Despite some weird, frustrating losses, the Baltimore Ravens are back in the playoffs. And they are suddenly very much alive for an AFC North title.
The Ravens got a big pick 6 in the fourth quarter to pull away from the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 34-17 victory on Saturday night, which clinched a playoff berth. The Steelers would have clinched the AFC North with a win at Baltimore. Instead, after Baltimore’s win both teams are tied at 10-5 atop the division with two games to go.
The Ravens still need some help. If the Steelers and Ravens win out, Pittsburgh would win the AFC North based on the third tiebreaker, which would be a better record against common opponents. But the Steelers get the 14-1 Chiefs on Christmas Day, then finish the season against the Bengals, who have been disappointing this season but are capable of winning at Pittsburgh.
The Steelers have to be frustrated. They’ve had a remarkable season after few picked them to go to the playoffs. Their 10 wins, however, couldn’t shake the Ravens. Instead of locking up the division crown on Saturday, the Steelers now likely need to win out to take the division.
At times this season, Baltimore has looked like a title contender. It also has losses to teams like the Raiders and Browns. But if the Steelers slip up in the final two weeks and the Ravens steal the AFC North crown, they’ll be in a good spot to make noise in the postseason.
The Steelers played well in the first half but had one huge mistake. Russell Wilson ran 19 yards to the Ravens’ 4-yard line, but he was hit hard by Ravens defensive back Ar’Darius Washington and the ball popped loose. Baltimore recovered the fumble. Instead of first-and-goal at the 4, the Steelers had given the ball away. It’s hard to beat the Ravens giving away points like that, and it wouldn’t be the last time a Wilson turnover was a huge momentum swing.
The Ravens got a couple of touchdown passes from Lamar Jackson in the first half, one to Isaiah Likely and the other to Rashod Bateman, and they led 17-10 at halftime.
The Steelers are a tough team and they stayed in the game. In the third quarter, Cordarrelle Patterson made a great catch in the end zone with a defender all over him, maintaining control as he fell in the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown. Even with a turnover inside Baltimore’s 5-yard line, against a very good Ravens team on the road, Pittsburgh had tied it 17-17.
Baltimore got a Mark Andrews touchdown late in the third quarter for a 24-17 lead but like most Ravens-Steelers games, it was close going into the fourth quarter. The Ravens’ defense swung a critical game in Baltimore’s favor.
The Ravens’ defense, which has been inconsistent at times this season, came up with a game-changing play that bailed out Jackson after he made a rare mistake.
The Steelers got a massive play early in the fourth quarter that, in that moment, kept them in the game. After Wilson threw deep and incomplete on fourth-and-6, Derrick Henry broke a 44-yard run to the Steelers’ 11-yard line. The Ravens were in a spot to go ahead by at least 10 points, but Jackson threw an interception to Minkah Fitzpatrick. Jackson missed an open Zay Flowers in the end zone, which compounded the error. The Steelers trailed 24-17 with a chance to tie it.
Wilson had an even bigger mistake a few plays later. On a bootleg to his right he made a terrible throw, which was easily intercepted by Marlon Humphrey. Humphrey had an easy path to the end zone for a 37-yard score. That put the Ravens ahead 31-17.
The Steelers aren’t constructed to overcome 14-point deficits in the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh punted after falling behind by two scores, then Jackson hit Zay Flowers on a 49-yard gain that effectively ended the game.
The Ravens are one of the most consistent franchises in the NFL. They have a two-time MVP quarterback who is playing at that level again, a great running back in Derrick Henry and a defense that hasn’t been great but is improving and capable of keeping the team in the game. And after Saturday, another AFC North title is a reasonable goal again.
Live38 updates
The Ravens have gotten the big division win over the Steelers, winning 34-17. Although Lamar Jackson played well, it was the defense that really shined, with cornerback Marlon Humphrey’s pick-six being the thing that turned the game around.
With the win, Baltimore is now 10-5, and has officially clinched a playoff spot.
Despite the huge Zay Flowers play, the Ravens fell short of the end zone, but Justin Tucker hit the 23-yard field goal to give Baltimore a 34-17 lead.
Lamar Jackson and Zay Flowers keep things going for the Ravens, getting a huge 49-yard completion in the fourth quarter. Flower breaks out of a tackle — and a foot hold — to gain a few extra yards on the play.
With the catch, Flowers has hit 1,000 receiving yards this season — one of six players to have hit the milestone so far this year.
It’s been a big day for the Baltimore defense, as Ravens outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy gets another sack on Russell Wilson on the way to forcing Pittsburgh to punt. Van Noy now has 10.5 sacks on the season, marking a career high for the linebacker.
Two plays after the Steelers got the ball back with Minkah Fitzpatrick’s interception, Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey returned the favor, intercepting Russell Wilson for a pick-six.
The pick is Humphrey’s first career pick-six, and it comes at an opportune time for Baltmore, who grows its lead to 31-17 in an increasingly chaotic game.
Minkah Fitzpatrick picks off Lamar Jackson in the red zone, running 25 yards to get Pittsburgh the ball back at the 33-yard-line.
It’s Jackson’s first interception since the Ravens’ Week 11 loss to the Steelers.
It’s been a massive game for Derrick Henry.
The Ravens got the ball back after Russell Wilson’s long pass on fourth down was unsuccessful, and Henry worked quickly, picking up a 45-yard run. Henry has rushed for 133 yards so far this game.
Lamar Jackson finds right end Mark Andrews down the middle for a touchdown, retaking the lead. It’s now 24-17, Baltimore.
Russell Wilson threw to running back Cordarrelle Patterson for a touchdown, with Patterson able to pull in the catch and hold on to the ball under pressure. Suddenly, we have a tie game in Baltimore.
Russell Wilson throws a bomb to Calvin Austin III, who gets the catch with a well-placed toe tap and brings Pittsburgh all the way down the field.
Pittsburgh’s defense gets the stop as the Ravens fail to get the first down near midfield. After a Baltimore punt, it’s Steelers ball at their own 13 — with the chance to try for the comeback.
The second half of Steelers-Ravens is underway, and although Pittsburgh starts with the ball, they go three-and-out and are forced to punt. Slow start to this half so far.
Baltimore has been outrushing Pittsburgh by nearly 50 yards, but Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson has picked up more passing yards. The Ravens are also holding strong on possession in this matchup so far.
Pittsburgh follows up Baltimore’s 51-yard field goal with a 51-yarder of its own, closing in on the Ravens’ lead to close out the first half.
It’s now Baltimore 17, Pittsburgh 10 at halftime.
Justin Tucker has struggled mightily this season, but converts today, nailing a 51-yard field goal to give the Ravens a 10-point lead.
Van Noy picked up a half sack with Nnamdi Madubuike, halting the Steelers’ drive and forcing Pittsburgh to punt. It marks a career high in sacks for Van Noy, with 9.5 sacks this season.
The Ravens defense was pumped after that play.
After leading the team all the way down the field, Lamar Jackson threw a beautiful 14-yard touchdown pass to Rashod Bateman, giving Baltimore a 14-7 lead.
