The race for the AFC North continues.
The Ravens led nearly the whole game in their 34-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Baltimore and Pittsburgh are now tied for the division lead with two games remaining, and the Ravens clinched a postseason berth with the win.
Lamar Jackson had his best career game against the Steelers, throwing three touchdowns and closing out the game late.
The Ravens had two key takeaways that shifted the momentum as they broke a four-game losing streak against the Steelers.
Here's how it happened:
Turning Point
Moments after a red zone interception from Lamar Jackson, Marlon Humphrey delivered an iconic Ravens-Steelers moment.
Wilson floated a pass near the sideline and Humphrey jumped the route, taking it 37 yards his first career pick-six to put the Ravens ahead, 31-17.
Top Play
Russell Wilson looked like he had an open lane to the end zone, but Ar'Darius Washington wasn't backing down. Washington drilled Wilson inside Baltimore's 5-yard line, knocking the ball free and giving the Ravens possession.
The big hit kept the game tied at seven early in the second quarter, and Baltimore went 96 yards on the ensuing drive to take a 14-7 lead.
Scoring Summary
| Scoring Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | Ravens: (5:52) Isaiah Likely 9-yard pass from Lamar Jackson | 7-0, Ravens |
| 2nd Quarter | Steelers: (14:56) MyCole Pruitt 1-yard pass from Russell Wilson | 7-7 |
| Ravens: (7:28) Rashod Bateman 14-yard pass from Lamar Jackson | 14-7, Ravens | |
| Ravens: (1:43) Justin Tucker 51-yard field goal | 17-7, Ravens | |
| Steelers: (0:00) Chris Boswell 51-yard field goal | 17-10, Ravens | |
| 3rd Quarter | Steelers: (5:14) Cordarrelle Patterson 12-yard pass from Russell Wilson | 17-17 |
| Ravens: (1:50) Mark Andrews 7-yard pass from Lamar Jackson | 24-17, Ravens | |
| 4th Quarter | Ravens: (13:06) Marlon Humphrey 37-yard interception return | 31-17, Ravens |
| Ravens: (3:10) Justin Tucker 23-yard field goal | 34-17, Ravens |
Statistical Breakdown
Offensive Stats
| Ravens | Steelers | |
|---|---|---|
| Passing Leader | Lamar Jackson (15-of-23, 207 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT) | Russell Wilson (22-of-33, 217, 2 TDs, 1 INT) |
| Receiving Leader | Zay Flowers (5 catches, 100 yards) | Calvin Austin III (4 catches, 65 yards) |
| Rushing Leader | Derrick Henry (24 carries, 162 yards) | Jaylen Warren (12 carries, 48 yards) |
Defensive Stats
| Ravens | Steelers | |
|---|---|---|
| Sacks | 3 | 1 |
| Turnovers Forced | 2 | 1 |
Team Stats
| Ravens | Steelers | |
|---|---|---|
| Time of Possession | 32:25 | 27:35 |
| Total Yards | 418 | 315 |
| Penalties | 2 for 10 yards | 5 for 29 yards |
| 3rd Down Efficiency | 4-for-10 | 4-for-10 |
| 1st Downs | 25 | 19 |
Stock Watch
OLB Kyle Van Noy
Van Noy set a new career-high in sacks when he teamed up with Nnamdi Madubuike for a third-down sack of Wilson, and he added another in the fourth quarter to bring him to 10.5 on the year. Van Noy also had the key fumble recovery after Washington's hit that helped flip the game.
QB Lamar Jackson
Coming into the game, Jackson's lowest career QB rating was against the Steelers, but he balled out Saturday. Jackson went 15-for-23 for 207 yards with three passing touchdowns. He did have one interception, but it came on a miscommunication with Rashod Bateman.
RB Derrick Henry
Henry was held under 100 yards in four of the last five games, but he erupted against the Steelers, finishing with 24 rushes for 162 yards and 27 yards receiving.
WR Zay Flowers
Flowers virtually iced the game with his 49-yard catch in the fourth quarter, and the play gave him his first 1,000-yard season of his career. Flowers had five catches for 100 yards as he continues a stellar Year 2.
Up Next
The Ravens have a quick turnaround, traveling to Houston for a Christmas day game with the Texans on Wednesday. Houston (9-6) fell to the Kansas City Chiefs, 27-19, earlier Saturday afternoon. The Steelers face the Chiefs on Christmas in what will be a huge day for the AFC North standings.
