravens will face the AFC East, NFC North and the champions of the AFC South, AFC West and NFC West in 2025. The Texans (AFC South), Chiefs (AFC West) and Los Angeles Rams (NFC West) have already wrapped up their divisions, so the only suspense will be in Baltimore. 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

Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Saturday’s Week 18 game between the Ravens (11-5) and Browns (3-13) at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore: Brian Wacker, reporter Ravens 30, Browns 7: The Browns still have pass rusher extraordinaire Myles Garrett, but that’s about all they’ve got with injuries abound. That won’t be enough to stop the NFL’s top offense, especially with the Ravens needing to win to clinch another AFC North title and the No. 3 seed in the playoffs, this guaranteeing at least a wild-card game at home. Couple that with Cleveland’s Jameis Winston as only the third/emergency quarterback, draft status on the line and facing a defense that’s been the best in the league since Week 11, and the Browns’ chances of a stunning upset remain firmly at the bottom of Lake Eerie. This one should be over early. Childs Walker, reporter Ravens 27, Browns 3: The Ravens want another AFC North title. The Browns would be best off losing to lock in a top-three pick. One team is a Super Bowl contender peaking on the cusp of the playoffs. The other has lost five straight, scoring a total of 30 points over the last four of those. The sportsbooks say this might be the greatest mismatch of the year, and who are we to disagree? Even if Myles Garrett and friends put up some resistance to Lamar Jackson and the league’s most efficient offense, there’s no reason to believe the Browns will score against a reborn Baltimore defense. This one won’t get complicated. Mike Preston, columnist Ravens 30, Browns 3: The Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets have the worst ownership in the NFL, and it shows on the field. Because the Browns have a very good defensive line, they should be able to make this game competitive for a half, assuming their healthy players start the game. But somewhere along the way, probably midway through the third quarter, the only Browns playing hard will be rookies or players in the final year of their contracts. It makes no difference whom the Browns start at quarterback: they just aren’t very good. By the fourth quarter, those U-Haul trucks will be warming up outside the team’s training facility, and the Browns can’t wait to leave Cleveland for the offseason. The only question is whether Kevin Stefanksi will return as Cleveland’s coach next season. C.J. Doon, editor Ravens 27, Browns 9: This is a nice way to wrap up the regular season for Baltimore. Lamar Jackson can pad his stats for the sure-to-be intense Most Valuable Player debate, while the defense can feast on Bailey Zappe — Cleveland’s 40th starting quarterback since 1999 — before coach John Harbaugh puts his backups in the game with the AFC North title, No. 3 seed and a home wild-card game secured. Other than how many yards Jackson and Derrick Henry pile up, how the Ravens defend red-hot receiver Jerry Jeudy is just about the only thing worth watching. Well, that, and how many interceptions Zappe throws. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ pass rush style is unique and paying dividends for sustained success Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Justice Hill ruled out with illness; Browns to start QB Bailey Zappe Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Browns Week 18 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s which team fans want Ravens to face in wild-card round Baltimore Ravens | 9 Ravens selected to Pro Bowl, most in NFL Tim Schwartz, editor Ravens 28, Browns 7: The Ravens are not the same team the Browns stunned earlier this season. Their defense has flipped the script and become elite again. The offense has steadily become one of the most well-rounded with the emergence of Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews back to his old touchdown-catching self. And Justin Tucker has righted the ship and been perfect since the bye week a month ago. Cleveland has only regressed, and it doesn’t have a healthy roster, either. Baltimore has plenty at stake in this one — securing the AFC North and a home playoff game with a win — while the Browns might be more inclined to secure their spot in the top three of the draft with eyes on a potential quarterback of the future. This won’t be a competitive contest, even if quarterback Bailey Zappe gives Cleveland an unexpected (and unlikely) jolt. Bennett Conlin, editor Ravens 31, Browns 10: The Ravens are playing for the AFC North title, while the Browns are better off losing to boost or maintain their 2025 NFL draft positioning. Don’t expect this game to be competitive, although Baltimore would be wise to limit the rushing usage of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry with the postseason beginning next week. The ideal plan for Baltimore is to jump out to a huge lead before taking its best players out of the game and avoiding unnecessary injuries. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

For the second straight year, the Ravens are among the best pass rushing teams in the NFL. That’s no accident. “I gotta give a lot of credit to Coach [John] Harbaugh, man,” pass rush coach Chuck Smith told The Baltimore Sun. “He is the most open-minded NFL coach about pass rush, I believe, in NFL history. To let a pass rush trainer come in and Harbaugh say, ‘I believe in what you’re doing.’ He let us do moves and teach concepts that no one else has ever done and trusts us.” Smith parlayed his own decorated nine-year NFL career into becoming one of football’s preeminent pass rush trainers. He mapped out his own training program, taught several All-Pros and has consulted for several teams. The gravitas accumulated on that front earned him a fitting nickname: “Dr. Rush.” And in 2023, the Ravens brought Smith into the building for a job that was once considered taboo among NFL teams, who preferred their pass rush intel come via training camp consultants. Consider this return on investment: Only three seasons in Ravens history have they finished with 50 or more sacks. The first was 2006, and the other two have been Smith’s two years at the helm. Last year, they tallied a league-high 60 sacks. This year, they’re second in the NFL with 52 (spread over 18 players) — and one more game Saturday against the lowly Cleveland Browns could inflate that total. “This is the perfect place if a guy wants to pass rush, there’s no other way to say it,” Smith said. “And I’m not just saying that.” Smith leaned back against a wall inside the Owings Mills facility earlier this week. His eyes tensed for a moment behind frameless glasses trying to explain how the Ravens zagged when most of the league was still zigging. Harbaugh empowered him to teach moves and concepts that Smith said aren’t done elsewhere. And the second-year coach has created what he believes can be sustained success. It’s a young group of almost entirely homegrown talent in those meeting rooms. Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, at 33, is the wily veteran. He’s the only one with enough experience to answer why Baltimore and Smith are so different. “A lot more freedom,” Van Noy said, with a game left to add to his career-high 11 1/2 sacks. “Like in New England, I was not allowed to do what I’m doing, that’s for sure. Not that it was bad, it was just different. It was sacrifice to do whatever you can to keep the quarterback in the pocket. The schematics were different.” Take, for example, Van Noy’s 2018 season as a Patriot. He started all 16 games but finished with only 3 1/2 sacks in a year New England won the Super Bowl behind a masterful defensive showing under coach Bill Belichick. Smith prefers Van Noy use his skill set to put hands on the quarterback. Ravens outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, middle, has set career highs in sacks in his two seasons in Baltimore after getting “a lot more freedom” to rush the passer. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Outside linebacker Odafe Oweh is one sack from his first double-digit season. It’s a career year whether he gets it or not. And although the 2021 first-round draft pick hasn’t played for any other NFL team, his understanding of the uniqueness in Baltimore is the deep arsenal of pass rush moves Smith teaches and the intentionality with which they prepare for different quarterbacks. It’s resulted in career numbers for Van Noy, Oweh and Tavius Robinson (3 1/2), among other contributors. Should Oweh get his 10th sack Saturday, it would be the fourth time in Ravens history — and first since 2014 with Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil — that two players reached double-digit sack totals. “Ain’t nobody talking pass rush like we are,” Smith said. Much of the group doing the dirty work has ties to Smith dating before he was hired in Baltimore. Smith helped Brent Urban prepare for the NFL scouting combine in 2014. He trained Nnamdi Madubuike in Atlanta before his breakout 13-sack 2023 season. He spent time working out Michael Pierce, had plans to get in a gym with Oweh before he got hurt, and coached Robinson at the 2023 Senior Bowl. “We’re all connected,” Smith said, later adding, “here, it’s a partnership, not a dictatorship.” That was a nod to defensive line coach Dennis Johnson, as well as assistant defensive line and outside linebackers coach Matt Robinson. Those three are a joint force whose teachings extend beyond the final game of the season. NFL rules bar Smith from training with his group out of season. No shortage of trainers around the country could help prepare them for the rigors of a season with high expectations. “But hell, they hired my assistant,” Smith said. “[Dez Walker] teaches the same system. So in the summer, they’re doing the exact same thing.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Browns Week 18 staff picks: Who wins Saturday in Baltimore? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Justice Hill ruled out with illness; Browns to start QB Bailey Zappe Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Browns Week 18 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s which team fans want Ravens to face in wild-card round Baltimore Ravens | 9 Ravens selected to Pro Bowl, most in NFL That, coupled with the room’s culture Smith touts, is why he believes this top-of-the-league success isn’t a fluke. Or a two-year outlier. “Here’s the crazy part about this whole story,” Smith said. “I really believe where we are, as one of the top pass rush groups in the league the last couple years, it just makes me laugh a little inside. Like, ‘Dude, we’re just gonna be even better.’ … It just makes me excited looking at our pass rush culture that we have here. So when we bring a guy in, we rolling.” This season has been a testament to that assertion. Baltimore lost Jadeveon Clowney and his 9 1/2 sacks from last year to free agency. Van Noy wasn’t expected to outperform his then-career-high nine sacks at 33 years old. There were questions about what Oweh or Ojabo could contribute after inconsistent beginnings to their careers. And few could have anticipated Tavius Robinson to take such a leap. “It’s even better when everyone was kind of [complaining] about [us not] having a pass rush here,” Van Noy said. “That hasn’t gone unnoticed. That was a big topic for the last two years. Who’s gonna be the pass rush? Blah blah blah. It’s been one of our strengths.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Ravens running back Justice Hill will miss Saturday’s regular-season finale against the Cleveland Browns as he recovers from an illness, but he and reserve cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis are the only players ruled out as the team seeks to clinch a repeat AFC North crown. Hill, the team’s primary third-down back, missed the Ravens’ Christmas Day win over the Houston Texans with a concussion. Coach John Harbaugh said Monday he expected Hill to play against the Browns. Instead, Keaton Mitchell and Rasheen Ali will back up Derrick Henry. Hill remains in concussion protocol because he has not returned to the practice field, but Harbaugh said Thursday it’s the illness that’s holding him back. Otherwise, the team is unusually healthy with the playoffs around the corner. Left guard Patrick Mekari, listed as questionable to play against Cleveland, returned to practice as a limited participant Thursday after missing the previous two days with an illness. The Ravens (11-5) listed tight end Charlie Kolar, who returned to practice this week after missing four games with a broken arm, as questionable to face the Browns, though he has been a full participant in workouts. Armour-Davis returned to practice Wednesday but won’t play Saturday because of a lingering hamstring injury. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Browns Week 18 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s which team fans want Ravens to face in wild-card round Baltimore Ravens | 9 Ravens selected to Pro Bowl, most in NFL Baltimore Ravens | How Ravens WR Rashod Bateman helped a sneaker artist battling cancer Baltimore Ravens | Things to do in Baltimore, Jan. 3-9 The Browns (3-13), losers of five straight, will be without several top players Saturday as they close out a disappointing season. Cleveland ruled out Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder), tight end David Njoku (knee), linebacker Jordan Hicks (concussion), and running backs Jerome Ford (ankle) and Pierre Strong (concussion). Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson is questionable to play because of a knee injury. Nickel back Cameron Mitchell (knee) is also questionable after he was added to the injury report Thursday. The Browns’ best player, defensive end Myles Garrett, will face the Ravens after he sat out Tuesday and Wednesday with a thigh injury. Quarterback Jameis Winston, who beat the Ravens in October, is questionable with a right shoulder injury, but Browns coach Kevin Stefanski had already announced Winston would be behind expected starter Bailey Zappe and Dorian Thompson-Robinson on the depth chart. Zappe, a 2022 fourth-round draft pick by the New England Patriots after a record-setting career at Western Kentucky, is 4-4 as a starter while passing for 2,053 yards and 11 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

When the Ravens started the season 0-2, there were questions about whether the franchise should panic. The general consensus from reasonable people was that Baltimore would be fine, in large part because it has Lamar Jackson at quarterback. Score one for the reasonable people. The Ravens have rattled off 11 wins over their next 14 games, including consecutive victories over the Steelers and Texans to launch themselves into first place in the AFC North. A home win over the 3-13 Browns on Saturday gives Baltimore a division title after a sluggish start to the season. Sports betting odds suggest Ravens fans won’t be held in suspense Saturday about the outcome of the division. What are the odds? The Ravens will end the regular season being favored in 16 of their 17 games, and they’re gigantic favorites this week. Spread: Ravens by 18 1/2 (FanDuel) Total: 41 1/2 points Moneyline: Ravens -3000, Browns +1300 Saturday’s spread could close as the largest for any Ravens game this season, and it’s the second time the Ravens will close as a double-digit favorite. Baltimore beat the Giants, 35-14, on Dec. 1 as a 17-point betting favorite. Baltimore is 3-2-1 against the spread and 4-2 outright as a betting favorite of at least seven points. The Browns have failed to cover the spread in five consecutive games. Fast start Expect the Ravens to enter this game with surprising focus for a matchup with a 3-13 opponent. There’s plenty at stake for Baltimore. A win guarantees a home playoff game via the AFC North title, and winning the division is one of the team’s annual goals. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Justice Hill ruled out with illness; Browns to start QB Bailey Zappe Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s which team fans want Ravens to face in wild-card round Baltimore Ravens | 9 Ravens selected to Pro Bowl, most in NFL Baltimore Ravens | How Ravens WR Rashod Bateman helped a sneaker artist battling cancer Baltimore Ravens | Things to do in Baltimore, Jan. 3-9 There’s also the fact that the Ravens lost to the lowly Browns earlier this season. Nobody in Baltimore’s locker room wants to be responsible for half of Cleveland’s wins this season. There’s a small revenge factor here, with Baltimore having a chance to right a wrong. For Baltimore, the ideal result Saturday is to build up a massive halftime lead before cruising in the second half and resting key starters such as Jackson and safety Kyle Hamilton. Given the benefit of jumping out to a large lead to put the division out of reach, my favorite bet of the week is the Ravens to cover the first-half spread. If Baltimore rests its top players after building a lead, the Browns could find success in a mostly irrelevant fourth quarter. The first half, however, should be all Ravens. Best bet: Ravens by 10 1/2 in the first half (BetMGM) View the full article

We asked readers which team they’d prefer the Ravens face in the wild-card round of the upcoming NFL postseason. Here are the results from our online poll: Houston Texans — 368 votes (66%) Los Angeles Chargers — 101 votes (18%) Pittsburgh Steelers — 90 votes (16%) Here’s what some fans have told us (answers have been edited for clarity and grammar): The weakest opponent is clearly Houston. Over many years, the Ravens have performed well on the road in playoff games. Not so much at home including last year. Last year’s team might have been stronger, but my sense is the current team has a better shot at getting to the Super Bowl. — Scott Williams As Mr. Williams opined, DeMeco Ryans’ band o’beef carry the lowest punch potential for an upset over the Ravens. The Texans’ campaign against AFC teams has been least successful against the Ravens all time, with a paltry 2-11 record. They’re still reeling from the shellacking d’keister with our offensive shutout in Week 17. Houston may be a decent team but they lead the NFL with the most plays of third-and-7 or longer because of ineffective early downs, which dictates that a retooled top-tier Baltimore defense will take their lunch money. If there’s anything you have to bring to the table playing the Ravens, it’s a truckload of points, and there’s a drought in Texas. The most satisfying game would be to whoop-up on the declining Steelers but Houston’s the presumed gimme game. — William Crisp Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 9 Ravens selected to Pro Bowl, most in NFL Baltimore Ravens | How Ravens WR Rashod Bateman helped a sneaker artist battling cancer Baltimore Ravens | Things to do in Baltimore, Jan. 3-9 Baltimore Ravens | Ravens S Ar’Darius Washington, ‘too small’ all his life, lifts an entire defense Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: What should the team’s New Year’s resolutions be? | COMMENTARY C.J. Stroud is so bad we could make it look like playing football is EASIER than taking candy from a baby. Not to mention their uniforms lately have been so ugly. Something to be said about “look good, feel good.” no wonder the Texans stink. Bring ’em on. The Ravens aren’t scared. — Alex DeScott Houston is an indoor team that we match up well against. I’d rather save the Steelers for another home game the week after. EPIC. — Joe Swain If it had nothing to do with seeding, Houston would be the most favorable matchup. I think having a home playoff game might be bigger than playing on the road throughout the playoffs. Of the two teams we could face at home, I would prefer to play Pittsburgh. I feel the Chargers are a better team, but the familiarity between division teams evens it out some. With the No. 3 seed, it is possible to get another home game past the wild-card round. If Cincinnati manages to get into the postseason, I could see them knocking off the Bills in the wild-card round. — Terrence Morrison 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

