Steelers escape Ravens’ late push, win AFC North title

PITTSBURGH — In a rock combat that morphed right into a fourth-quarter observe meet with big ramifications for the shedding group, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens 26-24 and clinched the AFC North by the thinnest of margins as Ravens kicker Tyler Loop missed a game-winning 44-yard subject purpose try.

Kicker Chris Boswell, automated for a lot of the 2025 season, missed his first further level try in additional than two seasons with 55 seconds left, leaving the Steelers up by simply two factors. Quarterback Lamar Jackson transformed his second fourth down of the day to Isaiah Seemingly with 14 seconds left, establishing for what may’ve been a successful subject purpose by Loop.

The Steelers retook the lead 20-17 with 3:49 left, however it got here at a major price as Rodgers needed to burn the ultimate timeout when the in-helmet communication appeared to exit. Rodgers switched helmets earlier than the third-down name, however just a few seconds after lining up, he referred to as the timeout and demonstratively gestured at his helmet. The Steelers scored on a speeding landing by working again Kenneth Gainwell a play later.

Although Pittsburgh successfully shut down the Ravens’ speeding assault after a 79-yard first quarter by Derrick Henry, Jackson exploited the Steelers’ secondary with speedy extensive receiver Zay Flowers. Flowers slipped behind the Steelers’ secondary twice within the fourth quarter for monster touchdowns of fifty and 64 yards.

The Steelers retook the lead with a 26-yard landing from Aaron Rodgers to Calvin Austin III with 55 seconds left, however Boswell missed his first further level try since Week 15 of the 2023 season in opposition to the Indianapolis Colts.

Baltimore Ravens (8-9)

The Ravens face an offseason of uncertainty after they misplaced when Loop’s 44-yard subject purpose went extensive proper. Loop, who had made 90% of his subject objectives throughout his rookie season, missed the kick as time expired.

The Ravens face questions with the futures of coach John Harbaugh and Jackson. Harbaugh’s job safety has come underneath scrutiny after the Ravens went from being a preseason Tremendous Bowl favourite to lacking the playoffs for the primary time since 2021. This marked the third time in Harbaugh’s 18 seasons that the Ravens completed with a shedding file.

Baltimore additionally has to handle the contract of Jackson, whose wage cap quantity jumps to $74.5 million this offseason.

Most shocking efficiency: Flowers scored his first go-ahead landing since Week 14 of the 2023 season when he caught a 50-yard cross from Jackson. This marked the fourth straight week that the Professional Bowl extensive receiver has scored. He had gone 12 straight weeks with out a landing earlier than this streak.

Stat to know: Jackson’s time to throw his 50-yard landing cross within the fourth quarter was 5.37 seconds. That was his longest time to throw on any landing cross he has thrown throughout the 2025 season, per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats. Jackson purchased time by eluding Steelers exterior linebacker Alex Highsmith earlier than throwing deep to Flowers, which gave Baltimore a 17-13 lead with 8:42 left within the recreation.

Pattern to look at: Henry’s domination early in video games. Henry has run for greater than 100 yards within the first half for the previous two video games — 106 yards in Inexperienced Bay and 112 in Pittsburgh — which is sort of a feat. Over the previous 20 seasons, this has solely occurred as soon as earlier than and it was Henry who achieved it. In 2018, he totaled over 100 yards speeding within the first halves of his Weeks 14 and 15 video games when he was with the Tennessee Titans.

Greatest quote from the locker room: Jackson reacted to the loss, by saying: “We did all that to come back up brief. [It’s] devastating. [I am] livid. [I am feeling] all forms of [emotions]. I do not know, I am in every single place with it proper now.” — Jamison Hensley

Ravens offseason information: Jackson amongst Baltimore’s high precedence

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)

What to make of the QB efficiency: Coming off a dreadful outing within the loss to the Browns, Aaron Rodgers stated throughout the week that he did not have plenty of “back-to-back stinkers.” The regular-season finale wasn’t fairly a stinker, however he did not bounce again with a signature cold-weather Rodgers efficiency. Rodgers, who accomplished 31-of-47 for 294 yards, had highs together with a 20-yard scramble to transform a third-and-long and a 30-yard fourth-quarter dart to Pat Freiermuth, however he additionally had lows resembling lacking a wide-open Jonnu Smith within the first half and taking a third-down sack within the fourth quarter that led to the Ravens’ ensuing landing drive.

In his Wednesday information convention previous to the sport, the 42-year-old left the door open to play once more subsequent season, however it stays unclear whether or not that will be in Pittsburgh or how this remaining efficiency would possibly issue into that call.

Pattern to look at: Gainwell, voted the group MVP days earlier than Sunday’s regular-season finale, led the Steelers in targets (9) and receptions (8) within the recreation. The previous Philadelphia Eagles’ backup carved out a job as a dual-threat cross catcher and runner after signing a one-year, $1.79 million contract with the Steelers in free company. Rodgers stated earlier this season that he advised Gainwell his purpose was to get him paid this offseason, and it seems the quarterback will accomplish that — whether or not in Pittsburgh or elsewhere.

Gainwell stated Friday that he is open to staying with the Steelers. “This expertise has been superb to me,” he stated. “It is undoubtedly one thing that I’d like to expertise once more, however clearly the free company factor, it is totally different, however that is really one thing that I’d love to come back again to and be part of.”

Turning level: T.J. Watt’s third-quarter interception. In his first recreation again from {a partially} collapsed lung suffered Dec. 10, Watt intercepted Jackson on third down of the Ravens’ first second-half possession. Regardless of beginning their drive on Baltimore’s 26-yard line, the Steelers’ offense stalled out on the 7-yard line and needed to accept a subject purpose. It was sufficient to present the Steelers a three-point lead on the time, however it left the door open for the Ravens.

Greatest quote from the locker room: Steelers defensive captain Cameron Heyward on how shut it was between successful and shedding on the finish: “I am not going to ask questions. The nice Lord made a great choice tonight. I am grateful and we preserve shifting on.” — Brooke Pryor

Subsequent recreation: vs. Houston Texans, Monday, Jan. 12 at 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC)