Ravens’ morale-crushing loss has an effect on shot at division title

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens hadn’t allowed a touchdown for the complete activity, yet even now necessary a person additional defensive stand to beat the rival Pittsburgh Steelers and continue to be on system to gain the AFC North.

Forced to have the load on a workforce with an offense that has struggled for months to get into the conclude zone, Baltimore’s overworked protection wilted down the stretch from Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett.

Right after going 59 minutes without reaching the conclude zone, Pittsburgh took its initial lead of the activity Sunday evening when Pickett linked with Najee Harris with 56 seconds remaining to give the Steelers with a 16-13 victory.

“Poor overall performance by us. Did not get the work done,” mentor John Harbaugh stated. “Very unhappy. We’ve acquired to play greater than that.”

The morale-crushing defeat left the Ravens hunting for enable in their bid to enter the postseason as division champions.

Guaranteed, Baltimore (10-6) has by now clinched a spot in the playoffs, for now as a wild-card entrant. But the path to the Super Bowl would have been a whole ton easier as AFC North champions.

If Cincinnati beats Buffalo on Monday night, then the Ravens will be eliminated from the division race and upcoming week’s match on the street against the Bengals will be practically meaningless.

Sad to say for the Ravens, the 1st touchdown they allowed at home considering that Oct. 23 will probable deprive them from taking part in at home when the playoffs start.

Even though the Steelers marched 80 yards in 11 plays for the recreation-winning score, it is tricky to blame the Baltimore protection. Just after all, the offense generated only 15 to start with downs and just 3 factors just after halftime.

Indeed, Tyler Huntley started off a fourth straight video game for injured quarterback Lamar Jackson. He’s not to be as opposed with Jackson, the 2019 NFL MVP, but the backup threw for only 130 yards and heaved a late interception that ended any hope the Ravens had of creating a comeback.

His target on that move?

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“Somebody,” Huntley mentioned. “Somebody to make a enjoy.”

Which is a desperate state of affairs, but that really considerably sums up an offense that has scored a lot more than 17 points just after in its very last 6 games. Baltimore’s only TD in this one was on a next-quarter move from Huntley to Isaiah Probable.

“We didn’t do a terrific work of getting a way to make performs. We had a several right here and there,” Harbaugh lamented.

The Ravens frittered away a 13-3 lead and experienced two straight 3-and-outs to begin the fourth quarter. The 1st time, Baltimore shed two yards following Justice Hill took a kickoff 56 yards to the Pittsburgh 40.

“Very disappointing,” Harbaugh mentioned. “That was a major generate for us right there. We could have place the game away.”

Baltimore received just a person to start with down around the last 15 minutes. The group has dropped lots of a direct in the fourth quarter this time, mainly for the reason that the protection collapsed. In this a single, the offense experienced an chance to maintain the protection off the discipline, but could not get it finished.

“We just obtained stopped, didn’t transform third down, acquired guiding the sticks a minimal bit,” Huntley said. “The Steelers made fantastic defensive stands two drives in a row, kept us out of area intention vary and we had to punt.”

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