Nine Ravens have been selected to this year’s Pro Bowl, more than any team in the NFL. Quarterback and two-time and reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry were chosen for a fourth and fifth time, respectively, while second-year wide receiver Zay Flowers was selected for the first time. He is the first wide receiver in the team’s 29-year history to make the Pro Bowl. Other Ravens chosen include safety Kyle Hamilton (second), fullback Patrick Ricard (fifth) and inside linebacker Roquan Smith (third), all of whom were named starters along with Henry. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey (fourth), center Tyler Linderbaum (second) and defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (second) were also selected. The NFC’s Detroit Lions had the second-most players selected with seven, while Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen was chosen as the AFC starter at quarterback over Jackson. Allen, who has guided the Bills to the second-best record (13-3) in the AFC behind the Kansas City Chiefs, has completed 63.6% of his passes for 3,731 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions to go with 531 rushing yards and 12 scores this season and is the current betting favorite to be named league MVP. Jackson, who has helped lead Baltimore to an 11-5 mark and the cusp of the AFC North title, has completed 67.9% of his passes for 3,955 yards and 39 touchdowns with four interceptions to go with 852 yards rushing and four scores. The Ravens also have the league’s top offense, averaging 424.2 yards per game. Flowers, meanwhile, was Baltimore’s first 1,000-yard receiver since Marquise “Hollywood” Brown in 2021. He has 1,047 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 73 catches. Henry, whom the Ravens signed to a two-year, $16 million deal in the offseason, has been even more prolific. His 1,783 rushing yards are tops in the AFC and second in the NFL. He is also tied for the league’s second-most rushing touchdowns (14) and leads all qualified backs at 5.8 yards per carry while his franchise-record 16 total touchdowns rank second in the NFL behind the Bills’ James Cook (17). On defense, Hamilton, Smith and Humphrey have stood out in turning the unit around from its struggles earlier this season. Hamilton’s 7.7 yards per completion allowed leads all safeties and his career-high 104 tackles are tied for third-most at the position in the conference. He also has one interception, nine passes defensed, four tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for a unit that ranks No. 1 in yards (267), passing yards (171.2) and points (16.3) per game allowed since Week 11. Signing Linderbaum and Hamilton to contract extensions this offseason figures to be among general manager Eric DeCosta’s biggest priorities. First-round draft picks in 2021, both will enter the final year of their rookie deals beginning next season. Each will get a hefty raise. As for Smith, his 144 tackles are fifth-most in the league with his eight double-digit-tackle games are tied for second most. He also has four tackles for loss, four passes defensed, 1 1/2 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Humphrey has a career-high and AFC-best six interceptions, including one that he returned for a touchdown to go with 14 passes defensed, 63 tackles, two forced fumbles and a half-sack. He is the first defensive player to have at least five interceptions, five tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in a season since the Colts’ Shaquille Leonard did so in 2019. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Here’s which team fans want Ravens to face in wild-card round Baltimore Ravens | How Ravens WR Rashod Bateman helped a sneaker artist battling cancer Baltimore Ravens | Things to do in Baltimore, Jan. 3-9 Baltimore Ravens | Ravens S Ar’Darius Washington, ‘too small’ all his life, lifts an entire defense Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: What should the team’s New Year’s resolutions be? | COMMENTARY Madubuike has tallied 6 1/2 sacks, 39 tackles, including 10 for loss, one forced fumble and one pass defensed for a Baltimore defense that is allowing an NFL-best 81.6 rushing yards per game and a league-low 3.59 yards per carry. However, none of the Ravens finished in the top five in voting, with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Lions quarterback Jared Goff receiving the most votes. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was previously chosen for six Pro Bowls, wasn’t selected to the AFC roster for the first time since becoming their starting quarterback in 2018. Ravens tight end Mark Andrews, inside linebacker Chris Board (special teams), guard Daniel Faalele, long snapper Nick Moore, left tackle Ronnie Stanley, kicker Justin Tucker and outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy were all voted as alternates. This year marks the third Pro Bowl Games, which feature weeklong skills competitions and a flag football game. It will take place in Orlando and finish with a seven-on-seven flag football game between the AFC and NFC at Camping World Stadium on Feb. 2 with Peyton and Eli Manning coaching the two conferences. 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 cleats are gold and shiny, inspired by the Italian luxury fashion house Bottega Veneta, and were meant for the Super Bowl. They never made it to Las Vegas last season for the Ravens’ Rashod Bateman, of course, in what would have been a full-circle moment for the wide receiver and the man who designed them, Salvatore Marcum. As the old advertising idiom goes, it’s gotta be the shoes. Last season, Bateman “liked” an Instagram post that featured a pair of then-teammate Laquon Treadwell’s custom-designed cleats. Marcum, 32 and a burgeoning shoe artist with a handful of clients around the league, took notice and shot his shot. “I sent him a DM just saying if he ever needed any customs, I got him,” said Marcum, who moved to Las Vegas from his native Minneapolis four years ago. “Sure enough, he sent me a pair of cleats a couple weeks later once they were in the playoffs.” They never saw the field, however, with the Kansas City Chiefs ending Baltimore’s Super Bowl dreams in the AFC championship game. Still, Bateman liked what he saw, so he kept sending Marcum his cleats through the offseason and into this season. In all, Marcum figures he’s done about 30 pairs for the Ravens’ 2021 first-round draft pick. A few of the designs have included a Kobe Bryant-inspired pair for the Ravens’ game against the Chargers in Los Angeles, a nod to legendary former Nike designer Tinker Hatfield’s iconic black cement and elephant print looks and one that read “F–k cancer” for the Ravens’ Christmas Day game against the Houston Texans. Prices range from $500 to a couple thousand dollars, depending on the complexity of the artwork. The most recent design also hit home for Marcum, who for the past 18 months has been battling cancer and undergone more than 100 hours of chemotherapy, using the funds to help pay for the expensive treatments. “It’s