Steelers escape Ravens’ late push, win AFC North title

PITTSBURGH — In a rock fight that morphed into a fourth-quarter track meet with huge ramifications for the losing team, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens 26-24 and clinched the AFC North by the thinnest of margins as Ravens kicker Tyler Loop missed a game-winning 44-yard field goal attempt.

Kicker Chris Boswell, automatic for so much of the 2025 season, missed his first extra point attempt in more than two seasons with 55 seconds left, leaving the Steelers up by just two points. Quarterback Lamar Jackson converted his second fourth down of the day to Isaiah Likely with 14 seconds left, setting up for what could’ve been a winning field goal by Loop.

The Steelers retook the lead 20-17 with 3:49 left, but it came at a significant cost as Rodgers had to burn the final timeout when the in-helmet communication appeared to go out. Rodgers switched helmets before the third-down call, but a few seconds after lining up, he called the timeout and demonstratively gestured at his helmet. The Steelers scored on a rushing touchdown by running back Kenneth Gainwell a play later.

Though Pittsburgh effectively shut down the Ravens’ rushing attack after a 79-yard first quarter by Derrick Henry, Jackson exploited the Steelers’ secondary with speedy wide receiver Zay Flowers. Flowers slipped behind the Steelers’ secondary twice in the fourth quarter for monster touchdowns of 50 and 64 yards.

The Steelers retook the lead with a 26-yard touchdown from Aaron Rodgers to Calvin Austin III with 55 seconds left, but Boswell missed his first extra point attempt since Week 15 of the 2023 season against the Indianapolis Colts.