Ravens Insider: Instant analysis from Ravens’ 26-24 season-ending loss to Steelers

[ExtremeRavens]

Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ season-ending 26-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the final game of the 2025 NFL regular season on Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh:

Brian Wacker, reporter

Like so many games before the Ravens had victory within their grasp until they didn’t. Not even some late-game would-be heroics by Lamar Jackson and Isaiah Likely or Derrick Henry’s running could save them. Tyler Loop’s missed field goal to win the game epitomized Baltimore’s failings as a team and an organization this season. Now there will be a long offseason of questions that will linger deep into the night from the head coach on down.

Mike Preston, columnist

The Steelers and the Ravens created one of the craziest games in their history, and Pittsburgh was fortunate to come out on the victorious end and win the AFC North championship. With the win, the Steelers earned a No. 4 seed in the postseason and will play the Houston Texans on Monday night in Pittsburgh. It was a wild finish with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson throwing two long touchdown passes in the final four minutes and helping set up rookie Tyler Loop for the potential game-winning 44-yard field goal that was off the mark as time expired.

Sam Cohn, reporter

That’s about as gut-wrenching an ending to this Ravens season as we could’ve imagined. Season on the line, the Ravens had a chance. That fourth quarter pingponged in a show of unbelievable theater. Lamar Jackson and Zay Flowers had a legacy fourth quarter. These Ravens haven’t played complementary football all season.

On the biggest stage, under twinkly January lights, a blown defensive coverage cost them. But the offense did its part. And Loop’s missed kick sent the Steelers sideline into a frenzy. A long offseason awaits.

C.J. Doon, editor

Every year, the same nightmare. Only this time it didn’t even come in the postseason. Not officially, anyway.

The Ravens had this game won, it seemed, when they led 10-3 and bowed up to stop the Steelers at the goal line to end the first half.

Then, Kyle Hamilton and Alohi Gilman collided. Hamilton left the game on a cart, bound for the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion. As NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth said, “I can’t tell you how much of the Ravens’ defense just went into the tent and off the field with Kyle Hamilton.”

If that wasn’t bad enough, Lamar Jackson’s pass got tipped and picked off by — who else? — T.J. Watt. Another year, another backbreaking turnover at a critical moment. Need everyone be reminded of the Mark Andrews fumble last year?

Jackson’s exasperated reaction, hands raised, said it all. “How is this happening again?”

That wasn’t the worst of it. Far from it. To see Chris Boswell miss an extra point attempt — just his second missed PAT in four years –to give the Ravens life, only for it be snatched away by rookie Tyler Loop’s miss was a haunting sequence.

I think it would be risky to fire John Harbaugh and bet on another coach coming in and leading the Ravens to greater heights. The injuries are enough of a reason to give him some grace for a disappointing season. But maybe there’s an argument that something drastic needs to change for Baltimore to rid itself of this curse when it comes to important games. It’s been a long time since the magic of 2012.

Owner Steve Bisciotti and general manager Eric DeCosta have a lot to ponder this offseason, including a potential Jackson extension and how much that should cost. Trading him seems like the nuclear option that would only come with the belief that Jackson’s best days are behind him. That would be another huge bet.

But what perhaps hurts the most is that it felt like this team, despite all the drama and frustration this season, had the potential to go on an amazing run in what’s shaping up to be a wide-open AFC. It’s a shame that we’ll never know for sure.

Tim Schwartz, editor

The Ravens went right down the field on their opening drive and scored a touchdown with ease. How did it go so wrong from there? Inexplicable, really. Derrick Henry had nearly three times as many rushing yards as the Steelers had yards in the first quarter. Baltimore was sticking to its script. It spiraled from there, as it has so many times over the past few years.

Even with Lamar Jackson’s magical moment — a go-ahead 50-yard touchdown pass to Zay Flowers early in the fourth quarter — you could almost sense that Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers would answer. And they did. And even after Jackson and Flowers were given a gift with 2:20 left — a completely blown coverage for a wide-open 64-yard score — Pittsburgh had the answer. Again.

This season was a flat-out disaster for the Ravens, so it’s fitting it ended this way, falling short with one final shot at redemption. A huge offseason awaits. Who survives it? Don the Ravens run it back with coach John Harbaugh and quarterback Lamar Jackson? Does either coordinator come back? Does Eric DeCosta’s seat start to get hot? Will owner Steve Bisciotti address any of this with the media for the first time in four years? We’re going to find out much sooner than any Ravens fan wanted to.

Bennett Conlin, editor

How did Baltimore lose that game?? The Ravens jumped out to a 10-0 lead and looked poised to demolish a short-handed Steelers squad. Even after an awful stretch in the middle of the game, Baltimore rallied to take a 17-13 lead in the fourth quarter. Then the Ravens led, 24-20, later in the quarter. All they needed at the end was a 44-yard field goal to win it. The Ravens couldn’t hold on, finding a way to lose a game it seemingly had in the bag at multiple points. It’s a fitting end to the 2025 season.

Losing to an aging Aaron Rodgers and a middling Steelers team twice in one season? It’s inexcusable. Finishing 8-9 despite having one of the most talented rosters in the NFL? That’s also inexcusable, even considering injuries to Lamar Jackson. Baltimore needs an offseason shake-up. Whether that’s major changes to the roster or a coaching staff overhaul remains to be seen, but the Ravens can’t just run it back next season. This season was baffling.

Have a news tip? Contact C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon.

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