been a challenge to work and create,” Marcum said. “But I love doing this, so it’s hard to stop creating. I still feel grateful to be able to create and work.” Sneaker artist Salvatore Marcum has created close to 30 custom cleats for Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman, including this pair of gold cleats that were supposed to be worn in the Super Bowl last season. (Courtesy of Salvatore Marcum) And Bateman, having emerged from his own struggles, is more than willing to do what he can. As a young boy who moved around Georgia and at times lived in a trailer, he was witness to the domestic abuse his mother, Lashonda Cromer, endured from his stepfather. After reaching the NFL, his career was stunted by injuries, first to his groin and then his left foot, on which he underwent season-ending Lisfranc surgery on in 2022. Then, early in 2023 his grandmother died and a teenaged cousin killed himself. All of it, along with social media criticism and lingering pain in his foot, was a mental roller coaster, so he could empathize with what Marcum is dealing with. “I try to help him out however I can,” Bateman told The Baltimore Sun. “I check in on him a couple times a week.” It’s mattered. Marcum said he was supposed to have four tumors surgically removed last year, but in the few months it took him to navigate through insurance delays, the cancer worsened. As a result, he now spends five days a week in the hospital receiving more chemotherapy, he said, followed by two weeks at home, a routine he has to complete four times before he can finally undergo surgery. But his spirits have also been buoyed. “We’ve built a good partnership and friendship through all of this,” Marcum said. “Rashod is a great dude. He always checks up on me, always asks if I need anything. I’m grateful for his friendship.” Bateman has also flourished. Coming into the season, coach John Harbaugh said he expected Bateman to be a top receiver for the team. The organization showed it believed in him as well, signing him to a two-year, $12 million extension that surprised the player signing it. Now in his fourth season and finally healthy, Bateman is having the best year of his still young but mercurial career with highs in receiving yards (680) and touchdown catches (eight). He has also boasted the third-best separation rate in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus, behind only Detroit Lions star Amon-Ra St. Brown and teammate Zay Flowers. Last month in a win over the New York Giants, he had the first multi-score game of his career, and he has helped the Ravens close in on another AFC North title, which they can secure with a win over the Cleveland Browns on Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium. “Bate’ is that guy,” quarterback Lamar Jackson said. “We call him ‘Batman’ for a reason, and that’s just amazing. It was long overdue, I believe. There have been plenty of times that I felt he should’ve had multiple touchdown games, but things happen in the backfield. We can’t get to him sometimes, but he’s just working. He’s grinding.” Bateman believes he’s just scratching the surface. “From a football perspective, there’s much more there for me,” he told The Sun. “I don’t know what that looks like yet but I think I’ve showed myself — in the receiver world we all get caught up on ‘am I a 1,000-yard receiver?’ — that I’m more than capable of doing that. “I’m just looking [forward] to building off that.” He has also found inspiration in his footwear, with the idea being look good, feel good, play good. He has a new pair of cleats for every game. His favorite, he said, were a pair of Nike Air Foamposites that are known for their connection to hip hop. “Nike, just give out basic, generic black-and-white cleats,” Bateman told The Sun. “I like to be swaggy in everything I do, so I gotta have a fresh pair of kicks on.” It’s been a childhood dream fulfilled for Marcum, too. One of seven kids in a family where money was tight, he was in elementary school, he said, when he saw one of his older brothers customizing his pair of sneakers. He said he always loved to draw, mostly athletes and rappers in portrait realism, and that passion carried over. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Things to do in Baltimore, Jan. 3-9 Baltimore Ravens | Ravens S Ar’Darius Washington, ‘too small’ all his life, lifts an entire defense Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: What should the team’s New Year’s resolutions be? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens dealing with illness before playing downtrodden Browns Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson closing in on another NFL record “Not having much money it was a way to keep my shoes looking new and different without having to buy shoes,” he said, adding that when he later saw others making money from it after Instagram launched in 2010 the proverbial light bulb went off. “I quit my job making ice cream cones and shakes about two weeks later,” he said. “Haven’t looked back since.” Bateman says he’s thankful for the partnership and friendship as well. He also hasn’t forgotten about those cleats that were meant for last season’s Super Bowl. Though he repurposed them for the offseason, he hasn’t given up on the idea. “It’s kind of crazy,” Bateman said of how things have transpired. “Maybe I should get him to do that again if we win the AFC this time.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

See a Broadway classic, learn some dance moves, cheer on the Ravens, go to a classical music concert or a 70s supergroup tribute band concert. Ongoing: ‘Annie’ Hazel Vogel as ‘Annie’ and the Orphans in the 2024-2025 National Tour of ANNIE. (Matthew Murphy, MurphyMade (c) 2024) Experience the timeless Broadway musical “Annie” at the Hippodrome Theatre, 12 N. Eutaw St. Let the uplifting story of Little Orphan Annie carry you through tough times. Listen to classic show tunes like “Tomorrow,” “It’s a Hard Knock Life,” “Maybe,” and more. Dates and times are Tuesday-Thursday 7:30 p.m., Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $49. baltimore.broadway.com/shows/annie/ Tuesday-Sunday Friday: Say Sister! Opening Square Dance Swing your partner all around at the Say Sister! Opening Square Dance in The Theater at the Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave. An old-fashioned string band and caller will talk you through the dance moves. Tickets cost $25. creativealliance.org/event/say-sister-festival-opening-square-dance/ Friday 7 p.m. Saturday: Cleveland Browns at Ravens Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith (0) moves after the ball during an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Kirk Irwin) Root for the hometown team when the Baltimore Ravens host the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium, 1101 Russell St. The post-season-bound