Baltimore Ravens at San Francisco 49ers, December 25, 2023
- It's a Christmas night primetime battle when the two teams with the NFL's best records (11-3) square off on Monday Night Football. Entering Week 16, the Ravens own the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed, holding a one-game lead over the 10-4 Miami Dolphins, while San Francisco currently stands No. 1 in the NFC playoff race.
- Baltimore sits atop the AFC North standings with a two-game lead over the 9-5 Cleveland Browns. Following Monday's game at San Francisco, the Ravens will host Miami on New Year's Eve and then close regular season action vs. Pittsburgh.
- With three games to play, the Ravens have already clinched their 11th playoff berth during head coach John Harbaugh's 16 years at the helm. Only the Patriots (12) have earned more playoff berths than the Ravens since Coach Harbaugh's 2008 arrival.Â
- Baltimore is 4-2 all time against the 49ers, including its Super Bowl XLVII victory during the 2012 season. These teams last faced each other in 2019, when the Ravens won, 20-17, courtesy of a last-second, 49-yard K Justin Tucker FG at M&T Bank Stadium.
- In a 23-7 primetime road win at Jacksonville last Sunday night, the Ravens became the AFC's first team to clinch a playoff berth this season. Led by a dominant defense and an MVP-like performance from QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore limited the Jaguars to 3-of-13 on third down and 0-for-3 in the red zone, while Jackson tallied a game-high 97 rushing yards on 12 carries (8.1 avg.), adding 171 yards and 1 TD (TE Isaiah Likely) on 14-of-24 passing. The Ravens racked up 251 rushing yards overall, including 204 in the second half (and 113 in the fourth quarter alone). DT Justin Madubuike posted 4 QB hits and 1 strip-sack, tying an NFL record with his 11th-consecutive game registering at least a half-sack.