There’s still several weeks left, but a loss Thursday to the Pittsburgh Steelers likely seals the Baltimore Ravens’ fate.
Lamar Jackson was blunt when asked about the Tennessee Titans‘ offense after losing 30-24 to them on Sunday.
“It looked like that team wanted it more than us,” Jackson said, per the team site. “They were playing physical. When we went up, I felt like we just took our foot off the gas. But we just have to keep it going for the team.”
When November began, the Ravens were 5-1 and in the mix for the top seed of the AFC. With one game remaining before December, they’ve dropped three of their last four and now are on the outside of the playoff picture.
Cleveland continues to play well enough against bad teams to stick around. The Steelers remain the last undefeated team with no signs of slowing down. Meanwhile, Baltimore has struggled with open-field tackling, passing deep and maintaining a lead late.
The NFL season will still be far from over when the final whistle blows Thursday night at Heinz Field. Yet for Baltimore, that could curtains on the season if they leave with a loss.
Pittsburgh will be ready. The question is will the Ravens?
A defining game for Lamar Jackson and the defense
Jackson’s passing attack has stumbled this year. The 2019 NFL MVP still has yet to throw for 300 yards in a game this season while Sunday marked the sixth straight outing with a rating lower than 100.
It’s clear Jackson has built a connection with tight end Mark Andrews, but his receivers remain a constant concern. Even with the return of veteran Dez Bryant, Jackson’s longest pass of the afternoon came on a 31-yard route to Andrews for a touchdown. The only other throw even close to that distance came on the interception.
Baltimore’s run game remains tops in the league, but it has problems for Thursday. Both Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins were placed on the COVID-19/reserve list, leaving Gus Edwards as the lone back with significant carries on the roster. Last Sunday, he tallied 13 snaps, three carries and six total yards.
Pittsburgh’s defense is making a case for the league’s best after a four-interception day down in Duval against the Jaguars. Keith Butler’s unit leads the NFL in sacks, interceptions and turnovers, four of which came at the hands of Jackson in Week 8.
It’s not just a defensive battle for the Steelers as well. Ben Roethlisberger has regressed with his deep ball, but his accuracy is still effective at 67.1 percent. The Steel City’s wide receiver corp have combined for 20 of Roethlisberger’s 24 touchdowns while Eric Ebron is effective at tight end.
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At 6-4, Baltimore is in third place of the the AFC North. A loss Thursday mathematically eliminates them from the division race while four other wild card teams are in prime position to knock them out altogether.
It’s far too early to say Jackson’s sophomore season was a one-year wonder, but teams have caught on quickly.
Rivalries bring out the best in players. On Thursday, it’s on Jackson to beat the best.