Ravens will be looking for payback after a 29-24 loss to Cleveland on Oct. 17. Ticket prices start at $105. baltimoreravens.com Saturday 4:30 p.m. Sunday: Bach and Mozart Johann Sebastian Bach. 841 Copyright-free Illustrations for Artists & Designers. Selected by Jim Harter. MUSIC — A Pictorial Archive of Woodcuts & Engravings. Dover Publications, Inc. Go to a classical music concert to hear the works of two great composers at “Bach and Mozert at the Maryland State Boychoir Center for the Arts,” 3400 Norman Ave. Performance selections include: “Bach: Cantata 83: Erfreute Zeit im neuen Bunde” and “Mozart: Symphony No. 25.” Featured soloists include Kristen Dubenion-Smith, Ben Hawker and Edmund Milly. Tickets cost $33 in advance and $37 at the door for adults, $10 for students 13 and over and free for kids 12-under. bachinbaltimore.org/events/bach-and-mozart/ Sunday 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday: Devotion: an Earth, Wind & Fire Experience You’ll swear it’s the real thing at Devotion: an Earth, Wind & Fire Experience at Keystone Korner, 1350 Lancaster St. The tribute includes such hit songs as “Shining Star,” “September,” “Lets Groove,” and more. Tickets cost $40-$45 for in-person and $15 for streaming. keystonekornerbaltimore.com/ Thursday 7:30 p.m. View the full article

Ar’Darius Washington remembers well the first time someone said he was too small. A rival Pee Wee league coach boasted to Washington’s stepfather that there was no way his boys would lose to such a runt in the championship game. “Yeah, we’re gonna see,” the Ravens safety remembers thinking. He scored three touchdowns to put the Port City Saints to bed. Washington had no way of knowing it, but that coach’s premature assessment set a template. At every level of football, he would have to play well enough to hush those who could not see past his height. It’s not like he’d be the little guy in most professions. There’s no hint of weakness in his thickly muscled, 5-foot-8 frame. But as the last line of defense in an NFL secondary? No, scouts did not believe. Underestimated is Washington’s brand, and he has chosen to embrace it. “I definitely think that,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said when asked if his new starting safety has been nourished by difficulty. “That’s exactly right. [Ar’Darius] has probably had to overcome that his whole career — high school, college and now the pros, and it’s made him who he is. He’s been forged by all of those experiences.” No one envisioned Washington as the savior of a Ravens defense that could not prevent explosive plays through the first 10 weeks of the season. The Ravens gave Marcus Williams $70 million to be their back-end coverage ace. He and Kyle Hamilton were supposed to form the best safety duo in the league, with veteran Eddie Jackson as a steady hand backing them up. Washington, as usual, had to scrap just to make the team out of training camp. But the truth couldn’t be any more plain. Jackson and Williams struggled enough that the Ravens released one and the benched the other. At wits’ end after they gave up 34 points and 421 passing yards, they turned to Washington as an every-down starter, pulling Hamilton back from the line of scrimmage at the same time. The improvement was immediate. Over the past six games, Baltimore’s defense has transformed into one of the league’s best and one of its stingiest at allowing chunk gains. Washington has been at the heart of this metamorphosis. In a 34-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, his hit on quarterback Russell Wilson prevented a touchdown, jarred the ball loose and sent the Ravens driving the other way for a go-ahead score. Four days later, he drilled Joe Mixon at the goal line on fourth down to prevent the Houston Texans from gaining any momentum in a 31-2 Baltimore win. “I think it’s just his heart,” cornerback Brandon Stephens said. “He doesn’t let size be a factor of what he can’t do. The past few weeks, he’s shown it doesn’t matter, against big dudes. You can look at all the measurables you want, but what you can’t measure is someone’s heart.” Washington remains largely anonymous to casual fans outside Baltimore, but teammates and coaches have always recognized his feel for playmaking. “I think he’s had probably one of the hardest roles; he’s had to make the team every year in training camp,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. “But you ask anybody around here who’s had the best camp for three years, it’s probably AD. To come in and replace a great player like Marcus Williams, his leash was very short on mistakes if he were to make them, but man, he’s really shown up. We’ve all seen the work he’s put in over the last three years.” To Washington, it’s a familiar story. He honed his competitive edge feeling the sting of all those dismissive words. Safety Ar’Darius Washington has become a star for the Ravens’ defense. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) “You’re telling me I can’t do it because I’m too small? It pissed me off,” he said after a recent Ravens practice. “Honestly, I wouldn’t want it any other way. I go out and prove myself right, prove them wrong. I’m a seal; the water rolls right off my back.” Washington grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, the youngest of five siblings. He chose Texas Christian over nearby LSU and became an all-conference safety. Even then, he was overshadowed by Trevon Moehrig, who would go to the Raiders in the second round of the 2021 draft while Washington waited in vain to be picked at all. “Washington falls well below the desired measurables for a safety,” read NFL.com’s scouting report. “But he plays with outstanding instincts and aggression in everything he does.” Boy, had he heard that line too many times. He acknowledged that he fell into a “dark place” after he went undrafted. Teams nonetheless coveted Washington as a free agent, and he signed with the Ravens after Humphrey and linebacker Patrick Queen called to pitch him on the fit. He made the team, only to suffer a season-ending foot injury. His path grew no easier from there. In 2022, the Ravens cut him and signed him to their practice squad, where he remained for most of the season. In 2023, he made the 53-man roster and played well at nickel back in the first two games, only to tear his pectoral muscle. That injury kept him out until the playoffs. No matter how much he impressed Harbaugh, no matter how consistently he stood out in the summer, he could not achieve NFL liftoff. “After that Cincinnati game when I tore my pec, I was like, ‘Man, when am I ever going to catch a break? Am I ever going to shake this?'” Washington recalled. At such times, he turns to his mother, Lashuma Daniels, and his older sister. They call to check on him, send flowers to brighten his days. He’s also a dad now, and his 2-year-old son can keep him going with a simple smile. