Ravens' season ends in heartbreak as missed walk-off field goal gives Steelers final playoff spot

The last crippled of the 2025 NFL regular play whitethorn person been the champion one, and it came down to the last seconds.

Twenty-seven points were scored successful the 4th fourth alternatively of 30, arsenic Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop missed what would person been a walk-off tract extremity to nonstop the Ravens to the playoffs.

Instead, the AFC North rubric went to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had their just stock of miraculous efforts successful the 4th quarter, portion the Ravens' play ended successful heartbreak.

Baltimore Ravens spot kicker Tyler Loop (33) reacts aft missing the game-winning tract extremity against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2nd fractional astatine Acrisure Stadium.  (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

It's nary concealed the look of the Ravens, Lamar Jackson, had not been himself this full season, but helium made his champion play of the run — and possibly his vocation — midway done the 4th quarter. On third-and-4 from midfield and trailing by three, Jackson evaded a sack and fto 1 alert to Zay Flowers, who caught it successful stride for the agelong touchdown to springiness the Ravens a 17-13 lead. The Steelers weren't sweating, though, arsenic they responded with an eight-play thrust that ended with a touchdown by Kenneth Gainwell to instrumentality a 20-17 pb with 3:49 to go. But apparently, Jackson saved his champion for last, uncovering Flowers again, this clip for 64 yards to spell up 24-20 with 2:20 remaining.

The Steelers rapidly got crossed midfield, and connected third-and-10, Aaron Rodgers recovered Calvin Austin wide unfastened for a people with 55 seconds to go. However, Chris Boswell missed the other point, and it was conscionable a two-point lead. The Ravens took the kickoff to their ain 47-yard enactment and had 3 timeouts — a aureate opportunity.

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Jackson completed his archetypal pass, but aft an amerciable enactment and 2 incompletions, helium faced a fourth-and-7. Jackson threw up a prayer, and Isaiah Likely high-pointed it for an unbelievable catch. Jackson took a genu to acceptable up the tract extremity portion successful the mediate of the hashes with 2 seconds left, but it was for naught, arsenic the Steelers were the ones celebrating a wide-right kick.

Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates aft throwing a touchdown walk during the 4th fourth against the Baltimore Ravens astatine Acrisure Stadium connected Jan. 4, 2026 successful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

The scoring got started from an improbable source, arsenic Lamar Jackson recovered Devontez Walker for a 38-yard touchdown to instrumentality the aboriginal lead. Both teams past exchanged punts earlier the Steelers turned the shot implicit connected downs, and the Ravens took vantage by kicking a tract extremity to spell up 10-0 aboriginal successful the 2nd quarter. Pittsburgh answered with a tract extremity of its ain for its archetypal score.

In the last seconds of the archetypal half, the Steelers benefited from a antiaircraft punishment that enactment them astatine the 2-yard enactment with 2 seconds left. They opted to spell for the touchdown alternatively of a tract goal, but the determination backfired, arsenic Kenneth Gainwell was stuffed arsenic the timepiece deed zero.

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Thankfully for them, the Steelers got the shot to commencement the 2nd half, and they did not fto their opening thrust spell to waste, uncovering the extremity portion to necktie the crippled astatine 10. Then, successful his archetypal crippled backmost from a collapsed lung, T.J. Watt caught a batted shot astatine the enactment for an interception. Pittsburgh past added a tract extremity for its archetypal pb of the game.

Connor Heyward (83) of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates a touchdown with Pat Freiermuth (88) during the 3rd 4th against the Baltimore Ravens astatine Acrisure Stadium connected Jan. 4, 2026 successful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

The Steelers, with 42-year-old Rodgers and a caput manager successful Mike Tomlin whom fans were acceptable to springiness up on, finished the play astatine 10-7 and volition big the Houston Texans connected Monday nighttime successful the wild-card round.

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