Do you take a safety here? The Ravens' lead would still be four points, and the Chargers would likely start off in worse field position on a safety punt.
Would it really have been so hard to do something unpredictable on second down? Or is it just a Ravens thing to be in this situation at the end of every game that can break your heart and end your season? #ravens
Ravens will sit on the ball and end this game with a 22-10 win over the Chargers. With a Steelers loss tomorrow, they'll be in first in the AFC North. If the Steelers win, they're still likely a win over Cleveland away from the No. 6 seed.
This is the defining December win the Ravens have been chasing for three years. They still have serious work to do next week against the rising Browns, but they showed something real tonight.
Pretty amazing the number of Ravens fans in the stands for tonight's game. Former Charger Eric Weddle is taking a victory lap and high-fiving as many of them as he can. #ravens
In a season of continual reinvention, the Ravens defense showed a new side of itself at the most opportune moment. Now the Ravens are likely one win away from their first playoff appearance since 2014. bsun.md/2Ag0TNM
Ravens TE Mark Andrews said he was excited to go back and watch the tape -- the defensive tape, especially. "Our defense, that's an ass-whooping. That's plain and simple. And they do that to everybody, so they're incredible to watch."
Brandon Carr said he didn't even know about John Harbaugh's 2019 return until a comedian mentioned it to the team last night. Ravens players in general were happy with the Harbaugh news, but they didn't make it part of the night's narrative.
After tonight's win, the Ravens have a 71 percent chance of making the playoffs and 56 percent chance of winning the AFC North, according to updated @UpshotNYT projections. The odds are better on @FiveThirtyEight : 83 percent to make the playoffs, 67 percent to win the North.
On Saturday night, the Ravens defense handled the biggest game of its season the only way it knows how: "That's an ass-whooping. That's plain and simple." bsun.md/2Ag0TNM
In his first year under John Harbaugh, Lamar Jackson is 5-1 as a starter. Now there'll be a second year together, too. “He was the coach that was here when I got drafted, and he’s going to be here when I keep excelling. ... So yeah, I love it.” bsun.md/2BCPG9T
The Ravens' most important non-Ravens game of the weekend kicks off in three hours, but there are a lot more worth following. With the Titans winning and the Browns already eliminated, here's what will help the Ravens. bsun.md/2rNRE2L
The last time the Ravens faced a seven-win Browns team, they won. At home. In Week 17 of 2014. To seal their last playoff appearance. #spookybsun.md/2QR6kgv
With Texans' loss, Ravens could miss playoffs even w/ 10 wins. Here's how: • Texans lose to Jags, fall to 10-6 • Colts/Texans get to 10-6, win AFC South (b/c of division record) • Steelers win out, win AFC North • Texans get No. 6 seed (pending strength-of-victory tiebreaker)
To earn the No. 4 seed, the Ravens would need a win over the Browns OR a Steelers loss to the Bengals + a Texans win over the Jaguars + a Patriots win over the Jets.
To earn the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye, the Ravens would need a win over the Browns + a Texans loss to the Jaguars + a Patriots loss to the Jets + the Colts and Titans not to tie.
PLAYOFF SCENARIO THREAD: With the Steelers' loss, the Ravens cannot make the playoffs as a wild-card team. With a win, they can finish only as low as No. 4 in the AFC.
Updated relevant AFC standings: 2. Patriots: 10-5, 7-4 AFC, 4-1 AFC East 3. Texans: 10-5, 8-3 AFC, 3-2 AFC South 4. Ravens: 9-6, 7-4 AFC, 2-3 AFC North 6. Colts: 9-6, 6-5 AFC, 3-2 AFC South 7. Titans: 9-6, 5-6 AFC, 3-2 AFC South 8. Steelers: 8-6-1, 5-5-1 AFC, 3-1-1 AFC North
The Ravens' regular-season finale Sunday against the Cleveland Browns will kick off at 4:25 p.m. and be broadcast on CBS. Been a while since a late-afternoon start.
For the first time since Week 6, the Ravens are atop the AFC North. Here's how they could claim the AFC's No. 2 seed, miss the playoffs altogether and everything in between. bsun.md/2BDDt52
After the Ravens' win Saturday, Matthew Judon was asked whether he cared about the Steelers' game the next day. "Who?" he answered. One wild day later, the Ravens need only worry about themselves. bsun.md/2QPgrSW
Back in Owings Mills for the Ravens' Christmas Eve news conference. John Harbaugh says the Ravens are treating today like a Tuesday. Team will have tomorrow off, then return to work Wednesday.
Sounds like John Harbaugh won't talk much about Week 17 last year this week. "We all know where we've been. ... We've all learned from our past experiences." Says they have made the team stronger.
John Harbaugh again with high praise for the team's strength and conditioning, and dedication to their craft. "Our guys have worked really hard. ... I think we have a lot of calluses built up."
John Harbaugh said the Browns offense with Baker Mayfield has almost like a "touchdown-checkdown" philosophy. "They throw shots all the time, in the pocket, out of the pocket, drop screens to everybody."
For Christmas, John Harbaugh wants to not care about NFL games he sees on TV*. "I swear to God, you get all emotionally caught up in all those kind of things, and you just -- they drive you crazy. I don't know how people even watch these games."
John Harbaugh is a fan of Baker Mayfield and parallel structure: "He's going to extend plays. He's going to keep his eyes downfield. He's going to run when he has to. He's going to change things at the line when he needs to. He's going to try to make plays."