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | How Ravens WR Rashod Bateman helped a sneaker artist battling cancer Baltimore Ravens | Things to do in Baltimore, Jan. 3-9 Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: What should the team’s New Year’s resolutions be? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens dealing with illness before playing downtrodden Browns Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson closing in on another NFL record Despite the disappointment of 2023, Washington had an inkling his chance might come this year. Safety Geno Stone left for Cincinnati in the offseason, and Eddie Jackson was the only man standing between him and significant playing time. “I made it my mission to come out here and be a starter,” he said. He’s not only that; his partnership with Hamilton is the No. 1 reason the Ravens’ defense has been among the best in the league since that dismaying performance against the Bengals. Hamilton, the 6-foot-4 2022 first-round pick, is Pro Football Focus’ No. 2 safety through 16 games. Washington, eight inches shorter and undrafted, is No. 11. “It’s the speed at which he plays, and he believes what he sees,” Hamilton said. “He’s fearless, lifts a ton in the weight room, jumps out the gym, great ball skills.” All reasons why 5-foot-8 should not define a man. For those, like Stephens, who came in with Washington, his success — he’s setting himself up to make considerably more than his $985,000 salary this season — is a joyous monument to perseverance. “All he needed was the opportunity,” Stephens said. “He’s been hungry to be part of this defense and make a big impact. He has.” Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston will answer fans’ questions in the middle of each week throughout the Ravens’ season. After a Christmas Day blowout win over the Texans, Baltimore (11-5) hosts the Cleveland Browns (3-13) in Week 18 of the NFL season. If the Ravens beat the Browns, they’ll win the AFC North title. Here’s Preston’s take on a handful of questions from readers: (Editor’s note: Questions have been edited for length and clarity.) What, if any, should be some New Year’s resolutions for the Ravens’ organization and some of the players? And do you have any personal ones? — Ed Helinski, Auburn, NY I would assume the entire franchise wants to get into the Super Bowl in New Orleans. Last season was so disappointing with the Ravens losing here in Baltimore to Kansas City, 17-10, in the AFC championship game. At the time, I thought the Ravens had the best team in the NFL and so did many within the organization. They aren’t as strong or as balanced as a year ago, but they still have enough talent to get into the championship. As with any team, you have to play well, bounces have to go your way and fate does play a hand. As for personal resolutions? I don’t have any. The Lord has blessed me with good health throughout the years, and I am truly thankful. Mike, I was curious to know who tells a player they will be a healthy scratch? The Marcus Williams situation made me think of this. I imagine most players don’t take this news well. — Rich Lee Rich, I couldn’t come up with a definite answer so I checked around the league. In general, it depends on the player. Some players, those who haven’t made a name for themselves and are on special teams, say they have a “feel” because if their names have disappeared from those units, they won’t play. If the names are on it, they will play. In some cases, they aren’t even told. I’ve talked to two players who said they were told by their position coaches whether they were going to be healthy scratches for the upcoming game. With players who have been around for a while or earned Pro Bowl honors, they probably get told by coordinators as well, maybe even the head coach. I would assume they have earned that respect for all those years of service. In some cases, I would assume those situations can become somewhat heated but it’s no different for the rest of us in our daily lives. The news isn’t always good. In looking at the starters on the offensive line, what do you think is the line’s greatest strengths? — Josh This group run blocks well, which is one of the reasons why Derrick Henry has fit in so well. The Ravens work inside and outside blocking zones as well as combination blocks, and last week offensive coordinator Todd Monken did a great job of working angle blocks against Houston’s front four. As long as the Ravens run the ball well, they can succeed because everything is predicated off the running game, including the play-action passing game and the run-pass options. When this group struggles, so does the offense, because pass blocking isn’t its forte. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has done a great job of being able to improvise and extend plays. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Each week of the NFL season, The Baltimore Sun will recap the best and worst from around the league. Here are our winners and losers from Week 17: Winner: Armchair quarterbacks The final week of the NFL regular season is always fascinating. By waiting until Sunday night to release the Week 18 schedule, the league builds suspense for the final games that will determine the playoff field and the eventual Super Bowl champion. This year, the weekend begins with an all-AFC North showdown on Saturday, with Ravens vs. Browns kicking off at 4:30 p.m. and Steelers vs. Bengals following at 8 p.m. Given the Ravens just need a win over the hapless Browns — who lost their fifth straight Sunday and fell to 3-13 on the season — to clinch a second straight AFC North title, it would seem a bit anticlimactic. Baltimore (11-5) is a 17 1/2-point favorite, so assuming it doesn’t collapse, Pittsburgh (10-6) would enter its game against Cincinnati with nothing to play for but playoff positioning. But that playoff positioning could be mighty important. Consider the Texans, who are locked into the No. 4 seed as the AFC South champions. Houston (9-7) has lost two straight and five of its past eight games as it deals with injuries, a shaky offensive line and a worsening defense. After losing wide receiver Tank Dell for the season in Week 16, the Texans were blown out at home, 31-2, by the Ravens on Christmas Day. C.J. Stroud looks like a shell of the brilliant quarterback who dazzled as a rookie. It’s funny, then, that the consolation prize for the AFC North runner-up could be a wild-card game in Houston. Sure, it isn’t a home playoff game, but a matchup against the reeling Texans is very favorable. If you gave coaches John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin truth serum, they’d almost certainly agree. So why, then, would the Ravens or Steelers want to win the AFC North? Flags fly forever, but wouldn’t an opportunity