Ravens roll into playoffs with win over Steelers

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens are now tied atop the AFC North pinch their section rival, ending the Pittsburgh Steelers power complete them.

After losing 8 of the past 9 meetings, the Ravens hit the Steelers, 34-17, on Saturday connected the spot of 3 touchdown passes from backmost Lamar Jackson and 2 timely turnovers by the Baltimore defense. The Ravens and Steelers are some 10-5 pinch 2 weeks remaining.

Baltimore stressed shot information each week aft turning the shot complete 19 times successful the past 9 games against Pittsburgh. On Saturday, the Ravens forced 2 takeaways -- a forced fumble connected Russell Wilson wrong the Baltimore 5-yard statement and a Marlon Humphrey 37-yard interception return for a touchdown.

This marked the Ravens' first triumph complete the Steelers since 2022 and their first location triumph complete Pittsburgh since 2019. The Ravens clinched a playoff berth for the sixth clip successful 7 seasons.

Baltimore Ravens (10-5)

QB breakdown: It wasn't the sharpest crippled for Jackson but he was basking successful the reddish zone. Jackson threw touchdown passes of 9, 14 and 7 yards, which is rather a turnaround for him. He entered this crippled pinch 5 touchdown passes successful 5 starts against Pittsburgh. As a result, Jackson group a caller franchise grounds pinch 37 touchdown passes this season.

Pivotal play: Humphrey's pick-6 successful the 4th quarter. Holding a 24-17 lead, the Ravens mislaid the momentum erstwhile Lamar Jackson threw a uncommon interception successful the reddish zone. But 2 plays later, Humphrey intercepted Russell Wilson and returned it 37 yards for the score. It marked the first protect touchdown of the play for the Ravens, who entered this crippled pinch the NFL's 31st-ranked walk defense.

Most astonishing performance: Running backmost Derrick Henry. He ran for 162 yards, signaling his first profession 100-yard crippled against the Steelers and redeeming himself from his 65-yard capacity past period successful Pittsburgh. It had been a reliable agelong for Henry, who had been held nether 70 yards rushing successful 3 of his erstwhile 5 games.

Now, Henry is successful an elite group pinch his 4th 1,500 gait rushing season, which trails only Barry Sanders (who had five).

Promising trend: The Ravens stay the kings of the marathon possessions, turning a Wilson fumble wrong their ain 5-yard statement into a 96-yard touchdown thrust successful the 2nd quarter. Jackson deed wide receiver Rashod Bateman for a 14-yard touchdown to headdress Baltimore's ninth touchdown thrust of 90 yards aliases longer, which are the astir successful the NFL. The adjacent closest squad is the Buffalo Bills, who person 5 touchdown drives of 90-plus yards. -- Jamison Hensley

Next game: astatine Texans (4:30 p.m. ET, Wednesday)

The Steelers entered Saturday's crippled successful Baltimore pinch hopes of capturing T-shirts and shot caps. Instead, they near pinch an empty, lopsided nonaccomplishment and an uphill climb to capturing the AFC North title and a location playoff game.

Doomed by self-inflicted wounds and an inability to slow moving backmost Henry, the Steelers dropped their 2nd crippled successful a statement and ended a streak of 9 consecutive games successful the storied rivalry decided by 7 points aliases fewer.

Now, they'll look a one-loss Kansas City Chiefs squad on Christmas Day (1 p.m. ET, Netflix) successful a must-win crippled to support their hopes of a section crown alive.

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)

QB breakdown: Russell Wilson had 2 touchdown passes, but he besides straight contributed to 14 of the Ravens' points. Not only did he fumble the shot 4 yards short of the extremity area successful the first half, but successful the 4th quarter, his walk thrown down tight extremity MyCole Pruitt was picked disconnected and returned for a touchdown by Marlon Humphrey. The pick-6 gave the Ravens a 31-17 lead pinch 13 minutes to spell and each but unopen the doorway connected a Steelers' comeback. Wilson completed 22 of 33 attempts for 217 yards, but the turnovers were his astir costly of the season.

Pivotal play: Wilson ended a 20-yard scamper by moving consecutive into Ravens information Ar'Darius Washington 4 yards short of the extremity zone. Not only did Wilson sorb a immense hit, but Washington knocked the shot loose and Kyle Van Noy recovered it. Wilson could've shifted to the unfastened section to his right, aliases he could've slid down and avoided the contact. Instead, he turned the shot complete a activity distant from the extremity area and took an unnecessary deed -- thing other reckless pinch backmost Justin Fields inactive. Not only did it costs the Steelers 7 all-but-guaranteed points, but the Ravens put together a surgical 96-yard scoring thrust disconnected the fumble to spell up 14-7.

Troubling trend: The Steelers entered Saturday's crippled pinch a top-10 scoring defense, allowing conscionable 18.9 points per game. But successful 3 of their past 4 games, the Steelers person fixed up astatine slightest 24 points. The 2 glaring issues that plagued the Steelers against the Eagles popped up again successful the nonaccomplishment to the Ravens: miscommunication successful the secondary and missed tackles.

Those -- including the absence of information DeShon Elliott for a 2nd consecutive crippled -- allowed for 2 wide unfastened touchdown catches by Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews and for Derrick Henry to surpass his Week 11 yardage full by halftime. -- Brooke Pryor

Next game: vs. Chiefs (1 p.m. ET, Wednesday)