ExtremeRavens Posted 18 hours ago Posted 18 hours ago Even without Lamar Jackson, the Ravens had a chance. In practically a must-win game against the New England Patriots on Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore’s quarterback took a knee to the left side of his ribs/back from safety Craig Woodson on a short run up the middle with just under 2 minutes remaining in the first half and never returned. Jackson winced as he exited the field and headed to the locker room, clapping his hands in frustration. It was that kind of night — and has been that kind of season for the Ravens and their biggest star, who has also suffered hamstring, knee, ankle and toe injuries this year. Still, Baltimore was in position to win — until, like so many times this year, it wasn’t. With the Ravens leading 24-13 with just under 13 minutes remaining in the game, Drake Maye (31 of 44 passing, 380 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) rallied the Patriots to a 28-24 victory with Rhamondre Stevenson scoring the go-ahead touchdown from 21 yards out with 2:15 remaining. Baltimore took over at its own 32-yard line with 2:03 left, but wide receiver Zay Flowers was stripped from behind and fumbled with 1:48 remaining to all but end any chance of a comeback. Huntley finished 9 of 10 passing for 65 yards. With the Steelers’ win in Detroit over the Lions earlier in the day, coupled with the Ravens’ loss, Baltimore is now two games behind Pittsburgh with as many games remaining. It also means their playoff chances are out of their control and on life support. If the Steelers beat the Browns in Cleveland next Sunday, Pittsburgh will be the AFC North champion, rendering the Ravens’ result against the Green Bay Packers in Week 17 on Saturday and the Week 18 game in Pittsburgh meaningless. For a season that started with Super Bowl expectations, it is a cold and crushing reality. Those championship hopes took a series of body blows with a 1-5 start that included a squandered 15-point fourth-quarter lead to the Buffalo Bills in upstate New York in Week 1 — a defeat that lingered long beyond on the final whistle. An embarrassing 44-10 beatdown at home by the Houston Texans followed a few weeks later. Ravens vs. Patriots, December 21, 2025 | PHOTOS But long before the Steelers’ wild last-second victory and Baltimore’s incomprehensible sixth loss at M&T Bank Stadium (and fourth in prime time), the crushing 1-2 punches were home losses in Weeks 13 and 14 to the Bengals on Thanksgiving night and then nine days later to the Steelers. The Steelers and Ravens are both deeply flawed teams, but in the end Pittsburgh found ways to win when it had to. The Ravens did not. Jobs will undoubtedly be lost over it, but that’s a story for another day in the not-too-distant future. This latest loss was as brutal as it was familiar, with the Ravens unable to finish another game they had in their grasp. Leading 7-0 late in the first quarter and with the ball on the Patriots’ 27 and marching toward what looked like would be another score, Derrick Henry (18 carries, 128 yards, two touchdowns) fumbled, with safety Jaylinn Hawkins punching the ball out at the end of a 5-yard run. It was his first fumble since Week 3 but fourth of the season — and a costly one. Then Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey was flagged for defensive holding, negating a stop on third-and-4 that kept the Patriots’ drive alive. Unsurprisingly, New England took advantage. On third-and-13 from Baltimore’s 47, the Ravens got zero pressure — a common theme this season and all night — against New England’s two backup tackles, and Maye found Mack Hollins wide-open in the middle of the field for 20 yards. Then it was Austin Hooper’s turn with a 26-yard catch before Maye floated an easy 1-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Hunter Henry to tie the score at 7 at the 11:22 mark of the second quarter. Baltimore then went three-and-out on its next possession with New England adding a 45-yard field goal after a 33-yard completion to Diggs on a third-and-3 in which the Ravens again gave Maye way too much time. Tied at 10 as the second half began, Baltimore surged ahead on touchdowns by Flowers and Henry, but that was the last time the Ravens found the end zone. 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 Quote
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