The entire season was difficult for the Ravens, and the final dagger was brutal.
Rookie kicker Tyler Loop missed a 44-yard field goal attempt wide right as time expired, sending the Ravens home and the Pittsburgh Steelers into the playoffs.
As the Steelers celebrated their 26-24 victory Sunday night that decided the AFC North, the Ravens were stunned. That quickly and coldly, the season was over for them. Baltimore's bid to win a third straight division championship was done, and with an 8-9 record, they were eliminated from the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
As a result, the playoffs will begin next weekend without the Ravens earning an invite.
"Devastating, furious," Lamar Jackson said when asked to describe his emotions.
It was a tough way for Loop to end his rookie season.
"We've been through a lot of adversity as a team and we fought," Loop said. "Those guys have had my back and I want to try my best to have theirs. It's disappointing, it sucks, but I've got to move on and get ready for my next kick. That's next year."
Here are my five thoughts on the season that ended abruptly and harshly:
The Ravens have no one to blame but themselves for failing to go further.
We'll never know if the Ravens could've made a playoff run, but we know they finished below .500. That's simply not good enough, and the talent on their roster didn't translate enough into success on the field.
From Week 1, when they lost a 15-point lead and lost to the Buffalo Bills, the Ravens couldn't play a complete game. Sometimes it was their offense that let them down, but it could also be their defense, or special teams, or their in-game decisions.
Other than a five-game winning streak after a 1-5 start, Baltimore never established the consistency of a team that looked ready to make a championship run. Their offensive line didn't protect Jackson well enough, their defense allowed too many big plays, and Loop's missed field goal Sunday night was hardly their only miscue on special teams.
Those mistakes left the door open for opponents, and tonight the Ravens were burned for the final time.
Playing hard isn't always enough to win.
Jackson threw two lightning-bolt touchdown passes to Zay Flowers that put the Ravens ahead in the fourth quarter and nearly lifted them to victory. On one of those plays, Jackson slithered between two Steelers who appeared to have him surrounded for a sack, then calmly threw a strike downfield.
Jackson is a special player, and had the Ravens won this game, he would've been one of the game's heroes. The same could be said for tight end Isaiah Likely, who made a spectacular leaping grab on fourth down to set up Loop's potential game-winning field goal.
Unfortunately, all of those plays were for naught. The Ravens could've given up when they were 1-5, but they didn't. They didn't quit on themselves or their coaches, but they didn't play well enough. Derrick Henry and Kyle Hamilton had great seasons and many players contributed. It wasn't enough, but it wasn't for a lack of effort.
The Ravens' defense can be nerve-wracking in big moments.
The Steelers were without leading receiver DK Metcalf (suspension), yet still moved the ball effectively. When Hamilton left the game with a concussion in the third quarter, Baltimore's defense became even more vulnerable.
The Ravens struggled early in the season defensively and never played to the standard that was expected. This game was another example.
"This moment sucks," Smith said. "There's nothing else to be said but we have to get better. It's such a hard pill to swallow."
The Steelers had 390 total yards of offense. Aaron Rodgers carved the Ravens defense for 290 yards passing and 31 completions, and in two games against Baltimore, Rodgers was sacked just twice. Baltimore's lack of a consistent pass rush this season put pressure on the entire defense and is an issue that needs to be addressed. Quarterbacks had too much time to throw against the Ravens this season and made them pay.
The focus will quickly turn to what happens next.
The Ravens are now in their offseason and have many issues to address.
It was another heartbreaking end for Head Coach John Harbaugh, the winningest coach in franchise history, and Jackson, the franchise quarterback. They have been together for eight seasons and have not reached a Super Bowl together.
Players were being asked about Harbaugh's future after the game, including left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who has played for Harbaugh since 2016.
"My job is to lead my O-line, lead my offense, lead the guys that are in the locker room," Stanley said. "I love Harbs and everything he's done for the team. Whatever they handle, that's their business."
Jackson didn't want to answer questions about his contract or his future with the Ravens.
"I'm not even thinking about that right now," Jackson said. "I'm still caught up in what just happened. I'm stunned right now."
The Ravens also have pending free agents, including center Tyler Linderbaum and Likely. The Ravens ran it back this season with largely the same nucleus they had in 2024 and did not get the desired results. This offseason, there could be more significant change.
Extra Points:
- The Steelers scored on four of their last five possessions, and three of those drives went for touchdowns.
- Pittsburgh's defensive line won the battle in the trenches and got a boost from star edge rusher T.J. Watt, who pressured Jackson consistently and intercepted a tipped pass. Watt was making his return after missing three games with a partially collapsed lung.
- A missed extra point by the Steelers' Chris Boswell left the door open for the Ravens to potentially win on Loop's final kick.
- Henry (20 carries, 126 yards) had four straight 100-yard games to end the season. After posting 112 rushing yards in the first half against the Steelers, he was held to just 14 in the second half, however.
- Flowers (four catches, 138 yards) had an explosive end to his second-straight Pro Bowl season.
