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.
Ravens take lead into halftime
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.
Baltimore’s D gets a big pick 6
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.
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Baltimore wins, defeating Pittsburgh 34-17
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.
With the win, the Ravens officially clinch a playoff spot
For the third straight year, Baltimore is heading to the postseason. And with a win over Pittsburgh, the AFC North is now in play for the Ravens as well: Both teams are 10-5, with two games left in the regular season.
Ravens up 34-17 after Justin Tucker nails another kick
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 connects with Zay Flowers for a massive 49-yard pass
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.
Lamar and Zay connect on a big 49-yard completion #RavensFlock
Kyle Van Noy picks up his 10th sack of the season — a career high
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.
Reverse it: Ravens pick off Russell Wilson for a pick-six
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.
It's Jackson's first interception since the Ravens' Week 11 loss to the Steelers.
Derrick Henry picks up a huge 45-yard run
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.
Russell Wilson finds Cordarrelle Patterson to get the game-tying touchdown
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.
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.
Steelers try to use the breeze to their advantage on the punt
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.
Halftime stats for Ravens vs. Steelers
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.
Kyle Van Noy stops Russell Wilson in his tracks a sack
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.
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.
Justice Hill ruled out with a concussion after going down hard
Justice Hill picked up a big 25-yard run for the Ravens, getting the team towards the red zone. But it may have had a cost — the running back was tackled along the Baltimore sideline, and went down hard. The Ravens staff immediately called over the trainers.
Hill walked under his own power into the locker room for further evaluation. He was quickly ruled out of the game with a concussion.
Chaos as big Russell Wilson run turns to a turnover
Russell Wilson went for the run, getting a 19-yard gain and a first down. But the big play quickly turned disastrous for Pittsburgh, with safety Ar'Darius Washington getting the tackle and forcing a fumble. Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy recovers the ball at Baltimore's own four yard line.
Pittsburgh responds, picks up touchdown with catch from MyCole Pruitt
Tight end MyCole Pruitt opened the second quarter with a tricky catch from Russell Wilson, and the Steelers have made it 7-all. It's Pruitt's first touchdown of the year, and it comes just in time.
MyCole Pruitt hangs on for the TD! @steelers even the score.
Russell Wilson gets a beautiful pass to Van Jefferson, hitting the laser for a 21-yard gain and getting the Steelers to the one-yard line just before the end of the first quarter.
Russell Wilson gets a miraculous first down, overcoming a sack and a scramble
Wilson gets an incredibly tricky first down for the Steelers, scrambling back nearly twenty yards before connecting with receiver Ben Skowronek just past the line.
The play was even more impressive given that Wilson had been sacked by Michael Pierce just two plays before, and had to make up the extra 10-yard loss in order to get over the line.
Prior to the Ravens touchdown, Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. went down after a collision, and was being helped off the field with what appears to be a leg injury.
Pittsburgh PR coordinator Burt Lauten later said that Porter had sustainted a calf injury and was questionable to return.
#Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. sustained a calf injury and is questionable to return to today's game.
Henry went back-to-back-to-back(-to-back) on big runs for Baltimore, picking up runs for 13 yards, 11 yards and nine yards (followed by a two-yard run) to get the Ravens into scoring position.
Watch how Derrick Henry runs through this tackle 💪
Ravens gets lucky with another fumble on the return
The Steelers go three-and-out and Corliss Waitman gets a long punt. But on the return, the ball pops out of Desmond King's hands as he was going down. Luckily for Baltimore, linebacker Chris Board is able to smother it and keep it as a Ravens possession. Still, it marks two fumbles already in this game for Baltimore — a little close for comfort.
Lamar Jackson nearly loses the ball, and the Ravens are forced to punt
What started well for the Ravens quickly fell apart, with Jackson getting sacked by Alex Highsmith for a nine-yard loss and fumbling the ball. Baltimore tackle Ronnie Stanley was able to jump on the ball, but the loss was too much to overcome, and the Ravens were forced to punt.
Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers get big first downs early on
The Ravens are moving the ball down the field fast, with running back Derrick Henry rushing for a 14-yard gain, and Zay Flowers picking up a 14-yard catch shortly afterwards
Ravens get a warm welcome from a chilly home crowd
It's 36 degrees in Baltimore (and will only keep getting colder), but the home crowd is ready to cheer on the Ravens. Even with the cold, wide receiver Zay Flowers and quarterback Lamar Jackson are among the players getting a warm welcome as they exit the tunnel.
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