to rest key starters ahead of a first-round matchup against a team on the ropes be more beneficial than, say, suffering an injury or two before facing a tougher opponent? The Bengals, who need to win Saturday to keep their faint playoff hopes alive, are also 2 1/2-point favorites against the Steelers, so the Ravens could even afford to lose to the Browns with their backups and still win the division title. Winning the AFC North and the No. 3 seed could mean a home playoff game against the No. 6 seed Los Angeles Chargers, who have won 10 games, have one of the league’s best quarterbacks and a veteran coach who’s won a national championship and taken his team to the Super Bowl. Or, if the Steelers slip to the No. 6 seed, it could mean a rematch against a hated division rival that knows the Ravens’ strengths and weaknesses better than anybody. Not so easy, right? Lamar Jackson is no stranger to sitting out the regular-season finale, having missed it for injury or rest in all but two of his previous six seasons as the starter. The last time the star quarterback suited up for the Ravens’ final regular-season game was 2020, when Baltimore came back from a midseason COVID-19 outbreak to win its final five games and clinch a wild-card spot. Jackson is 1-1 in the wild-card round when he plays the week before the game. When he rests during the regular-season finale, as he did in 2019 and 2023, he is 1-1 in his first playoff game. So when it comes to rest vs. rust, there’s not much evidence it really matters for the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player. That makes it all the more curious how the Ravens decide to treat this week. Their playoff berth is already secured; it’s just a matter of who they play and where. To recap: An AFC North title and No. 3 seed means a home wild-card game vs. the Chargers or Steelers, then a potential divisional-round game at No. 2 seed Buffalo (who the Ravens crushed, 35-10 in Week 4). A loss to the Browns and a Steelers win means the No. 5 seed and a wild-card game in Houston, then a potential trip to top-seeded Kansas City (who beat the Ravens, 27-20, in the season opener) in the divisional round. Which path would you choose? Let the debate begin. Coach John Harbaugh could rest the Ravens’ starters in Week 18 and still face a manageable playoff path. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Loser: The Colts and Giants It’s rare that both teams’ fan bases leave a game feeling terrible. The Colts entered Sunday needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, while the Giants were two more losses away from securing the No. 1 overall draft pick for just the third time in franchise history. An Indianapolis victory would be best for both sides. So it came as a shock when the Giants took a 28-13 lead on Ihmir Smith-Marsette’s 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half — and even bigger surprise when New York held on to that lead and secured a 45-33 victory, officially eliminating the Colts (7-9) from playoff contention. Even with Joe Flacco at quarterback, it was expected that Indy would waltz to victory over a hapless team that was one defeat away from becoming the first in NFL history to go 0-9 at home. The Giants had lost a franchise-record 10 straight games and had been outscored by nearly 150 points. Somebody forgot to tell Drew Lock, who finished with a nearly perfect passer rating while accounting for five touchdowns, including two scoring passes to rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers. Whenever the Colts threatened to come back, the Giants made a huge play to extend the lead. It’s a horrible finish for Colts coach Shane Steichen, who waffled between second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson and Flacco during the season and then face-planted in a must-win game against perhaps the league’s worst team. It’s hard to build much confidence when a season ends that way, no matter how promising Richardson’s flashes are. For the Giants (3-13), it could be yet another misstep for a franchise that missed out on last year’s impressive quarterback class largely because of a meaningless late-season winning streak led by Tommy DeVito. New York can still finish with the No. 1 pick, but a chance to draft either Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward might have vanished Sunday in an ultimately hollow victory. The Vikings are the NFL’s biggest surprise this season, and they are one win away from winning the NFC North and clinching the No. 1 seed in the conference and a first-round bye in the postseason. (Abbie Parr/AP) Winner: Minnesota Vikings It’s Sam Darnold’s world. We’re all just living in it. The one-time bust now has a chance to clinch the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC after Sunday’s 27-25 win over the Packers in which he threw for 377 yards and three touchdown passes. Minnesota is 14-2 entering a Week 18 matchup against the Detroit Lions that will decide the NFC North champion and the first-round bye that comes with the conference’s best record. It’s a stunning journey for the 2018 No. 3 overall draft pick, whose career was on life support after failed stints with the Jets and Panthers before getting an opportunity to start in Minnesota after rookie J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | TE Charlie Kolar designated to return from IR as Ravens get healthier Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who would you prefer the Ravens face in the wild-card round? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens, Lamar Jackson have sights on AFC North title after dramatic turnaround Baltimore Ravens | Ravens to play Browns at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Week 18 in Baltimore Baltimore Ravens | Bills clinch the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the undisciplined Jets Darnold got a hero’s welcome in the locker room after Sunday’s win, with proud coach Kevin O’Connell looking on as the 27-year-old former Southern California star was showered with water and lifted onto his teammates’ shoulders. It’s the first time that a quarterback has won 14 games in his first season with a new team, a feat we might not see again for some time. It sets up another first, as the finale between Minnesota and Detroit will be the first regular-season meeting between teams with 13 or more wins in league history. For a player who was written off by so many, the opportunity to not only start a playoff game for the first time but perhaps make a run to the Super Bowl is special and shouldn’t be taken for granted. In an NFL world so often dominated by living legends and young prodigies at the most glamorous position in sports, it’s refreshing to see a journeyman get a chance to shine. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

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